november in an instant

“I believe that appreciation is a holy thing--

that when we look for what's best...

we're doing what God does all the time...

we're participating in something sacred.”

-Mr. Rogers

october in an instant

L.M. Montgomery said it best when she penned, 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

Incredible Team Leah Bean support, fall leaves, weekend trips to Minneapolis, birthdays, two cute girls in their Halloween costumes, and baby GIRLS...I really am glad I live in a world - my world - where there are Octobers. 

november in an instant

"How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative - or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people."

-Sir John Templeton

I am thankful for November. I am thankful for husbands and daughters and leaves and church and friends and piano and food and flowers and family and school...and pumpkin pie. 

I am thankful for November. 

Thanksgiving (or the holiday that shall not be named)

Thanksgiving has been a bit of a sore spot in our home for the past five years. SOMEthing always goes wrong - seizures and head wounds, throw up, gravy explosions, turkeys taking twice as long to cook as they should and more. Thanksgiving day has not been in our favor for a few years. Each year, I'm determined to fix it. And this year I gave it an honest effort...

For the first time since college, Ryan and I were able to spend Thanksgiving with family. His grandparents moved back to their home in Nauvoo, IL last month so two of his uncles and one of his aunts and their families all came to celebrate together. We packed up the car with our sides and pies and made the trip two hours south. 

The dinner was delicious and the company was fantastic. We love getting together with his family. Leah loves her permanent spot in great grandpa's arm on a cushy seat. Kate loves the attention she gets from the cool, older girls. And we all love eating good food, so there's that. 

We decided to get a hotel and stay the night so we wouldn't have to leave dinner early. Kate was fascinated with our perfect view of the Nauvoo Temple that night in our cozy hotel. As we were getting our things settled for the night, Ryan said, "I think we made it through the day without any major catastrophes. The Thanksgiving curse is broken!" As it was only 8:00, I warned him to not jinx us. He then went outside to the car to grab some of our things and I started to get Leah ready for bed. I asked Kate to grab me something and as she did, she slipped on the cover of the pack 'n play and, let's just say, lost a fight with the armoire. Her cry was blood curdling - Ryan heard it from outside. I scooped her up and there was blood everywhere. I ran to the bathroom to try and clean some of it up and figure out where it was coming from. I was cleaning it up as Ryan ran back into the room. When he asked what happened, I simply informed him the Thanksgiving curse was still alive and well. 

Luckily, she had only torn the upper labial frenulum (that little flap of skin connecting your upper lip to your gums). We cleaned it up pretty quickly and she had no major damage to her teeth or mouth. Just some bruising and swelling. She got plenty of extra attention from great grandpa in the morning (ice cream spooned right into her mouth!). 

We almost made it through unscathed. It seems whatever terror is lurking happens later and later in the day each year. So maybe by next year we'll be free. 

Despite Kate's torn up mouth, we felt grateful for so many things. We brought back our Thankful Tree with the girls throughout the month and had fun discussing all of the things with which we are blessed. 

And when we returned home, we had a belated Thanksgiving dinner with the Oakes family. Because if living away from family for nine years has taught us anything, it's that Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without...friends. And, you can never have too many leftovers. 

Decades Date Night, the first

For awhile now, I've wanted to have a couples costume party where couples come dressed up as famous or well-known couples or things that just go together. But looking at the calendar for October, there wasn't a single weekend night that worked. I was chatting with a friend about it, asking her if a costume party on November 1 would be ridiculous. Her jaw dropped to the floor as she told me how SHE had wanted to do a couples costume party as well, but wanted to have the theme be different decades in the 20th century. 

So, we decided November 1 wasn't ridiculous and we threw ourselves a party! 

Ryan and I opted for 1920s. I had fun twirling the flaps on my dress while he spent the evening perfecting his 1920s vernacular ("hey there big cheese", "that's the bees knees", "hi dawl") and typing on his air typewriter. There were a handful of hippies (seriously hilarious in those tight pants), some great depression folks and a few 1950s sock hoppers. 

We had some last minute cancellations, but it still turned out to be an hilariously fun night! Good food, great friends and so many laughs. We spent the evening playing a trivia game with questions about different decades from the 1920s to the 1980s mixed with some minute to win it games. The dancing was by far my favorite. We got some wall flowers out on the floor! 

This will definitely be something I try to make into an annual tradition. Can't wait to see what costumes people come up with next year! Thanks to the Johansens for hosting! 

Johansens, Kriters, Davidsons, Oakeses

Flahertys, Laytons, Josies

Halloween in a pumpkin-shell

As a whole, I have mixed feelings about Halloween. The world is turning into such a tricky place, it's hard to love a holiday where I have to worry about my kids being drugged by candy given to them by someone living on our street. And, if the candy is legit, it's hard to ration the candy for my kids and resist it for myself! But, one thing I really love is creating costumes for my family. 

