Elizabeth and Paper

Whenever Elizabeth has "free time" she is writing or drawing or coloring.  Her paper consumption is off the charts.  :)  But, it's worth it when it keeps her so happily busy.  Today she colored this cute nativity and then we cute it out and assembled it together.

Here's where we found the printable:

Paper City Nativity Scene

He's Got "The Knack"

Disassembling his latest find...a $2 digital camera from the DI.

A pretty great hobby until you find out this isn't the only thing he's been disassembling. :)

He started a couple months ago with an old printer of ours, and we've gotten a couple things from the DI since like an old calculator that prints onto a roll of paper. (We've also found out he could tell all our night lights needed some "adjustments to the sensors" and he's taken care of that.)

Decorating the House

A few more pictures of decorations in the light...

Decorating the Tree

Puffy Foam Painting

So fun to give these kids a few tools and watch them create!!

Off-Track for the Holidays

This year our kids started year-round school.  We chose Track B, in part, because if it's long break from Thanksgiving until after the New Year.  I can remember being on this track as a child and thinking it was the most "magical" time!  As a parent, I am realizing how wonderful my mom was to make it feel magical when she could have made the headline "hectic" or "stressful" instead.  I hope that somehow this month I can figure out how to let this season feel "magical" for our kids.

Thanksgiving with Fransons

Got to spend some time this weekend, too, with these wonderful moms and sweet babies.  Wish we had pictures of the fun times at the park, playing football, seeing the lights at Riverwoods, swimming at Provo Rec Center, and the guys' trip to Riverwoods for sorting at Great-Grandma Franson's home and shooting afterward.

Thanksgiving with Luthys

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Logan with our Mom and Dad Luthy and John and Valerie and their kids.  Wish I'd gotten more pictures of the adults, but so glad to have documented some of the cute moments with these cousins.  So fun to get to be together!

Fun at the Zoo!

The day before Thanksgiving was free admission at the Zoo!  The weather was beautiful...about 50 degrees or so.  We got there just after it opened and enjoyed the morning before the crowds really arrived!  This is the first time most of our kids remember ever going to a zoo, so it was extra magical for everyone!

Emily and Willy Engaged!

Got to take some pictures of Emily (my sister-in-law) and Willy for their upcoming wedding!  What a beautiful couple!  So excited for these two!

Aaron's Birthday Party

Aaron's Birthday -- The Preparations

Aaron's Birthday falls close enough to Thanksgiving and soon enough after Greg's birthday (and our life is just busy enough) that I got worried we wouldn't "fully celebrate" him like I wanted to.  We briefly considered going out to do some activity the night before.  But, when it comes right down to it, doing the party preparations at home (even for just a party with our own little family) is what makes us all feel the "birthday spirit" more than anything else!

So, we had a Cars-themed party for the six of us.  Aaron and Elizabeth helped make the invitations that were taped to each person's door.  Nathan made a game of "Pin the Tire on the Truck".  Joshua created a board game with spaces on it like, "Tire Pop, Lose a Turn", "What Did You Eat Today?! Move Ahead Six", and "Uh, Oh! Out of Gas, Move Back Three".  

We put up a banner and got the house all ready for the party the next evening.

Gun Course for Scouts

Greg has recently done all the training to be certified as a NRA Rifle Instructor.  For the past several mutual nights he has been teaching the course to the Teachers and Priests in our ward.  One of the evenings was at our home.  You can see on the table near Greg just some of the guns that were brought...and this picture is only part of the boys and leaders that attended.  It's been a great activity to bring both boys and leaders out of the woodwork...and get them learning and teaching each other!

Greg's Birthday

Posted this collage of Facebook for Greg's Birthday.

Top Left -- Elizabeth's Letter to Greg:  "Dear Dad, I love you just the way you are."

Right -- Sending Greg off to work on his birthday morning.

Bottom Right -- We grilled Greg ribs for dinner.  I sent Nathan out to start the grill (charcoal) and came  out to find him cleaning it all out.  When I told him I thought he'd scrubbed enough he said, "But, Mom, it's my birthday gift for Dad."

The next morning was a piece of his birthday celebration, also, when he got to take his new rifle to the shooting range for the culminating activity with the YM after their rifle training.

Donuts and Settlers

Fun Sunday evening making donuts and playing "Settlers of Catan".  Love having kids old enough to play our favorite games and hold their own.  Yes...Joshua won...AGAIN!

Room Mom

This year I'm Nathan's "Room Mom" at school.  So, I get to help coordinate all the class parties for the year.  Four other moms ran "stations" with games and crafts for the Halloween party.  So, I decided I'd step up a little "photo booth" for a fun extra.  (Admittedly more a perk for me than anyone else.)  :)  These are the posters I created with photos from the party.  Pretty fun!

In Joshua's class I got to run a game station.  We played one of our family's favorite games, "Cat and Mouse", but I made little ghosts and called it "Ghostbusters" instead.  It was a hit!  So fun to get to go into these classes and get more of a glimpse of life at school for these boys!

Nathan as the "Lobster Bisque" Guy on Studio C

Nathan's Awesome Teacher!  Mrs. Gibbons

Greg Gets His Beads!

A happy day for all of us to have Greg receive his Wood Badge beads.  Mom and Dad Luthy came to help us celebrate.  Proud of what Greg does for Scouts and grateful for what it does for him!

Ready for Sunday

Greg got Aaron ready on Sunday morning.  

It took my breath away to see him come down the stairs looking so grown up!

Trick-or-Treating 2014

Nathan Creates

Nathan received a little sample pack of "Play Foam" at school in a Halloween goodie bag from his teacher.  He has literally had hours of fun with it.  This mind just does not quit.  My favorite thing he made was this..."Elephant at Elk at the Watering Hole".

Yesterday after school during Nathan's "down time" he decided to cook his own dinner.  A plastic cup (cut in half), tin foil, and a skewer later...and he had his new invention.  Unfortunately, the sun just wasn't in the sky long enough yesterday to help it make much warming progress.  :)  Don't worry, he had it back out in the yard this morning before school.  (Yes...with frost on the ground.)  Hope springs eternal.  :)

Off to School

The boys asked me to take this picture.  :)  

First crisp, fall morning with their winter caps and their new souvenir sweatshirts.

Dad and Mom's New Calling

An incredibly special day we will always remember.  Had the opportunity to be with the family inside the temple (just behind the recommend desk) while my parents were set apart to be in the Logan Temple Presidency.  Don't feel like I can put into words what the experience meant to us!  

So neat to share it with John and Valerie and their family and 

so missed Carol and James and their family!  

Progressive Dinner at Our Place

Each year our neighborhood has a Progressive Dinner.  The last stop of the dinner is held in someone's backyard...a place for everyone to gather for dessert.  This year there were almost 40 couples who attended.  We had the dessert portion at our place.  It was a great excuse to get our yard ready for fall.  :)  We were lucky that the weather was remarkably good for being so late in the year!  It felt like a lot of work to get both the yard and house ready, but turned out to be a fun, filling thing!  

Fall Recital

Both Nathan and Joshua are taking piano lessons from Janae Rosado in our ward.  They are each making such great progress!  This was Joshua's first recital.  You can tell, it was Halloween songs and all the students came in costume.

Carving Pumpkins

Kids couldn't wait so we carved them a week early.  :)  Can you guess whose is who's?