Collective Soul in a Pantsuit

 We like the kind of band that plays at a casino in South Dakota. 

You know we are willing to drive north to hear "Run".

Let's go. Get in the truck. 

Meg is good company. I love hearing her stories and seeing life through her eyes. The drive went fast! We put on our Strong Independent Women hats and checked into the hotel, drove to the casino and found or seats. The rest of the audience definitely skewed more to my generation. 

We were right in front of the lead guitarist and he was awesome!

I had to smile at Ed Roland's orange crepe suit. He owned it, but I had to wonder if he found it in the mature ladies section at JC Penneys. 

Either way. I respect the fashion choice. 

We had the best time and sang all the songs. We navigated our way out of the venue a little early so we wouldn't be on the road with all the drunk folks and headed back to our hotel. 

A little continental breakfast, and we hit the road in the morning. 

South Dakota is cold. They've got to be one of the best reasons to own Carhart. k

We spotted this cool circle rainbow on the way home. It felt like an alien invasion. 

Maybe they were on the hunt for the ornagiest pantsuit on earth?

They Suffer Together

Let's face it, getting your wisdom teeth out is miserable. 

But misery does love company. 

 

Charcuterie in Bethlehem

Here's a funny little story. 

I almost got tricked into running this whole activity. But my mama dint raise no dummy. 

I slip slided into the infinitely less stressful job of creating a little shop for the the "Night at Bethlehem" the ward put on for the ward Christmas party. I volunteered for the charcuterie shop. I know...it's funny. I don't doubt the fine citizens of Bethlehem enjoyed their fair share of shelf stable meats and cheeses, but did they call it charcuterie?? I think they called it dinner. 

But we're rolling with it. 

We dug out our bucket of earth tone fabric with rough-cut neck holes, loaded the truck with every tablecloth,  basket, candle and tassley pillow we could find.  Don't forget the staple gun!

And check it out!

Can you believe this beautiful hand-painted sign Megan created for me just hours before the party. She's so talented! I was blown away. 

I was a little stressed, maybe a little jaded. But we actually had a good time running our Charcuterie Shop. 

Anderson's ran the Bakery

And I loved our Roman Guard and Friar Tuck 

And this was probably my favorite Christamas program ever. It was a shadow nativity, with Brother Jackson singing "Hallelujah". It was lovely. 

Now what do I do with all this leftover cheese??

Meanwhile...back in KC

Ethan and Kassie got up early to take the "littles" to the WWI museum. 

Megan stayed back and worked on her homemade pizzas....when I tell you she has it down to a science, I really mean it. She is serious about making pizza. 

And we are all the better for it!

I, too, had big plans. December is coming. I need to store up energy and collect inner peace. 

Mathew arrives this morning! He's hopped up on caffeine, pretty wired and pushing through. 

aaaand we have plans to go thrifting! We are searching for various kitchen necessities...is there anything better than going thrifting when you actually need something? So satisfying. 

Who knows? We might find a solid gold Christmas tree!

Papusas a la Megan

Hot Dang, she made papusas! 

I'll never forget the spanish speaking mamas laughing and shaking their heads at me when I asked for the recipe back in Rialto. They said even if they gave it to me, I'd never make it. 

They were right. It's ALOT.

But they hadn't met Megan. 

She found a recipe, shopped for all the ingredients and spent the entire morning making the filling from pork belly, mixing up the masa flour and making a batch of curtido. 

And she served me hot papusas in my corner of the couch. (Bonus: The Cracker Barrel apron)

Delicioso!

Feathered Friends

She's not another parrotlet, but she's a darn fine substitution. 

Side Hustle Summer

Megan currently has 3 jobs...MOD pizza, Midwest Alliance and Silas and Maddies ice cream parlor. 

Naturally, we had to go in at the most inconvenient time to see Megan in action!

Pee carpet and Picklemans

The wedding is over and we have two weeks to get things under control at the house before the Newlyweds and In-Laws are coming for the open house. 

Am I stressed?

You bet your sweet bickes I am. 

But we still have to get our house to a point where we can move out of the garage. Kinda seems like we're getting comfortable with the premuim potty seating. 

Unfortunately, the refinishing of the hardwood floors did not go as well as we had hoped. They need to come back and fix approximately 63 flaws (if only I was exaggerating). 

The carpet installation was a disaster. Did you know there is worse carpet out there than the stuff our geriatric dogs peed on for 14 years?

There is. 

And it was recently installed in our house. 

I will not cry. 

There is no crying. 

We will figure it all out, but first....it is time to pick up Megan from KU! She is coming home to work for the summer and we will celebrate with sandwiches at Picklemans. They have magic bread. 

Calling home

I love how she calls me just to tell me how windy it is. 

February Art

There is art everywhere I turn these days. I love it!

Megan is working on a still life series for her painting class:

She made this awesome piece in sculpture:

A few more drawings that she has sent us in our family chat:

Laney is just as prolific as ever in churning out sacrament meeting illustrations. 

This is the garden people series I clearly inspired when asked that age old question, "What should I draw?"

I particularly love this voluptuous lettuce lady! Isn't she she curvalicious?

This is one Laney just finished for art class...an illustration of everything going on in that creative brain:

And then a "little ditty" the did just for fun (I love the rain):

A little doodle I found on Everly's desk:

And "Deeana", Everly's foot woman. 

She joined us for our bedtime prayers. 

I am surrounded by creative kids! I need to get a photo of AJ's sharpie tattoos and jalepeno heads!

Season of change

 The older kids are moving forward with their lives and so Christmas time feels a little different. They' are setting up their own Christmas trees and deciding which of our traditions they will carry on with and finding fun new ones. 

I love getting pictures on our family group chat of their new adventures!

Mathew and his little Macy in Idaho!

Ethan and Kassie and their first tree in Provo!

 

Megan was happy to take our mini tree and load it up in her Mini cooper and drive it back to her apartment in Lawrence. 

I love these big kids!