High on life. Or on sleeping pills. You decide.

Tonight as I write this post, I have a very small window to work with because I took my sleeping pill before sitting down at the computer. (oh, the delight of sleeping drugs; as my mother said not-so-long-ago, "I am in complete control of my sleeping patterns. As long as I have my sleeping pill.") I didn't realize how much I had to write about until I began loading photos; a lot happened, yet not much. The dichotomy that is my life. Lots going on, but nothing monumental. I suppose that is what composes our lives--many seemingly inconsequential tidbits combining to create a life of meaning. (Aristotle, anyone?)

So, a quick run-down of the weekend before I fall into a drug-induced coma onto my keyboard. We received this package on Friday from my mom, which was stuffed full of books for the kids. I was kind of expecting them to open it and say, "Awww, books," and fizzle away to play; instead, they said, "BOOKS!!!" and wanted to read them immediately. Max is very excited to read his, which is an adventure about a boy lost on a river, but can't tear himself away from Fablehaven quite yet. Thanks to the Grande Dame of Good Mail. We love you!


Also in the mail on Friday was a letter tres elegante from darling Claudia. These two morsels of mail cheered my otherwise blase day.


I have been living in between worlds this last week--half of my brain has been dwelling in this book while I go about my daily rigors:
I finally finished on Monday, feeling physically and mentally EXHAUSTED. I'd been reading late into the night, thinking about it all day but unable to read (busy toddler!), then reading again late into the night. A fun read.



Max has been taking Jack out for evening stroller rides, before Baby's bedtime, to calm him down. Unfortunately, that habit is coming to a close due to the sudden chilly weather.


The girls spent Friday afternoon setting up their school--and played far into the night with our cute neighbors, Emma & Lucy. They were so enthusiastic about it and playing so perfectly together, I didn't have the heart to put a stop to it. So basically school was in session in the girls' room from 4-9pm. And the next day Lucy was at the door, 10am sharp, ready for school, bright-eyed and ready to play. They played school ALL DAY, again, from 10am-6pm. I was kissing Isabelle & Mimi goodnight on Saturday, 2 yoga-breaths away from melting down because of their trashed bedroom, and stopped in my tracks and just had to smile. I realized that they hadn't watched one minute of tv or played one minute of video games all weekend. Totally worth the mess.

And then I remembered walking into the room earlier that day, baffled at the total chaos and asking them, "How do you girls make such a giant mess???" Mimi looked up at me from the floor where she was diligently doing her "schoolwork" and said, "But we like to PLAY!" Well. That pretty much sums it up. Totally worth the mess.

(I love these sweetie friends for my girls. They're all going to have such good memories of playing their guts out with each other! Remember Emma from the Cilantro Incident? And their mom Christine, of the famed Yellow Diet Coke Cup, is a lifeline for me. I don't know how I could have survived this last 18 months without her! She's the kind of neighbor who's got your back. The kind of neighbor who won't turn you into Child Protective Services. Thank goodness.)

Anyways. We somehow managed to watch General Conference on Saturday; actually, it was pretty manageable. The girls and friends and baby were in their room listening (mmm hmmm. sure.) on the radio, enabling Mike & Max to watch peacefully in the family room and me to watch on the internet downstairs while I assembled their conference packets for Sunday.

I loved Elder Scott's talk about spiritual promptings and also Elder Bednar's talk about 3 ways to become more "diligent & concerned" at home. These can be downloaded here. Hopefully I will remember to post later about these talks because they impacted me quite deeply.

After the Saturday Conference sessions, I beelined to Ali's house to help with her baby shower she was hosting at her house. Isn't her buffet table pretty? I take no credit for the table layout; I acted as dish-doer, food-replenisher, water-refiller, platter-hauler, punch-maker, brownie-bite-sneaker (did I say that aloud?), kitchen-tidier only. I can't even claim altruistic motives because I was there gathering reconnaissance for my own future gatherings: I wanted to snoop out the logistics of a successful event because I have hostess phobia.


Sunday I made our traditional Conference cinnamon rolls. Actually, it's not much of a tradition, more of a hit-and-miss kind of thing, but it WILL be a tradition. Starting....now. (quoting Kramer from "Seinfeld.")


Monday was chilly and we all thought Jack was so cute in his fall fleece. It was a day off from school (girls, of course, held school upstairs in their room), so we spent the day hanging around the house being cozy and then went to the park.


