Life in Our World - 6 for Saturday

One.

Cali, Levin, and Atlas came to spend a few days this week while Ray was traveling.  Cali got here just in time to help butcher chickens.  Our friends and neighbors, the Goodrich's, were also butchering their chickens so it was a co-op affair.

If you live far removed from your food sources, home butchering is a jolt.  But after viewing a commercial poultry facility where the plucked chickens float in fecal soup prior to processing, it's the cleanest and most desirable way to eat a chicken.  

Calvin and I were glad to have Cali and Goodrich's help.  I didn't touch one feather this time.  By the time I got home from work they had a system going, so I came in and took care of Levin and Atlas and fixed potato soup and scones for lunch. It was a happy, productive day.


Two.

One night, in an effort to wear the boys out before bed, we danced the Hokey Pokey, Bunny Hop, and The Patty-cake Polka.  Afterwards we sat down to do a scripture story on the flannel board and Levin asked, "Is tonight family night?"  I decided then and there that I want to make every night feel like a family night when the grandkids are visiting.  Time with family goes so fast.

Three.

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Cali asked her dad to help her make a play kitchen for the boys for Christmas.  They spent a couple of nights drafting plans and working on it.  Cali is so good and handy at things like this.  I'm always impressed with her abilities.  Ray and Cali will finish it when they come over for Thanksgiving.

It really doesn't feel like the holidays until the shop is fired up and Calvin is doing projects.   

Four. 

Kathy, Chris, and Kendra (Chris' daughter)

Speaking of shop projects, the Stake Relief Society Presidency is helping with the community nativity.  We spent a few hours a couple of different times this week making rock and brick walls for Bethlehem and the stable.  

 Five.

This picture of Eliza makes me laugh.

Michelle and Ty got word that after Ty finished SERE training in Washington he was to report in San Antonio three days later.  There was no way that he would be able to fly back to Mississippi and pack and move his family to Texas in time.  So they packed and stored as much as they could before he left, and Michelle finished the job.  With two little girls (Afton is 2 and Eliza is 1) and one on the way (due next May), Michelle finalized all of the packing and cleaning and drove the girls to Texas while pulling a u-haul trailer.  They not only made the trip in one happy piece, Michelle did it without backing up the trailer once.  She's a forward thinker in more ways than one and I'm proud of her.  I don't think I could have done this.


Six.

We were really glad to be able to get to see Ty on the weekends that bookended his training.  Last night we drove to Spokane and spent the night with him before putting him on the plane this morning. We found an incredible seafood buffet for $23 a person.  They did not make money off of us -- what Calvin didn't eat in crab, I ate in creme brulee.


Now on to next week and my favorite holiday of the year.