September

September at a glance

(OK, ok or in a novel) 

 

Little boy rock collections- it's a real thing.

The boys have been fascinated lately with finding "crystals" in our yard, our neighbors yard, anyone's yard!! They are sacred. (And these piles have grown infinitesimally since then.)

It's hard to tell how miniature these handprints are, but they are tiny and precious! Wayne had been holding Olive in the front seat while the car was parked and she left her mark all over the window. Later, when we were driving to Arizona, I could see them with the sun shining through and it sounds silly, but they made my heart melt! 

We have spent LOTS of time at the soccer fields. That nasty green turf has infiltrated too many aspects of my life!

How cute is this kid? Hudson. He does dances whenever he makes a goal, kicks the ball, or just feels like it. It's a snazzy dance too.

As if the turf wasn't bad enough, there's the awesome, red dirt on the pitchers mound that Olive thinks is bath water.

He practices once or twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm and then games are either Friday evening or Saturday morning. They have older kids ref. This girl was the most trendy of all our refs. She ran all over the field, with latte in tow. I tell ya, it's the important things in life.

We learned some lessons this year.

Don't coach Collin. Don't act like it's important that he play aggressively or correctly. Just let the kid have fun. (I'm learning even more about his Type 1 energy in this book called the Child Whisperer.) He is a people pleaser and worried about making others happy. And his primary objective is to have fun! So we needed to let go of directing him and just smile and give him thumbs up and cheer him on. I can't tell you what a difference it made! He was becoming non-functional before.

Olive is such a funny thing. She's gotten SUPER comfortable with other people. A little too comfortable if you ask me. I'm getting the shaft. She always climbs into other people's laps or reaches out to them when she's in my arms. (Megan especially. She LOVES Megan.)  I told her I'm getting a little offended. I don't think she cared. Here, Mikelle got a taste of the Olive snuggles.

I took a 4 week, online photography class in September. It was really interesting. The first week was the heaviest and I had to self talk myself through it. "You're not an idiot. Think. You can figure this out. You're not too old to learn. What the heckkkkk?? NO! You can do it. Focus!" It was interesting, and I think I finally have the very fundamentals under foot. At least I know how to basically use my camera! I had to submit "homework" each week. So my family and Olive's cake became my subjects. They were good sports!

Ha! Poor Trav even got roped in! He's my favorite.

New Mexico actually has some pretty decent sunsets! I LOVE when the clouds and colors in the sky make you stop and stare. It's such wonderful feeling to be surrounded beauty.

Olive's first car wash. Petrified. She screamed the whole time. Just shrunk back, watching in absolute horror.

Her tantrums kill me. Not when she's hurt, just when she's offended or aghast at something. Like life is just too terrible to continue living. She clasps her hands to her face and looks down, allowing her body to heave in shakes downward as she sobs. All the while, emitting a high pitch wail that simultaneously breaks my heart and makes me giggle. It's the call of the diva. Even though I know she's wholeheartedly believes she's been deeply wronged. If she's standing up when the offense comes, she takes in a deep breath, swings her head dramatically to the side, walks a few steps and bends over, placing her forehead to ground while she sobs. It really could win an Oscar. 

A new frozen yogurt place opened up down the street!! Yogi Mogi. I was ECSTATIC when I saw the sign. I took the two youngers in for our maiden treat. Olive knew exactly what to do. Unfortunately, after the first week, they axed my favorite flavor.... Original Tart. Knife to the heart!! Seriously, it felt personal. So I haven't been back as often as I thought I would. Still glad it's there though.

Oh, just an afternoon of Dad tossing the baseball towards the two kids who can't catch. It was sweet. Then there were tears. Of course.

And Olive keeps busy tasting all the rocks. Yum.

I can't believe she's big enough to sit in the driver's seat! I was perusing paint samples at Home Depot, and well, Home Depot actually keeps some rockin' tunes pumping through the store. Both kids were totally grooving. It was the cutest thing of my life. 

We were supposed to meet some friends at the park. Collin got ahold of the DumDums and wanted to share them once we got there. He ran upstairs, lifted his shirt with a flourish, then hopped around to show me the wares. He's a giver. ;) 

Grandma Cat gave Olive the birthday present that EVERYBODY loves. I don't know how many times it's made the circle around our first level. Half the time it's with Weston in the driver's seat and Olive pushing!

These are the moments that steal my heart. My whole family READING!!!

