Random November

First time all her hair fits in a real ponytail

She loves pickles!

The park is so much more fun when you can finally work the slide

Looking down the big slide

Smiles at the bottom of the slide

Trying to go up backwards

A delicious recipe I found for Acorn squash with apples, celery, onions, maple syrup and cinnamon.

The best looking banana bread I've ever made!

The saddest plea for help!

This picture is a hilarious memory! I was doing dishes and Abi was playing behind me in the kitchen when she started whimpering in that way that says "I need help." So, I dried my hands and turned around and there was Abi crying in frustration as she tried to hold the toaster up - tilted on its side. She evidently leaned on it and it tilted so then she didn't understand that she could just set it down; she thought it was falling and was crying for help to fix it. So what do I do? Run for the camera. Haha! Terrible mom. I know. But she was so cute and someday she may not ask for help with her problems even if they are only problems in her head. So, I need record of this moment for the future. To fix her sadness, she got to snuggle with her monkey, blanket, and bottle. That makes up for it, right?

Consoling the sad cry

Favorite place to sit

She loves this spot!

I love how colorful our leaves were this fall!

Abi didn't want to smile this day

It's amazing how parents view situations differently...

This is another hilarious memory for me. I was having a meeting with some other women from church in my dining room and Abi was playing in the living room. I went in to check on her and she had found the Kleenex box and was spreading them all over the place, because that's fun! Well, of course, what do I do but grab the camera! I giggled about it and left it for James to see and maybe even clean up and finished my meeting. Well, James got home and saw the mess and what is his reaction?? Absolute pride! He was so overcome with excitement that his daughter enjoys TP-ing as much as he used to. He almost seemed ready to take her that night on her first TP adventure. But he didn't. Don't worry! The neighborhood is safe for a while longer.

Walking up the "cheese" at her gym class

Her favorite part of gym class - the shakers!

Reading a magazine as we stroll

The best way to eat every last drop

Still learning to use dishes

First time in falling snow in NJ

And it doesn't stop her!

She LOVES her gym class!

Way to go, Abi!

Flat head!

James went outside to shovel snow and came in looking like this... I admit I cracked up laughing. Apparently some snow fell off and tree and onto his head causing this flattened hair-do. Love it!

Poor James!

Baking pies with the Sister missionaries

This Sister missionaries got "grounded" which doesn't mean they were in trouble. Actually, that's the word they use in this mission for No Driving Allowed usually because of winter conditions. Well, the day before Thanksgiving, we got two or three inches of snow and it was pretty slick, so the Mission President grounded all missionaries. Well, our sisters has misplaced their phone, so they couldn't call us or anyone else in the ward, so they walked to our house (1.5 hours) in wet snow so they could use a phone. By the time they arrived, they were soaked through. Poor things! It became one of those weird days where no missionary work is actually going to happen, so I taught them to bake pies while we waited for them to dry off and get un-grounded. :) It was a lot of fun!