Updates

There are soooo many things I need to catch up on.  My pictures are all over the place though...some on this computer.  Some on Don's camera and some on his phone.  UGH.  I am not very good at organization.  With going to school and raising five kids and helping them with their school I am pretty much an organized mess.  OH who am kidding....I have always been this way.  But even more so now.

Well we had Halloween.  The kids had a lot of fun.  Caleb was a some scary thing with a mask, Zach was a Steeler football player and Hailey was a Seahawk (boo), Rachel was a kitty, Ethan was so funny. He had like four different things that he wanted to be and then ended up being a boyscout.  He couldn't wait to become a scout so he decided to dress up like one.  Mayah was a witch.  We had a Trunk or Treat/Chili feed.  Then I took the younger kids to the highschool for their haunted house.  Ethan was terrified to go in.  We were already in the front of the line with a bunch of people behind us so there was NO turning back.  And Ethan was crying and crying.  But after we went through he didn't think it was that bad.  Zach and Hailey walked around the neighborhood close to the church.  Those two are so funny.  They both just started middle school and quite a few kids think they are an item.  They are cousins.  :)  And Caleb went over to some friends from church and had their own little Halloween party.  FUN FUN.

Ethan turned 8 on Nov. 10th.  He wanted donuts this year.  That is SO ALRIGHT with me.  YEAH so you remember how I said I am going to school and how I am so not organized.  Well Ethan just made it that much easier for me.  I actually enjoy making their cake and Don is pretty darn creative with decorating their cakes and together we have done some pretty sweet looking ones....but oh Ethan I love you dude.  Buying a dozen donuts for $5.  YEAH that is cool.  Ethan had a lot of fun playing with his two nerf guns.  It was a good day of pizza, and those cheap, easy, not have to think how to decorate a cake, so good donuts.

Zach turned 12 on Nov. 14th.  Man my kids are growing up.  And guess what?  You are not going to believe this BUT Zach wanted donuts too.  YES YES YES my kids are awesome.  Don't get me wrong.....if he wanted a cake I was all for it and I would have come up with a great idea for Don.  LOL.  But that boy rocks too and he just wanted plain cheap simple donuts.  AHHH aren't my boys the best?  SO with pizza and them donuts and icecream we had a good night.  It was so hard to figure out what to get him for his birthday.  At first I made a 'rule' that the kids could get cell phones at 13.  I know....we are the some of the last people to get phones...but that doesn't bother me. I don't care what other parents do.  And trust me.  My kids reminded me all the time that so and so has a phone or that even some 5th graders have phones and YEP  I have heard many times how even someone in my sons 2nd grade class has one.  Well....guess what kids?  I'm not those moms.  I still hadn't decided what to get him.  He really really wanted a shot gun.  HE LOVES TO HUNT.  But well...that is a bit on the high side for now.  Then I got a phone call from the school telling me that the school had been in lock down that day.  And that they had caught the guy.  OH YIKES.  Come to find out a gas station right down the street from Zach's school had a shooting.  Some guy shot at someone as they were coming out of the gas station.  SO that confirmed my decision.  He was getting a phone.  If something happens I want him to be able to get a hold of me.  So after having a good talk with Caleb about the 'age 13 thing'.....(and he was totally cool about it anyway) that is what Zach got.

Nov 17th...Ethan was baptized.  OH he was so excited.  It was really nice.  All the kids in the stake that turn 8 from Nov. 1st to the 17th get baptized the same day.  That is new to us.  So the stake take care of the talks and songs and everything.  We just show up.  Ethan gave an invitation to his teacher, bus driver and neighbor and another teacher at school and his best friend.  His best friend, Teancum, came.  With a name like that there is no mistaking what religion he is.  They were excited to find out that we were Mormon.

Nov. 25th...Zach was ordained a Deacon.  He will be passing the Sacrament on Sunday.  I can't believe my kids are getting so big so quick.  This  year is pretty cool.  Caleb was ordained a Teacher.  Zach was ordained a Deacon and Ethan was baptized.  In four years these boys will have another amazing thing happen. In 2016 Caleb can serve a mission.  Zach will be ordained a Teacher and Ethan will be ordained a Deacon.  Pretty awesome.

Thanksgiving was good.  We raised our own turkey.  We got that little thing when it was just a teeny tiny baby.  And he grew and grew and grew until the day before Thanksgiving when Zach wanted to be the one to butcher it.  It was a bit tough but still a fun experience.  I kind of miss that little turkey.  It followed Don everywhere while he worked in the garden.  He even named her Henrietta.  You don't name your animals when they are going to be dinner.  We all know that.

And now on to some really really good news.  I passed my second course.  YEAH...It took me longer than expected.  It was a hard one.  Government/Constitution was a long 14 chapter course with sooo sooo much info.  It took me three times to pass the pre-assessment.  UGH.  It contained 163 questions and was four hours.  It didn't take me four hours each time but it was quite the test.  At WGU they have pre-assessments that you are required to pass before you are able to move on to the 'real' test.  And today was a good good day.  I am most grateful for all the prayers and the blessing Don gave me before the test.  I really felt the hand of the Lord helping me through that difficult test.  PHEW...now on to my next class.  I can choose either my college math next or a humanities class. HMMMM what to do.