Feels like a California December!

Our November and December have been ridiculously warm! 

Evidence: Eric's last campout with his scouts from our old ward, the first weekend in November:

 He's really going to miss them. :(

 

On a totally different topic, Eric took the girls on dates in November.  He went roller skating with Katelyn and to the movies with Whit.  he was going to take Owen to a BYU football game, but it was freezing so he'll pick a basketball game soon instead. :)

 Obviously Katelyn had a blast with her Daddy doing one of her favorite things.

 Eric did a great job putting Christmas lights up on our new house, and we love that we have a Christmas tree outside!

 Maris loves to suck on her toes. :)

 and look at the lights of our indoor tree.

 I ran a super fun 5k for a friend's brother who has cancer...on the only cold day in November. I was the first woman stroller pusher to finish, in just under 27 minutes.  There were almost 700 people in the race!  Fun.

 I've seen some amazing sunsets out my kitchen window!

 We had a super fun Thanksgiving at home with Derek and Raycelan!  The kids had a blast playing with them all day long while Eric and I cooked. (They helped with that too!)  Katelyn and Whitney kept acting out things for them to guess, it was so funny.  And Whitney played the Picture Game and Dalmuti for the first time, and fell in love with Dalmuti!  I'm excited to have another fan in the family!

 The food was delicious and the kids had fun talking about what we are grateful for.  We are so blessed.

 Maris' first Thanksgiving!  She's getting big enough to sit in her chair and eat baby food, and she LOVES to be involved in our meals.

 She is sitting really well by herself!

 Further proof of the warm weather!  For a couple of days last week we hung out outside for hours!  If only it didn't get dark at like 4:45.....

 The kids got out all the sports equipment and made up some games, it was cute.  And of course Kate also did some reading.

 Maris was in heaven, she loved it outside!  I can't wait until Spring!

 Also in the last couple of weeks Owen has talked me into stopping at several parks when we've been out running errands-- I just can't say no when it's so beautiful outside and I know soon it will be cold for months!!  These I took when he asked if we could run around the BYU track.  Well why not??  You know I want to encourage that kind of thing!  So we ran a lap and half, slowly, with me holding Maris, and she thought it was hilarious when I would make her "chase" Owen.  This girl doesn't laugh a ton-- she's kind of hard to impress. :)  So I got these pictures when I was making her laugh.  And it was so bright apparently!

 And last but not least, my new favorite shirt.  So clever of them to make a Christmas Harry Potter shirt (stag=reindeer) and sell it for $7.50 at Walmart.  Yes please.

We are having a great holiday season, even though Eric and I are frequently overwhelmed by our emotional children.  Yes Whitney, we must hate you because we are trying to get you to put your laundry away before you get to watch a TV show.  No Owen, you cannot pull your sister's hair because you are too impatient to wait your turn.  Sorry Owen that I unloaded the kid cups and now you are having a meltdown, I didn't know you wanted to do it.  Sorry Katelyn, I don't know why you are the only one who understands what it's like to have the most annoying sister in the world and now you're crying like it's the end of the world.  Sigh.  Parenting is hard.  But I love Eric and we will keep trying. :)