Fancy Fall Dinner

I had in my calendar this weekend to prepare for a "fancy fall feast" on Sunday/today. I set that in my calendar in Feb around the time of our Anniversary Dinner, thinking it would be nice to have another feast together at some time of the year when there aren't other obligations, so not on a holiday. I thought doing it at the start of the fall season would be good since autumn is my favorite. I was hoping this could be like a family thanksgiving meal without outside demands. I asked Lily and Sophi last week to help me, and that didn't work, they didn't really do anything despite a few texts I sent over the weekend and the few times I asked today for help. I should have asked Abi or Natalie, but I wanted to give Lily and Sophi a chance to step up and contribute. I'll try again another time, but for this I ended up planning it by myself and mostly cooking and preparing it by myself. Daniel offered to help and he was sweet, he cut up carrots and set the table. Overall, it didn't really have the big deal feeling that I was going for, but still ok for our first time trying it. Instead of calling it a feast this year, we'll just call it a fancy dinner, cause we got out the fancy dishes and I brought up the box of fall decorations. Those few fake fall leaves and pumpkins helped make it feel different.

I spent 3+ hour prepping and cooking. Made Ethiopian cabbage dish and a sweet potato carrot ginger soup with lime pico de gallo as a garnish. Next year we'll try this again, but we'll have a pumpkin dessert or stuffing and turkey and some sparkling apple juice. Again, it was ok for our first attempt. I did the best I could by myself and I wasn't too sad that Lily and Sophi didn't get into cause we have limited funds at the moment anyway and I couldn't have bought all the ingredients they wanted anyway if they had fully participated. We invited Wayne to join us and he picked up some "local" produce at a little fruit stand on Wasatch blvd on his way here. It was pineapple. Hmm, you sure pineapple grows here locally? He picked up pineapple last time he joined us for dinner too. We joked then and this time again about it and we pretended that of course it is grown here as Abi said "Mmmm, Utah pineapple just hits different..."  

After eating I took a quick nap in the basement where it's dark and I can hide. Corey cleaned up (thank you sweetie) and then we did some charades. Last time we did that was for FHE last month. That time Katharine kept shouting out "Isabella!" which was her current favorite princess. Today it must be "Giselle!" from Enchanted cause that was what she shouted everytime today, so cute. It was funny to do it with Wayne. He got Disney princesses once and went and laid down on a cedar chest "Snow White!" We got it. A few said Sleeping Beauty, but it was Snow White. Peter did Elephant. Daniel did ice cream. When Katharine had a turn, Corey had her category be "princesses" to help us out, but then K got down on all 4s like Peter had been, then licked the air like Daniel did, then she laid down like Wayne, haha! We kept saying princess names. It was Elsa. She proudly cheered "You got it!" So she was just imitating all of us, cutie pants. 

Wayne left after that, and then we turned on The Sound of Music, which was fun to watch with Lily (she thinks Christopher Plummer was quite the "hot dad"). Mel and Christian came by, and Christian watched that with us while Mel got flowers together from a wedding bouquet she is pressing. She's got a little side hobby pressing flowers and framing them. Mel shared some pics of a hike they did yesterday - they hiked Timpanogos! 

Jealous!!! I wanted to go!!! Although they started their hike at like 2:30 am!

Yeah... probably would not have been realistic for me to go, hence why they didn't bother to invite me. sniff. But I want to go. Maybe I'll sneak away sometime. 14 miles though, yikes, yeah I prob can't do that. Not sure how I pulled that off in 2008. Maybe it's not too late to try it this year, but I'm cutting it close if I want to do it. The main one I said I wanted to do this summer was Hounds tooth, and I haven't done it yet, doh. Someday I want to go all the way up Bell Canyon to the upper Bell Canyon Reservoir. Maybe I'll see if Mel and Christian want to come do that before the snow comes! 

Since they are such the outdoor-sy couple!

Ok, a few more pics from this weekend - Sophi was gifted a sculpture for her birthday from Jane, she loves it, haha! 

A good joke between friends. Owen being a weirdo tonight - dressed up in Ethan's unicorn onesie, but he shoved a blanket in it to make him fat. 

Yesterday I took Peter to his soccer game. Corey was on a ride (I had a long ride on Fri, so it was ok) The Red Dragons lost a lot to 1, which was frustrating for Peter, but he handled it a little better. He's been practicing a lot with Owen in the backyard and you could tell, he did a good job going after the ball and kicking! 

Owen won his game like 10 to 0. He scored a goal too, which he was happy about. 

Team photo. 

And team cheer! Yay Black Diamonds!

Owen's games are fun to watch. I took Owen to his game cause Corey was gone looking for gear at a ski swap. After Owen's game we went by Walmart so I could get Daniel a watch. He really wanted a watch for his bday, and I thought my mom was getting him one. She came by this morning while I was at Peter's game and he got legos, so I went to get a watch to make his birthday dreams come true. Owen got one too with his bday money that he hadn't used yet. At home, Owen gave his watch to Peter, so now they all have watches and they are excited about that. Corey and I both worked hard yesterday and today, but I did take a time out to go on a hike in the afternoon to Bell Canyon. 

And we had our 3rd to last butterfly emerge today. We have had almost no monarch drama this year so that's been nice. 

Well, I did have two that got stuck as they tried to change to the chrysalis (like last pic here). But it's been a relatively calm monarch year.

Today a pipe broke in the property next to us. When I got back I saw the water flying up like a little Old Faithful. It was taken care of fine but made the kids nervous for about an hour when it was shooting out water. 

So that's about it for this weekend! One last thing - Wayne sent a text tonight after he got back home. "Thank you for dinner and the evening's entertainment. As I was driving home this thought came into my mind. The joy and blessings which come from living the gospel is reflected through the eyes of children sharing themselves with others."

I loved that, and say Amen! So grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and I thank and praise God for all the good that is in our life, especially our children. We're grateful to be able to share life with each of them.