November

Thanks to the Barneys for inviting us up to their ranch.

It is always such fun to cook meals together, play games and visit.  

We are going on almost 20 years of friendship and that is a beautiful thing.

This gang was pretty excited to see some fall leaves- a novelty.

Meg and I share a birthday in November.
She was the best gift on my 27th birthday and still continues to be.

Her best friend made her a favorite, lemon meringue pie.

Despite fake grass, Ike still has to mow.  It is actually more like vacuuming.

Flag football season came to a close and 

can you guess that we lost in the semi-finals?  

My favorite expression is Nolan's on the bottom right.

This is my Grandpa Bunker.  I love this man.  Currently we go to physical therapy together 3

times a week.  He needs the outing and I have tennis elbow.

We have our routine.  I give him a warning call that I will be there to pick him up and

he heads outside with his walker to wait for me on the bench.  He worries that he will keep me waiting.  He has always been big on punctuality.  I help him into the car with his favorite XM station

playing his favorite 40s music--Glen Miller band, the Andrew Sisters, Mel Tome.....

I love this time together.  He will be 91 on January 5.

We loved helping out at the Gilbert Turkey Trot this year.
What a great race that continues to grow.  This year it was held at San Tan village.
 We are also grateful that it benefits Azbrainfood.

My registration helpers...after the rush.

This race will help to feed 750 school children for a month

Isaac helped out at the finish line.

Their were a lot of mixed reactions for this elf that looked a little like Quasimodo.
He both delighted and terrified.

Can you spy Ike's eye peeking behind the snowflakes?
He was a good sweaty sport for doing this.

I love "running" into my sister Bridgette, Corey and their boys.  

It is a dream having them live here.

My niece Heidi and Tanner Ainge with their cute gang

Oliver, Oscar, Piper and Sawyer.  

Grandpa Jack and Nana came out in support of Ike's mascot debut

Another one of our favorite families- Watts family.  We can't wait for baby #4 to arrive!

About 100 people ran the race in these complimentary santa suits

My sister in law Ruth came up with a great idea to have snow machines at the finish line.  

Light snow flurry with the bright warm sun shining through-my kind of snow.

After the race, we enjoyed Thanksgiving with the Farnsworth side.

There were only 160 of us..no biggie.

Tom's brother Ross Jr. (front middle) was recently diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer.

It is tough.

We wanted to make sure that we had a picture taken.

I knew Ross Jr. before I knew Tom.
 He was my family's home teacher.  He was a great support

to us during difficult challenges and 

was a great young men's leader to my brother Clint before his mission.

He has a big generous heart and we love him.

I love that we have a pen pal in Brazil.  He writes us real letters in addition to his emails.

Opening up a mailbox and finding a letter from him is gold.

October

We did our first family trip to Lake Powell for October break.

The weather and water were perfect.  Not hot outside and not cold in the water.

We have been on a few trips with this fun bunch and we still really like each other.

We set up camp at the top of Warm Creek Bay

We had the water all to ourselves and so I felt safe having these two cruise around

Ducks in a row...how long can you hold onto your neighbors feet?

Sorry to say that Summer was the weak link

Ladder ball competition

Football skills camp. 

 The boss was teaching these two some of his old skills.

A few days after we came home from Lake Powell,

we received some terrible news.  

Our extended family lost its newest member, Noah Arnett.  He was almost 6 weeks old.

We was the sixth child of John and Brittany Arnett (our niece).

He quietly and suddenly passed from his mother's arms to his Father in Heaven.  

They later found that he had something wrong with his little heart. 

My heart ached for this sweet family, especially Brittany.

There is such a strong bond between a newborn and mother.  

We all wanted to share our love and support with the Arnett family,
so we decided to bring light to their home.

I am so grateful to know that families are forever.

 Isaac earned his Arrow of Light. 

Cub Master Jarvis knows how to celebrate.

Cole finished missionary training in Sao Paulo and is now serving

in a small town just north of Piracicaba.  

He finally has the use of a computer that can send his photos. 

It was soooo good to see his happy face.

This is his mission president and wife, the Canutos.  

They are from Manaus, Brazil.

Meg's volleyball season came to an end.

We loved watching our little setter.

This was an amazing save that she got up and over the net for a point

  Halloween 

For me, the best part of Halloween is our 

neighborhood carnival/barb-e-que before the trick or treating begins.

This has been a 20+ year tradition.

The Phoenix Suns gorilla has been our "go-to" for Cole and now Ike.  

This gorilla mask has seen many a halloweens.

This is our fun neighbor Kole Sherwood holding Ike.

My sister Bridgette's boys 

They informed Summer that she could be a Rock Star Kitty too.