For documentation purposes... September was the month that Mesa got rain like Noah came back to visit. It was also right after the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge had everyone groaning with repetition. I saw this meme and laughed pretty hard.

It's walking into a room and seeing something like this that I just LOVE! I don't know why, but I think it's the cutest pose. Her legs were kicking up and down too.

SO proud of herself. All climbed up on her throne. 

It's hard when Mom has to do laundry. Or make dinner. Or do the dishes. Olive has her spot when I attempt to accomplish these chores. It's between my legs, grasping each one like it's a trunk, and hanging her body in the middle, crying as pitifully has she can. Sigh. It's a hard knock life, for us.

Ugh! Roof drama!! We've had leaks in our roof since we moved in. Don't mind our landlord who doesn't give a da#*. Soooo frustrating and my bookcase has taken hits. After MONTHS of begging, she finally sent someone to repair the ceiling. Even though the roof still wasn't fixed. Then it rained and the new plaster got all wet and soggy again. They are thinkers. A few weeks after that, and some threatening text messages later, actual roofers came and fixed the leak. Hallelujah!!!

This chocolate bar must have fallen from the "candy spot" I keep high in the pantry. Trav was home for lunch when he realized she was being pretty quiet. Yup. I'm pretty sure she ingested tin foil. And boy was she ticked when I took it away! I finally just unwrapped it and handed it back to her. I get it.

Ol' Cubscouts! It really is a time consuming calling. Pack meetings are stressful to me. This time I asked a police officer to come talk to the boys. He spoke for about 30 seconds then looked at me like, "Now what?" *Face palm* Thank goodness he had a dog the boys could pet!

It's that age. The "I can't keep quiet to save my life so Mom has to spend all of church in the halls with me" age. Recently, I was by myself at church and hadn't heard a lick of any of it. It was one of those Sundays. I finally managed to last a couple minutes in Relief Society with Olive, when they brought Weston in to go potty. I was helping him in a stall and trying to keep an eye on Olive when Megan brought in a screaming child who had been injured in nursery. It distracted me just long enough for Olive to start splashing in a toilet. Full of pee. Arghhh!!!!! There was 15 min. left of church and I had had it! I washed her up and got Collin and hightailed it out of there. I'm sure Jesus visited right after I left.

Swamp thing says hi. I hate boogery nose season!!!!

My first climber. She don't even care. Precariously shifting on the edge of tables is her thang.

Still finishing up some of that summer crafting business!

We made a little weekend trip to Farmington and stayed with the Haynies. We got some Mikasa sushi, let the kids go wild at the museum and I got to shop at Target! :) Elder Holland was there and gave a missionary training meeting that Travis and Bron went to Saturday night. Megan and I went to the GRASS park with the kids, then got Si Senor for dinner. Sunday morning, Elder Holland spoke at a special conference. Originally I had debated whether it was appropriate for us to go. But after listening to him I was so glad we did! I couldn't believe how many people that lived there were gone anyway! So here is a little of what I wrote about his talk in my journal the next day.

 

Sitting in the presence of an apostle of God was beyond description. I was entranced and riveted by his powerful words. He spoke so emphatically! He shared why he was there. It wasn't a scheduled stake conference. But he did a missionary meeting the day before and asked if he could stay for church the next day. Obviously, he was welcomed! He told us of the growth of the church and how hard it is for the 12 to visit every area and stake regularly. But how much they want to. How they want to be with us. His love was palpable. He said he sat through the meeting thus far and ran through 4 different sermons in his head. Then he said he was going by the Spirit with what he would share. That at least one person in the congregation needed to hear this. And he proceeded to share the story in Acts 3 of the lame man in front of the temple asking for Alms. And Peter said to him, Gold and silver have I none, but I say unto thee, Arise and walk! And the next two verses contain 10 verbs of him leaping and singing and praising God. Elder Holland joked that an English professor would have told you to cut out some verbs, but this man deserved them! He hadn't had a verb his whole life! 40 years! Then he said there were 3 apostalic lessons he would share from this story. #1- you can't deny the evidence. The people were astonished at this miracle, but no one could deny it. Everyone knew this man and his condition. Just like they couldn't deny the miracle, no one can deny the evidence of Christ's Church on the earth again! #2- In this church you get more than you bargain for! When the lame man looked up at Peter, he expected a coin. Instead, he received the gift of healing. When we are in the church, we get more than we ever thought possible. #3- You can't kill it. Right before this miracle, the Savior was crucified. They thought they had gotten rid of Him and his church. But it wasn't gone. They couldn't kill it. Miracles were still being done in His name. Today, the church cannot be killed. It will roll forth, only increasing momentum. In the next few years, they expect to have 100,000 missionaries. They organize a dozen new stakes every Thursday in the temple. It will not be taken from the earth until Christ comes again! In closing, he left an apostalic blessing on everyone. "As though my hands were on each of your heads" that healing that was needed would come. That parents who mourned over lost children would be comforted. He promised that ever dream we ever dreamed and every righteous desire of our hears would be fulfilled. Nothing in our wildest dreams would compare to the blessings we will have in the church. I can't say enough of how powerful his witness and testimony was. It was majestic to just be in his presence and hear his testimony. I have no doubt of the truthfulness of his words. He is an apostle of God. Of that, I know of a surety. I was so grateful we made the effort to be there. It was an experience I won't forget.

