What is Up at Our House...

Madi has made her debut as an accompanist. She played in our Church Sacrament meeting while other darling girls sang "the Fourth Article of Faith". This has taken hours of practice including me singing the song over and over as she played. I am beaming with pride as I write this; she was awesome.

the Daily pick-up routine is out of control. In the morning I holler at the kids to gather their things. By night, those things are all out again; dress-ups, shoes, school supplies, sporting equipment; A perfect homemaker I am not, but I do expect things to be straight!

Friday after school entertaining is a regular thing around here. I've tried to keep healthy snacks out on the counter so the kids can take their pick; o.k., so Halloween oreos aren't healthy; just wanted Sharon Cliff to have a reason to smile :)

We took a break over "Fall Break" and went up to Park City for a couple of nights. That is my favorite getaway with our family. Next time I hope we do less Disney Channel watching (!) and more hiking in the autumn beauty. Just being in that town helps me feel relaxed and youthful. I hope my kids find the same enjoyment in that charming place.

Yes! My eye is totally swollen and red. No one in our house hold has had pink eye; until me! I've fought red, itchy, weepy yuck for almost a week. Haven't dared use my make-up, and have had two professionals advise me that our whole house will go through it-Yuck!

We are in the homestretch of Autumn's most frenetic activities. Only 2 more weekends of soccer, 3-4 more weekends of football and 7 more days of the High School Musical (break a leg Mason!). John's travel schedule has eased from 4 nights per week to 1. We have had our longest fall break until Thanksgiving, the garden has pretty much finished growing (or at least I've finished tending it) and I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

I am looking forward-and the future looks bright.

Dinner together as a family will be making a come-back in November, and skiing will appear as the sole family activity aside from piano swim team and dance (hey, that's fewer than half the activities we've been running to and from since the week that school began...). I'm ready to blog more regularly again; I want to write about this year's family theme and share more suggestions about things to do in our city. I want to ask you-whoever is still reading this that is-how you remember treating your parents when you were teenagers. I want to reflect on life with a traveling husband, and I want to share the good things that our family has experienced this year.