Last of November

It is a very lovely thing to have a live-in piano duet partner!  We are coming up on our Christmas piano recital and when the kids get tired of practicing their recital songs, Cannon and Faith like to play Christmas duets together and my mommy heart sings!

We've had some sickies at our house this week-- just colds and coughs and such.  I loved coming upon this scene this morning-- a sick Bethany snuggling a sick Greta-- who was wrapped in clean underwear she found in the clean laundry pile.
Did I mention it was clean underwear?  I would not let a child wrap themselves in dirty underwear.  I'd just like everyone to know that I have my standards.

When E. came over for his piano lesson yesterday, Greta greeted him with an actual, audible, understandable "Hi!".  He is one of her favorite people in the world.  And then she wouldn't leave him alone during his lesson.

I'm sorry this picture isn't clearer, because this image so clearly captures George.  He's wearing an ice cream bucket he has fashioned into an astronaut helmet and made himself a jet pack our of the 2-liter root beer bottles left over from family dinner on Sunday night.  Oh, the creative juices flow strongly through this one.

I took this picture of Greta because the image of her crazy hair and her holding a knife seemed to fit the mood she was in earlier this week.  Just feisty and full of baby "tude"!  Don't worry, she was in no danger.  There are ZERO sharp knives in this house.  And ZERO sharp pairs of scissors, for that matter.  She was in far more danger standing on that chair.  Many times throughout the day we took her down from standing on chairs, but she just kept climbing and ending up falling off chairs 4 times throughout the course of the day.  

Here's another good one of her crazy hair.  And speaking of hair... Cannon's is getting quite unruly.  He is supposed to have long hair for his Nutcracker performances.  It's driving me a little nuts, but he says is growing on him... ha, ha, get it?

Tid Bits of Life:

-- The kids and I just finished reading the 6th Harry Potter book.  

-- George had a dance performance at Festival of Trees and he was handsome and adorable.

--I've had a cold/cough for over two weeks.

--Clark is down to less than a month before he leaves.

-- Bethany will be doing two concerts with Marie Osmond next week and I won't be going to either of them.  Blah.

--I am listening to a kid's book on Audible that I find completely charming-- The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.   I am looking forward to driving kids around so I can listen to it.

George is on Christmas Crack!

I mentioned to Abe this morning that Greta's babyhood flew by so quickly.  She is a toddler walking all around and eating real food with her mouth full of teeth and molars.  She growls at everyone and likes to point out Jesus in all the paintings in the hallway at church.  She's not much of a talker yet, but we cannot get enough of her!

She is so snuggly.  She loves to wear jackets and coats and have scarves or blankets around the back of her neck. 

We put up our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving.  We had a real family divide about where to put up our Christmas tree.  It's always been up in the living room, but some family members (including me) thought it was too crowded up there and we ought to set it up in the family room.  It was pretty much boys versus girls.  We all agreed to a best two out of three rock, paper, scissors to decide.  That way, nobody had to give in.  Abe and I were the representatives and I won two in a row.  I tried to be gracious, but as you can see from this picture, the tree went in the family room.  

However, no one should feel sad at Christmas, so I said I'd keep an eye on Facebook yard sale groups-- and sure enough, someone was giving a tree away for free!  We picked it up and now we have a tree in the family room and living room.  Aren't we fancy!

All eight kids decorating the Christmas tree.  This is a happy picture to me.

George is our own little Buddy the Elf.  He is so excited about all things Christmas!  I say he's on Christmas crack.  He's a whirlwind of Christmas excitement-- cutting snowflakes, making homemade presents for people, keeping a lookout for our Elf on the Shelf, making Christmas bracelets.  He is his father's son!

At a family dinner this evening the Cannon cousins formed a PVC pipe orchestra.  They had remarkably good rhythm and they made the most of the pitch range available with a PVC pipe.  But they were adorable and enthusiastic and cousins playing together is the best.

Thanksgiving Weekend Gets Even Better

One of the very best days of my whole life.
Clark went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple on Saturday, November 25th.  We were surrounded by friends and family and it was Heaven on earth.

We were inside the temple, which was so beautiful, and then to come outside to gorgeous blue skies!  It was more goodness than I could take in.

This is my favorite picture of the week-- Clark with Grandma and Grandpa Cannon.

This one is for Grandma Fox, who couldn't be with us, but we think will be happy to see us together.

Clark and one of his very best friends, Jakob.

We enjoyed a lunch at Cubby's after the temple.  An already divine day, made even better with Cubby's sweet potato fries.
I'm not sure you can have days as good as this day very often in life.  To have this day fall on Thanksgiving weekend seemed just right.  There aren't words enough to express my gratitude for temples and the gospel, my family and dear friends.

Thanksgiving 2017

We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving with a couple of Abe's brothers' families down in Orem.   Lauryn, Lindsay, Bethany, Sophie, Elinor, and Emmalyn.

Abe, Stuart (brother just older) and Baden (youngest brother).

We have had such unseasonably warm weather-- the boys were outside in short-sleeve shirts.  I got them to take a nice picture by letting them do this in the next one...

They dabbed and I dubbed them the coolest table.

The teens and young adults.  I told them they were cool too, but not quite as cool as the boys outside.

