Getting into the swing of things

Happy harvest! We have been enjoying a good tomato harvest and are eating a lot of salsa! Yum! Unfortunately, our peppers didn't really keep up with the tomatoes, and as always we have a pepper that is way way too hot! I even specifically tried to not buy any hot ones, but our soil must cause them to turn hot or something. One time last year Tali somehow touched the counter where there had been a pepper and then touched her mouth and burned her lips very badly.

Landen had his first soccer game this week. He started out playing incredibly, he is so quick and passionate and doesn't feel bad at all dominating the game! However, about 15 minutes into the game he got an allergy attack that made it so he could hardly see, and that basically killed his game. I felt so bad for him. He is trying hard in school and enjoying their reading program. You read a book and then take a test on the contents. Each test earns points and their are awards and prizes along the way. He responds so well to incentives. landen also started guitar lessons. It was so adorable to watch him. He was very serious and focussed on his lesson, and a little worried. He tried really hard and impressed his teacher with the warp speed songs he'd already learned from our friend. She looks like a good balance of positive and inspirining and I think he'll do well with her. She even plugged him in to an amplifier and let him play it like that during the lesson. Craig and i are going to switch off taking him to lessons so that we can both learn and be involved in his progression. He also bore his testimony for the first time. He spoke in a very quiet voice and that was so serious and tiny that I couldn't tell most of what he was saying, but I could tell that he was intent and convinced of what he was saying. It is neat to see him beginning to mature. He went through the repentance process a couple of weeks ago on his own accord and righted a wrong in a way that was not at all easy for him. We are proud of him and his developing testimony and conscience.

Craig and I went out last night and hit our local theatres current show called Pirated. It was incredible, and I haven't laughed that hard in a very very long time. Apparently the director was very well known and so he attracted some extremely talented voices and actors. I certainly can't act, but I sure appreciate the skill that it takes to entertain. Craig is so good at making dates happen.

We think that Capri is starting to stop knotting her hair. I used a soft fat hair tie to pull back the specific section that she always knotted, and that seems to be helping. We are very glad because she is looking pretty scruffy. She is kind of high maintenance. We are working at teaching her to ask for things in a happy friendly manner, because she can be quite demanding.

Tali practiced her I am child of God wtih the primary for the first time this week. When she began playing many of the children began laughing. She got pretty mixed up and mostly just stared wide eyed at the noisy gauking children who had probably not seen a violin that small or heard the delightful squeaks that accompany a violin of that size. I felt bad for her, but hope that she'll be able to learn to focus on her violin.

We have now seen two tarantulas. I am researching fencing options to fill the chain link that we have. THere are numerous kinds of plastic inserts available now that would be much much more affordable than a new fence.

Breck has been happy at school for the most part. She feels picked on a little because she is not as organized and on task as the teacher would like. THis year in soccer she plays on a full field which is a big adustment for her. She works hard and has already had a couple of near goals.


The weather has been much cooler and we are enjoying the beautiful but shorter days. Something about fall makes me want to be organized and on top of things. I have spent many hours this week doing the closet transfer thing. This involves determining what is too small, then sorting it to DI or a box for the next smaller girl, and then bringing the next size up box or in this case (16 bags) and sorting them for size, season, and the child's personal preference. It was amazing how long it took me. I've also been rearranging most things and trying to dejunk. My excitement over the past weeks were a couple of purchases I made for the music room. Craig and I found this end table for 75% off and I found this lamp at 60%. The lamp just so appealed to me even though it is a little cheesy. I'm not sure if you can see from the picture but it has a base like a branch and has a couple of little birds and nests on it. It reminds me of my childhood looking for birds nests and my own little kids climbing trees to peer into nests and their contests. Craig is hoping it will grow on him. He said that he liked the lamp if we could only knock the little birdies off it!