November

We got snow the second day of November...and quite a lot of it for the time of year.  Brynn and Ivy kept running out and getting a snowball then coming back inside to lick it while sitting by the fire.

 

Brynn and Ivy are allowed to let Pumpkin in the house in the morning after they are completely ready for school.  Pumpkin is the most pampered kitten we have ever had.

After missing our girls nights for the past couple of years, Ali decided to bring it back.  She made a few changes to it and we decided that we would hold it the first weekend in November and stay overnight in Park City.  That worked perfect for us, it's always nice being the ones who don't have to do the traveling.  It's for girls 8 and older so after my piano lessons that Friday, Molly, Brynn, and I loaded up the car and headed up to Park City to meet up with everyone else.  The girls all wanted to eat at Panda Express and we weren't wanting anything fancy so that worked out great.  We did that first then went back to the condo for the night.

Brynn, Harper, Grace

The pool was heated and there was a hot tub so that's what we did first.  It was beautiful with all the fresh snow in the trees and it felt wonderful to soak in the hot tub.  And it wasn't too bad to run back to the condo in our wet swimming suits.

The rest of that night was spent crafting, eating treats, and watching a movie.  The next morning we had cinnamon rolls, bacon, and bananas for breakfast.  The outlets weren't open until 11 so we spent time being lazy and doing nails before heading out for a day of shopping.

Molly, Harper, Grace, Ali, Tessa, Brynn

We hit up TJ Maxx first and then had some lunch before doing the serious work of outlet shopping.  Mod Pizza for the win!

Brynn, Grace, Harper, Tessa, Grandma, Erin, Molly, Ali

Then we shopped, shopped, shopped...for nearly 5 hours!  I had told Molly and Brynn that they could each pick out one thing that I would get them.  Molly picked out flared yoga pants and Brynn got a shacket (to match Ali and Tessa who each got one).  Molly used her own money to buy a few more things and Brynn had just enough to buy a bottle of perfume from Bath and Body.  I, not being a great shopper but enjoying myself very much, came home empty handed but I was cool with that.

Grace, Harper and Brynn...in Ali's coat!

Molly, Tessa, Grace, Brynn, Harper

Ali, Brynn, Tessa

This was such a fun weekend!  When Erin, Ali, and I were growing up my dad and Bryce would hunt all fall and this was what my mom took us girls to do.  We have so many memories of our Park City weekends that it seemed fitting to introduce the girls weekend to all our girls now that we are grown.  Ivy can't wait to be able to go next year!

Ivy is proud to have her splits!  I think it's weird that she is more flexible on her left side rather than her dominant right side.  She is pretty close on the right side as well but favors left.

 

I finished reading "Ways to Make Sunshine" with Brynn.  My reading schedule is different these days and I read to whoever wants to be read to each night.  Every night for Ivy, sometimes picture books, sometimes chapter books.  Most nights for Brynn, minus cheer nights since her practice goes so late and she has to go straight to bed when she gets home.  Every few days for Stockton-whenever he feels like it.  Molly finally told me that she is probably done being read to and would rather just read on her own and I was fine with that.

 

And so began the Christmas decorating.  Justin would rather do it all at once but that is too overwhelming for me, so I like to do it in chunks, starting with the Christmas tree.  Justin got it out and {grudgingly} put it together for me one Saturday and I spent the next several days working on it when I had a chance.  It felt very laid back and relaxed and it didn't stress me out.  Ivy and Brynn were my helpers whenever they got the chance.  The beginning, middle, and end...

The amount of stuffed animals that Ivy was sleeping with each not got crazy and I finally had to limit her to her giant unicorn and 5 smaller stuffies.  Her Build-a-Bear, Roxy, is always included but everything else is random, I believe.

Since it was an off-year for a Goodrich Thanksgiving, we had a mini Thanksgiving celebration a couple of Sundays before Thanksgiving.  It wasn't very mini and we had all the traditional, delicious foods: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, yams, corn and bacon salad (not as traditional but delicious anyway).  And pie...5 different kinds.  Grandma also gifted her Amazon cards and gave permission to start Christmas shopping.

