Whew... Been a While!

According to the date on my last post... it's been over a month since I've updated! I'll do my best to catch everyone up on the last 6 weeks!

We had a Sunday afternoon free (rare for us!) so Mike and I took Chase and Paige to Pilot Mountain to climb and hike a bit. Paige gets braver and braver every time we go and Chase always tries to climb the tallest of rocks! Makes me nervous, but I love spending time with them like this! Always makes for great memories!!


November 2nd we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. Mike and I enjoyed an entire late afternoon and evening together. We topped off the night at Carrabas for a nice dinner. A disheveled lady walked in and sat alone at a table beside us and proceeded to pull out her knitting stuff. I tried hard not to chuckle and succeeded for a few minutes.... until the waitress asked her what she'd like to drink and the lady pulled out her own can of Diet Shasta soda!!! Mike and I were SURE that Candid Camera was closeby!!

We had Paige's 9th birthday party on Friday November 4th... a few days early! She invited a few of her best friends over for a night of manicures and movies - compliments of her big sister, Kayleigh! Paige was MORE than thrilled with her Password Journal from Mommy and Daddy, and the girls had a blast!!!


2 days later Paige had quite the accident! She was playing at one of her best friend's house and fell coming out of the tree house. Mike and I were at home when we got the phone call that they were taking her to the hospital because it appeared she had broken her jaw.... YIKES!! When we got there she was calmed down and doing ok. After 4 1/2 hours, a bunch of xrays, and big sister keeping her calm... the verdict was no fracture... but she definitely needed her chin glued up!


November 19th was a big day around our house... Kayleigh, Chase, and my best friend Jen's daughter Juli were all baptized at our church. Kayleigh and Chase were baptized as infants, but decided to do this on their own to acknowledge their commitment to Christ. So proud of all 3 of them!!!


Later the same day we decked our halls for the Holiday! Decorating our house is always a big family event with lots of laughs and memories shared decorating the many trees we put up!

Ever since my lifelong friend, Jenni, and her family moved here a few years ago, we've celebrated Thanksgiving with them. This year was extra special because Jim's parents, Bill and Sue, were here from Arizona to celebrate with us AND Kayleigh's boyfriend, Justin, flew in from the Air Force Academy for a few days. Coincidentally... this is the only picture I took of Thanksgiving Day!!


Yesterday afternoon was super fun. Very dear friends, Jay and Cindy Dietrich, are adopting a sweet little girl. Mike and I, with the Heinz family, are hosting an Adoption Celebration to help them prepare for Sarah Elizabeth to come home soon. Kayleigh, Paige, and I took Cindy to Target so she could do her gift registry. Paige had a blast "shooting" all the price tags and finding fun things for Sarah to have waiting for her! We are so very excited for Jay and Cindy and are thankful to be able to do this for them after ALL they did for us this summer when Kayleigh was sick!


Today it's just been Mike, Paige, and I. We ended up missing church, but have had a great day! Paige insisted on making Daddy a big breakfast (with a little help from Mommy of course!) and she was so excited that he enjoyed every bit of it! After breakfast, Paige even cleaned the entire breakfast mess!


After breakfast Paige helped me make Grandma Casto's famous Chocolate Pie! She enjoyed "cleaning up" what was left after the pie was poured into the shell.... but that IS the best part of making the pie.... right!?!


That's it... 6 weeks of Lyons life in one post! I'll try hard to not go another 6 weeks without an update!

Much love!