Kindly Light

We declared it to be Fall Break this week. So it was.  It's probably the best part of homeschool, weeks off and deciding to have them on the fly. We had no previous plans, so a bunch of normal stuff happened. Some of them may have been schoolish.

If you care at all about chronology, you may want to start at the bottom of the pictures and scroll up.

We finished the mummification of our Cornish game hen. We think she may need a sarcophagus and burial, which seems appropriate for Halloween Week.

We dressed up for the ward drive-by trunk or treat. Griffin was Percy Jackson.

Eve was a rainbow unicorn.

This is the view framed by my bedroom window.

We had a cold hike at Ernie Miller Nature Center after gearing up thoroughly at Target.

Eve went over to play with Topper. She found him by going around to his back yard and waving to him through the window. He waved back and brought some toys outside and they played together for a few minutes. Topper is probably about the same age as my dad. He is awesome.

There was a cub scout activity on the last warm day. Eve and I chilled on top of the hill while the scouts hiked around Meadowbrook Park before the wind changed.

We also had a field trip to see my friend Patty Ward's new 13 acre property. Griff decided to run next to the ATV we drove to the creek. 

Griff styled Eve. 

Griff as Voldemort. He used toothpaste.

We voted. Why have I not been doing absentee ballots till now?! It's the way to go!

My favorite picture from the pumpkin farm. It fit my mood for the last half of the week.

Alan had a day off and we went to a farm in Weston, Missouri. Also ate lunch at Green Dirt Farms.

Griff and I took a walk during Eve's first bubble-wrapped, back to soccer practice.

We had to kiss these adorable cheeks goodbye. Eliza and Evan took her back to Tennessee.

 Some blessings:

3. Friends. Patty Ward is just full of goodness and light. Tammi Greenberg is so good at making me feel good. Teresa Borger hosted a masked outdoor get together of Briarwood moms and I can't look at her without remembering how she brought us dinner when Griff and Eve were born. Claire Ford is a kindred spirit. We got to see a great handful of people we love handing out candy at the drive through Trunk or Treat and also at church today.

2. Family. Alan. He is often my favorite blessing. We got to introduce Griff and Eve to Babe the Gallant Pig, and teaching them is hard and wonderful and gives me purpose.  I got to talk to each of my big kids individually and uninterrupted for a while this week. They are doing good things in their different places and make my heart so happy! I got an excellent visit with Kirsta yesterday. M'Li won Facebook this week. My mind keeps coming back to her post about blessings during a difficult time in her life. Angi sent me pictures and advice for a friend who is contemplating a kitchen remodel. Britt texted me a picture of Wyatt! She and Van ran into him as they were scootering in Provo!

1. Light in the darkness. We got to read about Jesus visiting the Nephites as the world here in the Northern Hemisphere is starting to get darker and darker. I found my patriarchal blessing and my mom's.  I got to offer service to someone I love at church and pray during the sacrament. It was exactly what I needed.