Almost forgot the Brett Webb family visit. Brett, Carrie, Carries mom Bonnie and dad Roy, Kelsey, Tyler, Carson and Braydan. They came Thursday and hit Disney Land Friday and Saturday and went to mass at the jewel of the missions in SJC on Sunday a nice dinner Sunday afternoon and then a couple of burry hours at the beach. The kids were really good and seemed to have had a great time during their visit. Only took a couple of pictures during Sunday dinner.

More trick or treaters! As you can see Cassy came over to enjoy the evening and laugh at her silly brother. It was a good evening!

Cindi misses Halloween and asked that I take some pictures of the kids and families that came by our house for treats. Fortunately there were not any tricks. We had a fairly good turn out this year I think because the economy is so bad that the parents wanted their kids to gather in a years supply of sugar and from the bags I saw they were doing a very good job of meeting their goals.

Here goes a little caching up. First is a picture of Cassy and I standing in front of a service bay in San Diego. It is the morning of Oct 17, 2009 and Marie Cassy and I were on our way to Tucson for Larry Vances Memorial service. We never made it because the alternator died and we spent several hours getting back on the road and by that time all we could do was go home. We didn't make it home either because we decided to stop and stay at Winners Circle where we have a time share. It was nice. I spent a lot of time in the pool and we all just relaxed. Finally got home late Sunday afternoon. We were very sorry to have missed the memorial for Larry. We remember him and his happy attitude and many kindnesses over the years.

Thanksgiving Part III - All that work and it´s over so fast!

Half of the gang...waiting for the rest.

All 14 of us...I´m counting the turkey!!

It was fun when all the bowls and plates started getting passed around....it may have all been in Spanish, but the chaos was the same as it is at home!

David, of course, has a horrible time being the center of attention so playing the piano for everyone was really difficult for him...... WHATEVER! He LOVES it!!!!!

All in all it was a very nice day. Julia and David were GREAT helpers I wouldn´t have been able to do it without them!

Thanksgiving Part II - "Be prepared"

Saturday (Halloween) David and I got up early and I dropped him off at the gym and I did the last of the shopping. When he got home from the gym he was astonished that I was in the kitchen cutting up the vegetables (for the veggies and dip), he didn´t understand why I was doing that Saturday instead of the same day as the dinner. He ate lunch and then was kid enough to come help me. After we cut, washed and bagged up all the veggies I looked at him and said, "That took 2 hours...do you still think we should have waited until tomorrow to do it?" He of course replied, "No." and didn´t complain the rest of the day as we kept preparing things.

He really was a good helper. Of course he would help and then take a break and then help and then break (while I kept working the whole day)...but at least he helped and was happy about it!

My mother-in-law is always in charge of the turkey...she buys it (I wouldn´t know where to go to buy a turkey) and cleans it up and worries about it while it´s cooking!! Between going to bed late, her SNORING (seriously, her snoring abilities are up there with Aunt Lu´s!) , thinking about what I still needed to do the next day, getting up to put the turkey in the oven and the fact that I had to go to church, I didn´t get much sleep!

5:30am, the bird came de-feathered, but it ain´t no butter ball, so we still had to do some last minute plucking!

We don´t usually put anything inside the turkey, but this year Julia decided she would try it out.

What´s funny is that one of the MANY times she woke up to check on the turkey she decided that it wasn´t cooking fast enough and the stuff she had stuffed it with was the problem so she took it all out! When she told me what she had done I asked her how long the bird had been in the oven when she took the stuff out...it had only been in for 2 hours...of course it doesn´t look "cooked" after 2 hours! SO FUNNY!!!

The turkey turned out just fine...thank goodness after all the "stress" it caused Julia!!

Saturday I also made an apple pie and a pumpking pie. Both turned out pretty good, and the pumpkin pie most everyone had a piece of, but the apple pie was too cinnamon-y for them (they don´t use cinnamon much in Spain...I don´t know why? it´s soo yummy!!!). But that was fine with me....I get the pie all to myself!!

Since it was Halloween I bought a pumpkin and carved it to have as a decoration. Everyone was so impressed that I had carved it myself. It´s interesting with different cultures...something so ordinary, for us, like carving a pumpkin for Halloween, is so "amazing" to them.

Thanksgiving Part I - Froo Froo

The turkey pillow...so cute!

So, for those of you that know my mother at all you know that "froo froo" isn´t really her thing... so that makes this post even better!

As most of you know it has now become my job to have Thanksgiving each year here in Spain...this is my BIG family event of the year, so of course I want to make it GREAT (I have a tendency to go overboard sometimes!). So, while I was home this summer mom and I were trying to think of ways to make my BIG even more special and I told her I´d like a nice "fallish" tableclothe - so the big mistake of the year...we went to KOHLS (moms favorite store...and starting to be one of mine too!) Not only did we find a tableclothe, but of course we bought 2 because I would have to set up two tables. And if I have a tableclothe I need napkins to match...right?! And then of course you have to have a centerpiece. OH and who could forget the cute hand towell to hang in the bathroom and the cute kitchen towells. And last but not least you HAVE to have a turkey pillow on the couch!!!

