Fall Time

Today I did a good job cleaning again. We had a friend come over to fix my dropper post again, and as I took him into the basement where our bikes were, I noticed the dirty wall through new eyes. Actually before he came, I thought I'd wipe off the orange marker that K had drawn all over the door, and then I just kept cleaning as I kept seeing how dirty it all was. I spent two hours washing the walls and banisters. After Corey and the kids got home, I considered waiting to see who might notice, but instead I told them what I had cleaned, and they all ooh and awed at how much nicer it looks. In the words of Lily on Monday: "Mooo!" haha. Go me. 

I am loving the fall weather. Wish I could be up in the mountains all day! I took a drive this evening to go pick up Abi from Lyceum. The mountains look beautiful from Alpine! I was a bit distracted and had to pull over for a picture. 

On the way home, we had Lady and the Tramp playing for Katharine (she likes the dogs) and Abi got this cute video of Katharine barking. She does a pretty good little bark (and chicken impression, ha) On the drive back, I wanted to take the Traverse Ridge way, but Abi had to hurry back for a youth activity, so, sigh, we took the freeway cause it's faster. But isn't that a beautiful photo? We had snow in the mountains on Tuesday and Wednesday. Corey took a bike ride this morning and he got soaked. I took a short hike up Bells Canyon and I collected some leaves. I also have a few fall roses in bloom. 

Katharine was dancing this morning on her little ottoman stage. She likes to dance to Makeba and sing "Ooohe!" It's close enough to Owie that she knows the sounds and can sing along. 

We sure think that she is fun. Her nickname is Kafrin. I love Katharine more than fall leaves and biking. She'll only be a baby for a little bit, I'll strive to enjoy her during this small snippet of her babyhood. Last night Lily finally got her patriarchal blessing. It was scheduled in August but then postponed cause Corey had covid, and then rescheduled and cancelled again cause the Patriarch was ill, so we were grateful that there was no illness today and she was able to receive her blessing. It's her blessing, so I won't share it, other than that the word "scholar" was used to describe her in the future. Wow! I want to be a scholar! I want to be an artist and ninja warrior like Jenedy Paige, and I want to be a dancer that can leap and fly in the air. I want to be a professional organizer and mountain biker and life coach... I want to play the flute and violin and guitar and cello... there are so many things that I want to learn and do. Patriarch Grow had an awesome family tree on his wall that inspired me - I want to make one like this too! Of course we'll need a wide wall to fit all 13 kids along the bottom row...

But there's another interest for the list - I want to do family history and temple work! I know I've been blessed with an interest in and love for a million things, it's just the whole TIME thing that gets in the way (...and probably lack of skill and ability too, ha.) But I could develop those with enough focus. But most of those things will probably have to wait until the next life. A great thing about being a mom, is that I get to do a lot of those things as a mom! I'd like to learn the trumpet too, but until someday in the future, I'm happy to be able to help Owen learn it. (I can hardly make a sound on it! Owen is so good!)

Teaching my kids comes with the added bonus that we will be together forever and will get to do all those things together forever and ever. So I'm glad that kids have been our priority and that God has been so generous in giving us so many. I know others who would trade me places if they could. We don't know why there is such difference in the gifts we are given, but this life isn't the end. There is an eternity to come, so, as President Nelson said in his Conference message on Sunday, "think celestial" now and keep loving and learning and don't worry about getting old or time running out.  We've got all the time we need - there is so much more ahead! I'm excited for eternity!