Nov. 2 - 9

Sunday, Nov. 2nd, James and Naomi stayed home from church today.  Neither of them were feeling very good and Naomi and a mild fever: 100.6.  We've all been struggling with a bit of laryngitis the last few days.  I played the organ in Sacrament meeting.  Ellen bore her testimony.  Her friend Madeline came to church with us.  At dinner Spencer started saying, "Raise hand, like _______" (Raise your hand if you like _______ )  He was so funny!  He came up with all kinds of things for us to like and hardly had any repeats.  Phineas and Ferb was about the only thing he mentioned more than once.  After dinner we played spoons again.  It's been such a nice evening together as a family!

Monday, Nov.3rd, Naomi stayed home from school but was definitely starting to feel better.  No fever!  For Family Home Evening we wrote on our traditional "We Are Thankful For..." paper that covers our pantry door.  It is more full this year than it has ever been! 

Tuesday, Nov. 4th, Spencer and I picked the last of our tomatoes out of our garden.  We also raked up all the pine needles in the front yard.  Two big wheelbarrow's full!  And all of that was from only one tree since James cut one of our pine trees down this summer.  The other one goes next summer!  Hooray!  Ellen and Naomi went to Activity Days.  Then we ate a quick dinner and went to Annie's band concert.  There were two bands and two choirs that performed and we all thought Annie's band was the very best. 

Wednesday, Nov. 5th, Annie went to dance class.  Ellen had her first basketball practice of the season.  She is on the same team as her friend/neighbor Bailee Cook.  Bailee's mom, Lori (aka, the Bishop's Wife) is their coach.  Ellen is excited and nervous for basketball because this year they will play full court games instead of just half court.  Annie, Stephen, and James all went to mutual.  Stephen's group went bowling.  Stephen got 3rd place behind two of the leaders.  Annie's group made decorations for the upcoming Young Women's in Excellence. 

Thursday, Nov. 6th the girls all had piano lessons and I had scouts.  We had a lady from the community come talk to us about alternative forms of communication used especially by kids with Autism.

Friday, Nov.7th, was an early release day from school!  Annie stayed after school to work on an art project.  Ellen hurried off to basketball practice.  Friday night the boys went to the church to set up chairs for Stake Conference.  The girls and I got to go with Sister Dixon and Julia to see the play of "Anne of Green Gables" put on by the Moscow Community Theater.  We really enjoyed it!  Especially since we knew the girl playing Anne!  Her name, for real, is Marilla Hurst.  She used to be in our ward and was one of the kids favorite babysitters before Stephen was old enough to babysit.  She was so good! 

Saturday, Nov. 8th, we got a lot of work done inside and outside the house.  This weekend was our Stake Conference so James went to the Priesthood Leadership meeting at 4.  I made 5 pizzas.  Then James stayed home with our 4 youngest and the Dixon's 4 youngest eating pizza and brownies and watching "the Apple Dumpling Gang."  I took Stephen and Annie and Cecily took her older kids to the Youth/Adult session of conference.  Elder Robert C. Gay of the Seventy was here and of course gave a great talk.  He told a lot of stories that we all enjoyed. 

Sunday, Nov.9th we all went to Stake Conference.  We got to see some actual relatives today!  Joseph and Mary's kids are staying with their Mauery grandparents for the weekend and we got to see them at conference!  Sister Mauery and I arranged ahead of time to sit together so the kids could visit a little before conference started.  We even got to see Simon!  He is so cute!!  He smiled and smiled!  I love him!!!