We are getting so far behind on these “little things” posts so I’m doing this one speedy-quick.

Links at the bottom and intermixed in with the pictures if you want more details.

Here’s how November went down…it was a nutty month I have to say!

We started out with our own, personal “dinner Halloween” where everyone had to come dressed up since we missed Halloween this year (due to Claire and my flight from our volleyball recruiting trip in NYC being canceled.)

(that night is back HERE)

We had LOTS of volleyball:

We wrapped up our last high school volleyball season (back HERE), and it was so so so sad to watch that final “friendly wave” at the end of the last game.

(Covid problems)

I was so sad about that ending but luckily we’re on to club and boy howdy, it is a LOT of volleyball!

Lucy had her “Night at the Opera” for choir:

More about that concert and this visit with my Dad’s siblings back HERE.

(That last pic was the reunion with my Dad’s brothers here in the valley to honor their dad’s 100th birthday.)

Claire and co. went to a concert:

We got our senior all to ourselves once in a while…and that is documentation worthy:

Had some “hot tub chats” which is always a good idea:)

Loved having this book on our counter:

We prepared for our 80s party…

…and even more for Elle and Carson’s sealing (links coming up).

Some friends and I outfitted an apartment for some incoming Afghan refugees:

Lu’s transition to being the freshman basketball manager wasn’t easy…See all her trepidation in the pic. on the left below?

But she got adjusted and found her “place” and it was so so good.

All kinds of thoughts about that basketball manager and how this came about back HERE.

Dave and I got to go on a little trip of our own…

…to visit these kids in Florida:

…Where Elle received her endowments at the temple in Florida.

All about that HERE.

Since our old workout class moved away, Dave and I were on the hunt for a new one.

Lots of meals brought to people in need:

Lots of beauty sunsets:

Our friends were out of town, had their cutie kids for dinner:

Some screenshots I loved:

Getting a little Thanksgiving package ready for Grace:

Bo walks:

Pretty things:

Our friends got called to be mission presidents and this was the night we went out to dinner to digest the news:

The are going to be SO GOOD, but we will also miss them SO MUCH!

(It is a three-year calling…Dave’s brother and his wife also got called…I’ll have to do a post about this some time because it’s pretty awesome/scary/amazing and we are so excited for the missionaries they will preside over.)

November was a really overwhelming month. So one day when I told my friend I was going to get my act together if it killed me, and that I was going to get my desk in shape (first things first), she brought me over some tulips to put on my desk when I finished the job.

Still not done but close enough:

Love that sweet friend.

We got busy on lots of household jobs:

Dave kept his pickle-ball game up:

Claire got answered to Winter Formal:

A bridal shower for Elle’s friend…here I am with Grace’s friend (the bride’s little sister)…and also some one sent me this screenshot on the right as we prepared for the Turkey Trot:

We had a “Friendsgiving” for our holiday party for Relief Society:

It was a progressive dinner with a message shared at each house and it was SO GOOD!

Loved gathering with these women:

And love this activity committee that does so much work to make things like this happen:

Lots of temple sealing/celebration prep is HERE.

Claire and Dave had their own college volleyball recruiting trip (after the one she and I took to NYC):

They went to visit Point Loma in California. Check out this campus!

It was amazing with the campus right on the beach.

I don’t have the picture right now but Claire got to play with the team and that was pretty awesome for her.

We went to the temple open house again:

Lots about that over HERE.

Gathered with Dave’s family:

We used to do that all the time but now it’s few and far between…so much going on for everyone!

Bo Jangles had a birthday.

(Back HERE)

My mom and I got to do a little music together with my freshly acquired cello “skills”:

She had come to town for all the sealing/80s party/Thanksgiving hoopla we were on the cusp of getting to…

Then the reunion of the siblings began.

…and the wedding dress that had been waiting in the closet for a year and a half was dusted off:

Disco balls were hung:

All the hoopla of the Turkey Trot reached it’s height:

(Turkey Trot is HERE.)

Hosted all these sisters and their families (as well as Carson’s family) for Thanksgiving dinner:

…followed by a “pies with Carson & Elle” pre-sealing celebration with everyone:

(All that Thanksgiving hoopla is over HERE.)

…I think including this fun game everyone stayed to play:

Lots more “games for a big crowd” in this post over HERE. (We have sure had fun with that one up there, called “One and Done.”)

Then it was time for the big Elle & Carson sealing day:

(So much more about this sealing back HERE.)

On to final prep for the 80s Prom sealing celebration:

…and the funnest party in all the land.

(All this prom stuff is HERE.)

Prom King & Queen:

We got some good extended family time the rest of the weekend.

All the post-party wrap-up business is back HERE.

And THEN, last but not least, it was Dave’s birthday. And part of the celebration was that all the celebration was under our belts:)

The three of us whipped up a good little feast for the birthday boy:

We transformed our house from Thanksgiving to Christmas:

And Lucy started into the “job” on the sidelines of the basketball games as the basketball team manager:

Phew.

That might have been the busiest month of my whole life.

But it sure was a good one.

Some posts with more details from November:

A new basketball manager in town

How Lucy became the basketball manager

Thanksgiving hoopla

Turkey Trot

Elle & Carson’s Temple Sealing

An Epic 80s Prom Sealing Celebration

Post-party wrap-up

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14 Comments

  1. So glad you’re over enforcing those “modestly standards” for teenage girls shoulders etc! Those guideline are all about judgement and control. Great job focusing on the things that are actually important!

    1. Ha! She never enforced them anyway! Those standards don’t apply to them since they love their fellow man and visit orphanages when they are on vacation! Can’t be “over” something that never took place. Having said that…. whose shoulders were showing in this post… ?

  2. Can you tell what the “panel” was for? The bride and groom, parents, and grandparents? Was it as game? My daughter is getting married in April and something like that would be so fun! Maybe with siblings?!!

  3. Always appreciate the light you put into the world, Shawni! Just one thing to note because it’s important to use correct language… We receive an endowment. It’s one endowment, not endowments (plural) and we don’t “get” it or “take it out”. It’s a gift we receive one time. I love seeing members use the proper terms because it leads to greater understanding, particularly with those who are not of our faith. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/what-is-temple-endowment?lang=eng

    1. Thank you for that link about endowments. I have always been confused about what they are and when you receive it. If I may, I’d like to ask a couple of questions for the blog readers/commenters.. and Shawni too.

      “Law of Obedience, which includes striving to keep God’s commandments.” This is part of the endowment according to the link. Does this mean that Elle will now not wear double piercings in her ears? Wear skirts to the knees? No bikinis or short shorts? It says “strive” – not that anyone is perfect, but is modesty part of the striving?

      I have read where other LDS youths already do these things as part of their every day life so that it won’t be such a big change after the endowment. In this case it will be a drastic change, right? Especially since now it involves wearing the sacred garment, which you wouldn’t want to be seen hanging out from under clothes…

      Thanks!

    2. Thank you for the correction Jamie! I’ll have to change that.

      And yes Donna, the law of obedience helps remind us to strive to keep God’s commandments including how we conduct our lives in action and deed. The two greatest and simplest commandments of which: Love God and love your neighbor. So grateful for these reminders each time I attend the temple.
      xoxo

      1. Thanks SOOOOO much Shawni, for answering my questions about Elle and her style of dress as it relates to her endowment….NOT.

        True to form, you copped out yet again and reiterated the drivel about loving your fellow man … blah blah blah. I shouldn’t have expected anything else. No one can say you’re not consistent.

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