November was such a good happy month! Full of fun and just plain good things. Early in the month we went to the Orem Temple open house per Elle’s request. Visiting all these temples this year was a wonderful idea and Elle has really grown a love for temples. This was her idea again and I think the Orem temple was her favorite yet. The colors and style inside were completely her. Lots of greens and pinks and it was just beautiful. I loved having her down for the weekend to do that together.
Also me, Tara, Kat and Emily had planned a trip together months ago and it seemed so far away and than it just snuck up on us. We decided to go to California together and then last minute we threw in a Disneyland Day. That’s twice in one year for me without my kids, which I don’t love at all, and I missed them terribly while I was there…but I also LOVED running around and feeling like a kid again myself with some of my best friends. We ended up making the decision while we’re at Disneyland to make it a park hopper pass and hit California Adventure too. How could I be that close and not go to Guardians of the Galaxy?! That is easily my favorite amusement park ride and I would’ve been so sad to miss it! Also love California, screaming and soaring over California. The next day we went to Newport Beach and rented bikes and rode them along the boardwalk. Then we got smoothies and sat at the beach and it felt so wonderful. We went to taco shop and did a little shopping was a fun day. The next day it started to fill a little longer and I was already ready to come home, but I sure love these girls and grateful for my time with them.
I got home just in time to celebrate my best friend and father of my kids Toby! He deserves to feel spoiled as he spoils us every day. His birthday is so close to cashes we usually end up, combining them a little. Love celebrating both of these special boys. Cash's was his sweet 16 … do you even say that for a boy!? I really wanted to throw him a big party but he didn’t want it. I thought about a surprise party too, but that didn’t seem his thing either and didn’t want the attention on him. But I did get Boston to invite a bunch of friends over and got treats and food and they ended up having an awesome night and I was so glad. Cash said he loved it.
Then to wrap things up, we had Thanksgiving at Kathys and then went to the hotel in Logan, spent the night, and woke up to drive to Preston and cut down Christmas trees. Sometimes I feel like we’re running out of trees to cut down. Didn’t search too long before we found one, but it was probably one of the smaller most bare trees we’ve ever had. Ha ha, but I loved it and made our own another successful tree hunt in the books.
Also, during the month of November Elle was a busy little girl up in Logan going to dr appointments and dentists appopintements etc because….she told us she was putting her papers in for a mission!!!! I can’t believe I’m even typing that. She mentioned to me at the beginning of the summer that she was thinking about it but just that she was thinking about it. I teared up at the thought that she was even in her thoughts. I didn’t tell Toby until she was ready and then when we were signing the contract for her apartment for school She let him know that she didn’t want to extend it through the summer because she was pretty sure she was going on a mission and wanted to put her availability as may. His eye’s got big and he got emotional too. She really disn’t want anyone else to know just in case she changes her mind or decides it’s not the right thing for her right now but at this point she’s feeling so strongly about it and moved forward and started making all of her appointments and met with the bishop and stake President so it’s pretty official! Since she already kind of kept it a secret, she’s decided she wants to surprise everyone with it so we’re really not telling anyone. I can’t imagine how exciting it’s going to be for her to finally get her call and tell everyone I’m so happy and so proud of her she’s gonna be so amazing. I love that girl with everything I’ve got! And really she’s doing it all on her own up in Logan. She’s growing up so much.
Also gave the kids their December first gifts…which I’m not sure why I’m putting in November…but maybe we gave them to them really late at night on the last day in November at midnight?! Hahah