Here are a few more disjointed notes I tried to take while he spoke:
*He shared how each of the 12 go through a "Gesthemane" of sorts when they are called. Elder Packard approached him and said he understood what he was going through then clapped him on the shoulder and cheerfully said, "There's not a thing we can do for you. Good luck, my boy!"
*He said the past 20 years have been 20 ANGUISHED years. Not unhappy, but WEIGHTED.
*The second coming started 190 years ago (How interesting is that?! I really liked that. Reminded me of Visions of Glory)
*He EMPHATICALLY declared that he would drink lava, chew broken glass and do whatever it took if it meant he could know more about Christ. And THAT is how we should feel about this gospel!
*He acknowledged the unique and divine attributes of a church that blesses not only who is in it but the billions who are without it. How is that not fair?? He would go anywhere that teaches how God can be that fair.

 

I wanted to send Jefferson a little package after his move to Colorado. It's fun sending packages!

(A mason jar drinking cup)

I hope you have an

 “Uh-MASON”

time in Colorado!

(Gum)

You were MINT to be my brother!

I love you!

(Container of Wasabi nuts)

Remember that we are “NUTS” about you!

(Deoderant)

Let your SWAGGER shine! ;)

(Advil)

A little help with all the PAIN of adulthood/bills/responsibility.

(Dr.P)

It’s SODA-pressing not having you nearby! L

(Sunscreen)

Enjoy all that SUN on the mountains while you snowboard!

(rice crispie/Swedish fish rolls)

Some SUSHI for you, until we can get some together again!

(Applebees gift card)

Take care of yourself!

Remember an

APPLE

a day keeps the doctor away!

 

***One thing we learned in Buffalo is how important it is to have an emergency CAR KIT when you live in the snow. Here’s a little start to your own! (Put some water bottles, trail-mix, jerky, reflector blanket, flashlight, toilet paper, first aid kit, etc. in a Tupperware box and know you have some help if you’re ever stuck on the road. Especially, in a snow storm!)

I saw this quote online and really liked it so I just laminated it with a  magnet on the back.

“You don’t become happy

by pursuing happiness.

You become happy by living

a life that means something.”

 Finally. FINALLY!!! I refinished this headboard and painted my cedar chest to complete our bedroom transformation!! I cannot describe in words how good this felt!!! Seriously. There are not words. It was about a year in the making, starting with the random purchase of the yellow quilt at World Market. It almost didn't even happen, but 50% off convinced me. The pillows from TJ Maxx came slowly, as did the lamps and shades from Target. And the swirly iron decoration from Kirtland. Piece by piece, I put it all together. There's a framed, chandelier painting to the side you can't see, plus the curtains I bought last year online. And the flowers and "T & S" metal letters on the mantel. Oh and the pretty clock from Kirtland. I should have taken pictures of all of that too! Anyway. I reveled when I was done. Fairly floated all day. I've never had such a pretty room. I remember trying to help my room be pretty when I was growing up. It's pretty comical when I think about it. Finding a small colored rose tablecloth to put over this old school desk in our room-that our boom box sat on. And my wall was filled with whatever YW creation we had been gifted or made at mutual. I always drooled over bedroom furniture. And after we got married, the drooling continued. I think I always thought I'd have to wait for a couple thousand dollars to buy a nice bedroom set. I don't know why it didn't occur to me earlier to refinish a headboard or just piece together a room. But even though it wasn't a thousand dollars, it was a chunk of change by the end.  I suppose it wouldn't mean anything to anyone else. Especially someone that's had a pretty room at younger ages. Or just never cared in the first place about things like that. But I always did. And always wished for a pretty space that was all my own. So after 31 years I FINALLY have a beautiful room! And just ask Travis, it's my heaven on earth. It's only been a couple of months, but I still daily think about how much I love it. And every time I make my bed I am grateful for my clean, pretty space.

