Fall Fabulousness in Fotos

A photo history of our last month of fabulousness.

1. Of all the things that make me happy about Hush moving in with us this is Numero Uno.  How many husbands own t-shirts that say “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people”?  Good dude.

2.  Post wedding haircuts, with intentional tough faces.

3. Strangers kept coming up to us this day at the mall saying that we looked like a rad little family.  Finally I asked one of them to take our picture.  I hate doing that, but I was emboldened by their compliments.

4.  Oktober Fest at Snowbird was pretty fun!  Lots of rides for the kids, but MAN it was unbelievably expensive!  Also, see that white stuff?  Apparently it is called “snow” and I think it might be poisonous.

5. Silas and Hush love each other.  They have a sweet relationship. 

5.  Jude can skate all of the sudden.  He has a low center of gravity and took to skateboarding naturally on Hush’s board.  Jude’s pretty frustrated that he can’t kick flip yet and doesn’t understand that five year olds can’t usually kick flip.

6.  These are my lady friends!  It’s so refreshing to have found an amazing crowd of SMART well educated women right on my block!  Rebekah started a book club and we are digging in.  It’s great to have a reading goal for a change, rather than just playing on my phone.  How refreshing to be around capable mothers like my friends in Dville.  I may have just found my crowd.  Thank you Super Exclusive Book Club!  So grateful to be included!  (I wore pretend glasses on our first day so that they would think I’m smart.)

7.  The Zipline.  Hush’s first order of business as Step-dad par excellance was to erect a killer zipline in the backyard.  He designed it so it was high and fast, but so that the little kids would be unable to use it without adult supervision.  And YES it is adult-weight bearing, so come over and go for a ride.  But if you ride it I may make you wear the cheetah suit.

8. I had all those linens from the wedding so I cobbled them into a new duvet cover.  I can sew a straight line, kinda.  Easy way to impress your husband with your provident housewifing.  First I did the dance of the seven veils.  Just kidding.  Kinda.  (PS, I have a secret obsession with Mata Hari.  Did you know that she was eventually executed by firing squad as a spy in the first world war?  I can’t read enough about her.)

9.  Hush in Stereo.  When Hush moved in he promptly relocated my picture of Jesus (to a more prominent position) and replaced it with a portrait of himself, done by a friend.  It’s a pretty good likeness and I think it gives you a fairly accurate insight to the type of man I married.  I don’t know how or why the picture happened but it makes me smile every time I walk past it.  Why not have your self portrait in your kitchen?  All the presidents do it!

10.  Watching the Conference.  We went four for four, with bingo and notes.  Not a bad way to start out a family, eh?  My pick of the seshes was Dieter Uchtdorf’s talk on Saturday afternoon.  I love that he volunteered that mistakes are made and that people have doubts that the church is not for them.  Brilliant religion, “To those who have separated themselves from the church I say to you come back . . . we need your unique talents and perspectives. . . if you’re tempted to give up, stay yet a little longer.”  Thanks, Dieter, for making those of us who struggle want to continue that struggle every day.

11.  And as a special reward, Hush magically magicked all the crap out of the way in the garage!  It was glorious.  Come see the beauty that is my garage. 

12.  Our new SLC cousins came to stay for a night. We adore them.  They’re four beautiful little girls who are well behaved and easy to be around.  As soon as I met these kids I knew that this was a family who had their acts together.  I think you can tell so much about a family by their children (especially by whether or not they get their hair done, that’s a giveaway).  These girls are kids I would want my children to hang out with when they’re teenagers, they’re well loved and raised right.

13.  Auntie Camille has been in town frequently and goes on adventures with us from time to time.  We went down to the BYU Homecoming Foam Party last week, with disastrous results.  We walked up to the front table and they took one look at me and said, “BYU students only.”  Camille looked at me strangely and asked “How do they know you’re not a student?  Oh yeah, you have pink hair.”  Not only that, but children were forbidden. 

We tried to hit some BYU students up for their wristbands as they were leaving but they responded, “No, I don’t think we’re supposed to do that.”  Oh yeah, you’re BYU students.  No rule is too small to follow, even to the unhappiness of small children.  So we made a Paige plan.  We went to the exit area where there was only one guard.  Camille started shrieking “We lost a kid!  One of our kids went in there” and then we all made a break for it.  My kids were sobbing at me saying “We’re all right here, Mama!  We aren’t allowed in there!”  Totally blowing our story.  We ran around for less than 30 seconds before we were screamed at and thrown out. 

It’s little things like this that make me absolutely LOATHE BYU.  I know, I know, you don’t like the rules don’t go there, but c’mon.  Moderation in all things.  Good people don’t need rules, they do the right thing and use good judgment because they’re good people.  So why create a student body terrified of the watchdog Red-Scare type environment?  You can literally be turned in by your own neighbors for minor rule infractions.  BYU makes me scared of Mormons.  Good education, horrible way to live.  I wonder if there is a Gospel message somewhere in there.  Oooh, subversive.

14.  Breaking Bad is over.  Boo.  I do think it jumped the shark with the great train heist, but still.  Good show.  I saw this newspaper article about the main character and it reminded me of Houdini. 

 

15.  Camille wanted to know about Doctor Who so I gave her a quick lesson.  The kids came in while we were watching the Weeping Angels episode (don’t blink!).  They are now obsessed with statues of angels and turning into statues and all things thereto related.  It’s been hilarious.  Suprisingly, I think Doctor Who is a good family show, though the production level is wanting.  It’s clean and it opens up time-travel discussions, things my kids have never thought about before.  We want a Tardis.

 

16.  Oh, my sweet husband.  Someone asked us what shows we watch because “Couples watch TV at night.”  Yeah, not us.  Last week we wrote some songs, filmed ourselves dancing in the kitchen, and attempted a synchronized conversation.  What’s that?  I’ll show you later.  The kids go to bed at 7:30 and then the crazy time begins.  I married my best friend.