November 2023

Travis and the kids visiting Travis Uncle Pat and aunt Jacque in Dallas

Travis’ mom and sister Maia came to visit for a week

Made lots of yummy rolls for Thanksgiving 

Chaplain spouse meeting at the Santa’s workshop

Malachi climbing a tree at church

Maia loved our large bean bag

Samuel turned 17!!

Malachi climbing the fence while we’re playing pickleball and tennis with friends

 Travis was gone the first week of November, but then was back in time for Travis' mom and sister to fly into town and visit for a week.  It was over Veteren's Day weekend so Travis got a few days off to enjoy spending time together.  I had a lot of schoolwork to do, so I wasn't able to spend much time with them, but I was glad they were here.  They were able to go to Dallas one day to spend with Travis' Uncle Pat and Aunt Jacque in Dallas, and another day in Houston with Travis' Aunt Diana and Cousin Tyson and family.  We had been having car trouble with Travis' car, so we had to borrow one for a couple days to help them get to Dallas, but was able to work it out.  Betsy called me from about a mile away and said the car had died in the middle of the road.  I rode one of the kids' scooters to where she was and tried to help, but I couldn't get the car to start of the gear to change to nuetral so we could move it out of the road.  Someone stopped to help us, and was able to jump start it after a few trys, and then we drove it to an auto parts store thinking it was the battery.  They said it wasn't the battery, but something else, so they jump started it and sent us on our way.  We drove it to the repair shop near our house, and left it there and walked home.  After trying for a couple days they couldn't find anything wrong with it, and told us to come pick it up.  It worked for another day or so, and then started randomly dying again.  This time we couldn't get it jump started and had to tow it to the shop, luckily they were able to fix it this time, and we have a working car again.  

For Veterans Day Malachi got a singing part in the kid's program they put on, and I got to come and watch it, he did a great job!  Travis also got to drive around and get free food, which is something he loves to do!  During Thanksgiving break we went to play pickleball and tennis with Samuel and his friends.  It was fun, even though it wasn't a real pickleball court.  We also drove to Travis' aunt Diana's in Houston and had Thanksgiving dinner with her and his cousin Tyson's family.  It was nice to meet them, and dinner was delicious, they went all out and had tons of food.  We brought rolls and our hand turkey sugar cookies with everyone's name on them, and a lemon meringue cheesecake.  We walked to their neighborhood park and played a little after dinner, and then drove home.  It was a lot of driving, but it was a nice day with good company and food.  

    On Samuel's birthday the ward had a pie extravaganza that was fun.  There were pie baking competitions, pie eating competitions, pie throwing at a member of the bishopric, and a pie walk for the primary kids.  It was a lot of fun, with a lot of pie.