november 2017

So November....

Ben and I went to a marriage retreat at Trail West in Buena Vista, CO. It's a Young Life Family Camp that is AWESOME! I totally want to take our family there. It was a good long weekend to be away. It was marked with some great words and book ended a season we are thankful to close.

Being an early riser and then being in a different time zone, I was up every morning to watch the sunrise. I loved it. Total highlight.

Colorado is stunning.

Young Life's Trail West is about 15 minutes away. We went over there one day for a fun tour. It was snowy and muddy, but super cool to see and be there.

Meanwhile back in the great state of WV, Sophie walked a 5K with my mom . . .

and Ted went hunting for the first time with John Pap.

They also acquired these.

We had a late flight out of Denver so we got to see Kristin and meet sweet Nellie. Oh my gosh! What a blessing. I haven't seen Kristin in forever and Nellie was such a treat.

Love these girls so much!

We took a little walk to Coors Field.

And didn't play the slot machines in the airport in Las Vegas.

Our November regional meeting was at the Pocahontas County turkey farm. I have one of these suckers in my freezer right now.

Sophie had a choir preformance at Stepping Stones.

Ted pulled an all-nighter at the quad with some other guys. Spend the day on the couch.

Aunt Sara came to visit and taught Sophie some crocheting.

Ben made a trip to South Carolina to go to a Clemson game with Tanner, Maggie & the Clements.

Ted tried out for the middle school basketball team and didn't make it.

Fall Weekend this year was a huge blessing. 450 people at Jackson's Mill and 325 at Camp Caesar. We filled both camps. So proud of all that's happening in this state.

Biggest Mountaineer Area trip ever - 185 kids

A line of school buses and all that they represent gets me every time.

Sophie and I got to do some babysitting.

We put up the tree before Thanksgiving. I like doing that so we can come home from our travels and it's done. I love our tree. Any tradition I've ever started was unintentional. We started getting ornaments when we traveled and I get one for the kids each year that represents something important in their year. It is so fun to hang those ornaments every year for all of us. Almost every ornament on our tree has significance. Plus our fake tree is going on 10 years old and it still looks awesome! Worth the $85 we paid for it.

My favorite addition to the Christmas tree this year. If this means nothing to you, I'm sorry. Go watch Christmas Vacation right now and thank me when you're done.

I put this on here to document who put the star up this year so the other kid can put it up next year. Also, that star is the star we bought our first married Christmas for $.99 at Walmart. I'll never get a new one.

Just go see the movie Wonder. Do it. You'll be so glad you did. Ted and I went to see it when Ben and Soph went to see The Star. Both movies were great. But Wonder - everyone should read the book/watch the movie. Take your tissues and your kids.

It had been awhile since we'd seen the Kozels. This was a good night.

Listening to and reading Wonder. She wants to finish it before she watches the movie.

I didn't take many pictures at Thanksgiving, but I do love this one. We started talking euchre at Thanksgiving lunch and John Pap got the rule book out.

We celebrated Reed's 3rd birthday. He's such a neat kid.

We celebrated Ben's birthday, too.

Henry & Roxie wanted to help.

This kid.

On a whim, Joanna and I took the kids for a little field trip to Cabela's and to see the lights at Oglebay. Thanksgiving Break went out with a bang.