Giving Thanks

Back around March or April, I started to realize that the Holidays would be different for me this year. Every year of our married life, we have celebrated Thanksgiving with my sister, Suzanne and her family. I absolutely love Thanksgiving! I love her family. I love that our kids play so well together. But I also knew that going to Idaho for Thanksgiving likely was not going to happen. She has all her grown children there, with her grandbabies, and so if we were to go there, we'd have to stay in a hotel, and that would be hard with the current unemployment circumstances we are dealing with. Plus, we have our two huge dogs, so that makes it tough. We debated on what we should do, going back and forth with having it by ourselves, just the 5 of us, or accepting our friends' invitation to share Thanksgiving with them. We finally accepted their invitation. However, two days prior to Thanksgiving, Pat's brother ended up in the ICU, and she felt completely overwhelmed with hosting the festivities. So, the Chief and I decided to offer our home, and invited all of their family here. We all kept our food assignments, so all we had to do was round up some chairs and tables, and clean up the house.

We moved the furniture out of the family room, and set up tables, and prepared for the feast. We spent the day watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and then playing games once Shauna and Craig arrived! It was such a wonderful day, even if we weren't with our family. Our friends have become our family. We all are so grateful for the many blessings we have, especially our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

One of our three tables set up to serve all 23 of us

We even had place cards!

It was such a beautiful day that the boys had a pick up bball game!

The adult table!

Seth with his chocolate turkey, Brendan in the background

The beautiful bird

Lou and Pat

Shauna and me

Autumn at Alta

Beautiful Autumn Colors

The boys loved the hike up to Alta

The boys make sure we get photographed too!

McKay wanted to make his first snowball of the season!

The Colors of the Canyon are a visual gift from God!

The plan had originally been to hike up to Secret Lake, above the Albion Basin Campground. It is a pretty easy 1 mile hike up to the Lake. However, as we drove up there, we discovered that they had already locked the gate right past Alta Ski Resort. So, we decided to park there, and just hike up from there. Since it was still another 4-5 miles from the Lake, we knew we weren't going to make it all the way there that day. Instead, we had a blast hiking up under the ski lift chairs, and seeing the sights from above Alta. We probably only hiked 3 miles that day, but we all had fun, laughing, and chasing one another. There were a few snowballs flying too! Lots of mud to slip and slide in as well. Afterward, we enjoyed a picnic lunch amid the beautiful foilage in the canyon! It was a perfect way to spend a day off for Fall Break!

Fall Break can't get here soon enough!

I don't know why it is, but I am so looking forward to Fall Break this year. Maybe it is having 3 kids in school this year, that makes it feel so overwhelming! Maybe it is because I've been working so much more, and leaving the Chief in charge of checking the boys' school work, and then they want me to go over it again, when I get home! They get a whole week off! Yippee!

We're going to spend a night in St. George...just a quick trip, as the Chief has an interview down there. Yup...an interview! Crazy, huh? We haven't thought past the interview...trying not to get the cart before the horse!

I'm going to take a couple days off from work, and hopefully come up with some fun ideas to do with the boys! Maybe we'll just hang out...I don't know yet!

So, just one more day...and then a week break from HOMEWORK!

Footloose

The Chief and I got some free screening passes to see the new Footloose Movie that opens in October. We got to go this past Friday! It was such a blast! Seeing a movie in the theatre, and NOT having to pay...right there it is a great date, but then to see such a fun movie, that takes us back to our teenage years, it was definitely a great night out! For a grand total of $3 for drinks and parking!


There was inappropriate language and too much of it, which was the one negative. The music was awesome...many of my favorites songs from the first movie made it in this one, with updates, of course!

I hope you will get to enjoy it too!

Everybody cut footloose!

Julianne Hough kickin' it up in her awesome red boots!

Cinnamon Rolls and President Monson

It has been a glorious weekend in some many respects! The weather was absolutely stunning this weekend. Warm, with a nice, gentle breeze. I'm loving that the windows are still open, and we are enjoying the fresh air of autumn. It is also General Conference weekend for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So, that means lots of things for me...first, my office is closed in honor of the conference, so I didn't have to work on Saturday, and didn't have to have guilt about taking a Saturday off. Yippee! Then, it meant from my family room, I could listen to a Prophet of the Lord, and his apostles too!

President Monson

Their messages were inspiring, and helped me feel hope. So many of their words led to reflection on the trials we are facing, and not losing faith. Their words are a buoy to me. I'm excited about the announcement that the Provo Tabernacle will be rebuilt and dedicated as a temple! Such exciting news!


Also, having no specific responsibilities pulling me out of my home, I usually feel an overwhelming desire to bake. I typically love to bake, however, I have so little time to do it, and honestly, I have no need of the baked goods, and little willpower to resist their temptation if they are in the house. I put that aside this weekend, and set my heart to work baking. Let's see, I started with crepes for Saturday morning breakfast. Then I baked banana bread and zucchini bread on Saturday evening. Today, I woke up early and started cinnamon rolls, and then between the two sessions today, I made a peach cobbler with the delicious peaches my neighbor and friend, April, shared with us. My house smells amazing.

Because the batch of cinnamon rolls makes so many rolls(its my mom's recipe, so you know that it makes like 5 dozen rolls), the boys and I took yummy, warm rolls to a few neighbors and friends. Share the love and the calories, right?!

It has been a fabulous weekend! Gonna go close it with some quality time with my boys before another very busy week begins!

October already?

