Honors Orchestra

Recently, Nichole was invited to participate in a district honors orchestra. She was given sheet music to practice on her own for a couple months then got together with everyone else for two afternoons/evenings of rehearsal. Then they put on a concert. Jeremy and Jr. went to it.
Because they did a good job, they were given an extra piece of music that they learned in 40 minutes. Then they performed it also at the concert. Impressive.

Way to go, Nichole. Keep up the good work with your violin playing.

We're Thankful For... Jet

"When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way From your first bassinet to your last dying day."

Welcome, Jet! We're so thankful you're a part of our family. What a great blessing you are.
Happy Thanksgiving!

A Few Holidays

Here are a few holidays we celebrated recently:

November 12- Pizza With the Works Except Anchovies Day.
Last time I got a picture of the BBQ chicken pizza. This time I got the pepperoni.

That night was also a full moon so Jr. Jr., Lucky, and I went out to celebrate and soak in some moonlight.

November 13- World Kindness Day. There were some people who were really kind to us that day.

November 17- Homemade Bread Day. Friends of ours stopped off on their way somewhere and brought us a loaf of homemade bread. I didn't get a picture. It got eaten too fast. Yumm.

Since Thanksgiving is coming up very soon, there has been some celebrating at home and at school.
You already saw that Jr. Jr. disguised his turkey as a bald eagle. He also created an art project of the Mayflower at school. Lucky showed us corn kernels that represented what he learned about pilgrims.

Jeremy made sure to wear a roast turkey hat while taking and picking up kids from buses.

Nichole and Jr. made brownies for a potluck and of course Nichole had to decorate them with a turkey.

Those are some ways we've been celebrating.

Brush

When you know it's time to start using a new brush

Mommy, Look

Jr. Jr.:  The cherries are falling off the cupcake!

The KAT's Meow

Dad (seeing that Mom is looking at bird pictures on facebook): Is that more of the bobwhite?
Mom: Yes.
Dad: Apparently it’s supposed to be named after the sound it makes.  Which makes me wonder what sound it makes.
Nichole: It sounds like an elephant.
Dad: What?
Nichole: Aren’t you talking about Valoo?
(Mom looking very confused)
Dad (chuckling, begins to explain about the bobwhite)
Nichole: And I thought he was talking about Valoo, the dragon (from the Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker).
Mom: Oh, I thought you were saying Baloo from the Jungle Book.

What?

If You Give Nichole a Medium...

Crocheted knight and a girl Nichole decided to contribute to a seminary auction. The knight's sword comes out of the belt and can be attached to the knight's hand.

Book Report

The same week Jr. Jr.'s turkey in disguise was due, he also had a book report due. He chose the book Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull. You know we like Brandon Mull books around here. He chose to make a poster about the book. He made a list of the candies that were used in the book and what they do and drew a little picture of each candy. He worked hard on this project and I'm pleased with how it turned out. Way to go, Jr. Jr.

My Excellent Young Woman

Recently Jeremy and I were able to support Nichole at Young Women in Excellence. This was nice because neither of us were able to last year. Jeremy was out of town and I was very ill. Fortunately, some nice people in our ward took Nichole to and from the activity that evening (and helped the kids and me out while I was sick).

This year, it was a nice evening that we were able to go to. Nichole was asked to help with the program, to do a picture based on the theme. John 14:15. "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

This is how the program turned out.

She explained it this way. The heart is obvious since it's, "If ye love me..." then she said, "I just did a girl doing various commandments like serve, pray, read your scriptures. That kind of thing."

I'm glad the Young Women president asked her to help out in that way. It's a way for her to learn to use her talents to bless others as we are all asked to do.

And what a blessing that girl is to us.

Shhh, It's Really a Turkey

I know a lot of schools do this. Around Thanksgiving time, kids are given a drawing of a turkey. This turkey does not want to be put on the table for Thanksgiving, so the turkey wants to be disguised. The kids at school are to disguise them however they want. I remember one year, one of our older kids disguised their turkey as an elephant.
This year, Jr. Jr. was given the assignment in his class. He decided to disguise his turkey as a bald eagle since bald eagles are protected and it is illegal to hurt them.
He got creative with the tail feathers and decorated an American flag on them. The bald eagle is a symbol of our nation after all.

I just love how it turned out.

My Turn

Finally! Finally! Finally I had Jeremy cut my hair. He's been willing, we've just been so busy. So here we go.

Before pictures

 

After pictures

After after picture

I love it. It was soooooooo looooooong and now it feels sooooooo much better. This is a good length for me.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Jeremy.

Catch of the Day

Leaf Angel!