It was SOOOO much fun to be able to pick all this stuff out with mom...she was actually kind of "froo froo" for a minute...and enjoying it!! We were excited about finding a tableclothe, but what mom REALLY got excited about were the cute towells! They are cute!

Below is the centerpiece and candles I brought from California. Mom thought I was a bit crazy...couldn´t I find a centerpiece in Spain? Yes, but it wouldn´t have been as much fun as picking it out with her...and Spain doesn´t have candles that smell like this! They smell like sugar and spice, sooo yummy!!!!

I needed something to put on the second table (and we only bought one centerpiece in CA - thank goodness because my luggage already weighed too much!!)...I already had these candles so I just bought some decor stuff and put them on a plate I have....it worked.

My mother-in-law was shocked when she came over and saw the table set and all the little decorations (and the fact that the table was set and ready the night before also caught her off guard!!) The whole day she was making sure that everyone saw all the little details. She´s so cute, she makes such a fuss over everything. But really she was very pleased with her daughter-in-law! I think it´s so funny how excited she was about everything...it´s not like it´s out of this world to decorate a little.

David was so cute about it too...he said I´ve raised the bar for the family, now everyone is going to have to/want to decorate and make things pretty when they put on a family dinner!

Thanks mom for taking the time to shop with me and be a bit froo froo (I know you don´t like to do either of those things!!). It was lots of fun and made Thanksgiving way more special for me and everyone else. LOVE YOU MOM!

Drill fun...thanks to dad!

So, I already posted this on my blog, but dad wanted more photos of my drill handy work. Thanks again dad for the drill bits...they are a life saver!!

ceiling lamp - least favorite to drill and hang!

a painting Davids g-father gave us as a "house warming" gift...he´s so sweet.

curtain

The picture below is just an add on. I wanted my parents to see that I´ve hung the family pics we took this summer. Of course I only have 3 frames right now (they were already hanging with differnt pics in them) so I´ll have to get some more. And I was dumb enough to leave home without the picture of Bobbys fam and the one of mom and dad!! So, once I get them printed and some more frames I´m sure I´ll post them again!!

Hi all,
We called Cindi today about her Thanksgiving dinner for 13 family members. She was happy and said it all went well. So she can relax for another year. I hope she posts some pictures especially of the table setting and the food and the family members. Oh! they don't do Thanksgiving in Spin because they never had any pilgrims. Marie and I put on a T-day dinner a couple of years ago and that is how the tradition of T-day in Spain got started. Cindi is invited to add any comments she would like to clarify her view of this event.
Love Dad

Hi C,
Hope Thanksgiving dinner is going well for everyone especially you. I took lots of pictures of the
trick or treaters that came to our door but I can't seem to be able to download them but here is a video that Bobby took of his kids tonight. Enjoy! I will post my pics when I can.
Love Dad

Hi C,
Mom almost opened your letter to the Bruces but read the note on the back just in time. Yea!
How is the temple letter going?
later Dad

Hi C,

Mom found you with your hint and I did too when I got home from work. I hope the mothers and daughters of your stake realize how blessed they are that the Lord put you in their midst. I know that the Lord is pleased with the work you do for the Spanish Saints. All he expects is for you to continue to bless their lives and he will bless yours now and in the future. He knows you personally Cindi and he loves you more than I do because His love is infinite.

Hugs,
Dad

So, I was talking to mom the other day and she said that she and dad don´t think I´m in the picture that I posted of the mother daughter activity....well, I´m in there...keep looking!!

OH! and where are the birthday pictures for the year?!?! I don´t get to be at the birthday parties so I´d at least like to see them on the blog!!

Love you all!

keep smiling!!!

Mothers and Daughters

Can you find Cindi??

We had our mother/daughter activity on Saturday and it actually turned out great. It was an all day event and I (and most of the mothers) was worried that it would "drag on", but it almost went by too fast! The girls were able to have lot s of fun with their mothers and there were some nice spiritual parts too. I have to admit that I missed having my mom there with me!...maybe next year!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOLO!!

Love you!

Sorry this is late...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!!

(yesterday!)

Love you!!

This is a photo I received today showing Chris Hillman, Tristan Webb, Brett Webb and Nathan (Nate) Ginn at the CSU/BYU game this fall. Looks like everyone is having fun. Nice to see Nate
grinning and happy and the rest of you guys also. Always nice to have a boys nite out

LOVE these kiddos!

Lauren was David´s little buddy. Stacia was upset that we (and grandma and grandpa) were leaving. Millie is just happy and silly. Landon´s my bud. I love these four little ones so much...I wish I could be closer to them to watch them grow.

ps. just so you know, I´ve posted some stuff on the other blog too!

Fun in the sun!

David was a nautral... of course.

That´s as far as I got.

Gina showing off!! She does it with such style!

Thanks Bobby for making it a priority to take David out boating...he had a blast!

BBQ with the Norton fam

We had a great time chilling and EATING at the Norton´s. I can´t believe it had been 8 years since I had seen them. The kids are so cute, Bryan is as fun as ever and boy does Marion make great whipped cream!!

The kids had a blast together, especially John and Landon.

Abby is SO CUTE! I can hardly get over how beautiful she is....inside and out!