Mortimer farm

What makes October complete is a trip to the farm! 

We decided to try out a new farm that is near my parents house--Mortimer Farm. It was two hours away, but it was a fun little place and worth it to spend some time with grandparents.

It had all the fun of a farm.

This was my favorite. Do you think someone could build me this swing for our backyard?


You twist it up and then let go and it spins as it goes down.

Brinn really wanted a turn herself, and wasn't exactly thrilled at the alternative swing I found for her.

Grandma took a turn!

We enjoyed our dusty ride to tour the farm.






We were ones who entered the corn maze.

It's not actually that difficult to walk through a maze of dead corn, just in case you were wondering. 

This boy gives me the best poses! ;)




Eric was the king of corny jokes during this maze.

His dad jokes just added something special to our experience.

Layla was excited to find some real corn along the way.

You can see a layer of dirt on this little girl. Surely that's a sign of a fun day!

We also saw all the signs that this was a tired little girl who missed her nap.

See, there was something fun for everybody. ;)

I'm glad we took the day to spend at the farm!

trick or treats

Happy Halloween!

I had three adorable trick or treaters this year.

But before we get to trick or treating, let's start with the traditional homemade rootbeer. Kacin was the official rootbeer brewer this year. It was his first time doing it and he did a fabulous job!

The girls were fascinated by the dry ice.




We love this tradition that my mom began in my own childhood.

Layla was the only one who sat down to carve a pumpkin this year.

I love that this is Eric's tradition with his kids.

Spooky design, Layla Belle!

Once we had completed our halloween traditions it was time to dress up. Layla decided to be a butterfly this year. She was a very, beautiful butterfly. I do feel like I need to note that a butterfly was her second choice. Her first choice was Pinocchio. But when we couldn't figure out the costume she was imagining she got really excited about being a butterfly.

Then there was our little dragon. 

I thought for sure this Ariel/Elsa obsessed little girl would choose to dress up as one of those princesses for Halloween. I guess they are too commonplace since she wears their dresses just about every day! Because she started telling everyone that she was going to be a dragon for Halloween. I'm not even sure where that came from! I tried to convince her otherwise and to just go with the minnie mouse or cookie monster or princess costumes we have. But she was insistent that she was going to be a dragon. A friend noticed this costume at Target so I caved and let her be a dragon. 


I'm glad I got it for her because she loved everything about that dragon! She hugged it. She roared at people with it. She chased everyone around. And while she was trick or treating she lowered it's head to some water to give it a drink. It was so precious.


The dragon went after the butterfly!

My last trick or treater was Harry Potter.

Perry has been listening to the Harry Potter books on audible every night for the last couple of months. So this was the perfect costume for him this year!

E and I took the little kids out trick or treating and these guys stayed home to pass out candy. Which I learned was maybe not the best judgement call I've ever made. Let's just say the boys liked to be creative in how they passed out candy. 

Kyler had just gotten home from work, which is why he was filthy. He hung around for a little bit but then was off to a party.

This was the first year we went out without a stroller for her. 

The full moon made for a perfect  Halloween night!

The kids came home in stages. First, Brinna and I came back. Then after a few more blocks Perry had his fill of trick or treats. Layla went strong for a little while longer. They all came back with plenty of candy!

One of my favorite moments was sitting with Perry on the front porch reading him Halloween books. It felt so magical. When Brinna asked me to put her to bed, Eric took over the reading. When I came back, I snapped this picture from the front door. A moment I don't want to forget.

Happy Halloween!!

happy day

Happy Friday! Eric and I had an incredible experience last weekend and we have spent the rest of the week recovering and catching up. 

Today is a good day! I finally feel like things I have been struggling with and trying to figure out are falling into place. I was starting to lose hope. But one should never lose hope. And now all the struggling has made this day so much brighter.

"Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful."

-George Bernard Shaw

How true is that? It's ok when things aren't easy. It is not meant to be easy. Easy does not mean better. Even when something is not easy, it can be delightful and wonderful. 

This weekend we are hoping to enjoy some halloween traditions and preparations. And someone has his first homecoming dance to attend!

Here's to the weekend!!

cross country

Oh man, cross country runners have grit and strength unlike any others, don't they? especially here in arizona.

