For Thanksgiving this year we went to Mike n Rachel's---usually the Asay boys do their annual work with the cows the day after but Michael had to miss out because he had to work that day. He got home around 3 and we headed out to catch some of the action and take the kids shooting (Micahel's idea:) 
Watching cows get branded is not Kandace's idea of a good time.
I've been thinking lately how great our community is for lots of reasons, one of them being that they put on this fun holiday kick off each year. It starts with a free movie at the great Hyart theatre on man (this year it was The Grinch who stole Christmas). The kids weren't crazy about the movie but they do love being in the theatre and eating popcorn. :-) Janelle especially wasn't in love with it. I held her in the back the last half. After the movie they had another fling at the firehall. They did pics with Santa, kid crafts, punch and cookies. Kandace was a stink and went to the front of the line (I was thinking she'd just come back) when next thing I knew she was on Santa's lap getting her picture taken.
Today all the kindergarten classes at LES sang Thanksgiving songs at the Care center here in Lovell. Stetson took a shirt to school a while back and they decorated it themselves!
Stetson & his good friend, Matthew
Stetson helped me wrangle Janelle before it was time to go. What a helper!
There's a few things about Janelle I don't want to forget. #1. She went through a phase where she would find shoes, put each of her little hands in each shoe and proceed to crawl around in that fashion. I haven't got a pic of her doing it yet, but she used to do it all.the.time. At grandmas, at church, wherever she could find an empty pair of shoes. #2. Her very favorite thing to do right now is climb up to the bathroom sink using the step stool, turn the water on and play in the sink. She'll get 3 or 4 toothbrushes and dip them and then spread water/soap around. Pretty much whatever is on the counter she'll drench. She loves playing in water. Oh and she loves to stand in her highchair. Not very safe, I know.
On the way home we (ok I) hit a slick spot and slid off the road and hit someone's water pump between Worland and Basin. I've had nightmares of being in car wrecks--dreams so bad that they wake you up, and this was exactly like those nightmares. It was horrible and I wish I could forget about it but we are so grateful to all be safe. The kids didn't even know what had happend. After we crashed the car died, Michael got out to survey the damage and I was pleasantly surprised when it stared up again. Shortly after, a carful of peole from Lovell/Powell inclduing Stetson's elementary secretary Esther Garza stopped to help. I love good people that want to help. They were like angels and I wanted to hug and kiss every one of them. I went to the house to tell them about their pump but got no answer. We got their name & number from their mailbox, the Garza's pushed us out and we were on our way again in less than 10-15 minutes. I was glad we'd said a prayer for safety before we left on Fri. Here is our poor little van. The damage actually didn't look horrible until we took it to Mayes and they took the plastic thing off the door, which is when we realized we would need a new door entirely. The side mirror also got hit, so it was dangling the rest of the way home but Mayes took it off so I can still drive this beauty around for now. I feel pretty awesome.
This pic is one of my faves--moving cows is a big job and a great Asay family tradition.
Once we got the cows to the corals, Jan had sandwhiches and chips for everyone--Kandace hung out in the suburban and had a chip party with Jacob. When we got back home we moved more cows and when we were about halfway to Heber's place, Michael's saddle started coming apart--the saddle ended up sliding down under the horse's tummy which made the horse buck Michael off. Lucky for us we didn't see it...we were just around the corner when it happened so we didn't get there til right after and I didn't even notice how bad his forehead was banged up til we got home and he took his hat off. All he needed was a little TLC from Kandace. 
This pic was too cute not to post--the leaf raking madness has began. Again. It seems like I just got done with this---but honestly I like it. I prefer outdoor housework to indoor and it feels good to get the blood flowing and sometimes the kids help, too! :) 
Halloween night! Stetson had a Halloween parade at the school at 2 that the girls and I went to watch--it was so cute and so fun to see the kids... especially Stetson. He even danced while he was on stage! He gets all his dance moves from his dad. That evening we hit all the Cowley family around 5, came back for the Lovell grandmas, got some $8.99 pizza from Pizza on the Run (my fave) and hit gpa & gma Asays. After we got to gma Dorothy's, Michael hung out with Janelle, Jacob & Dorothy for a minute while I took the kids around the block. I LOVED taking them trick or treating and getting to share in their excitement! Makes motherhood all worth it! :) Kandace kept saying, "I love halloween!" She is definitley the more brave one of the 2. There were a few houses that Stetson called "haunted" meaning they had lots of spooky decorations, and Stetson held back and let Kandace go or asked me to hold his hand to the door.
Here's our little pumpkin. She never would leave her hat on.