Economics Sale

Jr. Jr. and other students in his grade finished a unit about economics. At the end of the unit, they had an economics sale. The children (and family helpers) created products based on certain cultures to sell and invited family and friends and other students to come buy them. The money will go toward field trips, school activities, and things like that. I could tell the children worked hard on these projects. Way to go, kids.
Jr. Jr. decided his chosen culture was Mexican Dia de los Muertos and wanted to make balloon creations to sell. Jeremy taught him how to make balloon wands with sugar skull faces (they come printed like that) and bone handles.
Jr. Jr. did a very good job with those balloons (he made about 25) and they were popular.

Balloons. It's a family thing.

Crazy Hair Day

We tried a few hair styles for Lucky for Crazy Hair Day at school

before deciding on this one.

What do you think? He's really getting into what he can do at school this year.

Embarrassed Teenager?

How not to get embarrassed by your family.

Join in!

Meme Boy

Jr. participated in a meme contest at his school and won! Way to go, Jr.

You already know this kid is creative. The idea for the meme is at their school, in order to have free time during a certain time of the school day, they have to have a colored slip of paper proving they are not behind in their classes. They have to show that slip in order to get to choose from different activities, hence it being "preciousss."

Later that day, since it was November 8, we celebrated Bram Stoker's Birthday and Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day. We made pizza- one pepperoni and one barbecue chicken pizza. Yumm. And of course we used garlic powder (except I totally forgot to put garlic powder and Italian seasoning on the pepperoni pizza- oops).

Lucky also showed his creativity when he was poking holes in the dough.

The KAT's Meow

Lucky had a dream that Jeremy was a bad guy but I turned him into a good guy by telling him, "You're as cute as a puppy."



Lucky (after listening to They Might Be Giants' "Istanbul"): Even old New York was once a hamster town.



Mom (after getting mixed up yet again): Sometimes I don't know where my brain is.
Lucky (unbelieving): It's in your head, Mom. You don't know where your brain is?

Hug a Bear Day 2019

Lucky got a bear pin from school and loves it. So for Hug a Bear Day on November 7, he showed me how much he loves it by hugging it. It was closed so he didn't poke himself.

Library Time

It's been a while since we've all had a chance to go to the library together. Usually, I get a list of books from the kids (or make my own list for them) and go while they're at school.
Jr. recently had some research to do, so we decided a trip to the library would be nice for the whole family. Jeremy helped Jr. find his research items, Nichole went looking for some books herself, Jr. Jr. spent a long time reading a book on his own, and Lucky had me read several books to him.

Then Jr. Jr. and Lucky spent some time playing before we headed home.

It was nice to get out and do that again.
One funny thing was we went on November 2, Plan Your Epitaph Day. Nichole made one up for the occasion. "The Telford Kids. They read too much." Well... our kids would happily skip meals and everything else in order to spend time with books, so...

Speaking of holidays... since I don't have pictures, I'll mention some other early November holidays we regarded in our home.
November 3 was Sandwich Day. The kids used up too much pepperoni making themselves pepperoni sandwiches.
November 4 was King Tut Day. We went around singing, "Walk Like an Egyptian," and doing the walk. Nichole also talked about how King Tut died.
November 5 was Guy Fawkes Day. We didn't have a bonfire or do fireworks but one of the kids did ask who Guy Fawkes was so I explained about him being one of the people who tried to blow up Parliament but it didn't work.

Getting Along

November 1 was Vinegar Day.

No vinegar here. They got along well reading Calvin and Hobbes while I was working on making food.

Halloween Fun

Trunk or Treat and ward party! We even made chili this year to contribute to the chili cookoff (and there was enough left over for dinner another night). I don't have indoor pictures to show from the ward party.

The kids' costumes: Jr. Jr. was a pirate. Lucky was a pumpkin. Jr. was a Ten Man from The Mysterious Benedict Society book series. Nichole was Kate Weatherall from The Mysterious Benedict Society book series.
How do you like my costume?

I fooled several people thinking I had a baby in there. Nope. It was candy to hand out.

Beautiful weather for being outside. Several of us wore short sleeves.
And the next morning? Snow on the ground.

Then it stayed pretty cold through Halloween (depending on the time of day. There was no more snow, though).
Halloween day, I went to watch Jr. Jr. and Lucky walk in the school's Halloween parade. Then I got to watch Lucky's kindergarten presentation, sharing what they've been learning. He was so happy to have me there and to give me a hug afterward. I love supporting my kids like that. And I'm so glad he loves school.

After school, we met up with friends to do trick or treating at the mall.

Then the kids and I went home to have some dinner and did some trick or treating in our neighborhood.

We stopped off at a neighbor's fire to warm up and roast some marshmallows. Then we collected Jeremy who by then was home from work and went to visit and trick or treat at my sister's.

On a side note, after the ward party, Lucky was proud to show me what he did to his face and hands (and armpits) with a stamp. I let him know (nicely) it was not the best choice since we had church the next morning (the Primary program). Thankfully it washed off.