We did the run-of-the-mill (at least in the Layton household) eye guessing game for costumes this year. Leah gave us plenty of "no" answers. But when I suggested pirate, she stared me right in the face, as if to say, "aye." So, the three elder Laytons dressed as a pirate clan, and, as everyone knows, every good pirate clan needs a colorful parrot to, well, parrot every thing they say. And we have one of those living with us, she just didn't have feathers yet! 

So, I set to work making a tattered skirt for our youngest pirate lass, with a sash made from her golden treasure. And we gave our parrot feathers. The only problem is, our parrot talks, but does not sit still on a perch like a parrot should, so we had to trace her body on a piece of paper to get an accurate measurement for wings. 

We debuted our costumes at the annual church trunk or treat (which we rushed to directly from family pictures, hence Kate's fancy attire) the Saturday before Halloween. Kate also took her candy-passing-out obligations very seriously. And I seriously failed at my attempt to give a pirate-looking "aaaaaargh" face with Leah. You can't win 'em all. 

Leah's school had a fabulous parade and her class held a fun party. Leah's costume was, apparently, the big school secret. She refused to answer any questions about her costume (she giggled with closed eyes every time someone asked about it) and everyone was dying to know what she was going to be (we're talking classmates, teachers, kids from other grades, the nurse, the dean, everyone)! I was a celebrity as I walked in with her pirate clothes in my bag, and the whole class was squealing with excitement as her costume was revealed. I'm pretty sure Leah didn't mind the extra attention. Speaking of extra attention, Kate got some of that too...and she minded. 

The school day events tuckered Leah right out, so she took a power nap before we ate dinner and headed out for the evening. 

For actual trick or treating, we set out a bowl of candy at our door (with the perfect amount of candy, apparently) and headed to a friend's neighborhood where a fabulous 13-year-old daughter of our friends took her two little brothers along with Leah and Kate trick or treating with a few of her friends. Ryan and I got to stay inside with her parents (where it was warm) and drink Hungarian hot chocolate. Pretty sure I could get used to that!

At the end of the day (or week) of celebrating, there are no mixed feelings here! A happy Halloween season all around.   

family picture time

Ah, family pictures. Everyone's favorite day of the year. 

Except Ryan's. And Leah's. And Kate's. 

Okay, maybe only my favorite day.

But Ryan loves them once he's done posing and the pictures are in his hands (or on his hard drive). Leah always miraculously delivers with her mile-wide, toothy grin. And Kate, well, she's Kate, and we love her. 

This year we had our pictures taken by a fellow special needs mom who we met at Up With Families last February. She is a photographer in the area and she was so great to work with - busy Leah, crazy Kate and all. 

It was really cold all week, but warmed up for the day of our pictures - we were actually getting a little hot! In an out of the beautiful Iowa foliage in an hour with reassurance that there was at least one shot where all of us were looking and smiling. I call that a success. 2014 family pics in the books. 

Clean Cut Jack-o-lanterns

We spent a fun Monday night as a family cleaning out pumpkins and carving them into Jack-o-lanterns. 

Ryan, Leah and I love to scoop out the ooey gooey insides and feel the slime squish between our fingers. Kate? Not so much. She precariously scooped with a spoon, careful to avoid getting any of the toxic slime on her dainty fingers and hands. After we carved, she grabbed her trusty wipes and proceeded to clean the pumpkins themselves. 

Our Jack-o-lanterns might not have won any artistic awards this year, but they sure were clean! 

Nauvoo in the fall

We took a "quick" trip to Nauvoo today so Ryan and I could attend tag-team sessions at the temple. I attended the first session, then we ate a quick lunch and drive around town (where I got to see the home of some of my ancestors) before Ryan headed in and I hung out with the girls. 

I decided to take the girls to Carthage as neither of them had been inside the jail before. The foliage was on fire as we drove around town and down the road that parallels the Mississippi River. By the time we reached Carthage, Kate had fallen asleep in her car seat. And if there was ever a child you should NOT wake unless there is an actual fire, it is Kate. So, we parked the car, rolled down the windows and Leah and I walked around the courtyard (about 20 feet from the car) to stretch our legs. 

Leah was so quiet and reverent and still. It was a fun moment to talk about Joseph and Hyrum Smith and this piece of our church history. 

On the drive back to Nauvoo, Leah fell asleep too. Those two are angels when they sleep.  

When Ryan finished, we picked him up and walked around the temple grounds. We feel so lucky to live near this beautiful and sacred building. I really hope Leah can go inside someday.