The Times They Are a Changing

This week felt a little bit hard. We were back doing school and there were lots of tears all around. We started the week with a day that went straight into winter. We were lucky enough to have a play date planned with friends that was mostly wonderful (which is to say people only cried a few times.)

The big kids made tracks in our yard and the neighbors'.

I got to hang with Owen, who is secretly one of my best friends.

After snow cones, we came in for a romp.

And haunted gingerbread houses.

One of my favorite parts of the morning was watching Eve trying to catch a snowflake in her mouth.

I took Evie to the doctor this week and her cast came off. We both thought it would be easy and joyful, but it turned out to be one of the hard parts of having a broken arm. Eve was really worried that maybe her arm wasn't completely healed because they didn't do a follow-up x-ray before just sawing into it. And she was worried about it hurting because her arm is now stiff and really hard to move. It naturally hangs at a similar angle to the one held by the cast. We are working on moving it every day.

The cast itself was a pleasant surprise. I begrudgingly let her have people sign it, thinking it would look messy and ugly to me, but when it was time to take it off, it looked like a bunch of love. She had names from our entire family, friends from art class, school, neighbors, and the ward. Even the girl Evan and Madison's names were there. And Marcie Keller!  Perfect for a girl who has friends everywhere.

Then there was Halloween, which we thought was pretty much cancelled when we heard Topper Johntz wasn't going to be opening his house to hordes of kids and giving out toys and candy. We decided we needed to have some fun, so we did some things.

This was the selfie we took at Chuck E. Cheese for the security check. (The E is for Entertainment.)

Topper stopped by with TWO bags for each kid. One had candy and one had toys.

We headed to the grocery store to buy candy to drop off at friends' houses--kind of reverse trick or treating. They had trick or treats at the store AND amazing masks that this mother didn't buy.

We went to a socially distant trunk or treat hosted by a local realty, and then ended up actually trick or treating to a few houses on our street. We have really, really awesome neighbors. Some of them save special treats for Griff and Eve. And then we came home and watched The Scarlett Pimpernell. It's definitely a Halloween movie. Think of all the costumes!  Alan and I loved it again. Griff and Eve will have to try again in a few years.

Also Eve's blanket came. Here are some of the things. In the wrong places and kind of messy, but that is kind of how life is right now.

And we had several bishop's interviews: two baptism interviews and a tithing settlement. Griff and Eve have chosen to be baptized the week of their birthday. If you are reading this blog and comment, we will send you the Zoom link or FaceTime you. It will be on November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving, which if you will recall, is when they were born) at 7pm CST.

In other exciting news, Eliza and Evan made an offer on a house and were accepted. We will see if all the things fall into place and let you know when and if that happens!