• Because I've been not feeling great this last month or so, and the kids know I've been really low on energy, they did the cutest little thing: they created a "Mom spa" in their bathroom. They set up a chair with a pillow, had a selection of nail polish on the counter, a coloring page for me to color while waiting, and were ready with a puppet show for entertainment. They had even created their own puppet stage with a cardboard box. The curtains were panels of cardboard and they had attached strings to them so that they could pull the curtains open and closed. It was so adorable. I can't even remember what the puppet show was about, but I think it was very silly. It was just the sweetest little surprise. 
• I couldn't enjoy the spa for very long, because our babysitter came after about 20 minutes. Daniel and I went to the BYU game with Cody and Liisia, and other old friends from BYU. I was super worried about not having enough energy to last the whole game and be able to enjoy myself. And there were a few times when I felt like I needed to lean on Daniel for a few minutes. But I did better than I thought I would. Especially considering how much walking we did. After we got there, Daniel and I got dinner at the BYU creamery before the game started. It was a very exciting game! The other team scored just a few minutes into the game, and then there was a lot of back and forth, and in the last quarter of the game, we pulled way ahead and won. It was really fun. 
• The girls and I have been doing a geology science unit for school. We've been loving it, it's so interesting and we've been learning so much.  We've also been doing a lot of fun projects. Once we made rock candies, and another time we opened geodes. The kids loved it. The kits came with little science Eyewear, and after we were done with our project, Jack took the goggles to play with them. He became Scientist Jack, complete with goggles, walkie-talkie, and tools. It's so fun. He often transforms himself into different things depending on his mood. Usually he's a police officer or some kind of animal. And he likes to find or make things to go with his uniform. It's so cute. 
• Sawyer has been getting more into reading books lately, and I love it. Sometimes, after I get the girls started on their schoolwork, and I have a minute, I'll sit on the couch and tell him to go get some books. Sometimes he brings me library books, and sometimes he'll go find a truck book from the basement. It's fun, because I'm reading a lot of the books I used to read to Brooke and Camille and Jack when they were little. Plus, I just need that time with my baby man. Sometimes I feel bad that the girls got so much of me when they were younger, and the boys not as much. 
• General Conference weekend was wonderful. We got to watch every session, which feels unusual these days. Sunday, we had Brian and Sammy's family for breakfast and the morning session. And then Cody and Liisia brought their boys over for afternoon session so they could go to the conference center for the last session of conference. It was pretty hard to pay attention on Sunday because of that. But we loved having everyone. Cody and Liisia stayed for dinner that night. It was so nice to visit with them. 
• At the end of September, we went to the Spanish Fork Cornbelly's for the Sunflower festival. We got Cornbelly's passes this year (first time ever), and both locations are included. The Spanish Fork Cornbelly's is much smaller and less involved than the one here in Lehi. We met Sarah and her 2 youngest there, and my kids had a great time. We played in the obstacle course and slides and corn pit, and we walked through the sunflowers and we cut our own flowers. The flowers were beautiful. I love sunflowers. I was especially loving the dark red ones and black ones. They looked so cool. It was quite a drive down there and back. But we had a good time, and we enjoyed our sunflowers for weeks afterwards. 
• Daniel and Chris had made plans to take the kids camping the last weekend of September. Buuuut, the weather was supposed to be really rainy and stormy. So they adjusted their plans to just spend some time with us. We met them at a park, where we played with Grampa Holbrook's new hovercraft thing (blanking on the name), and then we went to an indoor climbing place. The girls loved hanging out with their cousins and climbing. Daniel and Chris and Grampa belayed, and I mostly just hung around and watched the little boys. They came back to our house for roasting hotdogs and marshmallows over the fire for dinner. We love living close up family. I love that my kids get to be good friends with their cousins. 
• So much cardboard creativity in this house lately. The girls, and even Jack, have been keeping cardboard boxes and turning them into things: puppet stages, trucks of all variety, cell phones... I don't even know what all. One day for mommy time, Jack had me help him build a haunted house out of a cardboard box. It's been a big thing lately. 
• Sawyer is the sweetest, cutest little boy. He's started saying "cuse me" (excuse me) and "taent to" (thank you). The other day, I was making dinner or putting dishes away or something, while he was playing in the sink (like usual). I need the water for something for a second, so I just took it from him. He said, "Hey!" And then he just looked at me and put his hand on my back and kind of rubbed my back and shoulder, or just held his hand on my back until I was done and gave him the water back. It was so cute, and had my chuckling in delight. 
• We decorated together as a family for family home evening the first Monday of the month. Daniel was working late, so I just put Sawyer to bed early and did a short lesson with the kids. Then we turned on our Halloween playlist and decorated. The kids loved it. 
• I keep waiting until my girls get old enough to read some of my favorite kids books with them. Well, I decided the time was right to read Ella Enchanted. They loved it! And I had fun introducing it to them. Afterwards, we started reading Halloween books: the Worst Witch, and the Best Halloween Ever.

Brooke made gnocchi for a school assignment one day. We had it for lunch and also dinner. 😍

This is the day I took the kids to Cornbelly's... but Camille couldn't come because she got into trouble. She stayed home with dad. 

Sawyer got to sit in a police car!! The boys were so excited. 

Camille made Mickey Mouse Clubhouse out of play dough. It's cute. 

This is the nail polish from the Mom Spa. I'm the shape of a heart. ❤️

Jack's fox face mask, he made himself. 

Scientist Jack 

Scientist Jack, showing off his geode.

Camille and I had a Mommy Time and played dolls together (because Brooke won't play with her anymore). Mostly she introduced me to all of her people and the things they have. I was astounded again at how creative my little girls are and all the stuff they made for their doll's house. They have so many fun, cool things for their dolls: desks and dressers, rugs and blankets, clothes and hangers, baskets and toys. So cute. I also just had so much fun with her. She was funny and cute and clever, and I found myself laughing quite a lot. I had just a delightful time with Camille.