Happy Happy Happy

It's been a wonderful time.

I feel better.  Medicine!  That's where it's at!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with the Porters.  It is a blessing to live across the street from people who have so much in common with us.  We ate glorious amounts of delicious food. The kids went across the street to play Quiplash at our house and Dave and Nola and Adam and I sat around and talked.  I can imagine that if we'd lived across the street from each other the entire time our kids were growing up, there would be a well-worn trail across the cul-de-sac.  We have children that love to sing and act and crack wise.  Also, the two youngest boys in each family are weirdly athletic.  Where did that come from?

In the evening on Thanksgiving, our family went to see Ralph Breaks the Internet.  (Why they didn't call it Ralph Wrecks the Internet is beyond me.)  It wasn't an original idea so we had to go all the way to south Provo for a theater and even then we weren't all on the same row.  The kids were behind Adam and me.  At one point, Braeden nudged us so we could see Emma who was cry laughing/hyperventilating.  There was a pun in the movie that just tickled that girl's fancy.

Friday, after making good use of the internet and my credit card, I gathered up the autumnal decorations to ready the house for the big changeover.

In the afternoon we went to my grandma's to decorate her house for Christmas.  It's a highlight for all of us.  I feel grateful for our kids diligently and enthusiastically carrying boxes up and down stairs and unpacking decorations.  At the same time, they thank me for taking them and they tell me how much they love it.  Talk about a win win.

We had had a big lunch of Thanksgiving leftovers before heading to Salt Lake City to my grandma's.  After decorating though, she said, "I have some pie."

"Oh, Grandma, we just ate and we're too full."

She said, "Well, I got it just for you so you have to have some."

So we did.  There are some people in the world that I can argue with and my 91 year old grandmother is not one of them.  (I'm not too good at arguing with pie either.)

We came home and got busy on our own decorations.  We sent Adam, who is still battling sickness, to bed.  Braeden and Mark are perfectly suited for schlepping boxes and climbing on ladders and Emma, with her artistic eye, is perfectly suited for arranging and decorative deliberations.

Emma and I decided to cut some branches from an evergreen bush in the front yard for the mantle.  Emma said, "Let me scrummage some shoes and I'll be out."

(Emma is also good at making up words.)

She scrummaged some shoes of Braeden's and looked like a little kid wearing their parent's shoes trying to keep them on her feet.  I cut branches and Emma winced because clippers make her nervous (ever since Grandpa Linn accidentally cut Grandma Geri's finger).  We brought in a big hamper of branches and just went to town on the mantle.

Decking the halls is my favorite.