The Scott Zoo: 2017 Catch Up

It's only February 2018 and I'm almost done with pics from 2017. Hooray!!!

First few days of December, I snapped a few pics of the regular kid craziness. Here you go:

Dec 9 - enough snow to make
A SNOWBALL

Dec 10 - I made some truffles
as Christmas treats. In the package of
generic brand mint Oreos, there was this
MASSIVE multi layer cookie.
I'd never seen that before.

Dec 15 - Painting this year's ornaments

December 16 - If you follow my facebook page, then you've seen this picture. We got the envelope on Dec 16, a Saturday and Xela was at work. I texted to let her know and she came home for lunch. She opened the envelope and we saw the letter, which made Eric and I tear up, awarding Xela $15,000/year for four years merit scholarship to her #1 choice school. Xela said "Guess I'm not going to BYU" finished making her quesadilla, packed up the papers, took them upstairs and then left for work again. We were so excited for her!!

There must not have been much photo worthy action until the 23rd, because I've got no pictures between the envelope and ...

MEET OPAL!

Since we fostered the dog, Pearl, earlier in the year and then had her die on us, the kids have been pulling for a dog. Eric had told the kids we needed to have a fence up so that any dog we might get, would be able to run around and not be stuck on a chain. Eric had been working hard to put up a chain link fence over the first few weeks of December and finally had it complete. We then looked into foster agencies for dogs, but hadn't found anything that would work.

Thursday, December 21, I got home from work and we went on the "worse date ever." How do you get such a great distinction? Go to the local pound and walk around for over an hour, looking and talking to two kennels full of abandoned dogs, amidst many other humans. Take a few out to "try on" and then come home empty handed because one of you doesn't want to commit without the kids (=me).

The following Saturday, as Eric and I were trying to figure out what to do that afternoon, Eric told me to decide whether or not we would go again to the pound. I hesitatingly said yes and we packed the kids into the van. We told them we were going to a movie, but then we turned the wrong direction and they kept trying to guess and we kept feeding false info.

One street away, we told them to close their eyes. We pulled into the parking lot, stopped the car and, with their eyes closed, I provided instructions: look but don't touch, may or may not get anything, only way we do get something is if everyone agrees. "Are we getting a dog?!" The bodies all perked up as smiles of excitement cracked up their faces as hopeful eyes broke open. Only one kennel was open and within an hour, we found Opal. She was being brought in from something and when we got her info sheet, it said "basenji mix." That is Eric's favorite kind of dog.

We asked to take her outside so the kids and Opal could interact with each other. They all had a ball and hearts were melted. We took her home after another 30-45 minute paperwork processing time. We took her to Petsmart to stock up on supplies and get a tag.

"Best Christmas ever!" ~ Graigry

December 30 - Nate's birthday! Nate was excited to turn 12, which in our house means your bedtime switches from 7:30 to 8:00 and he gets to be an official part of the Young Men program and receive the Aaronic Priesthood. Eric and I spent the majority of the day running around Indianapolis looking for a car until I finally said it was our son's birthday and I wanted to be home (I believe Eric left once we were done with cake and presents).

The Motor Speedway
If you look at previous cakes I'm sure you'll
find a theme. He got a large rice krispie from
Gma Scott and then Nate, Ro and Xela decorated it.
I thought we had more candles than we did,
so we improvised. :)

$50 and chocolate coins
Gma Hibbert sends those 12 yrs+
$50 on their birthdays.
Nate's came with some extra "cash" :)

What is that smile saying??

ERASERS!
Nate collects erasers,
so Gparents Scott & Kimmie got him
a rainbow or different pencil toppers

CAKE TIME!
Don't they look excited?

December 31 - Good-bye 2017! New Year's Eve was on a Sunday, so after church, we planned to stay up later than usual. First, a family game of monopoly. Then when our friend/neighbor/guardian, Patience Gaydos she jumped in. When that was over, adults played Catan while the kids played a game (Avalon) that they'd received from Bekkah and Matt for Christmas (not an Eric game). Our game took long enough that they watch a movie while we finished and waited to welcome 2018.

I will say that I had some magical moments with the dice during our game of Catan. I would shake the dice in my hand(s) and say what I wanted. More often than not, I rolled it. Eric and Patience thought I'd tuned into some bewitching powers previously untapped. :)