Holidays

We are getting so excited for Christmas this year! It is the first time in a long time that we will get to be with our families in Utah. I don't know if we are ready for the cold weather, but otherwise we can't wait! We have loved making our home nice and cozy, sending out cards to friends all around the world, and finishing up all the Christmas prep before heading out next week.

We had a nice Thanksgiving here with good friends and beautiful weather. We loved having some free time to spend together over the long weekend, and we enjoyed spending time outside and watching lots of movies!

We found the perfect tree at a great tree farm just up the road, and we loved being able to do it in shorts and t-shirts. :) We have enjoyed the season so far, and are looking forward to making lots of fun memories this year!

Visitor

My mom came to visit us in Mississippi last week! We had so much fun showing her some of our favorite places and enjoying the nice weather. We walked a lot, and talked even more. We ate some yummy local Southern food, and wandered around looking at all the beautiful homes.

We had a picnic on the beach during sunset, and it was pretty perfect. It may not be the most "touristy" or "sight-seeing" place we have lived, but it really is beautiful!

We spent a few hours in New Orleans before I took her back to the airport. It was fun to walk around together because we notice and appreciate the same things. We ate beignets and pralines and had so much fun together! We are so glad she could come for a quick visit!

October

October was a little bit crazy, but also full of lots of good things. We had a lot of great Halloween events and activities, and trick-or-treating in our new neighborhood was lots of fun.

Matthew and Anna did another session of swimming lessons and they both did awesome! They have also been doing piano lessons and it is so fun to see them learn new talents and improve their skills.

I can't stop talking about the amazing weather we have been having, and it has been so nice to spend time outside without getting so hot! We love the nice cool mornings and warm afternoons. We spent a lovely day together at the Baton Rouge temple and it was the perfect ending to a full and busy month. Happy November!

Busy

• Joseph is busy preparing presentations, going to bed early, waking up early, and studying. He enjoys the residency program and is learning a lot. He appreciates taking a rare break when he can, and he is always there when we need him.

• Matthew is busy reading, doing Cub Scouts, designing his Halloween costume, and more reading. He is finally getting a bit more settled into his new school, loves catching frogs in our backyard, recently got glasses, and loves to go on walks in the evenings.

• Anna is busy losing teeth, doing gymnastics, rearranging her bedroom, and reading three books at a time. She is constantly making lists and schedules, loves to cook, and changes her clothes a lot.

• Catlin is busy sewing Halloween costumes, teaching piano lessons to 12 students, planning Super Saturday crafts, and reading. I'm trying to say yes to things that scare me, keep up with mowing our lawn, and daydreaming about traveling to Europe. Life is busy, but so good!

New Normal

We are slowly getting used to our life here in Mississippi. After a fun, relaxing summer, the kids started school at the beginning of August. They are happy and we are adjusting to earlier bedtimes and more homework. I love these big kids.

We had birthdays and anniversaries (12 years!!) to celebrate in August, and we tried to still fit in as many fun things as we could. Joseph is pretty busy with his program, but is so good to carve out some time for us as often as he can.

We really love living so close to the beach! We've done a few day trips to Florida and love soaking up the sun and playing in the warm water. We love taking walks along the beach in the evenings and just appreciating the unique beauty here. And somehow we made it through the hottest month without being too miserable! It really wasn't that bad!

We are looking forward to the school year and the cooler temperatures (I know it will still be a while...) and the routines. Happy September!