Catch up recap

This is only my 6th post in November. Wow! Things have been busy. Tomorrow we're headed to sunnier California for a Thanksgiving vacation. We're staying with my sister Marisa and her family in the Bay area. My parents are flying down to meet us. I'm excited for a night out at a nice restaurant (adults only), visiting an art museum and seeing a King Tut exhibit (girls only), going to the Oakland Temple for the lighting ceremony, and maybe a visit to Six Flags or the Muir Woods. I just cleaned my car in preparation for the drive. Got the oil changed and tires rotated today, and new brakes pads and alignment fixed tomorrow. Nothing like a long drive to motivate me to take care of my car, huh?

Lots has happened in the last week. Here are some highlights.

Kara was accidentally tripped in a parking lot. Her coat and face did not fare well. She had mud everywhere! But I have to say that after soaking the coat in water and Biz, then washing it, it looks as good as new. If you don't have a favorite stain fighter, I highly recommend Biz. No, I'm not getting paid to promote it. Kara's doing just fine a week later. It's amazing how fast kids heal.


Jillian used to dread volleyball practice, but she actually likes it now. I think she's so cute in her knee pads and sports clothes. She said she enjoyed her game too. Not sure if she'll stick with it, but I'm glad she gave it a try. Okay, I totally forced her, but there was no way she was going to choose to play on her own. Sometimes gentle prodding isn't enough.


Hayden is loving basketball. He's funny when he tries to talk trash to the guy he's guarding. I'm glad he's having some good sports experiences and learning about being a teammate. Kyle's been more involved with helping his team too, and it's fun to see them work together.



I went with my sister Shauna to Portland last weekend. We had a great time eating out, shopping, going to the art museum, and enjoying a 24-hour getaway. Then I went to see New Moon with some other friends. It was okay for me. I'm not a super fan, but I give total props to Stephenie Meyer for living the dream. What should I write my best-selling teen novels about?

The boutique where I was selling my jewelry went pretty well. I made about $85 in profit. We're going to give it another go in December. I think it was a marketing issue more than anything. Everything looked great and was priced well; we just need to get more people in the door. After that day I'll probably have some leftovers, so look for another giveaway! And if you're interested in any of it, I'm happy to sell it to you too. I have several girls' bracelets that would make great Christmas gifts. Maybe I'll do a post.

Well, off to fold socks, make lunches, and make sure my packing list is ready. Gotta get some more tunes on the mp3 player, find the DS games, and make sure the portable DVD player is ready to go. Remember back when family car trips meant non-stop fighting, being bored, and playing the alphabet game for hours? Those were the days! We still always play the alphabet game, I spy, and "I'm thinking of an animal". And I try to get the kids to sing too. I love singing in the car.

Happy Thanksgiving! I'll do a gratitude post in California. So so much to be thankful for.

Love,