All the Things

This week was full, just plain full.  Luckily I've been given the insight to read to this little girl every morning before the day gets busy.  (I look tired and old; I am.)

Tuesday Boomer Andy took his three sibbies to the temple.  They had a lovely time together.  It's still 1,000,000* in Phoenix, hence the squints.

The three littles stayed home and completed school work.  Eddie and Ryan are working on their state reports.

I helped them make playdough for an upcoming diarama.  (Here's hoping we actually get to it.)

Maddie had a bonus race -- she took third.

Thursday I took four little people to Utah in a little car for a little trip.  It took all day to get there, but we were met by scores of family/families to kiss and love us.  (I took so few pictures; I don't know why.)

Friday morning I scheduled a session in the Timp temple.  I left early and was home before my darlings were awake.  Brilliant.

Friday night was Callie's 1st birthday party.  52 guests later, and she still had no idea what we were celebrating.  Everyone else knew, though.

Later that night the Armstrongs invited the littles to sleep over.  They filled them up on candy, Bluey and Eggos.  These littles came home so tickled.

Saturday and Sunday we spent watching the 191 Semi-Annual General Conference on Grandma Kim's floor.

Austin flew in for 15 hours to an open house for our Kansas friends.  We spent the afternoon laughing and reminiscensing (spell that 10 times fast).  I'm really tempted to see if I have blog pictures from 2008-2009 that include these same friends.  I have to.  I just have to.

Sunday we were back at it again.  Ryan found the best spot.

Millie and Maddie were the best at note taking.

Meg and Elijah came, and Meg painted their faces.

Walks to the canyon, pedis with Mom, quick trips to the canning store, tons of yard games with cousins, quiet and meaningful conversations with sibblies and spouses, Emily's new baby, piano duets including trips to Persia, clean sheets, crowded beds on floors, endless paper products, and feeling the eternal bond of my family unit (which is not even all the things) makes me proclaim Molly's same sentiment, "I want to live in Utah!"  

(I had better get back on here and post pictures of the bigs watching conference with Grandma and Grandpa B.)

Simply September

Sunday afternoon Molly convinced Austin to play, "Bluey."

I made these hoagies.

It was a lovely au jus dinner.

During FHE Maisie was asked to HOCO!

Molly wrote the entire alphabet song.  I've attempted to teach her about spaces between words, but she's not quite catching the concept.  Somehow, I love her independent writing even more without it.

My sour dough start took on the shape of Yosemite's Half Dome.  

We've been in a school slump -- Eddie can't get excited about core work, without an opportunity to explore engineering and science.

So we did.

Ramen bowls have chnged our world.

Our time at the park this week was extra fun.  Those two big boys jumped up and down all the while the girls were screaming and loving their experience.

Maddie raced again and won third!

She and I went to Phoenix to watch the gold-medal olympians. (I have a major eye infection, so no make-up.)

We went with a few friends to watch those tricksters.  Maddie sat on the edge of her seat.

Grammar included poety recitation and reinactment.  We studied a peom about pony-tails.

Selfie

This is our garden-grown watermelon.

Austin and Andy went backpacking in the rim.  They always come home refreshed and happy.

Saturday I went to the stake RS meeting.  These elect ladies are the Lord's finest nurtures and gatherers.

I found this my in studies.

My four youth enjoyed the stake activity.  They danced and were highly entertained.  Austin and I had just the three littles home for the evening -- we still went to bed late.

 The sun shines and makes us sweat.  We diligently work on music and school.  Our 40 day BOM challenge is in full force.  The days zoom by, except when my eyes are burning and my head is spinning.

Not So Much

Not so much happened this week, yet so much happened this week.

Monday after school I found myself surrounded by mess and unfinished projects.  My afternoon mysteriously cleared, and I was able to clean it all up.  Thank you, Father.

Tuesday I finally took the annual picture of Andy and I standing back to back.  He seems even taller than last year.  He'll leave on his mission soon, so I just stop to stare and drink him in.  Ryan climbs into his lap these days and they just rub cheeks.  It's really sweet.  Big teenage boys still need physical touch, and younger siblings are the just the ticket -- especially when we aren't seeing eye to eye.

Nick's height is increasing as well.  Give him two good years, he'll grow.

Austin's nice assistant bought me some new nail polish,

so I paused Tuesday night to paint my nails -- another random space in my week.  The meager two coats did not stand a chance to my kitchen and hand-washing world -- off again Thursday night.

Wednesdays I coordinate playgroup/park day for three local wards.  I failed to send that text, partly on purpose, so we four went to the park and played so hard together.  Our best game is hide-and-go-seek.  Eddie was shocked I could fit in such a small nook. 

Little monkey.

That afternoon Maddie raced and took third.  She was a good 30 seconds from the front runner.  I was proud of her when she recognized, "It was not my best race, but I can do.better."  I thought she did so great.  Every time she gets up to that line, she displays more courage than I ever had.

That same night, the YW came for fondue and "Just Dance."  We were missing quite a few girls, but we still had a lovely time juntos.

Thursday I paused and took an art turtorial with Eddie.  Molly and Ryan were invited, but they gave up.  Austin was very impressed with Eddie's alligator.  

Friday was temple day.  We saw Mom B. working, and we felt the heavenly nourishment that floods our souls when we stop our world to make our monthly goal a reality.  I love to learn inside the temple.  

That same afternoon we swam with friends -- proof that we're social.  

Saturday morning we were up early for a XC meet in Flag.  Maisie and Nick both ran on the varsity teams.  Maisie's team took second!  Nick raced so well agaist grown men.

Here are our BFFs; we're blessed that our kids share the same interests.  I had to take a picture of our matching shirts with the wild flowers behind us.

After cleaning the office before we got home, I spent Saturday afternoon completing the smallest details on my biggest TO DO list: Finally, the wedding boxes are labeled and put away.  Finally, I stopped to catch up on YW details.  Finally, I put all the clean sheets back on beds.  And finally, Molly and I played with her BLUEY characters for 15 minutes.  (Luckily I followed the prompting to stop and watch a five-minute episode, so I knew that I needed to talk with a British accent and create all sorts of silly chaos with my character.  Naturally, I was the mom dog, Chilli, naturally.  I did make Molly belly laugh so hard because I was clever and fun and present. HA!  Sometimes I'm a fun mom.)