My week in pictures

Thanksgiving with my Mom's family...

...Our Thanksgiving Dinner - just kidding.

Mom and her brothers Eddie and David with Samuel and David's granddaughter Cassie.
The whole clan (minus spouses) Cousin Sarah, Cassie, Grandma, Uncle David, Cousin Jake, Grandpa, Mom, Uncle Eddie, Me, and KeLeiGrandma and Grandpa with their great-grandchildren. (Samuel was content to hang out with Grandpa while a bunch of crazy people tried to get him to smile for a picture).
Me and Samuel at ESPN Gameday. This was so much fun even thought it was freezing! My favorite sign said "Our QB is hotter than yours" - which is so true. We lost but I am still proud of our Cowboys and the fight they put up against the Sooners. Maybe next season - Go Pokes!Samuel tries carrots for the first time. Hahahaha.And last but not least, our Christmas Tree! I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Since we are moving right after Christmas we aren't decorating as much as usual. We have what you see in the picture and a nativity. Enough to feel festive. We had a busy, fun week with Thanksgiving, family and lots of food.

The Things I am Thankful for...

1. My Family
..................Mom - who taught me to laugh at myself
..................Dad - who gave me the confidence to succeed
..................KeLei - who showed me it's okay to cry and to love the little things
..................Dallin - who showed me what sheer determination can accomplish
2. My Beliefs - the foundation on which I live my life
3. My Country - its diversity and breathtaking beauty
4. Smiles
5. Bubble Baths
6. Best Friends - who hear me out, never judge, and love me with all their heart7. A home
8. A job
9. Hot Chocolate and Cookies
10. My husband and my son - who are my everything

Veterans Day

It is Veteran's Day. A day that is often overlooked and many times forgotten. I would feel ungrateful if I didn't take a moment today to honor those who have served for our country. The men and women who fight and have fought in our armed services are some of the most selfless people I know. Literally giving their lives for the future of their families. I come from a long line of those who have served their country. Today I would like to honor my hero and mentor - my Grandpa Helton. My Grandpa served in the army from 1955 - 1976. He retired from the army to continue to serve his country through education, teaching 6th-8th graders. He is honest, hard-working, and patriotic. He has always encouraged and supported me in everything I've done. Through him I learned to love science, history, the army, my country, and chess. He has taught me to never be afraid to stand-up for what I believe in... To never be afraid to fight for those that I love... To always question and always respect those around me. It is because of men like my Grandpa that we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Thank you.
If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace. ~Hamilton Fish

Good Grief, Charlie Brown!

Don't you just love this time of year? Autumn leaves and Halloween costumes. I realize I haven't posted about day-to-day stuff in a while. For starters, we went to the pumpkin patch. It was great fun picking out our own pumpkins and much cheaper than the Wal-Mart option. Carlin and I have decided we must make this our new family tradition.

We ended up with 4 big pumpkins and one small pumpkin for Samuel. Unfortunately we decided not to carve the pumpkins this year, however, they were used in our Trunk-or-Treat decorations. For Halloween we made it a family affair. I will let the pictures explain...

Yep, that's right - we were Peanuts characters. In this picture we have Sally, Linus, Charlie Brown and Snoopy and the Pumpkin Patch. Here is a better look at our trunk. We had fun taking Samuel trick-or-treating for his first Halloween and even more fun eating his candy.

For other events - Samuel has started eating solids and sits in his own high-chair. Yesterday he sat up on his own without leaning on one of us for support. I have a feeling he will start crawling soon. He sure is trying his hardest. And a Happy Birthday shout-out to my brother-in-law Ben! Yesterday was his birthday. We had dinner and birthday pie. Happy Birthday, Ben!

Last but not least - remember to VOTE tomorrow, November 4th!