the pumpkin post

Went to Apple Annie's Orchard today...

P.S. Planning on making these for a Halloween shindig tomorrow. Should be a hit! Thanks for the tip, Aunt!

self taught

Before we left on our series of trips, Penelope started showing more interest in the toilet. But I thought: nah, we'll just wait till we get home. Because who wants to be potty training during a 13-hr car ride? But then she just started to wake up dry. So we'd take her to the bathroom. And then we just would take her every few hours and she'd basically stay dry. This continued while my mom watched her and now she's pretty much a go--complete with big girl panties (not featured above. This is actually a diaper cover of Lucy's, but I thought it went along nicely with today's theme). So, good job, Peeps! You little potty-training-prodigy you!

how i know i'm officially old

Besides the fact that I'll be turning 30 in December, I came to this epiphany when Dave and I started a diet together this week--involving things like salad and mashed cauliflower and ricotta cheese for dessert. You know, the borderline-gross, self-depriving stuff my parents used to eat when they were on a diet. And that's when it hit me! This is SO something old people do together! Eat baked squash for dinner, buy newfangled exercise equipment, get a prescription for Fen-phen...

So here we are. A couple in their 30's. Grasping at the latest diet discovery (South Beach, for those wondering). Weighing ourselves daily. Warning each other that too much sugar-free Jello is cheating.

Sigh.

i love the planet

I'm constantly feeling guilt for neglecting things on my should-do list (I should take Deacon for a walk, I should sweep the floor, I should call my grandma, I should bathe Lucy more often...)

But now that we're official recyclers, I'm giving myself a bit of guilt reprieve. Ever since we moved here, I've noticed the blue recycle bins out on the street and thought: hey, I should call and get me one of those. But I didn't. Because I'm lazy. And I thought it would cost extra on our sanitation bill.

And then, a few weeks ago on a guilty whim, I called and asked how much it would cost to start recycling. Nothing, the lady on the other end tells me. I'm already paying for it. What?? Then why don't you just give a can to everyone? Of course, I didn't think to ask this until I got off the phone. But I intend to find out. Probably it will take me another three years to call back though, because as you can see, the should-do list is awfully long.

Tomorrow is the first pick-up day. And for some reason I've taken especial relish in flattening all my cardboard and rinsing out my milk jugs. I'm like a classic token environmentalist. Recycling makes me feel good. Like I'm balancing out all the times I let the faucet run or how many candy wrappers I've gone through in my life. Like I'm finally doing my part. It's mostly an illusion, I know. If I were really to contribute, I'd put my kids in cloth diapers and catch gray water in the shower. But let's be serious--I can't even bring myself to sweep more than once a week (and Dave will tell you that I'm eggagerating here. I sweep much less than that).

So. Babysteps.

Go ahead--pat me on the back.

boston, or, the place i totally want to move and live forever

Boston by night

Boston by boat.

No, by THIS boat:
Duck Tour! Classically corny, yet informative.

Me, through the plastic window.

Dave

My absolute favorite part of the trip was the visit to Concord. On our way to Walden Pond, we saw the most quaint pumpkin patch, a Waldorf school, and five nineteenth century authors' houses/grave sites. This is when I realized I needed to live here. The date on that move is TBD, obviously.

Marti & Ralph

Walden Pond


Thoreau's cabin site


Me, pretending to be Thoreau

Lucy, pretending to be Thoreau

House where Louisa May Alcott lived when she wrote Little Women.
(embarrassing confession: I've never actually read Little Women. For shame, I know)

Trinity church
(totally cool random fact: in church on Sunday, they announced that they were holding stake conference at Trinity Church. Who doesn't love that?)

Suzy drove up from New York to see us.
Here she is pinching me so I'd laugh in this picture.
Some things never change.

Lucy loves Boston, too.
Penelope likely does also, except that she didn't get to go.
She had a fun vacation with Grandma Penee instead.

Plymouth Rock.

Steve and Dave reenact the Mayflower Pilgrims' disembarking...

Boston Temple

plane ride home (Lucy should be sainted for this)

rapid city

So, approximately seven years ago, I was in Rapid City, serving a mission for the Mormon church. I was there for nearly a year (yeah, it was the first of my two (count them!) two areas) and it was awesome. I meant to scan an old picture from those days and then juxtapose it here, but it's not going to happen. Sorry to disappoint.

A sisters' vacation! In the frigid cold. Again, totally awesome.

Lucy agrees

Custer State Park is rife with wildlife.

I heart South Dakota!!