Nesting

Definition: The art of gathering as much junk as one can and piling it around you in a nest-like arrangement and then proceeding to move the junk from one side of you to the other over and over again all day long.  It's all about SORTING.  If your mom moves to a different room, the junk must then be gathered and moved to the new location and the process starts again.  Mikayla's favorite past time.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason to what she deems a "treasure" for her pile, just as long as there are mass QUANTITIES.  More=better.

She loves to pat the ground next to her with her hand while saying "yeah, yeah!", indicating that you should come sit by her and relish in the joy of her junk pile with her.  She gets so excited for company. :)

The process of moving rooms is hard work...

This purse has been a favorite tool in changing junk pile locations lately and is quite helpful in the event of needing to go outside with the nesting pile.

The pantry.  Mikayla's favorite hangout.  She'll say "bye-bye" take some treasures in with her and sit in the pantry for over an hour while she talks to herself and sorts canned food and anything else she can find.  

And, just for cuteness sake, here's our professional nester doing what she does best (other than sorting, of course)...looking adorable. :)

Before it's too late...

Our Thanksgiving. :)

Thanksgiving morning started with the Hancock's tradition of dutch oven biscuits and gravy.  Yummy!

The cousins enjoying their breakfast outside-only in AZ, right?

Our cute girl. :)

Thanksgiving had to be the most relaxed Thanksgiving I have ever had.  I don't know how Mom Hancock did it, but she made everything fall into place with what seemed like no effort because of preparations made the day before.  It was a whole new concept!  Notice another tradition on the table-green Kool-Aid mixed with lemonade like Grandma Hancock used to make.  Steven made his family's infamous deep pit turkey for dinner and it was to die for!

The kiddos at their table enjoying jumbo olives!

We did Christmas with the Hancocks on Thanksgiving while everyone was home because it is the "off" year for them this year.  David had our name and drew this amazing picture of the "Big Five"-the famous African animals-for our room.  It is incredible.  I wish the picture of the drawing did it better justice.

The rest of the weekend we just hung out with each other and it was great.  Check out Mikayla's face in this picture.  Seriously?  She is such a GIRL!!!

Mikayla and her hero, DeeDee.

Staying as far away from the quad as she could with Dad. :)

Finally a picture with all the cousins!  Story time with Mammy...

Mikayla in her new Christmas dress from Mammy and Pappy-SO cute!

Thanks, Mammy and Pappy for an awesome Thanksgiving!

My world.

I'm pretty grateful for the two most special people in my little world.

This guy.

And this chick.

This year I am most grateful for my family.  What a perfect plan our Father in Heaven has set up for us.

My family is everything to me.

It doesn't matter what happens during our days-when we are home together again in the evening everything is alright. 

The world seems conquerable and we are happy.

We are a family and together we can do anything.

The Big Day

Seth came home from his mission in the Dominican Republic last Wednesday and it was a day to celebrate! 

There are a million pictures and I have no apologies because it was a great day!  

I think the thing that stood out in my mind the most were all the SMILES!!!   Everyone was so genuinely happy.  It was a little glimpse of heaven and I loved it!

Maren was a stellar poster board sign maker and almost everyone had a sign to hold up and a kazoo to make noise with.  We were pretty darn loud.  What's new, right?  There was a big crowd with lots of family and friends at the airport.  He sure is loved!

Mom and Dad anxiously watching the TV screen at the airport.  Dad timed it, you know, and once they show up on the screen you have 30 seconds before you see this...

Seth attempting to hold Mikayla for the first time.  To my surprise she actually went to him!  It's taken all weekend for her to go to him again, but he's growing on her.

See what I mean about the SMILES!!!  Aren't they contagious?!?!

I LOVE this picture!

Our family all together for the first time.

The Brown family brought Seth his favorite Eegees at the airport.

Siblings!

I love Mikayla's face and pose in this picture.  Seth found out quickly that the way to her heart is through food. :)

Eegees party at the airport.  Even total strangers benefited from this one!

People ask how Seth is adjusting all the time.  In case you were wondering, he changed into this outfit as soon as he got home and turned on the U of A game.  He's still Seth.  It's great.

The only difference may be he's learned how to share.  Lucky Jake.

We had a great stay-cation with the family this weekend and it was so nice to spend time together.  We went to the pond, the boys went fishing and shooting, we cooked lots of Mexican food for Seth, played games, watched movies, etc.  It's nice to have him home!

It's not easy being green.

Mikayla woke up Halloween morning in a great debate.  She couldn't decide whether she really wanted to be a witch or if instead she wanted to be this:

A housewife?  Not really sure about where she was going with that one.  All I know is she was sure proud of her Halloween cookies in the oven!

Mom and Dad vetoed that ensemble and went with the original plan.

Our little green witch!

She was mortified of being green.  She looked in the mirror at herself and couldn't figure out who it was.  It was all she could do to keep from crying.  Talk about a hilarious face!  In the car every time I would look back she was shaking her head "no" or saying "uh-oh" because she hated the paint.  It was awesome.

Most of the time her face looked like this:

It was kind of sad because our ward didn't have a party or anything this year so we took Mikayla around to  family and friend's houses instead.  It didn't take her long to figure out that all she had to do was stand there and people would dump candy in her "purse".  She pretty much pigged on candy.

Mikayla doesn't talk a whole lot, but she picked up "trick or treat" (at least the sing-songy part of it) pretty fast yesterday!  My Dad is the proud owner of the best video of her saying it in her costume so I'll have to just post the one I have until I steal his-so look back soon! :)

Here's the one in the car from my Dad.  I love how she is so proud of herself at the end where she's getting ready to start clapping away. :)

And, for comparison's sake here's me and Mikayla in the same witch costume...

I love my family!