I got to start the month off with a visit from my dear friends. Brigitta, Kara, and I served in the Relief Society Presidency for almost four years together. We went through every change imaginable. We became best friends. Brigitta and her family moved to Florida. I've missed her so much! It was fun to catch up with both friends.
Wyatt turned 18! Unbelievable! He turned an abandoned smoker into a kiln. He is excited to graduate early and move to Utah on his own.
I ballooned his door so he would have a birthday morning surprise.
We took Wyatt to PF Changs after the first restaurant he wanted to have his birthday dinner at was closed.
Wyatt got socks, a bass guitar and a trip to Hawaii for his birthday. Pretty sweet 18!
Clare passed her permit test on November 8th. It was a big day (two birthdays and Clare's test).
Wyatt and Will had a great trip to Hawaii! Wyatt dressed like this to fly to Hawaii.
They boys stayed with Will's cousin, Shawn, who has lived in Hawaii for a few years now.
They went on a rad hike that did not end in death...just body builders posing at a water fall.
They had surf lessons.
And lots of shave ice.
While Will and Wyatt were in Hawaii (there are a lot of Ws in that sentence) we stayed home and enjoyed the long weekend. The little kids and I took a hike. California experienced an atmospheric river (a season's worth of rain in just a few days) the second to last weekend in October. As a result the hills are green and so glorious!
Adell had her 12th birthday on Thanksgiving day. We were supposed to go over to Alan and Heather's house for Thanksgiving. However, Will came down with COVID. The Friday before Thanksgiving he had a little cough and scratchy throat. He was supposed to have a big in person meeting at work. He decided to do a home COVID test just to make sure...but it came back positive. He immediately isolated in our room. I moved down to the family room couch. But super stinker, I started with COVID symptoms Sunday night. It was nice to move back up to our room but it meant our whole week was shot.
The kids were amazing at entertaining themselves all week. Lots of screen time. And the whole family chipped in to make Thanksgiving dinner. Friends delivered groceries and decorated our lawn for Adell's birthday. Will and I lost our taste/smell right as Thanksgiving rolled around. That was such a bummer. We felt tired and achy for a couple of days but the loss of senses lasted a couple of weeks.
Not being able to smell was wild. After a few days it started to feel like I had gotten water up my nose. You know that high, burning feeling up in your sinuses when you get water up your nose? It felt like that all the time. I would take walks and expect to smell fresh air and get nothing. It was wild. It was also such a bummer to not be able to taste. I would forget to eat and be starving by the end of the day.
Lorien decided to stay with her roommates in San Diego so she wouldn't get COVID (smart). She and two roommates put on a darling Thanksgiving for each other.
Our family dinner was small and quiet. We loved it. Except for not being able to taste or smell anything.
Adell got a cell phone for her birthday! Thanks to birthday week she got to celebrate more once we could leave isolation.
Lorien and her friends got a Christmas tree and planned a gift exchange.
Adell finally got her cake (instead of Thanksgiving pie) on the last day of November. She is a patient darling person.
