That's our boy...

Today was our last day of soccer. I am a terrible mother and didn't take a single picture, but it's been a great season.

Caleb scored his first goal a couple weeks ago, and he's still talking about it. Soccer has since become his FAVORITE game.

We discovered that Dillon got all the athletic ability in our family. He can kick the ball while running, and he's not the least bit scared to hit the ball with his head (even though he's terrified of the wind). This season he just practiced with a ball on the sidelines, but next year we'll definitely put him on a team.

Brayden pulled off the move of the century this morning. He was playing defender, and in usual Brayden fashion, got distracted and bored, and laid down flat on the grass to watch the clouds.
The other team was kicking the ball towards our team's goal, and Todd started yelling at Brayden to get up. Brayden raised his head to see what was going on, just in time for the ball to bounce off of his head, which blocked the goal, and his team won for the first time.

It was a perfect ending to the season.

Preparing for winter

Today we harvested the rest of our potatoes,

and the carrots from the kid's garden...

...pulled the dead flowers out of the window boxes, and decorated for fall...

...and started our wood pile.

Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this picture?

Bad Hair Bonsai

Once upon a time, my dear, bonsai loving husband brought home this cute pony-tail palm. I loved the curliness of the leaves. It made me smile every time I looked at it.

And then the tree grew...

...into this monstrosity that sits in my kitchen window
and growls at me while I wash the dishes.

It needs a haircut.

And a perm.

I told Todd he needed to do something with it, and he said he'd take care of it on the day that he took care of my beloved apple branch.

CHAPTER TWO

Last night, I had the kids bring in a load of wood to light our first fire of the season, but I got busy and never started the fire. When Todd got home, I told him about forgetting to light the fire, and he took one look at the wood pile and mocked me, saying: "What were you going to use to keep that fire going? Those logs are too big. You need some smaller pieces."

And without missing a beat I replied,
"I could chop down the ponytail palm..."

And he shut up.
And we lived sarcastically ever after.
The end.

Apple Days

When I left Cache Valley a couple weeks ago, Grandma Great sent me home with a large box of apples from her tree. Thanks Grandma! I was able to add them to the few apples that survived the birds on our one apple branch.

Vanessa and I have spent the better part of two days peeling, coring, dicing, and canning 25 quarts of apple pie filling. Then I dehydrated some apples...and made apple turnovers...and a small pie...and some carmeled apples.

Thankfully, I am finished with apples for this year, but Vanessa still has a huge laundry hamper full. I wish her luck with the rest...

Dillon goes to preschool

Today was Dillon's first day of preschool. We couldn't get a decent picture because he was too wound up. Can you tell he's a *little* excited? His favorite part of the day was playing with play-dough.

Todd didn't have to go in to work until this afternoon, so we spent our first child-free morning on a "date" (folding laundry while listening to General Conference).

Conference Weekend with Cousins

Michael and Becky and family, and Elizabeth, came to visit for conference weekend and we had such a great time. We missed most of yesterday's sessions due to soccer, and a trip to Capitol Reef, but luckily we can download and listen to them this week.

Emily and Caleb are such good friends! I love this picture of them:


Little Miss Amber is such a sweetheart. We are good friends. I missed the chance to sing songs with her this weekend. We'll have to get together soon...

Miss Lydia took a liking to me this weekend, and the two of us did get to spend some time singing. She's my sugar pie, hunny bunch, pumpy-umpy-umpkin.

We took another picture of the kids in this gnarled tree:

The kids have sure grown since the last time we took a picture here, in the spring of 2007:

Watching conference with six kids is an interesting experience :o)

They worked on their conference packets during the first session this morning, and then they were off to play.

Whirlwind

Lately I've been a blog neglectin', laundry foldin'

tomato cannin', sacrament speakin', pee cleanin'

thyroid pill poppin', IEP meetin, paper filin'

mother-in-law hostin', wolf badge earnin'

tooth fairy playin', primary substitutin'

cub scout plannin', Christmas stressin'

milk chocolate cravin', zucchini eatin'

lightbulb changin', floor moppin'

coupon shoppin', Kashi fartin'

Time Out For Women goin'

birthday party plannin'

Relief Society goin'

library returnin'

closet organizin'

surgery nursin'

soccer runnin'

bum spankin'

fall decoratin'

apple pickin'

shirt ironin'

list writin'

tired, but

happy

mom

:o)

who needs to be doin' more temple goin', van cleanin', weed pullin', hair cuttin', bedroom finishin', machine quiltin', feather dustin', baby tryin', scripture readin', exercisin', house paintin', piano practicin', school volunteerin', de-junkin', DI donatin', wheat grindin', bread makin', case lot shoppin', service givin', apple dryin', oil changin', picture takin', scrapbookin', and cookie makin'.

Wasn't life supposed to calm down once school started?

Actually, things are busy, but good. Todd is starting to eat more solid foods after his gum surgery, I'm finally figuring out the cub scout program, and my thyroid meds are making me feel like I've got my brain back. I can focus, and finish some of the things I start. It's a marvelous feeling. It may take me a month or so to get caught up on everything, but I'm confident that I'll get there.

Time out for women was wonderful. I left feeling rejuvinated, and motivated to be better. My testimony has been strengthened in so many ways in the past month, and I feel very blessed.

Happy Conference Weekend!