Enjoying the Fall

We had a wonderful month of November.  The older two each received special awards for their math and reading skills at school.  They were part of a little recognition ceremony one morning before school.  We also took the chance to get outside and enjoy an unusually warm month of weather with some bike rides and trips to area state parks.  Then once all the leaves finally fell, everyone got in on the raking action--of course it probably helped that we bribed them all with Dairy Queen!

Ready... Set...

Jump!!!

How flippin' cute are these three?!? 😁

Mr. "Red Carpet Reader"

Miss "Math Wizard"

We also had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating at home, just the five of us and Calie's mother.  It was a very nice, relaxing day (until Calie dragged me out to Target at 6pm 😏).  We then spent a few days in the WI Dells with the rest of Calie's family in what has become a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition.  Can't express enough how much we all enjoy watching the kids run around and swim with their cousins.  Plus there is so much more to do than just swim in the wave pool at the Wilderness!  Things like water slides and hot tubs, black light mini-golf, four-story climbing gym, polka-dot pottery, horse carriages, indoor go-kart trail, multiple arcade rooms, and more!

Grammy with all her grandkids! 

Not to mention the northern lights sky ropes course!

Getting ready to burn rubber in the go-karts!

Making friends with Doc and his brother Duke.

After getting back from the Dells and decorating the church, we decided to go and find the "Vera Family Christmas Tree".  This year we decided to forego the tree lots in town and go cut down our own; it was a lot of fun and we went with the motto... "bigger is better, and biggest is best!"  

Lounging and watching the Vikings before heading out to find our tree. 

After much searching, debate,family  and going back-and-forth, we found our family tree! 😄

Collin did a great job in his supervisory role.

Fairly certain their mother put them up to this pose!

It's a sword... obviously!  

Yes Calie was there too!  Our adorable ladies!

Everyone wanted to get a little piece of the trunk-cutting action.  Collin was up first...

Isaiah's turn...

Brielle was there to make the final cut.  Notice which person in our family of five decided not to take a turn laying on the ground and working the saw.  I was more than willing to switch spots and take a picture!

Of course the tree we found was in the furthest row of trees from the place we had to purchase and wrap the tree.  That was one long trek and that was one heavy piece of... 

Hope you all had a wonderful month of November, and have a great start to the season of Advent leading up to Christmas.  We're gearing up for our church's Journey to Bethlehem this upcoming weekend.  Big deal.  Lots of work. Totally awesome.  We transform our entire church so visitors can take a 20-minute walk through the streets of Bethlehem, culminating with a stop at the stable to see baby Jesus.  Basically it's a live nativity on steroids.  Our whole family will be playing the role of Animal Trader and family.  No doubt we'll have plenty of fun pictures to share.