November Nuts and Bolts

Here are our girls having fun before Kara and Scott's reception.



Sorry for the leave of absence...we've been just a little busy (code for really busy). We promise to catch up on things, but first, here is November's Nuts and Bolts entry:

11.01: Coming off the previous night’s sugar high, Kadence helped me conduct a baptism. We shook off our disbelief that it was already November!
11.02: We were thrilled to participate in Darrell and Tanya’s big day as they blessed baby Gavin. Both father and son did a fine job during the blessing. There was a good turnout of family.
11.04: Like all of you, we watched the election results (having taken advantage of the early voting). We had all 85 of the BYU Telefund employees over to our house for team meetings, refreshments, and fun.
11.05: After doing our due research, we refinanced and worked out a nice new mortgage plan that should enable us to cut off many years of payments. The girls are thrilled, for that means more money in the future (if they don’t take it all by then)!
11.06-11.09: Elizabeth headed to Houston for a girls’ weekend with Mom, sisters and sisters-in-law. They had a ball going to the temple, having a spa day, shopping, eating, watching movies and being together. It was a very well-deserved weekend. David and the girls not only survived, but had a wonderful time together going to museums, going shopping, and visiting family. Thanks to Mother who spent two days with us and friends for watching the girls during sacrament meeting. Sunday evening, I attended Stake Priesthood meeting.
11.12: Elizabeth dropped by the Enrichment craft group.
11.13: Elizabeth and I attended the Stake Young Women in Excellence program, where she and the girls sang a beautiful number.
11.14: Elizabeth picked up Dad and Mom Torgesen from the airport and that evening, we all attended Kara’s (Elizabeth’s sister) endowment session. Always wonderful to go to the temple, especially with family.
11.15: Elizabeth and Mom helped throw one of Kara’s bridal showers. My crew had an early Saturday morning breakfast together.
11.18: Kadence loved having preschool here, with Mommy giving the lesson. She has thoroughly enjoyed this and it is easily the highlight of her week.
11.20: Had our annual bishopric planning meeting.
11.21 Tayah and Kadence were excited to have a bevy of neighborhood girls over for the weekly playgroup. Daddy hid upstairs, as there was a definite not a male in sight! That evening, we had about 20 people over for the Young Women leaders’ holiday gathering. We had lots of food and played some fun games. We love our ward and everyone in it. The first of family came to our house, helping have someone staying with us for nearly two weeks.
11.22: We celebrated Donna and Connor’s birthday, as well as an early Thanksgivng at Darrell and Tanya’s house. Besides Kadence being sad and scared (of their big dog Jake) and BYU’s horrible performance at Utah, it was a splendid get-together, as always!
11.24: I attended Carissa’s play, The Sound of Music, at Mountain View. Way to play Carissa!
11.25: The Torgesens hold a pre-wedding dinner for family the evening before weddings and it was wonderful getting to be with each other.
11.26: Kara and Scott’s big day. We’re so glad Kadence and Tayah were good for the cousins and friends we left 28 kids with! Elder L. Tom Perry performed the sealing, as he was Mom’s seminary teacher. It was a spiritual ceremony. The weather was nice and cold for photos. We had the luncheon, following by preparing things for the reception that evening. I made it to the Smith Family Thanksgiving, just in time to see Mary Sue win the Cranberry Rock-off for the second time!
11.27: The morning began with 2 ½ hours of hoops. The last time I played full-court basketball, sadly enough, was six months previous at the Torgesen family reunion. Good times! After hours of cooking and preparing, we had 86 people at our church for Thanksgiving dinner. Oh…and 42 pies! We managed to find lots of time to follow the song’s advice and Count our Many Blessings.
11.28: Black Friday saw us warm at home in our covers. Nothing too great to interrupt our slumber too early. The girls loved having cousins here during the week and were sad to see everyone leave. After dinner at the Creamery, we bid farewell to many, but were glad Granny and Gramps could stay with us for several more days. The girls ate up the alone time with their grandparents!
11.29: I had the privilege of conducting my first funeral, as the bishop was out of town. It was a spiritual experience and I was honored to be part of the services. Elizabeth helped cook the meal. That afternoon, we attended a Christmas craft fair in Spanish Fork.
11.30: The other counselor and I taught a combined youth lesson on technology and the media.

Tayah is a little chatterbox and will often entertain herself and her stuffed friends and dolls for quite a while. She learns new words constantly and remembers them. She even loves talking on the phone with Daddy. She and Kadence both had a rocky return to sleeping normalcy, but all’s well in Zion now. They play together really well, but have their little quarrels and spats that only little kids can have.

Kadence is making some slow progress potty-wise, but we’ve earmarked Christmas break for some prime potty time. Wish us luck! When playing with friends, she alternates between being very outgoing and very standoffish, sometimes within seconds of each other. Tayah definitely is the fearless one. We love our two girls so much!

Elizabeth and I are up to the same shenanigans. We’re pretty boring when you think about it. And with that, we head into December and all the Christmas cheer. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year and we hope it really is for all of you!