October in Pictures

I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves (for the most part). Here is our October...

Ellie likes fruit and veggies - especially apples, bananas, and carrots - not so much peas or celery

 Sometimes she's a bit tricky and not only gets out of her swaddle but also maneuvers her little body clear around.

 Happy Birthday to Steve!! Ellie and I made him breakfast in bed.

 

And for Steve's birthday dinner: steak!

Ellie has been experimenting with baby cereal - she's not much of a fan...until I mixed some Hershey's chocolate into her bowl one day....muah ha ha ha....just kidding.

 Steve and Ellie on one of their "field trips" in the trees and grass behind our house

My Grandma Dea and Ellie - meeting for the first time

 All the Dea grandkids

 

 Ellie and Grandma Thompson

***

On October 11th, Steve's dad passed away after battling (and beating at one point) cancer. All of Steve's siblings and most of the grandkids were able to travel to Cardston, Alberta Canada for the funeral on October 17th. What a special couple of days. We had the church reserved for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It was a lucky thing since there were about 53 of us there :) Friends of Steve's parents kept us fed the entire time we were all there. 

Monday morning was a family burial at the cemetery. Steve's dad had asked him to dedicate the grave. What a special experience.

After the burial, we met with everyone at the church for the funeral. Steve's siblings that spoke told about their admiration for their dad, as well as some funny things that had happened recently. I was honored to participate in a musical number with the other daughters and daughters-in-law.

The funeral was perfect. We laughed...we cried...we enjoyed the time with the Thompsons.

After the funeral, we had a luncheon. And since the most Thompsons were together than ever in the past, we took pictures of the family.

Almost the entire Thompson clan at Grandpa Thompson's funeral.

Oh, funny story. Two nights before the funeral (it was a Saturday), a bunch of us were hanging out at Steve's mom's house (a whole lot of us). Steve's sister Shauna and their mom had gone into their dad's room and were going through a drawer of his things. Steve's mom pulled out a bottle and, thinking it was a water bottle, promptly sprayed it into the air (and onto Shauna's shoulder). It wasn't a water bottle.

They immediately began sneezing and their eyes began watering. Shauna grabbed the bottle to see what it was. Any guesses?

???

Bear spray. Like pepper spray on steroids - cuz it's for a bear. Yeah. Potent stuff.

So, as they rushed out of the bedroom into the kitchen (where most of us were), Shauna was hacking and tearing up and trying to explain what happened. Meanwhile, the bear spray wafted down the hallway and into the rest of the house. Needless to say, we all had to hurry out of the house to avoid it.

Unfortunately, it was sprayed again outside, so we were forced to run from the backyard and gather on the front lawn. Let me tell you - it. was. awful. I mean, awful. Coughing, watery eyes, scratchy throat. No one could sleep in those upstairs bedrooms that night.

In fact, a week later, Steve's mom was still trying different things to get the bear spray to disappear. Nasty. Funny though - now :)

PS. I almost forgot to mention - we were lucky enough to get to stay an entire week in Canada, hanging out with Steve's mom...going to the temple...and just being together.

***

 "I'm cute, right?" (Nana and Papa Dea - this is a onesie you got her)

 Standing in bed. (Yes, it's staged. She's far too little to stand on her own....)

"I've discovered my toes!"

 Happy Halloween!!