I bought this unfinished wreath online and painted it and added a bow. Why does this stuff make me so happy?! It just makes me so dang happy.

Something that didn't make me happy?? My asinine idea to make raspberry jam. I blame Brinn. She gave me a jar of hers and I ate the whole jar on a bite of bread. ;) Then raspberries went on sale at Safeway. I didn't know how much to buy, so I bought 40 containers. These pictures honestly don't do it justice. I had raspberries coming out of my flippin' behind. And I made jam all.afternoon. Travis was gone all weekend for stake conference and by Saturday night, there was red pulp and sticky sugar on every surface of my kitchen. Never. again. (Oh, and I made like 2 dozen jars, a raspberry cake and still have BAGS of frozen raspberries in my freezer.) 

This picture kills me. This is what two boys who ate a lot of chocolate cake look like afterward.

Marcie inspired me! I spent a week buying and putting together our 72 hour kits. Vienna sausages and trail mix. Yum.

Gal pal, Josie came for a visit! Olive was loving on her. Josie was so nice to take her outside occasionally while I was trying to clean up the kitchen or something. We had lots of good talks and tender moments. I could never have enough good things to say about this girl. Anyone that sincerely took the time to know her would be knocked off their feet.

A Saturday Out on the Town!!

Back in the summer I bought tickets to see Wicked in Albuquerque. The Shaheens were angel friends and took our kids for the WHOLE day so we could couch shop, go to the temple and see the show. Amazinggggg.

We left around 9:30am and got there for lunch. We tried Los Cuatos on a recommendation. Eh. Some people just don't know good Mexican food. Then we headed to the temple. As we were walking up, a man stopped us and said it was closed! They closed after the 10:30am session because of women's conference. You know the phrase, choked back tears? Yeah, that's exactly what I did. And it was really hard. I wanted to bawl. Just have a good, loud cry session. I mean, what the heck?!! How often do we get the time to drive to Albuquerque, have someone watch our kids and go to a session together?! Like, never. It was SO disappointing. I tried to assuage my sorrow with the thought that now we had more shopping time. You really know you're depressed when that doesn't even lift your spirits!

But shopping we went and for 3 or 4 hours we sat on couch after couch after oriental rug. Just kidding. After couch. And we finally found a winner! The very second one we ever sat on ended up being IT. Come to Mama, cowhide and stuffing!

After that we hit up a couple of thrift stores and Target then got some dinner at Tucanos. It was crazy busy and felt very mass produced. I was hoping for a cozier, more romantic type dinner. Oh well. Guess it just wasn't our day for meals. We still got to enjoy it kid free so I won't complain! :)

Finally, it was time for the big event!! Wicked!!! We've seen this once before at Gammage. I think we were married, but maybe we were still dating. Either way, it's been a long time! And it didn't disappoint! We had really great seats, on the orchestra level, just 9 rows from the front, right in the middle! I found myself boppin' in my seat, mouthing along to my favorite songs. Pop-U-LAR! ;) How fun to be out on a date with this cute guy! We had a ball! Too bad we still had 2 hours to drive home at 11pm and Travis had early meetings the next morning. All in the name of Wicked!!! (Seriously, for the next week at least, all the songs continually ran through my head. Addicting!)

The most comforting part about being away was knowing our kids were also having a blast and in the best hands. Megan was so good to take the 4 older kids to a "Monster Party" at the library, go out for shaved ice and donuts and spend lots of time playing in the backyard and catching tarantulas. She even bathed them all and did their whole bedtime routine. And Bron slept on our couch until we got back at 1 in the morning!! What amazing friends!! Oh, and then she shot the coolest pictures of them all throughout the day. I just love this one of Collin and Lilly. I mean, what if they get married someday? Not sayin' they will!! BUT they would have the best wedding video ever. ;)

OK, and these pictures of Olive eating the tomatoes??!! Come on! How does a baby get this delectable?!! Apparently she ate 3 WHOLE tomatoes off their bush. She and Aunt Marcie are soul sistas for sure!

And then this sky!!! Ahhhh!!!!