These two brothers have spent the last few months at 5am practices and then transitioned to 3pm in the heat of the day practices. I don't know if early mornings or intense heat was worse. But either way these two boys are so incredible to do it and to work so hard. I'm so proud of their commitment and dedication!

Brinna insisted that they each race her too on cross country meet day. She is definitely one feirce competitor for them.

There have been a few changes to races because of covid. They spread them out a little bit more to run in more heats. And they have to wear masks on the sidelines (oh I still think that's the silliest rule, but I'm so glad they can be out there running again!).

These guys finish three miles in the time it would take me to run two (if I could even make it that far...). So proud of them this season!

a morning hike, and a few random favorite things

Layla and I went on a sunrise hike on my mountain. It is finally cool enough that we could get out together. This little girl loves to hike just like her mama and it makes me so excited. She wanted to make plans for our next hike before this one was even through. I love it.

Also, I was just browsing amazon prime day deals and stocked up on my favorite yoga pants. These are the best! Pockets, comfy, not see through and best price. 

CRZ Yoga pants

And then I came across these paint by sticker books that Layla and I love to do together. 

Paint by Sticker

Some of my favorite building toys are in stock, too.

Kapla Blocks

Just wanted to share that because usually all the great things I find are through other people. :)

resuming

Oh, wow. It is a very rare thing for me to skip a week without posting something on here. I've kept this blog record of our family for 12 years now and I can honestly count on one hand the number of times I haven't met my personal goal I set all those years ago to post at least once a week. 

I wish I could say that I had a good reason for it, but I don't really. Like I mentioned in my last post, I just crave stillness these days. Probably it's aftershocks of my recent cancer scare or something. (And that itself is something that would probably serve me well to finish recording about.)

All of my kids will be in school tomorrow and I am a bit excited for them and for me. Routine, social interaction, and in person learning will be SO good for all of them. And that Stillness I need right now has been hard to find in a full house so it will be good for me, too.

The general conference talk I studied this week with my friend (we pick a talk and email our thoughts to each other) was "the blessing of continuing revelation to prophets and personal revelation to guide our lives." Elder Cook reminded me that "continuous revelation is indeed the very lifeblood of the gospel of the living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Life is difficult enough, but I can't imagine how much harder it would be if I didn't know I can receive revelation in my personal life. I can have truth testified and confirmed to me. I can get thoughts and ideas to help and guide me. I can get answers I am seeking. I can be prepared for decisions and experiences. Personal revelation has give me clarity, confidence, support, help, and ideas so many times in my life. I hope you know you can receive it, too.

I now hope to resume my regular blog posting schedule of no schedule except for aiming for once a week.

be still

 I continue to crave calm and peace these days. More specifically, I find myself just wanting to just sit and be still. And breathe.

"In a society that endorses activity, I think we would all do well to put more trust in stillness."

As I was thinking about that, I pulled out one of my favorite books, Mitten Strings for God. I've found this is a book that I just need to return to every now and then. When I reread it, I feel more centered. 

It reminds me of the simple joys of childhood and motherhood; well, and life, too. Sometimes we think we need so much to make our lives happy and fulfilled--more stuff, more activities, more grand experiences. But I do feel like the greatest things can be found in the simplest wonders.

The weather in the mornings has finally dropped below 100 degrees here so we have been opening up the back door in the mornings and Brinn will play outside in our big backyard. Bikes, bugs, rocks, mud--it is the childhood I want for her. 

"It is not enough then to teach our children about nature; we must allow our children to grow up in nature."

While the high heels were tons of fun, we traded them in for the more practical red rain boots.


A little dancing in the flooded backyard.

Rocks. "My children open my eyes to places and pleasures I might otherwise have missed altogether."

I have been trying to stop more often during the day and just take a deep breath in and out. Do you ever stop just to breathe?

I also opened up the Calm app and listened to the daily calm while laying down. I feel much better when I can take these moments to be still. 

Isn't it funny though that last year there was no way that I could calm down enough to be still like this? I needed movement then. It serves me well to notice and listen to myself and then trust that I know what I need. 

Right now I need stillness.