Starting with my favorite photo of the month: (especially since I took it while my sweet husband was building my Mom's deck for her and since it has my currently-reading book in it.)
Since school began I've had this amazing thing happen. Suddenly, I feel like I've got time. Just, EXTRA time. I can't wrap my head around it. I still run around being all busy until I don't know what else to do with myself and then I just sit and waste time. It's going to take my brain some serious convincing: You are not stressed out anymore! Time to do something important. A lot of this is as a result of my new lazy attitude toward housework. It's amazing how much time you can create not worrying about having a perfect house.
Now on to my favorite topic, my kids.
Today Afton was wearing a little backpack, which she loves. I was at the park after picking Breanna up from school, when I noticed Afton glance at me from the corner of her eye. She wanted to see if I was watching as she walked quietly towards the large field by the playground. I don't know if she saw that I saw, but now I know exactly what she does before she takes off on me. She is totally cognizant. I smile to myself thinking, there's a lot of space between here and anywhere you could get out of my sight going that direction. So I continue watching Breanna with delight as I always do and what seemed like 10 seconds later look around for Afton. No sign of her! I stand up nonchalantly so as not to alert the other parents of my neglect and wander over to her usual stomping grounds, a little ramp on the other side of the school. No Afton. Was there seriously enough time for her to get over that hill WAY OVER THERE before I noticed she was gone? I saunter, then walk, then RUN over to the hill, knowing behind it is a road and then a long pathway. At the top of the hill I see an old man with a cane talking to a little dot across the street and down the path. It was Afton, with her little backpack. I call to her, then run to get her. The old man said "she looked both ways before she crossed the street." I'm not surprised. That's Afton. I'm pretty sure that girl could take care of herself if necessity required it, with the Winnie the Pooh book and the sippy of water in her backpack. I said (while admittedly laughing and beaming with pride) "Afton, no-no!"
"OKAY!" she said, in the tone of a teenager finally agreeing to some exasperating rule. Then she happily followed me back to the park. I'm proud of her and I just love her to death. Walking home after dropping the kids off on their first day of school:
Jesse and Breanna on their first day of school. They walk together to school and it's the cutest thing watching them.
One of my favorite fall activities, the food drive. And the kids love it.
Last of all, to demonstrate the different personalities of my kids:
Today during family home evening I asked everyone to tell about a time in their lives when they felt less than special. Afton was outside by herself jumping on the trampoline. Jesse told me about TWO times he had felt less than special and Breanna batted her long eyelashes and her bright eyes beamed as she said matter-of-fact: "Never." Never Breanna? You've never felt bad about yourself? "No. Never."
Then we talked about specific things we could do to overcome our fears, Jesse's being people laughing at him or making fun of him. We talked about how you can laugh with people and laugh at yourself and how it's disarming to others. Later that night the kids were being silly and disobedient (they are, these days) Brad told the kids in a stern voice to get their teeth brushed and Jesse kept laughing. Brad got angry and said "right now!" to which Jesse replied, "Dad, laugh with us!" :P
This week Breanna starts ballet, next week my kids start music lessons, and the next week Jesse starts basketball. I'm feeling free. It is going to be a wonderful year.
