1st Few Festive Weeks of Christmas!

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Breakfast with Santa (super fun... recommend it for a fun little morning with Santa -- Lauren volunteering and working so hard she gets her 1st job offer for when she turns 13), Festival of Trees... amazing, 7th Grade Band concert... how in the world does he get the kids that good in so little time, and KUTV early morning news singing.

Fox 'n Geese -- FHE Fun

The Cottles plan a great old-fashioned FHE complete with hot chocolate and fox 'n geese in Grandpa's backyard. Didn't know I could sweat so much in 20 degree weather!

Birthday Bash

A few photos from Lauren's birthday breakfast and family dinner... the whip cream about made me throw up!

Also, not sure if it is turning 13, the first Christmas dance at school, or Lauren's friend Alicia... but Lauren has started actually wearing her hair down and curly to school every once in a while. Her friend walked right up to her and was looking for her... I guess she does look a little different than the pony tail days!

Why I Love to Volunteer

1. I love to see Cam's (or any of my kids') face light up when I walk in the room.

2. Love it when I can see in a kid's eye that he finally get a math/counting concept he just didn't understand before.

3. Love it when a cute little girl stops and stares at me every time she walks by my desk and then when I leave she quietly comes up and taps me and says "You are really pretty!" (Love that especially when I walked out the door today I thought to myself I really should have spent a little more time getting ready today.)

Well worth the hour spent at school today!

Happy Birthday LOLO!

How can Lauren be 13 today?!?! I honestly feel like it could have been yesterday when they walked in the door with a perfect baby girl, in a white little outfit and put her in our arms. I remember Dave saying it was "love at first sight."

That night at 2:00 am my dad and brothers and sisters all came over to meet her. Sweet Nancy Wright (the only person I had told about the adoption) decorated the front lawn with pink balloons. My dad brought over a cake and while we were all "oohing and aawing" over Luaren Pugsley got up on the counter and started eating the cake... it has been a whirlwind ride ever since.

• Energetic -- seriously, can anyone live on so little sleep and still be up and running and moving and talking and running and shoveling at midnight and moving again, wrestling with her siblings and on and on and on!!!
  
• Athletic -- love watching her play soccer and run and learn to play volleyball and snowboard and use the wonderful body she was blessed with.
  
• Smart -- every day I am grateful for how well she does in school, the fact she loves to read and dissect cow eyes and do science projects and play music (although she says she hates that.)
  
• Responsible -- so great about calling Beehives, babysitting, taking care of her own homework, cleaning and organizing.
  
• Funny -- she is witty and laughs a lot. I love to watch a good, funny movie with her because she is sure to be full of deep belly laughs.
  
• Organized (except for now that she is 13 there is organization under the top layer of "stuff" in her room.
• Kind -- she loves to do things for the neighbors and surprise us. (She learned a lot of that from the neighbors.) She wants to make cookies, take dinners, give money, do service. I've loved going to all of the temples to do baptisms with her for our Personal Progress goals and watch her learn about service and the temple.
  
• Teenager -- although I have to admit I cried when we took her "donut-in-bed" this morning, I love that she is growing up. We took her friend with us out to dinner on Friday for her birthday and watching them giggle and whisper about boys and just be teens is so fun!!!
  

I could go on and on... but the weather outside is frightful, and despite the fact that she shoveled last night at 11:00 pm, there is still a ton of snow to get out of the way before church.

Love you Lolo!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Depsite the pouring rains -- a good time was had by all Hess kids this Halloween. The first trunk-or-treat was perfect for a wet night, the rain stopped in time for Lauren and Cam and friends to go off and get scads of candy (sorry Kenzi... you had fun watching a movie with Lauren) and as always we loved the haunted house.

May I also say how much I love the Halloween parade and party at school?

Sunday Afternoons... love the creativity

I always love to see what activity my kids come up with on Sunday afternoons. I loved the spring picnics they had with Kaylee, and along playing games or watching church movies Lauren often comes up with some really creative/fun activity.

I'm always glad when they find some wonderful thing... otherwise they just end up arguing over something silly.

This week Lauren did this lovely hot chocolate bar -- with marshmallows and cream add-ons. A great time was had by all! (And I must say... she made a great cup of hot chocolate!)

Cam & the 12 Article of Faith... and his anxious personality!

Last Sunday Cam was asked to give the 12th Article of Faith in Primary for the next week. During Sacrament meeting I looked it up for him and he read it, and read it, and read it, and read it. He recited it, and practiced it... fast and slow and in between and in Pirate speak!!!

This morning he was so excited and so prepared -- he was up, dressed and ready to go before I was even out of bed. He cracks me up how seriously he takes things.

We had parent/teacher conference this week and he was wringing his hands and biting his lips. He was so nervous. He wants to be perfect and to have everyone view him as perfect. His teacher loves him -- and he knows it -- so I couldn't figure out why he was so anxious.

If he ever does anything wrong I have to be careful not to be too hard on him, because he is 10x harder on himself than I could ever be -- it makes me feel so bad.

I guess the apple doesn't drop far from the tree.