All About the Argyles

 We took the cute little Golden boys out for a fun outing to the SeaLife Aquarium for their birthdays.  I think they loved it.

 Elder Argyle's November care package had a superhero theme.  Only six more of these as of today and this boy will be home in his Momma's arms. He got a new companion that he is really enjoying. These crazy girls did their YW in Excellence projects all about the fact that they do their own laundry.  Much to their chagrin.   We spent Thanksgiving break in Grapevine working on getting my dad's house ready for sale so we booked a room at the Great wolf lodge and went to dinner one night at our FAVORITE joint, Joe's crab shack.  We love that place.  It was a nice distraction from an emotionally heart wrenching week. Selling your late father's house isn't my favorite thing in the world.  These cute girls went to dinner before the November Stake Dance.  Celebrated a certain someone's 15th birthday. Sometimes my heart is just filled with gratitude for sweet girls who are good friends to my daughters.

Man I love this kid.  But he is growing up a little too fast for my liking.  I look at him and I marvel at how much he looks like his older brother.  I hope he turns out as fantastic of a kid as Tanner.  So far my chances look good.  He makes my heart smile. Thanks Kim Christensen photography for the pictures.

My friend Whitney is part of Mercy River and this is their blog. http://www.mercyrivermusic.com/about/ Brooke posted this earlier this month and I just loved it.  I, too, have struggled with loving Christmas as I should and not getting caught up in the busyness of it all. If you’re a mom, chances are good you don’t see a lot of “silent nights” during the holidays. After all,  YOU  are the one responsible for creating most of the magic. There are parties, dinners, concerts, presents, food, neighbor gifts, Christmas cards…not to mention the normal demands of sports, recitals, homework, sick kids, and laundry. You’re up later than usual to get it all done, when what you really want to do is eat fudge, watch the Hallmark channel, and feel jolly. But, can I be super honest? Some years all I feel is numb.  Numb from the busyness. And sad – even a little guilty – that I don’t really “feel” Christmas (other than feeling “rage” because my Amazon Prime package took 3 days to arriv

I have really been missing this kid a lot more lately.  I'm not sure what has brought it on. Maybe it is because he called last month when he was in urgent care and I heard his voice.  Maybe it is because he gets to call next month for Christmas!  Maybe it is because the older McKinley gets, the more she reminds me of him.  (She is a female version of Tanner- all that sarcasm and sass and absolutely no filter yet really really cute)  It might be because we are starting to make summer plans and I realized that we would need to work around his homecoming at the end of July.  We only have 8.5 more months before he comes home.  Maybe it is because I have been finding pictures of him on the "missionary Mamas" Facebook page every once in awhile.  I think it might have something to do with the fact that his birthday is this month.  And that I have been thinking about what I could put in his Christmas care package.  I am so incredibly proud of t