On the 17th Caleb, Spencer and I went to the elementary school for a fall carnival. It was a fun activity with some fun games. I think the one the boys liked best was a bottle flipping area. They had challenges to try to flip the bottle into something or to get it to land up right. We spent awhile in that room.
On Friday the 19th Neal and Andrew went on a boy scout camping trip. They went up into the mountains and on Saturday rode bikes down a long dirt road. I think it was around 23 miles for the bike ride. They enjoyed the outdoors and being with all their friends.
Ruth has been participating in a cotillion activity with the Stake. She goes once a week for dance instruction and discussions on social etiquette. She thinks it is okay and hasn’t been that enthused about going some weeks. I think it is good way to teach the kids and help them with basic social skills. It will end this month with a big dinner/dance activity.
Saturday the 20th Spencer and Caleb went to a Stake Primary activity for 8-11 year old boys. They had fun with the activities and were happy to go. I am glad that the church helps provide fun things for the family to do.
On Tuesday the 23rd Andrew had his first Jazz band concert. I wasn’t able to go because I had cub scout Pack Meeting that night I needed to help with. I heard the concert was good. There were a group of boys from our ward involved in it and I enjoyed seeing them come to the church after the concert all happy from their playing. They came to join the scout troop for the last 30 minutes of their meeting. Ruth enjoys going to young women activities. She is involved with her group and has many friends there. She recently has been called to be the Mia Maid class president and will learn from that calling.
Wednesday the 24th Spencer went to a Halloween party. He was excited to wear his costume. He did Robin Hood again. This year he made a bow and arrows, with a sheaf to put his arrows in. He had fun at the party with friends from church.
On the 25th we had the sister missionaries come over for dinner. We enjoyed having them in our home. One of the sisters is from Iceland and we enjoyed hearing about that country. The sister missionaries have been coming to ward choir practice and so I have been getting to know them a bit better. They are kind and friendly. Speaking of missionaries, Neal’s sister Andrea had two of her kids leave on their missions. Last week on the 31st Peter entered the MTC in Provo. Today Corinne entered the MTC in Provo. I think it is neat that siblings are serving at the same time. I am also happy to see some of the cousins serve missions. They will be good examples to all their younger siblings and cousins in the Hubbard family.
That week I was contacted by an acquaintance, Amy, from the elementary school about babysitting. She was looking for someone to watch her son Friday evening and one of her neighbors, Kathy, who is in my ward suggested Ruth. Ruth was able to do it and it went well for her. Amy was so thankful for the help. I talked to Kathy about it and Kathy told me she was surprised when Amy told her she only had one person to call for babysitting and that person couldn’t do it that week. Kathy then told me how thankful she is for the church connections. Even when we are new to an area we can trust our church family and find babysitters among the young women. It is a blessing. I am thankful for a good ward.
Andrew has worked hard to do the music merit badge for scouting. That week end he visited with the merit badge councilor and was able to pass everything off. She was happy to have him come over and play his trombone for her.
On Monday the 29th Spencer had his first band concert. He enjoyed playing with the group. They did a nice job.
Spencer is playing sax and is the middle of the picture
Tuesday evening we had a ward trunk or treat activity at the church. The kids were happy to don their costumes and have some fun with their friends. It was a cool evening and started to rain on the outdoor games and dinner. The men quickly moved the food inside and we ate standing up in the gym. It was a simple meal, hot dogs and popcorn with hot cocoa. The rain stopped so we could still do the trunk or treat part at our cars. It was a fun evening.
Caleb liked his tail
Andrew was a trombone player
Ruth dressed up as a character from a book called "Mistborn"
Spencer was pretty proud of his bow and arrow he made
Caleb was a very silly rat
Ruth with her friend Brianna, they made their costumes together
Halloween was a fun, but cold, day. In the morning Andrew, Spencer and I went over to the elementary school to watch the costume parade. Since it was so cold, about 40 degrees and overcast, the principal said they would take a shorter route for their parade and just walk around the school ground, usually they walk around the block the school is on. We had fun watching the kids go by in their costumes. Andrew and Spencer rode their bikes over and when the parade was over they went home quickly. I walked and it started to rain on me as I went. It was cold and icy. It rained all morning. Thankfully the rain stopped and cleared up for the evening, but it was cold. Caleb didn’t do much school work that day because they had a class party after the parade and then early out at 1:00. When he came home the boys carved pumpkins together. Ruth didn’t really want to carve a pumpkin, so it worked out to do it while she was still at school. She was pretty busy that day because she works on Wednesday. She got off work early though because no students were coming into Kumon, not a surprise really considering the day it was.
The boys working on their pumpkins
Neal had a business trip come up last minute and he left early Wednesday morning and came home Thursday evening. So he wasn’t around for Halloween and the activities. I was worried about how it would all work trying to help the kids have fun and pass out the candy I had bought. Andrew was invited to go out trick or treating with friends from church. They were a large group of boys, I think I heard there were about 8 or 9 of them. I was wondering how to get him to the meeting place when a neighbor called and offered him a ride. I was thankful. Ruth went out with her friend Brianna and some other girls. Brianna’s parents gave them rides. They had a great time. I was invited to join a group from families in our ward to go out with Spencer and Caleb. With some texting back and forth I found out it was three dads going with the boys and I asked if I could stay home and let Spencer and Caleb join up with them. That worked out well. They were in a group of about 9 boys and the three dads. I was so thankful for the help of so many friends so that my kids had a great time and I was still able to stay home and pass out candy to those who came here. I also watched a movie and crotched between knockings. It was a nice evening.
Spencer and his pumpkin
Caleb and his pumpkins
Andrew's pumpkin (he had already left before we did pictures)
Last Friday Neal and I were able to go to the temple together in the morning. When we finished we decided to go out to eat lunch. We found a nice little Chinese place and the food was great and not expensive. We enjoyed the time together. When we came home I worked at cutting up, cooking and pureeing the pumpkin. I ended up with about 50 cups of puree. I froze most of it but we have been eating a lot of pumpkin things this week. Neal and Spencer made pies Saturday. We gave two away to neighbors, one of them being the lady that gave us the elliptical machine. I have been enjoying using it, so have the boys. We also have discovered that pumpkin puree with a little butter and brown sugar tastes pretty good.
Friday evening Andrew had a party at his friend Aiden’s home with his bike group. The have lots of fun biking together two or three times a week after school and had fun that evening playing together and eating pizza.
Saturday morning Neal took Spencer and Andrew to the Rio Grande bike trail and rode the entire loop, which is about 33 miles. They also made a detour to buy some ice cream. They had a great time together but returned home tired. Andrew didn’t feel up to doing much and started working on a puzzle. I found a nice 500 piece one this time. Maybe it will get done faster than the last 1000 piece one we had out last spring.
Sunday we had the time change and that is always an adjustment. The morning seemed extra long as we had time at home before church. I got extra tired at church and was glad to get home. That evening Neal took Ruth and Andrew to a Stake youth fireside with the Stake leaders doing a face to face discussion with them. They said it was a nice meeting. Last night the ward youth went to the temple to do baptisms. Neal went with them. I am glad for good spiritual activities the kids can do.
Early this morning Andrew got sick to his stomach. It is always sad to see a child in pain and not be able to do anything. He rested and now is feeling just fine, but a bit bored. I am glad he got over it quick.
Well, I think that catches us up. I hope that everything is doing well.
