November 2015

November has been a very interesting month to say the least.    All I will say is, teenagers are one million times harder to raise than toddlers.   And girls are one million times harder than boys.   I personally happen to have a house FULL of teenage girls.  I am only one woman.  To pour salt in my wounds...  I am married to a man who hasn't worried about anything for one day of his whole life.  Raleigh's Life Mantra is "It will just work out."   To his credit, it always does.  It just works out and he didn't spend 14 days in a row worrying, not sleeping, feeling sick to his stomach, getting stress pimples or crying his eyes out.

Me, on the other hand....  I feel that I not only have to worry for myself, but I have to pick up his slack as well.  Like, I have to double stress because he's not.   I'll boo-hoo to him and say phrases like "what are we going to do?"  "this is hopeless."   "this is the worst thing that could ever happen in the world."  And he just laughs and then next week, a plan will have come together and our life is in balance again and everything just worked out.  Albeit, not always as I wanted it to go in my head.  And I am learning that I am NOT in charge of my life.  I totally thought I was, but luckily for me, someone much wiser and who can see the big picture is running the show and its a dang good thing.

Maybe someday, I will be like my better half.  But, it's so hard to change behaviors you've been doing all your life.   November, brought several female, teenage challenges.  The hardest I've been through.  I have a lot of pimples.

November began with Kaleigh's golden "5th" birthday.  She had quite a year.  She was so busy.  KK is my happiest child.  She sees the beauty in everything and she is magical.  I don't know what I would do without her in my life.  She literally brings me daily joy.  I feel so sad for those who have missed out on knowing her.  What a monumental loss for them.

 My little boy, Brayden turned 21.  It seems like yesterday that he was born.  I hold such a special place in my heart for him.  He has always been so good to me and he has always made me proud.  I am proud of him in his married life.  He is doing so well and is working so hard to be a good husband.  He is darling and tall.  He is a delight.  He is in Vegas gambling as I am typing this.

 KK asked for a "Tea Party"  for her birthday.  She is a pro.  She holds her pinkie out when she sips her tea.  And she keeps the conversation going with "girl talk".  We also have to "clink" our cups before each sip.  Her tea set has four sets in a little carrying case.  She makes sure every night that all four sets are complete and tucked neatly in her case.  One night the lid to the tea pot went missing and the whole house shut down and we ALL had to stop our lives until it was located.  Thank goodness someone looked in the bottom drawer in the kitchen, of all places.  Crisis diverted.   Tears can stop now.

 We enjoyed watching the kids in the Primary program.  They all worked very hard to memorize their parts.  But,  when the time came, like all the other children, they froze and their lines were read to them.  They knew all the words to the songs and I was so proud of them.  We only missed 3 Sundays this past year.  That's great attendance.  They are cute little kiddos.

 Morgan and Walt take selfies in Sacrament Meeting to keep him occupied.  I have quite a collection of Sunday Photos.  I love them.  

Peyton's big school project was decorating a Turkey.  She got to choose the decorative medium.  She chose Cheerios.  Chocolate for the body and Fruity for the feathers.  The whole family joined in to help.  Gluing Cheerios is tedious work.   But eating them is so much fun.  KK and Walt helped us eat nearly two whole boxes.

 My friend,  Justin has a fabulous collection of Christmas trees in his home.  He was showing me pictures of all of them on day at work.  He has a "peacock" tree with huge peacock feathers and at least a hundred blue, green and purple balls.  It's such a cute idea.   I told him the story of when KK discovered peacocks.  She likes me to google images of "beautiful things"  for her to look at on line.  I type in words like kitties, Christmas Trees,  roses, rainbows.  One day I thought of Peacocks.  She thought she'd died and gone to heaven.  She'd  "never seen anything so beautiful"  and she became obsessed.  I told Justin about this and he ran to Walmart on his lunch break and bought her a little tree with all the trimmings for her very own Peacock Tree.   She has decorated and re-decorated it dozens of times.  But she is so in love.

 And then we got inspired to decorate our tree.  Raleigh and Morgan and I likewise, decorated and re-decorated our tree dozens of times until it looked decent.  I have been less frustrated on several occasions than I am when I am decorating a tree.  I'm just glad it's done.  I'm so angry with Tai Pan for not stocking their store with Christmas Stuff this year.  They are SO stupid.  Do you realize that Christmas Decor is HUGE this time of year and decor is in fact your "thing".  It is in your best interest to have this type of product to offer to your customers during this the Christmas Decorating Season.  At the very least, you should pretend to feel bad when you don't have a single red or green thing dawning the shelves in your establishment in November/December.   Or even better.....  hire someone who knows how to place a decent Christmas Order.  Total Losers!!

 This beautiful room looks way better in person and I love sitting in it.  Especially with a nice roaring fire.  I feel so differently this year.  Much more calm and relaxed about the approaching holiday that usually causes me to feel stressed to the breaking point.  Raleigh and I were proactive this year.  Saving money throughout the year.  And also starting our shopping early.  I am actually enjoying myself.  That, coupled with the fact that I was a GENIUS and I saved all of my vacation days for the end of the year and I am taking from the day before Christmas Eve to the 4th of January off and I only had to use 4 vacation days.  I am giddy that I get to have almost two weeks off to do absolutely NOTHING.  Brilliant.

Morgan and her BFF, Lauren ditched school and went snowboarding on opening day at Brian Head.  Little adventure cost me $75.  Teenagers are so much more expensive than toddlers.

I NEVER listen to my radio while I am driving.  It makes me stressed.  And also, since Raleigh installed a new high tech touch screen radio in my car, the truth is, I don't know how to even turn the stupid thing on.   And so this is why is it SO FUNNY that I won a turkey on the radio.  My kids chuckled.  This was my BIG contribution to Thanksgiving Dinner.   This was our "off year".   Meaning, the sisters were at their in-laws this year.  So it was Mom and Dad and Raleigh and me and the littles.   Oh.....  and Morgan.  She wasn't feeling well and so she stayed home instead of going with her dad.   Low key, quiet and easy not to mention, delicious Thanksgiving Celebration.

 And that is all.