a seat at the table: november in review.

We spent Veteran's Day weekend camping at Zion National Park in Utah. The word majestic doesn't even begin to describe how gorgeous enormous rocks can be. I could have spent hours examining the view! I hope we get to go back at least one more time.

One more note to add merely for memory's sake. It was freezing. I mean FAH-REEZING. The kids didn't seem to mind much, as evidenced by the smiles (and silly faces) here.

They have much to learn about camping etiquette. Peanut was allowed to pack her own backpack of fun things to bring. She packed her pink cat Cupcake, a few books, and other expected items. What I didn't notice in her pack before she pulled it out at 6:30am the next morning, was her tin whistle (see pictures way down below). She is learning simple songs on it for school. It is cute to parents to hear your five-year-old toot out "Mary had a Little Lamb" but it is not exactly the way an entire campground of sleepy people want to be awoken at that early hour. We cut her off by "Little" with a loud shushing.

It's funny now.

I think the moment after I post this, I'm off to hunt for ethnic colored crayons. Peanut always draws herself and Buddy with orange skin and then Sweet P with dark brown. Does she really see them that way? I have no idea what color she would use if we adopted a little boy from Ghana! :) We need a lot more cultural diversity in our flesh-colored drawing instruments. Makes me laugh.

My parents were in town for a bit after a work trip to California. I have no idea where all my pictures are from that time! K and I took advantage of the babysitters and saw The Lion King at Mandalay Bay before the show closed on December 31. It was spectacular! If you have seen it, you know what I mean that the voices and costumes were captivating!

We all go to a once-a-week school day for homeschoolers called Classical Conversations. The little two go to their own class too.

One quarter of the school year, the kids learn basic music skills by playing a tin whistle. Peanut loves this part of class! Maybe someday we will have someone to play the abandoned saxophone that's in our attic. It is begging to be played again.

As we prepared for Thanksgiving the following week, we made my mom's famous sugar cookies.

My parents flew out the Saturday before Thanksgiving at 3:00pm and then K's parents drove into Vegas a couple hours later about dinnertime. Once again, we took full advantage of babysitters and saw another show. It's been a long while since we had a date night, so we kind of overdid it... Cirque de Soleil's Mystere at Treasure Island. Fantastic show.

Then on Tuesday K's sister drove in with her family of seven. It was a wonderfully noisy full house! After almost ten years of living far from family, we treasure the times we have together.

The girlies had too much fun with makeup.

Sweet P begged for more and more.

Thanksgiving dinner at the kids' table.

Pops and Buddy. After we share dinner, it is our family's tradition to read Psalm 100 together (thank you to KTJ for sharing this tradition with us!) and then go around the table sharing one thing we are thankful for over the past year. I especially love hearing what the little people have to say.

The following morning as we were about to head out for a hike at Red Rock Canyon, we had a man down. Buddy took a spill on the stairs while holding his plastic six shooter. Unfortunately, it cut right into his face, so we were off to the ER for stitches. He was a tough guy!

Upon returning home he wanted to know where the guns were to get back to playing.

I love kids.

Instead, that day we went to the park to play and shoot rockets. Then we resumed the hiking plan on Saturday morning. Red Rock Canyon never disappoints.

One last night we took advantage of babysitters. The oldest K and K girls are so responsible, so the parents went on a double date to Buca di Beppo and a short stroll on the Strip to see Christmas decorations.

After all our guests left the next morning, our family decorated the house. It is Sweet P's first Christmas at home, so it was extra fun to decorate the tree! She loved all the ornaments and hung a bunch in a big cluster.