first days...

of school that is.

summer was such a blurr! John and I have been so preoccupied with other matters that time has just whizzed by. but we did our best to revel and enjoy!

this is the first year since preschool that Grace was not antsy with anticipation. at least she was still looking forward to it, even if not overly excited. it is just so sad to see the enthusiasm for school begin to fade, inevitable I know. contrast that with Ella, who is beside herself excited! it has been so hard for her to wait the extra week for assessment testing in kindergarten to be complete. but today is the day - and that leaves me with one at home three out of five days. sounds lovely. happy first days ladies - love our elementary school beauties!

My Favorite Part

Just after we got married John started the Architecture program at the University of Utah. Every Halloween they sponsored a pumpkin carving contest. I never got to witness the results of those contests but John was always enthusiastically concocting his plan for next years pumpkin. His ideas always got bigger and more elaborate, even if that meant being "simple". So every year we have faithfully carved our pumpkins and every year I did it with less enthusiasm. Messy, sticky and a lot of work - after championing the costume brigade who needed a pumpkin?

This year I realized, after hollowing out three pumpkins pretty much on my own, that I actually do LIKE this tradition. The mess I can live without, it has more to do with the chance to express who you are in that moment. I am trying to do that more often, express who I am. And as I watched Ella and Grace find there moment and sketch their pumpkins I realized I was glimpsing something of who they are right now. Next year they will be different and so will their jack-o-lanterns. So this year, although my own Jack-o-Lantern is faceless, I am already scheming for next year and wondering what the results and progress will be for all of us. Here is just a little of our progress from these past few years.

Halloween?

Every year since Grace was born; John or I try to coordinate a costume with one of the girls. John has been prince Charming on several occasions. One year we were the Pan family - Tink, Peter and Wendy. The year Grace was a witch I was her black cat. This year was a little less cut and dry. Our costumes were fabulous, inventive, and down right good. We were the playing cards from Wonderland to Ruby's white rabbit. Unfortunately there isn't a single picture to document it. It all came in such a blur this year it seems. So here some other precious moments to prove we have Halloween spirit. Enjoy!

Leaves and Light