Cute little Hallie wasn't too keen on sharing her table with Peter.  In her defense, she was quite sleepy and shortly thereafter took a long and refreshing nap.

After sharing a love of snakes at this summer's family reunion, Sophie was happy to be back with Clark.

Emmalyn planned a nice little program with some musical numbers and a brief retelling of the first Thanksgiving. We also went around saying what we were thankful for an we shared memories of Grandpa Fox.

Stuart and Tiffany were very hospitable and their home was very comfortable and the kids had a marvelous time playing with cousins all day.

Eliza and Greta--
Eliza had a hard time remember Greta's name, so she just kept calling her Tabitha.

Happy Thanksgiving 2017

Daniel, My Brother (in-law), You Are Older Than Me

Thanks to Abe, I am an Elton John fan-- thus the title of this post. 
But a VERY happy 50th birthday to Abe's oldest brother Daniel.  We had way too much fun planning and pulling off a complete surprise party for him last weekend! 

Every time I think a group of people couldn't possibly slaughter the singing of "Happy Birthday" any more dreadfully... the extended Fox family never ceases to deliver!

We have had such great times going on dinner dates over the years with Daniel and Lori.  Our first kiss was in their first home in Sandy. 

Any reason is a good reason for cousins to get together.

They used to be the little cousins, but now they are the middle.

And now there is a new group of little ones.

The sister-in-laws like to be together for chatting.  And it's not that we don't like our husbands...

...we just don't like to sit by them during chatting time because they are SO LOUD!  They love to be together and we love them!

She loves pens and pencils.  She just likes to carry them around.  Several times she has figured out to take apart a ball point pen.  So we're pretty sure she's gifted!

Cannon finished reading The Fellowship of the Ring today.  A pretty major undertaking for a nine year-old.  He's read for about three days straight to finish it so he and Clark could have a movie party and watch the first movie tonight.  As I write, Cannon, Clark, and Abe are in a very happy place watching the movie and geeking out hard-core.

Because Parenting Is the Best Thing I've Ever Done

November is great month.  It doesn't have the craziness of the December and Christmas, nor the "manic fun" of October and Halloween.  There aren't a lot of decisions to be made, regarding homeschool choices or extracurricular activities.  It's a month where we're in the flow and routine of life and I like it!
Maybe it's because Clark is leaving on his mission soon, but it is the joy of my life to observe these wonderful kiddos in their lives, and work, and play.  They delight me.
Here are Clark and I getting our last (for a couple years at least) pumpkin shake from Arctic Circle.  We've done this every fall since he was 11 or 12.  I picked him up from the Front Runner Station and we got lunch and shake together.  The conversation was awesome, the company even better.

We amuse ourselves.

Peter was good to wear his overalls if Elinor wore her's too.  And pockets in his pants are a very big deal to Peter, so he was happy with a front pocket to snack on cereal throughout the day.  Elinor and Peter share a room.  You might think that is unfair or unfortunate that a teenage girl has to share a room with a three year-old brother.  But I assure you, Elinor enjoys sharing with Peter.  They have some things worked out at bedtime and Peter always calls for Elinor before settling in for the night.  

What's that?  Oh, you want to go to Lego Land?  

Okay, I'll give you Lego Land.  

Mmm, mmm, mmm.  The perfect combination of sassy and sweet.  

She probably will never be spoiled with stuff, but the way this girl is doted on and loved...Sheesh! The benefit of being the youngest, I suppose.  

Ever the creator and inventor, George made guitars out of Cheerios boxes and rubber bands for him and Peter.  This mom's trash is George's treasure!

A little eye makeup and heavy metal training.  Even Peter was getting into the action. 

Then Elinor did this picture with them.  

And my life is complete.

Greta under the piano tutelage of Elinor.

These little scenes I come upon that make my heart sing.  

The boys having a little Heroscape game night.

He was pretty pleased with this backpack.  It weighed about 18 lbs full of all his treasures.

Reading time for team Little Kids.

Putting on a pirate play at the Thanksgiving Point Museum of Natural Curiosity.  This is my favorite picture of the week.

Poor little Greta was having some tummy/digestive troubles recently and Bethany was so sweet sit and comfort her while watching one of Greta's shows.  When Bethany was little she struggled similarly, so she could truly empathize with Gret.

People sometimes think homeschoolers do there school work in their pajamas.  This is often true,  but Elinor prefers to do her school work wrapped in her favorite blanket.

A little pre-church building with Magformers.  I suspect Clark may be trying to get in as much time with the littles as possible before he leaves.  Sometimes that time involves teasing and screaming in delight from the little people.  Sometimes it is too much and they all must go away outside.  I mean, I love them, but... the teasing and screaming can be too much.

Elinor is LOVING being on the high school swim team!  She's working so hard and sleeping so well at night.  She's had a couple of meets and she is already improving her times.

Jumping into leaves in the fall has to be one of the chief joys of childhood.

Nice form, Cannon!

I can't say I'm ready for the cold of winter, but I can't complain that we haven't had a lovely, mild fall.  

Too much air, Faith!  You went out of the picture frame.

By the way, Faith has finally, reliably got her standing back-tuck!  She's been working on that for a while at gymnastics, so we are excited to get to see her perform it in her upcoming recital.

Falling into leaves must be an acquired taste.  So, sad, but still so cute.