Leaves

One of our kids favorite activities in the Fall is jumping in Grandma and Grandpa's leaf piles.  They love Jer tossing them in while the leaves are fluffy.  The Hansens came and joined us for a hot dog roast after.  I know it's a lot of work with that many trees in your yard, but I'm grateful for the magic too.

Ada's braces

Ada got her braces off awhile ago, I don't think I posted about it.... so here are her pictures.  It was more affordable than I thought it would be for this first phase.  It was $700 all told to move her teeth and let the others grow into their place.  There's a possibility that we won't need to do phase 2 after all's said and done... we'll see.  It was funny.  They took the brackets off and out popped her loose tooth along with it.  Two days later the same tooth on the other side popped out.  Now she has 4 front teeth and 4 missing right next to them....

After... Plus the tooth that fell out after.

Before picture.  Her teeth coming in were interfering with her healthy adult front teeth.

Robertson Thanksgiving

We were able to join our Hansen cousins, cousin Ruth and her friend Kyle, along with Great-Grandma for Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Jer spent most of the evening wrestling kids.  They even "dragged" him down the hall and locked him into toy room.  It was really funny to see the 4 under the age of 5 pulling him by the arms.

Great-Grandma even showed off for us.... she took 5 steps without her walker.

Thanksgiving day presentations

This year, we were able to have some slideshows of a lot of things to consider.  My Dad presented on his year in Ethiopia, giving service and love.  My Uncle Son also brought some slides.  He talked about growing up in Vietnam, the first branches of the church out there, and most especially escaping from Vietnam before it was taken over by Communists.  His brother in law wrote a book about it called When Faith Endures.  How do you teach that to your children without experiencing it? 

Thanksgiving

This year we got to host Thanksgiving dinner at our house.  Jer did most of the prep on our end, and everyone brought delicious food.

This kid fell asleep on me while my Dad was giving a presentation about Ethiopia and service... he didn't want to wake up and eat Thanksgiving dinner.

Look at this marvelous crowd.  (Jer's taking the picture)

Seth, me, Moana, Roger, Beth, Son, Seth, Janelle, Evelyn, Sam and Ada.

Turkeys go on Strike

Ada's 3rd grade did a play for Thanksgiving.  It was a cute play about the turkeys going on strike and not wanting to be part of it.  Ada memorized all the songs in the play and asked to be one of the football players.  She was thrilled.  She did a great job and both us and my parents enjoyed it.

Family pictures 2016

First for me

Found my first Gray Hair today. Ada wanted to keep it.... she really is in that collectors age. I'm not sure what I think about it yet. On the one hand, I'm happy where I'm at and what I'm doing in life. On the other hand, it took me by surprise. I hadn't seen even a hint of gray before now.

Evelyn's class

Coaches

No-one showed up to Evelyn's floorball class except Evelyn, so the coach invited Ada, Sam and a few of the basketball players to play a game. To keep Seth busy the coach gave him the goalie mask to play with.

Dear Daughter

I know I ruined your life by declining to bring your retainer to school for you when you forgot it.  I know it seems like a simple thing that you're asking and I ruined your world by not doing it.  For later reference, here is what you're asking of me right this minute:  Your "real quick" errand takes 30 minutes if I already have me, Seth and Evelyn ready to walk out the door.  Right when you called I had just finished getting the baby's diaper changed and was currently getting him some breakfast.  Evelyn was still sound asleep in her bed.  I was also in the middle of cleaning up the cracker crumbs, sliced turkey and cheese that you got out this morning to  make your lunch and never cleaned up.... even after I asked you to (instead you sat on the couch reading your new library book.  I do applaud this, but I would appreciate you cleaning up after yourself first.)  Now it's 9 am, both the little kids have eaten breakfast and I'm typing this out while I eat mine... then I'm off to a 3-4 hour chore of cleaning up the rest of the leaves in our yard before it snows tomorrow.... somewhere in the middle of that, I have to get Evelyn ready and drop her off at school.  That is when I could bring your retainer to  you, but honestly it wouldn't hurt you just to get it when you get home from school.  Just for your information, your Uncle Seth and I have been taking turns in the bathroom and laundry remodel.... he works on it in the morning and I work on it as soon as I get your brother down for his nap.  Then I help you with getting homework, chores, music done before I make, serve and clean up dinner.... then I've been helping bathe kids and get them in bed before I go work on the bathroom until 11-12:30 at night.  This has been my last few days and will be the next few as well until that project is done.  I'm sorry that I can't drudge up the necessary compassion to feel like your need is greater than your need for patience at this time.  I love you, and you life is not over.