Thanksgiving

This year, our Thanksgiving theme was pineapple! The kids had so much fun coming up with a pineapple-themed dish to make. Wynn made a pineapple drink, Abby made pineapple ham, and Sydney made a pineapple fruit salad, cucumber salad, and a pineapple upside-down cake :). It was nice to be together with just our family and spend time together. Crazy to think that we only have one more Thanksgiving with Sydney at home while she's still a kid. Time flies by, and it's bittersweet.

 

The Abbott's visit!

Nicole and Brendan came to visit over Halloween and dropped off their cute car Yugi that we are watching for a few months while they are traveling. We had so much fun together eating yummy food, making crowns, and playing games.

Twirp 2025

 

Halloween tournament in Rapid City

Abby's last tournament this season was in Rapid City, South Dakota. Maxine was able to come visit to see Sydney in the Hamlet play at her school, as well as the soccer tournament, so that was also really special. The team dresses up for one of their games, and they decided to be clowns. She loved her purple hair and makeup! 

 

Hamlet's Ophelia

Sydney was cast as Ophelia in the high school's fall production of Hamlet. Sydney loves dramatic roles that end sadly, so it was right up her alley. She got to dance, sing, and act insane, so she had a lot of fun. Several of her friends were in the play as well. She got to act with her boyfriend, who was cast as Hamlet, so she was also happy with that. She did such a good job! It was super fun to watch her try out a new kind of role.

 

Helena tournament

Abby's team took second at their soccer tournament in Helena at the start of October. Go Real Billings!

Coheed concert

Andy met up with his brothers, Dave and Barry and some friends from college in Denver to go to a Coheed and Cambria concert. He said it was awesome and the venue had great acoustics. Andy has liked coheed for as long as I've known him and he likes to go to a concert every year if he can. We're glad he got too!

Casper soccer tournament

Sydney drove Abby and Wynn to a soccer tournament in Casper while Andy and I were in a Utah a BYU alumni leadership conference. They stayed with our good friends the Murdocks. They did so well on their first road trip all on their own and had so much fun!

 

First day of school

 First day of school this year! Sydney is in 11th grade, Wynn is in 8th and Abby is in 6th 

HXP

Sydney and I were able to go to Guatemala for a humanitarian experience and help build the classrooms for a small school in Olintepeque, just outside of Quetzaltenango. It was a fantastic experience to see the area where my grandpa was from and share the country with my daughter. We both grew a lot spiritually and emotionally from our experiences there. I was able to strengthen and rekindle my relationship with the Savior in a way I haven't in a long time.  I felt deeply connected to the land and its people, and could sense God's love for them. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in Guatemala. It was an experience I'll cherish forever. 

Hiawatha Trail with Abby

 While Sydney and Wynn went to FSY, Abby and I went camping for a few nights. We spent the day together in Courdalene Idaho, and then our friends from La Grande came up to meet us. The next day we went a biked the Hiawatha Trail. It is an old decommissioned railroad track that is 15 miles long. You get to go through 7 train tunnels and cross 5 bridges along the way. Its all downhill so thats nice too. Abby had a lot of fun visiting with her friend Stark and getting super muddy in the tunnels. It was so much fun :).