Wait...Where are Charlie's bday pics...?

Just realized. I forgot to publish the cute pics we took at Charlie's birthday. He's my pumpkin pie boy. How convenient that he's born in November...pumpkin pie month. There's a story about Charlie and pumpkin pie...Wait, how many poses are there of Jade and Charlie, anyway? We did have a good time. JB and I were there somewhere, too. (Jade was kinda hogging the camera.)

All of Those Crazy Boys!

The girls may be gone, but with the added males at my house...we're still pretty full to the gills. JB and Charlie the Goofball, had a fun football season this year. Go!! Juab!! Red and Gold. Go you...Wasp...ish things! Well, darn. They didn't quite make it to State but were undefeated in their regular season. Sting 'em in the eye!!

Max, the cougar like dog, is our newest addition, JB's little friend. He is only cougar like in looks, because he's a little baby ducky otherwise, a true sweety. When Milo is visiting, they wrestle nonstop. All over my house...nonstop. Milo is the toughest, though you can't tell in these pics. Crowden, their hero, doesn't usually get involved in their childish nonsense. He is five, after all.

(I have to tell you the million dollar America's funnier home-video we didn't take. It all started before the pic in the upper-left corner of this collage. Joey was holding up a treat for the dogs and they were dancing at his feet in excited expectation. This is how well trained our boys are. Joey commanded "Sit"; Instantly, as if on cue... Max layed down, Milo rolled over, and Crowdin stood on his hind legs and walked. Wow, incredible skill... huh..hmmm...that was funny... )

Fun Changes at the Homestead

Our pantry is almost finished. Yay! Since it is now usable, I'm concerned it won't get a whole lot further. That's the way Ellison projects go. Utility far outclasses Beauty at this homefront.

So the goofy little quote on the door I attribute to the boys preferring my "JK" quote to all of the serious ones. One idea I had was the word "RIGHT" large instead of the WELCOME and then the words "Not who Is, but What is" across it. JB said, "No mom. I don't wan't something up there that makes me feel guilty all of the time." He thought "A Kitchen is Love in Search of a Belly" summed everything up quite nicely. Holly, the lady who owns Matilda's where I had the vinyl lettering made, convinced me it was so easy to change it, I may as well put what the boys wanted for a while. The whole thing was less than $10...I thought, "Hey, what's money anyoldways?"

The really crowded family room is my newest favorite change. I convinced Joey to take the TV out of our bedroom--then eliminate my very beloved dining room table (bummer)--and finally create a family room in its place. Well, choices have to be made in small spaces. I love it. I so much did Not want the treadmill in my bedroom again (or Joey's dear dearhead, for that matter...) I can't explain to you every way that it is wonderful but...anyway, I kinda like it. I have a family room outside of my bedroom...imagine that.

Our Super-Star Young Women's Night of Excellence

Our Young Women's Night of Excellence was such a special event this year. I think it is the best program I've ever been able to help pull together. It was amazing to see how each of our leaders and a few of our young women took on large tasks and carried them out fully so that everything came together. Even a father or two and some young men added to our wonderful and special night. I think each of our young women in attendance truly felt that she was a Super Star Young Woman because she is a Daughter of a Heavenly Father who Loves Her. I hope all of our young women, young mothers, not so young mothers, single sisters, and grandmothers can know this is true.