Here are the kids before school today. Immediately after taking this photo, I thought of this one photo of myself in 1st grade...I have Mimi's EXACT FACE in that photo! It's uncanny, really. And after I emailed this picture to my mom she responded, "This is the most Crystal-lookalike Mimi Rose I have ever seen yet!" (we've remarked through the years, at her different stages, how much she looks like me at said stage.) I really must get ahold of my 1st grade school photo and post the two faces together.


Here's a back view of her hair--what we call "Mouse Ears." I take a photo of Mimi's hair nearly every day because we have such fun doing it each morning. I will have quite the photo documentary of her kindergarten mornings!


This is the Favorite Walking Path this morning. Chilly and the leaves are turning.


Baby wasn't too keen on the 34 degree weather. I suppose I'd better bite the bullet and just start going at 6am again, instead of dragging him out at 9:30. Sigh. It is SO hard to drag out of a cozy warm bed and go running (wogging) in the cold dark!!!

The sky was crisp and blue this morning.

I really, really love this path.

In just 6 short days we went from weather suited to this:

to this...

...to this!

What happened to a nice, crisp Fall? It's frigid!

Jack & I play Run & Chase as part of our morning routine. He giggles uncontrollably and it tires him out for naptime.

These pictures are blurry because he's running.

And chasing.

We also snacked quite decadently on pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Look at that cute little bird mouth. This kid is my joy. I just love him to pieces.
And...the post that I started at 9:50pm has taken me two hours to write. TWO! Now I'm having a anxiety about my 6am wogging-wakeup-call. Drat.

Sprinkle Glutton

In the past week, I've received two sprinkle-oriented gifts.
Oh, the delight!

My friend Kara gave me this apron for my birthday, the most perfectly Me Item I now own. And another friend, Christine, gave me this adorable shaker of sprinkles as a present for her birthday. (Yes. The girl gives presents for her birthday. Love her.)

This afternoon, I hauled the kids and some of their pals to "Up" and was pleasantly surprised. I'd heard it was sad and thus had a bad attitude. I mean really--who wants to see a sad, depressing cartoon? But I loved it! It wasn't sad, it was meaningful. I was taken in by the symbolism throughout and also the hilarious dogs! The dogs reminded me of something straight out of The Far Side.



I kept wanting to hear Puddy (Seinfeld) to be a dog-voice, though. Anyway, I was thoroughly charmed. And I loved the ending. Strangely enough, I found myself thinking deep thoughts of...life's transience, the overall journey of mortality, aims to enjoy more fully those I love, and how to just be more of a fun person myself for those who are stuck with me.

I've also been watching North & South at night when the kids go to bed. Ohhhh, it's a goodie.

Oh boy, that man can smolder.

Mike's been working long hours and I've been alone at home into the wee hours. The other night I was settling in for a long night of watching the special features of the, ahem, above smoldering-hot movie when I heard the CREEPIEST SOUND downstairs! The kind of sound that makes your neck-hairs prickle and your heart take a great bound in your chest. I proceeded to self-talk myself and pry my fingers out of the couch cushions and JUST when I had re-settled myself I heard that dang noise again. I actually began to make mental exit plans from the house. I kept thinking it sounded like a toy whose batteries were dying but the creepy part was...it that wasn't a sound which belonged to any toy WE own. I was so creeped out.

The 5th time I heard it I began frantically texting all my fellow insomniac friends--the ones who it wouldn't humiliate me too much to text at 2:37am--so at least someone would know what happened to me when I disappeared due to the killer in my house. I even called Mike and woke him up (he didn't laugh at me 'til morning) and he talked me through the house as I checked locks and every little room. I kept thinking that this is what the stupid people do in scary movies; they go investigating, talking themselves out of their fear, while we watch in the audience and go bonkers, knowing there's a killer waiting behind the shower curtain, and scoffing at their stupidity for not just running out of the (scary) house as fast as they can go!!!

After repeated attempts, Cecily texted me back with some mood-lightening jokes and Kate answered with an immediate, "I'll be right over." I didn't even equivocate. I was that scared. As Cecily said, everyone needs a Kate. She stayed 'til the dawn's early light & I love her forever.

Click here to feel my pain.

...(raising my Diet Coke in a good-luck toast)...Here's to hoping Mr. Marbles doesn't scare the CRAP out of me tonight!

(and if he does--will you come over, Kate?)