November Happenings

November has gone by quickly. We had some fun memories and it was a great month to remember how very blessed we are and to have so many moments to be grateful for.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends from the ward at the "orphans Thanksgiving" and enjoyed a mini vacation in San Antonio. But there were a couple things before that, and the pictures help me narrate.

I had a brilliant idea for a "date at home", I bought the supplies and we watched a tutorial on youtube. Here are the results. It was pretty fun even though I discovered I bought the wrong kind of paint so it was a little more difficult to follow all the directions...meaning more difficult than inexperience already added. JD was a good sport to go along with it and we had fun.

We made it half way through November before we decided we had had enough fall and wanted to put up our Christmas decorations. Cami loves getting them out and remembering things from the year before. It is always such a neat thing and I love the magical feel of the lights in our house. It is especially nice after daylight savings when it gets dark so early.

Decorating the tree.

Every year for the past 4 years we have made a Thankful Tree. I am always grateful for this exercise that helps us to keep gratitude in the forefront of this holiday. I have so very much to be grateful for that I could not even begin to list them all. This tree is just a small part!

The Friday before Thanksgiving Cami's school celebrated Grandparent's day. I loved their little songs they sang and recorded them to send the grandparents.

One weekend we decided to have a family date and went to dinner (IHOP-Cami's pick) and then bowling. It was fun to play with Cami. She is such a competitive little girl, so determined to win, so it is difficult to help her understand that mom and dad have so much more experience. She was able to figure out how to bowl by herself this time even though the lightest ball is still a bit for her little body to handle. 

This video is from another bowling trip we took in Oct, I just love her enthusiasm.

Cami had all of Thanksgiving week off so we kept busy while JD worked. One day we headed to Corpus to do some Christmas shopping then went to check out the wildlife refuge and enjoyed a picnic in the cool sunshine. We played at the park and were grateful for the warm weather here in Texas.

We also did some crafting to help keep us busy. We painted this frame and strung some twine across the back so she could have a place to display her art and switch it out when she wants.

Thanksgiving we enjoyed lots of good food and friends at the church at the orphan's Thanksgiving. I cooked a turkey- partly because I love leftover turkey and rolls. JD and Cami making a wish with the wishbone.

In case you want to know it was a remarkable even split so I guess they both get their wish ;)

Friday we drove up to San Antonio and went ice skating! Cami did skate a little by herself but didn't really catch on to the art...mostly just bitty steps :) We all enjoyed it and pretty sure all had a good time!

Cami did get a little cold, our poor Texas girl. She has lived four of her five years in Texas and has rarely experienced cold.

Trying by herself!

Friday we went to the DoSeum, the children's museum in San Antonio. Cami had a lot of fun.

Here she is exploring the wind tunnel.

They had a little city complete with trolly, grocery store, vet, bank, and food truck!

Cami really liked the mini HEB.

Cami practicing her checking out skills.

Learning to drive... just kidding! They had a little Prius model in the town.

Cami me up some food truck specials.

Cami practicing her vet skills.

Construction Zone!

Cami the pilot headed for destinations unknown. 

They had a spy exhibit and although half of it is geared toward older children Cami enjoyed figuring out clues with Dad.

Cami and Dad building a hideout.

I love her little handwriting! She is definitely improving in her writing.

The sound room with a sweet piano that allows you to see the inner workings. 

Of course one of Cami's favorite parts is the outdoor play area.

Complete with climbing wall which she muscled up with a little help from Dad.

We built a little parachute to play with in the air vents.

I just like them building with the states and putting in Texas. I reflect often on how 

I never would have guessed I would end up here, but that I do like it here.

We also had family photos take 2 so here are the results. I was very pleased. It was nice to have Amy take them so we didn't have to keep setting up the tripod. It is a bit of a picture overload, but I liked so many of them!

That wraps up November, we are grateful for family, for school, for a good job, and friends and so many more things. 

October

October flew by for some reason. So I guess this really is an update since it has been a month since I posted. We will start with Cami. She is loving school. She is sounding out things all the time and asking what letters make certain sounds. She loves discovering new words and has a wonderful memory. She also really likes addition and is always counting things and enjoys her math homework sheets. She has made some new best buddies at school and really likes her teacher. We discovered the after school program at the library on Mondays so we have enjoyed going to that. Last week of course involved lots of Halloween activities, and too much candy, but lots of fun. JD is working hard. He had a meeting with his head attorney about his first year and they said he is doing well. He seems to enjoy it most days. He has some days that are long or boring, but he is learning so much and I am so grateful for him supporting our family. Besides that he was able to go fishing on a catamaran with some guys from the ward and has enjoyed playing video games and put up with me having us do family pictures twice. As for me I am able to keep busy most days. I have more or less worked out a schedule for myself that helps keep me on track. I have been volunteering at the school and am the room mom for Cami's class. I am grateful for social ladies in our ward and craft days, book club, bunco nights and other activities that keep me involved and not a recluse. 

This is actually from the open house at the end of September. This is Cami with her teacher, Mrs. Vacek. We had parent teacher conference at the beginning of the month and Cami is doing well, a little ahead even so that is great.

 My pictures are out of order but this is from the Storybook Parade Cami's school did for a Halloween activity.

 Cami's first field trip to the pumpkin patch. She was so excited about riding the bus. I got to meet them there.

 Cami got to pick out her own little pumpkin and this is the best picture I could get...she was trying to be cute :)

 Halloween pictures...I wanted to get some family ones that showed our theme. Cami picked it out this year...and last year :)

 This was family pictures take one... It was windy and I had agreed to swap with a friend and she was held up at work so when we got to take them the lighting was poor and my hair was a disaster. We decided to do a redo another day, but there were still some cute memories so I thought I would show them here to remember.

This was a craft project in preparation for General Conference. I decided she could pretend to be like King Benjamin's people and watch it from her teepee. It was fun to make. I just stapled it so it didn't take as long as it would have to sew it.

Just a goofy Sunday with Dad.

And another goofy picture...Cami has such a personality and is such a silly girl and I love it!

At the beginning of the month they had a  Book-a-Palooza community event to encourage literacy. They had fun booths based on books and gave away free books. It was fabulous and Cami loved it.

Cami reading to JD a book she made at school. 

Another one from the pumpkin patch.

We spent a rainy Saturday painting and carving pumpkins.

Cami working on her math homework. She is pretty good about doing her homework... I can only hope it lasts.

Wednesday last week was the ward chili cook off and trunk or treat. Yummy food, great company, and Cami got lots of candy.

Storybook parade! I love the cute little kindergartners.

Class Photos!

They took fall photos too and I love Cami's except she looks too grown up.

Friday night last week was the community Boo Bash Halloween event. They had inflatables and free food and treats and activities. It was fun, but a bit crowded.

Saturday we went to the aquarium with some friends and enjoyed some of their Halloween stuff as well.

Cami with her friend Reggie.

Cami on the inflatables at the community event.

Fun activities at the aquarium.

Saturday we went trick or treating with several friends from the ward. It was so fun and we got to enjoy homemade donuts and apple cider after at the Kinghorn's. It was warm and the mosquitoes were out but lots of fun!

That pretty much brings us up to date. The weather is just starting to cool down which means trips to the park so Cami can burn off her caged energy she has after school. I am grateful for the experiences I have had this past month to witness the Lord's hand in good times and bad. I am grateful for the chance I had to listen to General Conference and to be uplifted. Here is to a new month and more experiences! Bring on the Holidays!