Brynn, Ivy, Justin, Molly, Heidi, Eric, Gene, April, Brett, Jake, Luke, Stockton, Evie

Eric, Gene, April, Brett, Jake, Luke, Evie, Brynn, Ivy, Justin, Molly, Eli, Heidi

Justin got a special recognition at work so the girls made some congratulations signs for him as a surprise when he got home that night.  This was something AFCU has never done so it was a complete surprise for him.  He was one of 18 employees in all the branches to get this so that is kind of a big deal.  The last couple years at work have been the most stressful in Justin's life and he hasn't been feeling a ton of job satisfaction so this came at a good time.  It was not a public recognition but his bonus was significantly more than usual so the public recognition was not necessary.  It also boosted his morale going forward which is always a bonus.  Going to work everyday sounds pretty boring to me so we are grateful he is the one to get up everyday and do that.

Molly was working on a school project that had me digging through some old childhood bins of mine.  We found what she needed but it was a treasure trove of so many different things.  My girls loved my junior high cheer outfit and high school lettermans jacket the most.  I couldn't resist the chance to try my cheer outfit on... a little tight, but still fits!  Molly wants a lettermans jacket like that and is bothered that it's not really the "cool" thing to do these days.

Once Brynn started middle school, I bought her a laundry basket and told her she was in charge of doing her own laundry.  Before this, she and Ivy shared a basket in the hallway closet and I did all her laundry.  She was actually excited by this prospect.  Honestly, it's just as easy for me to throw her laundry in when I'm doing other laundry so I still go easy on her a lot and do it for her but she always wants to do it herself.  She needs some help reaching the clothes when it's time to switch them to the dryer.

The day came for the high school Preference dance.  Molly's first high school dance and first date.  She took a boy named Max Tullis, who I have never met.  Molly's friend group asked his friend group so they could all be together...she didn't know him that well before asking him but had been getting to know him a little better in the weeks leading up to the dance.  

For their day date, they went to Top Golf.  I guess one of the girls had an inside connection so they got half of their group in for free.  This was probably Molly's favorite part of the whole day.  She enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere...and she also beat everybody in both rounds.  Girl power!  

They came back to  Midway (where everyone else lives) and got ready.  Molly had me curl her hair that morning so she didn't really need to do too much to get ready.  She looked beautiful!  One of the other mom's took pictures nearby before the sun went down.

Molly and Kylie Bishop

Soph Locke, Molly

Kylie and Molly

Molly, Max, Kyler Stocking, Soph

Max and Molly

Libbie Locke, Molly, Soph, Kylie

Libbie, Molly, Kylie, Soph

They had dinner in an alpenglobe at Cafe Galleria in Midway.  They didn't want to be at the dance when it started so they went back to the twins' house and watched a movie before going to the dance.  I picked up a group after the dance and drove everyone home (Molly back to the twin's house where her truck was...we didn't let her drive everyone around).

?, Libbie, Braden, Kylie, Molly, Max, Soph, Kyler

Molly and Max

Here is Molly's takeaway from the dance (hopefully she is okay with me putting this out there)...she had a really great time!  She thinks Max was really fun to go with and liked getting to know him better.  She did not like that she felt pressure for it to be a date as "more than friends" and doesn't like how that is kind of a thing now and wishes that dating was just that...going on a date as friends, for the fun of it and to get to know someone better.  She doesn't like that there is so much more read into it.  Apparently he tried to get a little too snuggly during the movie and at the dance and she was not a fan of that.  But the takeaway was that it was enjoyable and she is looking forward to going to more dances.

While Molly was away, Stockton was working (his first day as an elf on the North Pole Express!), and the girls and I, with help from Justin, were doing more Christmas decorating.  We already had the tree up so we worked on the villages and the lights outside.  They are always right in the middle of that part, up on the roof with Justin.