under the clouds.

snow in the mountains.

ode to max.

you're the prettiest thing,

i've ever seen.

fire in the sky, charcoal on the carpet.

sean put together the outside heater last night.

i entertained the kids.

i didn't know how heavenly it would be.

my new sanctuary.

sean put the kids to bed.

i sat outside.

in the dark.

quiet.

and heat.
just when i thought life couldn't get any better,
a bag of charcoal walked right into my kitchen.
where there's dang carpet under my kitchen table.

heaven bless the dyson.

and a good sense of humor.

it felt like fall

spinach ravioli
butternut squash
wild portobello mushrooms
...
semi-homemade.
with sandra lee.
or emi-LEE.
wink wink.
they should give me my own show.
i bought everything ready.
threw it in butter, oil, and cooking wine.
sprinkled some almonds on top,
with a cream sauce.
added nutmeg.

max loved it.
brennan hated it.
it was cold when i finally got to eat it.
the once was scout mastered praised it like art.
it felt like fall.

the great pumpkin debate.

the family yard pumpkin paint.
if you can carry it, it's yours.
but brennan figured out how to roll his this year.
so he made out big.
Picasso himself.
i painted one for sean.
there are tons of "U" flags flying in our neighborhood.
i hope mine doesn't get smashed.
that would be sad!
i tried to paint the one in the middle too,
but Picasso got to it.
he tells me it's "spooky" this way.
mary {shelly's} frankenstein.

bahahahaha!

really, her name is mary.

and that's her Frankenstein.

genuis.

finger puppet style.

happy halloween.

finger puppet style.

thanks papa and gram.

trimming or pruning, whichever.

there's something about laundry that makes me feel right at home.
the sound of the washer and dryer running makes the entire house feel cozy.
i think we finally found our routine.
...
and i trimmed our tree last night.
ended up COVERED in aphids.
literally from head to toe.
it was gross.
and sean informed me tonight that it's called "pruning," not trimming.
whichever.
you got the point.

wish i had a before picture.

it was fun.

loving them all over again.

so much for keeping the carpets clean.
there were little mud spots every 6 inches from the back door to the front door.
i panicked.
then i took a picture.
then i called the house ours.
for real.
...
just as we were about to have a long discussion about how we need to unpack and organize,
the once was scout master took matters into his own hands.
2 hours later?
happy wife, happy life:-)

i spent the night relishing in all of my books.

i love seeing them up.

i had to tape a few back together.

hugged a few.

wanted to re-read a few more.

loving them all over again.

2nd star to the right, and straight on 'til morning.

we layed in the grass today for 5 minutes.
it felt longer than that, but i'm sure it wasn't.
nothing really lasts longer than 5 minutes,
unless it involves watching a movie.
brennan told me peter pan was in the clouds.
with the boys.
i asked which boys.
he said lost.
then he told me that hook and his pirate ship were there too.
that one,
right there.
it kind of does look like a pirate ship.

the right side

this morning, i found fall in my backyard.
by 6pm i was in love.

there's no other place i'd rather be,
than over on the right side of the yard.
watching the reds, yellows, and oranges highlight from the sun.
look at those mountains.

hello, my name is emily, and i am a spoiled brat.

max puts her fingers and toes through the holes of her blanket when she sleeps. bless her.

having a fenced backyard and a garage were the two things i was looking forward to the most about our new house.
and what do ya know.
the dang garage is the thing i dread most in the mornings.
it opens.
then it closes.
and the babies are up.
i like it the rest of the day.
just not the part where it wakes the babies up in them morning.
dang house builder.
putting the babies rooms over the garage.
imagine me laying in bed,
one ear plug in,
eyes closed,
praying my guts out that the babies will go back to sleep.
they didn't.
so there i am cursing the garage.
that i absolutely swore i was going to love.
and i do.
just not at 7:30 in the morning.

freak, most babies don't sleep that late anyway!

what am i saying???!!!

agh, i'm so annoying!

i hope you're annoyed with me.

sitting here complaining about a garage.

a garage i'm lucky to have!

i just want a more quiet one.

more than anything, i'm just upsest b/c i went to bed too late, which made 7:30am feel like misery.

and i'd also like a piece of cake.

and i'd also like to eat it too.

although, i think i already am.

i think this is what mr. wallace would call ironic.
don't you think?
he hated that song.
b/c it really wasn't ironic.
but this is.
it really is.

please,

just call it like you see it.

my name is emily,

and i am a spoiled brat.

i'm going to leave my car out in the driveway,

let it snow,

and have to wipe all of the snow off,

like i have been for the last 7 years.

then i'll appreciate my garage again.

i want her clothes.

NEW

i love this picture.

we are the new ones.

church is from 2-5.

so not only are we the new ones,

but we are the ones with the outrageously ill-mannered toddler.

who screams through church.

throws gigantic tantrums.

and roars like a pirate during all of the quiet parts.

really, he did.

"arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggg!!!!"

all of which i completely blame on the fact that church is exactly at nap time.

the once was scout master and i just look at each other.

laughing.

with wide eyes.

the kind of laugh where we come to terms with the side show we must be looking like at that very moment.

and then you really do laugh b/c it feels like we're on some kind of reality show.

our kids would make great tv.

b/c really, it's funny.

baby is throwing her red bird thing b/c she wants to eat.

or sleep.

or chew on it.

or something.

once she's finally entertained,

and talked into the toy,

brennan wants her toy.

so he steals it.

then she screams.

so we make him give it back.

then he screams b/c he wants the toy we made him give back.

then we expertly convince him to love another toy.

which he drops.

then when he picks it up,

he bangs his head on the pew.

then he screams in pain,

but it really doesn't hurt as badly as he is putting on,

but it's nap time,

so everything is more dramatic.

then we pick up him for a hug,

and end up going for a walk in the hall b/c now no one can hear over his wails.

one of us stays with the baby who is crying by now as well b/c she is bored with her toy.

give her a rice cake,

bring brennan back,

he finds the baby's yogurt puffs.

he pours them all out,

and proceeds to eat them in large handfuls.

i keep seeing the $2.59 price tag in my head and realize that half the bag has just been devoured NOT by the baby they were purchased for, but by the toddler who now wants "more purple!"

then he finds his sister chewing on his choo choo track,

and it all starts again.

thank goodness, it's finally time to leave.

well, kind of.

i try to remember if i can remember anything the speakers said.

i know our neighbor was talking about home teaching.

not home school.

home teaching.

church at home.

and sometimes they take out our garbage.

there's nothing like good home teachers.
so today we left early.

but really, we were late,

b/c we had already been to church at our old church.

now we're in our quiet new house.

we will be recovering the rest of night.

see?

funny.

told you it was funny.

not funny?

when brennan drew dry erase marker on the pew.

that was just embarrassing.

and it made me wish we were in uncomfortable woods seats with no cushions for dry erase marker to stain.

two words my friends:

WET WIPES.