By the foot

Sweetie: "Mom, this isn't Fruit by the Foot. It doesn't even reach my foot!"

Sunday music

After church today while I was cleaning up lunch, I turned on church music, like I usually do on Sunday. Sweetie, who is into asking "why?"these days, asked, "Why do we have to listen to church music on Sunday?"

"Because I like church music, and it helps me feel peaceful inside," I told her. She ran off to play, and as I loaded the dishwasher and wiped off the table, I thought about church music and Sundays. It's true that I turn on church music and classical music on Sunday because it helps me feel peaceful. But I also turn it on every Sunday because that's what my parents did. The cds I turn on evoke memories of cleaning up Sunday dinner with my siblings, clearing the table, wiping off cabinets, and doing dishes, all interrupted by whirls around the kitchen, either with baby brothers or with my dad, who had me waltzing and swinging long before my ballroom dance teacher at BYU.

So when I was done with the dishes, I picked up my baby boy, and, singing to the oh-so-familiar tune, I pressed my cheek next to his little soft one and took him for his first spin around the kitchen.

1. Good memories, 2. Good parents, 3. Good music

Working on our talents

Mister is nearing the end of another great season of soccer. The kid never stops smiling while he's running up and down that field.

Sweetie loves her tap/ballet class.

And little H is now a pro at bubble-blowing.

1. A day off of school, 2. A day off of work, 3. Bedtime songs

Growing . . .

There are signs of growing everywhere these days. I will not be showing my own growing (due to Halloween candy). J will proudly show anyone his growing muscles from the gym time and all of those protein shakes/bars he's been downing lately. And the kids are growing up and older. (They warned me this would happen . . . ).

Here's Mister, with his 2 new bottom teeth:

And Sweetie, with her new older "do":

And little H with his new thumb (new to him anyway! He thinks that new fist and thumb are the best things to have happened to him lately).

Halloween

Here's Sweetie the Astronaut, Mister as G.I. Joe, and H as a Turtle for the ward Trunk or Treat and then as a Bear on Halloween. Sweetie dressed as a witch for her dance class party because she had to be able to do ballet and tap with her costume (her teacher probably assumed all of the little girls would come as princesses or fairies or butterflies or something, not knowing that Sweetie is apparently above the whole princess thing). Mister also dressed up at school for the annual costume parade. Fun times, but I'm glad it's over and done. I wish I could say the same for the candy . . .

Poem of the Last 3 Months

I've been a poem-of-the-month slacker lately, but this simple and short one fits my last three months pretty well:

"Grown-up"

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Was it for this I uttered prayers,

And sobbed and cursed and kicked the stairs,

That now, domestic as a plate,

I should retire at half-past eight?

1. Breaking out the Thanksgiving decorations--bring on the pilgrims and turkeys! 2. Sunday afternoon football and naps, 3. Beating J at Kids' Sequence during family game night (we're cut-throat around here)