I didn't mean to let September get away like that. I so love September and she gave us beautiful weather this year too! I wanted to blog this past week and gush about the love of my life, in honor of our 14th wedding anniversary, but when I had a minute to sit, the computer was occupied. That's basically how its been for months now as the Chief continues his job search. Its okay, I'm fully supportive of his continued searching for that right job that we know is out there somewhere. We know that Heavenly Father will send us that blessing soon. I just don't know what soon means to Heavenly Father. 

The reason the computer was free tonight is because the Chief took McKay downtown to the conference center for his first Priesthood Session. McKay was nervous, and didn't feel "ready" to go. He just called me shortly, and told me that he was so glad he went. He discovered that the Prophet likes to make jokes, and the men all laughed a great deal. The Chief is taking him to get some ice cream, and make the evening special. 

In the meantime, back at the ranch, I was Holly Homemaker and baked some banana bread and zucchini bread. I took some to a few neighbors. I think it turned out yummy. It was a busy day. Being General Conference, I didn't have to work, so I started the morning making crepes for the boys. This is their favorite breakfast. And it ranks pretty high up there for me too! After that, the Chief left to go take an assessment for a job. The boys and I did yardwork...weeding, pruning, and mowing. I also put away the summer furniture and got ourselves ready for winter.We went to 3 soccer games this afternoon (one for Seth and 2 for Noah)which were all victorious! We also pulled out our Halloween decorations. The boys love to help me, and they braved their fear of heights and climbed the ladder to put stuff up on our ledge. So, we are spookified here at the Skelly abode. And we're ready to welcome October in, despite not really wanting to say good-bye to September yet!

Thoughts on Thursday

I really like Thursdays. Sometimes, I have to go into work early, to teach a class, but I don't mind because it is a class I feel passionate about and believe that if the kids learn the stuff being taught, it can help them in their lives. So, I don't mind getting there early for that. Usually, I try to wrap everything up by Wednesday, so Thursday can be my paperwork day, and the day I follow up on all the things that need to happen before the weekend. And when things are especially good, I can leave a few hours early from work. And that is something I really appreciate! Especially when I seem to get home so late most other evenings. I like being here when the boys come home and helping them do their homework, and study for their spelling tests, and hearing their "after school" chatter. It does my heart good!

And I especially enjoy Thursdays when it is book club, which it happens to be tonight! Yeah! We read How to hug a Porcupine by John Lund this month. I'm sure we'll have a good discussion tonight.

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the afternoon with my boys!

My family in pics at Storm Mountain



Beautiful Storm Mountain

Love this pic of my oldest

The Chief questioning my picture taking...gotcha!

Taking a short break

The Skelly Fam

Isn't my BYU Fan such a cutie! Can't hardly believe Noah is 9!

Three boys pose for mom

we obviously didn't dress for family pics!

My favorite family pic of the day!

This one is a close second. Isn't it funny that Noah is sitting on lap? He saw some bees and sitting on my lap was the only way he would get in the picture!

Just a few more for mom! My boys humor me!

McKay wouldn't mind if some agent saw his photos and wanted him to be the next Disney Zack and Cody!

The Lovebirds

Another shot of McKay up on a boulder

I loved this photo of my two oldest because if you look closely you will see both of them have their tongues hanging out. They get that bad habit from me, unfortunately. I find it so funny!

More tongue wagging!

This is definitely my fave of McKay from this day! I love his eyes and his smile!

Okay, that's enough for today...maybe the rest of the month!!!

No Laboring Here

These days, I feel like I am working ALL THE TIME. Oh wait...I am! I've been working 6 days/week since April, with a few days off here and there. So, when the Labor Day holiday was coming, we planned a day trip to celebrate our family getting to spend the day together. We planned a trip up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Storm Mountain with our favorite family friends, The Price Family.

Monday arrived and dh and I got to sleep past our normal 6:15 to the glorious hour of 7 a.m.! That was a good start right there! We had our family scripture study, and then dh and I snuck in a little date time when we made a trip to Wally World to get some groceries. The boys enjoyed a reprieve from chores and watched a movie together!

Upon getting home, we packed up the van, made a picnic lunch and headed out to meet up with the Price family down the road at the Mav. The radio station was there, and had a wheel to spin, so of course, we all took our turn! Seth seems to have my good luck and spun first and landed on the prize slot. We helped him pick 2 tix to the Rocky Mountain Raceway for this coming Saturday. The other boys took their turn, and came close, but no luck...then the Chief spun and it didn't win. Next up...me and I landed on the lucky spot...so 2 more tix to the Raceway and we have a free family outing for next weekend. McKay gladly gave up going, with his comment, "That's not my thing...but you guys have fun!" He is looking forward to an evening of having unlimited television! And to not have to share the remote! He felt he had won the jackpot!

Finally, we were off...up the canyon...only a 40 minute drive for home, and we were in beautiful country! We found a picnic area and set up. The boys had their buddies and went exploring. They played a game of ladder golf, and we got in a few games of cards. We had lunch, and just relaxed. The weather was perfect! It was just a perfect way to relax and kick back. And we got some fun family pictures....

Off to School he goes

August 29th was the day that my baby, my little guy, my Setheroo, Sethers, Sethy left the house without any tears and went out into the big, bad world...kindergarten.

Seth is excited to get to school!

He wanted us to drop him at the curb, but the Chief and I followed him in and waited til the bell rang, while he loudly whispered "you can leave now!"

My boys love school!

Seth with Mrs. Olsen, his teacher

I took the morning off and the Chief and I went and picked him up from school. He LOVED it and was so excited to go back the next day! We took him to lunch, as has been our tradition with the other boys too!

I hope every day of school is as exciting and happy as your first day was for you, Seth!