You may or may not have heard about the Nielson's plane crash in Arizona a few months ago. My neighbor is Courtney Kendrick, Stephanie's sister, who has welcomed three of Stephanie's children into her home. The story is tragic, but the outcome is encouraging and heart warming, and the responses of love to the family and from the family is overwhelming. Recently an article was published in the Arizona Republic here. It is very well written and brought tears to my eyes. I'd like to think that my sisters and I would do the exact same thing for each other if we were ever placed in a similar situation. I love families and the incredible support that we give to each other.

*click on the picture to see it enlarged.

Just like everyone else, lately, we went to the pumpkin patch, too.

We went to the one in Santaquin which has a hayride out to the patch. We had a great time! It was my first time on the hayride, too, along with the kids. The hayride was out to the patch where there were hundreds of pumpkins to choose from. We picked out some great ones for ourselves and some for our friends the McGregors, who are visiting this week, to carve. The getting was as much fun as the carving is going to be. I love living near rural areas where you can go pick your own produce! Just a short drive south means farmland and orchards. We also got some delicious apple cider and apple syrup. Is there anything better than fresh, local bounty from God's green earth?

How many times over the last few years have I thought to myself "Man, I can't wait for the toddler years to be over! I can't wait for Pumpkin to start school. I loved school, and I'm sure he will, too. Will these monotonous days ever end?"

Tonight I read an essay in The Mother In Me book that made me rethink all that. I started to actually picture sending Pumpkin off to school and it terrified me. Up to this point I've been able to keep him safe. Safe in mind, body, spirit. The food he eats (for the most part) is healthy, the shows he watches (for the most part) are educational and sweet. He's never heard swear words or been roughed up by a bully. His spirit is bright and untarnished. He's never been laughed at unkindly when he trips and falls. He's never had another kid embarrass him to make them self look cool. This innocent and unblemoshed person is the child that I want to send out into the cruel, unforgiving world. What was I thinking?

Up to now his time has been my time. We spend every moment together (except for Nursery on Sundays). I know everything about what he does and who he is. Now he's going to be growing and learning and I won't be able to be in on it. I'll have to listen about it secondhand later, which I'll gladly do, but it won't be the same. Some things I'll never hear about. He'll have a whole life away from me. This kind, sweet, brilliant angel will become his own person and I will miss him so much. It is so fun to watch him and Princess play together. He is a good big brother and she worships him.

How can we learn to let our kids go? How did Heavenly Father ever let Adam and Eve leave the garden? Untried and basically unspoiled, they walked out into the lone and dreary wilderness and all HF could do is watch and send help when they called on him. There's something about watching your kids experience heartache and trials that drives you a little crazy. You want to swoop in and save the day, wipe the tears, and smooth the hurts. But if you do that they'll never grow. All you can do is hope they're strong enough to stand up for themselves and to remember that you love them.

I take courage from the fact that every mother since the beginning of time has had to let her child go at some point. I think I'll just appreciate a little more this "mundane life" that I get to experience right now. Maybe tomorrow when Pumpkin tries to get his own juice and ends up pouring half the pitcher on the kitchen floor I'll laugh and get some towels so we can clean it up together. Maybe I'll hold him for an extra second or two when he brings me his owie to kiss after falling off his bike. Maybe I'll hold my tongue when I want to snap at him for asking "Why" for the thousandth time and just answer the question until he's satisfied his curiosity. And hopefully I'll remember next time I think "When is this day going to end?" that I don't want it to end as soon as it will. I always considered the toddler years as a millstone around my neck, something tedious to be borne until brighter days came our way. Now I can see they're as fragile as the soap bubbles we made today--beautiful, unique, and destined to disappear so much sooner than I'd like.

My sister sent us a bunch of girl clothes. Pumpkin thought this Christmas dress looked just like Santa's outfit and insisted on wearing it around and delivering "presents" to us all.

Princess can identify lots of body parts now including her tongue, ears, nose, eyes, lips, hair, etc. Here she is finding her tongue.

These two kids are great together most of the time. I think Pumpkin is enjoying having a playmate who can actually play with him and of course, Princess wants to do everything just like her brother.

Occasionally Pumpkin will pull my old college Physiology book off the shelf and ask me to explain the pictures to him. He understands and retains a surprising amount of information. Here we are reading the book together and comparing tongues to look for the bumpy taste buds.


At the Provo Temple where we like to go for walks on Sunday afternoons when the weather is nice. Daddy doesn't like to go outside much, so my obliging brother T-bone is usually up to fill the daddy role for the kids. Or at least the doting uncle role.

Princes's first visit to the temple. She pretty much wanted to walk into the fountain the whole time.


Pretty flowers for a pretty girl. Don't tell the grounds crew. She picked them herself, I swear.


The best big brother in the world. Who else will ride around on a bike with you? Look at that concentration.

My beautiful Princess enjoying the leaf decorations on our front porch

Dear obnoxious dog owner at the Park:

Your pet left a present at the park. A steamy, smelly, squishy present. Of course, my one year old thought your dog left it for her and that's why she grabbed a huge, slimy handful and stuck it in her mouth. I didn't notice until it was too late. She gagged, coughed, spit, and cried. Your dog's present was everywhere on her and I didn't dare put her in the stroller to get her home. Our lovely day at the park was cut horribly short because of your inconsiderate, disgusting lack of moral behavior. Owning a pet comes with responsibilities and one of those is curbing your dog. The public park is not your pet's toilet. It's a crime to leave that nasty gunk there. If I had a shovel handy and I knew who you were I'd return your dog's present to your front door, forcefully. Or maybe to your car. Or maybe to your person.

We all smell like poo, now. Thanks a lot.
Mynamyn