keepin' up with the joneses: nuances of november.

I love November in Arizona. The weather is cool and beautiful, I can wear fall clothing (I never underestimate the power of boots--they make me happy), we leave our doors and windows open, and of course, we begin to feel the holiday happies buzzing in the air.

Here are a few of our everyday moments:

Daddy/son bonding time. This little boy sure does love his daddy. He looks forward to his dad walking in the door at the end of each day. So do I.

11.11.11 (if you didn't catch it):

Mack's Santa letter:

This little one growing up on me.

And this guy showing his modeling skills. He cracks me up.

November was the month he gave up napping for good. Don't get me wrong. It's not that he didn't need a nap. He did. But he is so willful that once he made the decision he didn't want to nap, it was over. We instituted quiet time in his room, and a few times I got lucky and he fell asleep accidentally. But most days, by the end of the day, he was completely melting down because he was so in need of sleep. It still makes me cringe thinking back to that time. I was frustrated and still tired with a baby waking up in the night, and I needed a nap during the day. But, as all things do, it passed. I don't know that I appreciated the break a nap gives during the day enough when I had it. {sigh}. It's a good thing he's so charming.

Be still my beating heart. This picture is one of my favorites of all time.

Thanksgiving. DJ's family puts together quite the feast with some of the best people. Check it out:

This little guy is too cute for words.

Grey slept through most of the festivities. Here he is hanging out with the other little dudes that were all born within a few months of each other. Where did my baby go that would fall asleep in the carrier?! Time just needs to slow down. Looking at this picture makes my heart ache.

Following the Thanksgiving feast, we escaped for a boat ride on Tempe Town Lake. It was pretty picturesque.

I love the kick off to the Holidays. I'm already looking forward to it this year.

Christmas card pictures:

It ended up being a double sided card printed on linen paper. Here's how the final product turned out:

Near the end of the month, we had a very quick visit from my brother. He came into town for a residency interview, and we enjoyed every second we had with him. I have the best siblings. Spending one on one time with Jonny was a reminder of what a lucky girl I am.

just another of the weekly pictures:

Grey's six month checkup, and Mack's three year check-up. I have cute, healthy boys. I am so blessed.

And, the last day of the month was our Young Women in Excellence. For more information on the Young Women's program, go here. Our girls presented their ten hour projects, we heard from the Bishop, and we enjoyed some incredibly yummy and beautiful treats. I was so proud of the girls and their dedication. It was so satisfying to see their hard work (and ours!) on display. I miss these girls terribly. We went with a polka dot theme. Not pictured are the beautiful banner made by the Young Women's President, and the huge 32 inch circular balloons that dotted the exterior of the room. I think it came together well, and was a happy and inviting platform for the girls to display their hard work.

Invites: