November Happeneings

On New Years Eve my brother-in-law, Todd, called me from Utah.

He had a great resolution idea for me!

I am to post on my blog once a week.

Since I didn't have any New Years Resolution plans, I figured that was a great one!

I found out over Christmas break that Todd and his wife, Megan, both check my blog and are very disappointed when it's not updated.

I didn't realize the fan base I had. :)

So here we go...... I can do this.

I need to start back before Thanksgiving.

November 21st was our anniversary. 10 years!

Jeff had planned to do a few of my favorite things that day.

We started with a lunch at Nielsen's. Oh yum. It's about time for another lunch there.

I get the same thing every time. Ham and swiss with avocado, fries, and a cherry-almond concrete to round out this amazingly healthy meal.

Next on the list.... pottery.

I've never taken a class but the few times we've gone to Aspen Grove as a family, I always make sure I spend some time in the pottery building.

Here are a few from those family trips:

Not "finished" at all because they don't have a place to fire the pieces there at the camp and I'm too lazy and cheap to get it done here. So there you go.

My attempts from the pottery outing on our anniversary didn't turn out at all.

Thus.... no pictures.

I'm blaming it on the throwing wheel.

Then we went to check into Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale.

Our plan was to do dinner and a movie because... well.... I love food I don't have to cook and I love a good show.

But dinner went a little long and we got a free gondola boat ride for eating there so we did that instead. We grabbed some hot chocolate and went down to the "dock".

It was slightly chilly and probably not as romantic as Jeff would have liked because we had to share the boat with 3 lady friends or sisters or something.

After returning to sturdy ground we went in to listen to some more music. Every night there at Gainey Ranch a different musical group performs.

Oh man we got a good one!!!

A guy named Myles David Lancette produces a few groups under the name Studio 5 Presents.

Myles is the drummer for his cover band (simply called "Myles David Lancette") that played that night.

It. Was. Awesome.

If you have the chance... go see them. I'm pretty sure they're still playing there.

It was a nice, kid-free, night out on the town.

And you can't beat sleeping in 'til your little heart desires.

Thanksgiving in Snowflake.

A trip I look forward to each year.

This year, my sister, Jill, was visiting from Hawaii with her little Vin.

--Who I happened not to get ANY pictures of!! How did that happen?

I guess I'll just steal one from Facebook.....

..... there.

As is tradition, the volleyball net was set up and a few of us got our cameras out.

I'm not really sure why, but I love pictures of people taking pictures of me. It makes me smile.

This would be my mom:

She is the resident photographer and made a really cute online slideshow of all the volleyball that day.

The day after Thanksgiving we took the kids down to the local playground.

It now has a skate park next to it which looked WAY more fun to all the kids.

The funniest was watching Trey try to run up the ramps and climb up.

He had barely made it here:

Treyson is happiest when he has his favorite cousin by his side.

Too bad Brooklyn lives so far away.

They play really well together and he's always wanting to save a piece of candy for her or buy something for her. It's cute.

The older boys tried using a skateboard someone had left but spent most of the time

doing this...

....and posing for me, of course.

Lukas was so funny. He was quite happy to be in front of the camera.

"Aunt Cici, look at me."

"Ooo... great spot Luke!"

"Aunt Cici -- get me punching this bad guy."

"Nice one, dude."

I could not even respond to this next one because I was laughing so hard.

He had been calling my name quite a few times, standing in this spot, so he knew exactly what pose he wanted to do.

"Cici -- Cici -- Cici -- Check this one out."

No idea what he's doing.

Of course we couldn't leave baby Roxy out of the fun.

Both Jeff and Brian were so funny pushing the stroller up and over these ramps.

It was a good trip.... it always is.

**** So there you have it, Todd. The first post of my brother-in-law-made resolution. Watch out, I've got some good photos of you for my December recap post.*****