NOVEMBER

Most of the leaves have fallen, leaving a few little leaves to greet the raindrops that have finally arrived. It has been a dry summer and fall.

My friend Marvel came to town and we had a way overdue lunch together.  She is one of those friends who you can always pick up where you left off. 

I decided that it is time to stop putting things off for another time. So I called my cousins in Eastern Oregon and we set up some get togethers. I don't know why it took me so long to get it planned, it isn't so far away and it sure was good to see everyone again. 

The drive over was beautiful with new snow and fall leaves too.

White River Falls

I have had it on my list of places to visit for years. I guess I figured it was close and I could go anytime, but now I finally made it! There was even a rainbow that day!

Josiah turned 11. We took him to lunch and birthday shopping, of course to a fishing shop for ANOTHER pole. He always wants another pole. I know he loved it, but it kinda bummed me out that it was such a boring gift. That night, Jessi discovered a remote car at the store, so we went back to the store and bought it and returned the boring pole.

Arianna and Josiah have both been playing basketball. As with Volleyball, it has been fun watching them from the start of the season to the end and to see how much they learn together.

Lina makes a great cheerleader!

There is such a size difference at Josiah's age. Most teams don't have an A and B team, so it seems like every game they have to play the A team, the boys they play are twice their size, here is a shot of Josiah about to do a jump ball at the start of the game to a guy at least a head taller. 

I got an early start on my Christmas baking. Cookies and candy are done and in the freezer already.

I love it that the kids think of me when they see hearts. They sent me this one.

Lina loves sprinkles on her pancakes, but I think even she knew she overloaded on this one.

We had a couple of 'sick days' with Lina a day and Josiah a different day. I can't believe how entertaining the Viewmaster still is to this generation. They bring it to me like it is a whole new invention. 

I have a few new recipes. Pumpkin rolls, made with a yeast pumpkin combination, stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped to make a pumpkin as it rose and baked. They tasted even better than they looked. Another new recipe was a spiced pumpkin pie. It has a pecan crust, spicy pumpkin filling with a bruleed sugar topping and whipped cream and salted caramel drizzle, fancied up with sugared cranberries, candy leaves that I melted and shaped and pecans. It was a hit when my parents and sister came for dinner. The other dessert was a slab pie. It is a free form pie and the crust recipe was amazing!  I will never use another crust recipe.

I didn't know that they had a service planned for veterans. I had a dentist appointment scheduled for Jimmy and he had to miss it. But when we returned, the Navy guys were still there, Jimmy was so happy that they followed us to his room and presented him with a certificate for his service in the Navy. He was so proud that he had me get a frame for it and hang it by his TV.

Mom and I joined the health club. It is has been fun working out together. I can't believe she is right there with us doing yoga like a pro!

And suddenly here we are to Thanksgiving Day! John and Rachel came up a day early and stayed the night, so we had dinner together with Jessi and Ariel and the kids. The next morning, we started the day with a little hike and all ended up over at Mom and Dad's for the traditional dinner spread out across the living room. She still refuses help with any of the cooking!

Mom's birthday was two days later. We celebrated with dinner out together with Dan and Cyndi.

I love being able to see the sunsets from this place! I didn't capture it as it was...the whole sky was full of those vivid pink clouds.