Last weekend, Camille was sick with a cold, which meant 2 things: 1) I missed out on quite a lot (we both did); and 2) Camille and I spent quite a lot of time together.  

On Friday, I stayed home with Camille and Sawyer (who I put to bed), and sent Jack and Brooke to the ward Halloween party with the Freis. Camille and I had some leftovers for dinner, and then we watched a movie together -- the 2nd Ariel movie. Camille loved it, and was in a bit of an Ariel phase for the next week. And I loved spending time with Camille. 

The night before that, we took Claire with us to Brooke's soccer game. It was at this fun park super far away. Brooke played and the kids went back and forth between playing in the playground and watching Brooke. It was such a nice night, and we had fun. 

We rushed back home, and I passed off kids care to Daniel, and I ran off to bunco at Sarah's house. It was so fun to get together with my bunco girls. I love doing it every month. It's a nice little time to get out of the house and do something on my own. And I tied with a friend for highest points, which NEVER happens! It was very exciting. We did a roll off, and I lost, so she got the prize. But I was still thrilled. 

On Saturday, the kids had primary program practice in the morning (which Camille missed), and we did some stuff around the house. Daniel took the other 3 kids up Cody's dad's house for a little goodbye party for them. They ate good food and watched the BYU game and the kids played with each other. They had fun. 

And while they were gone, Camille and I went on a Mommy-Daughter date. We rode our bikes to Cubby's for dinner (a salad for me, fries to share, and a cookie and drink for Camille), and then rode home. We read some Narwhal and Jelly books together, and then somehow got sucked into watching painting videos online. We had a nice time. 

Sunday was the primary program, which Camille and I missed again. I was quite mad about it. I insisted Daniel go to sacrament meeting, because we were planning to switch places for 2nd hour. I was teaching young women's that day. I was trying to be nice, but kicked myself afterwards. I should've just gone. It meant more to me than him; he even told me he was having a hard time staying awake! The nerve! I wanted to see all my cute little primary kids singing, and I missed seeing my own kids do their thing. I was irritated a little with Daniel, but more mad at myself. I regret not going myself. A chance to enjoy sacrament being with less distraction... how often does that come around for me? Plus the primary program. Ah well. Can't blame my good husband too much. Of course if I offered, he would jump at the chance to go to church by himself. 

My lesson in young women's went fine. I teach the younger class, and they are so quiet all the time. It's hard for me to get them to say anything at all. I worry about all the youth, actually. They don't seem very engaged in living the gospel. We give them challenges, we ask them to do things, but they don't do them. They seem unconcerned with spiritual things. 

Monday is laundry, shopping, library day. We came home, had a quick dinner and a quick fhe. And then I ditched the family for a girls night at Cornbelly's with my friends. We did the corn maze, we played games and did some of the puzzles, we waked through some of the scary things, got treats and found a spot by the fire to eat and chat. It was so fun. This is a yearly tradition now; we've done it I think 4 years in a row, now. And it's always so fun. 

I had a pretty good week last week, as far as energy levels and all that. I didn't exercise at all, and saved my energy and I felt better. I thought maybe eating differently was helping me. But this week, I started working out again, and I struggled with fatigue again. I've been praying for help and to know what to do, and I asked Daniel for a blessing Tuesday night (he and brother Bodine). He blessed me to have strength from Heevenly Father to meet this challenge and to make the change... what change exactly that is, I don't know. 

I went to the temple next day, Wednesday afternoon. Sarah and I are doing another kid exchange this month, so I took my kids to her house right after Jack got off the bus. I did initiators again -- it's quicker, mainly. And then went to the celestial room afterwards. I prayed and thought about my current problem. It was so nice to feel at peace in the temple. I didn't get any super specific answers to my query. But I read through the Word of Wisdom, and concluded that I will not stop exercising due to my fatigue and that I will continue to change how I eat to be more healing, raw food, and carry on and hope that things clear up eventually, if I keep caring for myself well. 

I went to see my doctor about the fatigue early Thursday morning. She asked me a bunch of questions, and then had my blood drawn to test for any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Later that day, I read some articles about vitamin b12 deficiency and I had most of the symptoms listed. Sooo, I haven't heard back yet, but I think that's what it is. 

My kids started fall break Thursday, which was nice because it meant fall break for me too. No school!! I didn't make any fun plans, really. So it turned out that we've just been doing boring, necessary things with our time. Things like deep cleaning bedrooms. Dejunking. Going through my closet and getting rid of things I don't need. Switching the kids clothes from summer to winter. Cleaning out and sweeping up the garage. 

Brooke still had soccer practice Thursday and Friday afternoons. 

Sarah and I took our girls to Cornbelly's Thursday night, which was fun. Brooke hasn't been able to play with her friends much since soccer started, because their schedules were exactly opposite. It made me kind of sad for her, she hasn't had much of a social life since school started. By the end of this month, soccer will be over and she'll have more time to play, but it's been hard for her. Anyway, I wanted to give my girls a chance to play at Cornbelly's with their friends. 

We had fun! We played games and the girls did the zip lines and obstacle course. We waited in line for them to do a spinny ride, and they went and explored some of the fun houses. They tried going through one of the scary things, but they came running out soon after. They didn't like it. 😂

We also watched part of the lights show and fireworks. That was my personal favorite. The fireworks were right overhead and the finale had these amazing white bursting ones that just lit up and sparkled the whole sky. So pretty! 

We ended the night getting treats and snacks, and then letting the girls have one turn on the big slide. It was such a fun night. 

My kids had dentist appointments on Friday morning. No cavities! Hooray!

Daniel took Camille to Cornbelly's for a daddy-daughter date that afternoon. They had a good time together. 

Saturday, after doing a little cleanup at home, we loaded up our bikes and ourselves into the van and went to Provo for our now-traditional family BYU date. We rode our bikes to the creamery for a late lunch/ early dinner, and then rode around campus, stopping at the Eyring Science Center, the library, and the Harris Fine Arts Center (they're tearing it down at the beginning of next year, and it's such a big part of our family history; so we had to visit it one last time and say goodbye 😭😭😭). I love our family BYU dates, they're so fun. And we are doing our best to brainwash our kids about BYU. 😂😂😂 It really is such an amazing place to go to school. Daniel and I loved our time there. 

All the work and fun had me wiped out when we got home that night. We put the kids to bed, made ourselves some food, and then watched an episode of the Rings of Fire together before going to bed. A perfect day. 😊

Last night, we had Emily over for dinner. She's going through a really rough time -- she and Adam are contemplating divorce, which makes us so sad. So she's trying to figure out how she's going to provide for herself. And it's so hard because she hasn't really prepared herself for that. She's sad and lost and scared. And it's hard to see. Daniel and I conclude that she needs the gospel in her life. But she doesn't want anything to do with it. It's sad. Nothing but living the gospel, keeping our covenants, having faith in Jesus Christ and loving God will bring true peace and happiness in this life and the next. 

Today -- another boring fall break day. Cleaning, the kids playing a bit, I'm going to the dentist... boring, but necessary. As I told my friends, I can't always be fun. Sometimes I need to take time to get caught up and get some things done. My to do list is slowly dwindling. Hooray. 

Sawyer wearing my new hat and looking so cute.