A few things

Every Sunday night I sit down and write a letter to my brother Joe, serving his mission in Florida.  I try and think of all that I've done that week that would be of interest to share.  And usually I end up staring blankly at the computer. 

My days are not really filled with super exciting events, but I feel crazy busy.  And I'm pretty happy that I get to fill my days with 4 awesome little people that keep me busy with simple things that make this a happy life. 

So. . . a few things from my day today:

• Coloring with Stella. This little one doesn't hold still for long periods of time so it's pretty exciting when she gets something out and actually sticks with it for more than 4 seconds. 

  

• Bath time with this little lady. . . she's always so happy and content in the tub.  She's so contained there and no messes are made.  She makes a big deal out of her important job of cleaning up the tub toys while the water goes down the drain.  

 

• Doing this wiggly worm's hair is quite the adventure.  It involves sitting on my bathroom counter and watching Caillou on my phone.  Don't judge.

•  Today there was a super quick trip back to the pumpkin patch to turn a bunch of these pumpkins into. . . 

 

• . . .these pumpkins, in preparation for our ward halloween party tomorrow night.

• Bribery was used at Hobby Lobby to keep the toddler happy in the cart.

• At Sam's Club we feel in love with these little Bonsai trees and wished for a slightly bigger house in which to have room for one.

 

• We drove home in a crazy hailstorm, just in time for a 3 hour nap.  Ah, naptime.  

•  A straight-from-the-box batch of muffins were whipped up just in time for my school kids to come in from the bus.  

Some days I need a reminder, but it really is a good life.

Pumpkin Pickin'

We had lots of fun picking out our pumpkins.  Jackson was at granny's and grandpa's for UEA, so he missed the excitement but he told me he would most likely survive.

 Miles and Lola were super quick picking this year and then headed over to these weird farm contraptions that spinned super fast and made me dizzy just looking at them. 

 

 Stella had the time of her life wandering around and finding Stella sized pumpkins to fill the wagon with.  And then sitting in the wagon and playing with her pumpkins.  She pretty much killed me with her cute, crazy, scrunched up smile when I asked her to pose for a picture.  Nothing is cuter to me than that face!

   

 Ok.  So this is not a popular tradition with the husband.  I would probably go so far as to say that he hates it.  And he hates even more that I take pictures.  But looking back on this and this make all his grumpiness worth it.  So get over it husband!

Apple Picking

 We spent FHE in a beautiful apple orchard a couple weeks ago.

Who knew that my kids could have this much fun filling a bushel with red and green apples?

•  Stella wandered around taking bites out of every apple she saw.  And then throwing her half eaten apples in the basket.

• Lola carried the heavy bushel around with her happy-to-be-there smile.

• Miles taught us all about Johnny Appleseed, apple varieties, and apple tree life expectancies.

• Jackson was helpful as could be chasing down Stella, carrying the ladder, and spotting apples high up in the trees.

This might have to become one of our new fall traditions.

We headed home to soup in the crockpot and a yummy carmel apple dippin' party for dessert. 

Summer Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

This is a million pages long, but I've been spending many hours working on it so I wanted to remember it!

Build your own high-quality photo books at Shutterfly.com.

Time

These days my to-do list tends to overflow.  

Overflow with things that will never get done. . . things that have to get done. . . things I don't want to get done. . . things that make me crazy until they get done. . .and things that make me want to drop everything and do the exact moment the idea comes to me. 

The house is never clutter free.  The homework will never end.  Piano practicing is always hanging over us.  There are books to read each night.  A blog that should be kept up.  Church work that keeps us busy.  Basketball practice to fit in.  Yard work stares me down every time I pull away from my house.  Meals are constantly needing to be prepped and dishes are never ending.  And laundry: you are truly my nemesis.

But then some days.  

I find myself driving down a perfectly quaint Providence street.  And I think to myself how dang lucky I am to call this city my home.  The old pioneer homes, kept up perfectly and set back from the road.  The big trees lining the street, covered in fall-ness.  And I can't help but forget where I was headed in the first place, pull over, unbuckle the toddler and let her crunch those perfectly crunchy fall leaves underneath her feet. 

At first she looks at me confused. . . where are we going?  Then she tentatively takes my hand as she walks through the leaf covered path.  And then. . . in true Stella fashion. . . she runs up and down that sidewalk.  Laughing at the sound her red shoes made.  

"No home, mommy!  Again!"

One of my biggest fears is that I will one day look back and wish I had enjoyed these early years with my kids.  Life is too busy.  So much gets in the way of what's really important.  I never regret ignoring the daily chores and making memories with my kids. . . I never regret forgetting the to-do list and running through sidewalks filled with golden leaves.