Misc.

Christian has family day on Friday where families can come see their soldiers fly. The boys are practicing wearing their earplugs in preparation to see and mostly to hear all the helicopters. 

Also Emmett had pajama day and wore his cute Halloween jams I got them when I visited. 😍 

Delaney has been experimenting with mascara and eyeliner and I am choosing all my battles lately, so I’ve been letting her. She’ll be 13 3 months from today, actually. We all laughed at her and I showed her a picture of Marilyn Manson during scriptures. 

Life from Frankie’s perspective. I look/am so old!

Lexi has been doing at home preschool with Carter and he was excited to learn my letter today. 

Also:

• I walked with Sarah and Ezra 
• We went to the dentist and the whole crew only had 1 cavity
• Matt was sick this morning so i pinch hit at seminary for him. We played jeopardy and then charades and there was lots of laughing and even a little learning. 
• Tenkor is here and she’s got the loose bowels and this is me every.time 🤢 
• We had a nice Tuesday night home evening 

Weekend

I decided I’m going to build our game closet by myself. I told Matt and he was like “I’ll do it.” But I explained to him that this is something I want to do for myself to see if I can. I found a video to copy and measured my space and painted some of the scratches in the closet and then had Matt check my measurements and then I was off to Lowe’s where it took way longer than I thought it would to find a board that a) was hardwood and b) was large enough to do all the cuts I needed. Like I needed 26” on one side and 19” on the other so I spent a long time figuring that out. I finally got an 8x4 that was perfect. And then I found the nicest little Lowe’s worker and he cut me 6 boards, 18 cleats, and 6 front edges. That also took forever and then i had to run (literally) to buy my paint and then run (literally) to the space car where I carefully pulled my sweater over my hands because splinters are 👎🏼 and then I ran to get Laney from dance. I’m excited! 

I’ve had some busy church weekends with trainings that needed prepping and studying - which was wonderful and I’m not complaining - but now those are done and I’m hoping to have time for my project this week. Though it is Halloween week and we are having people over, so maybe not. 

Perimenopause can suck an egg. 

And we cleaned the church Saturday morning and then Matt and I walked up to the ballot box where he dropped his vote off. It was windy and we’d just cleaned the church, mmmkay? But the fall colors are stunning and it’s been so nice and warmish cool and October has been the best!

Delaney had her first Nutcracker practice and then we finally got our date. This girl thinks big thoughts and has big feelings and is smart smart smart and we had some tough conversations that have got me freaking out and also trusting the Lord. She’s 12, she’s fine. And also I wish I just had an easy kid. Just 1. Just 1. 😩

The good news is that she tells me a lot. Not everything, but a lot. And I just love her to pieces. 

Saturday night we went to the Gravelle’s Halloween party. 

We sat down in the front room and there were several people in there but then everyone slowly migrated to the kitchen where the drinks were and we visited with Sarah and Tony and it was just us in there for a long time. It was definitely our least social party night there, but 🤷‍♀️



This morning I had stake council, went to the Capitol Wards primary program and RS, then we had their T&FH training council and that all went really well. Susanne and Heather and I visited after and then I talked to bubba on my way home. Frankie made Mac and cheese for dinner and now the girls are all at a fireside and we’re getting ready for the new week. 

The Glow Park

Alecia and I went walking Thursday morning and then I gave blood and then I took a nap. 🤗 At 4:30 we loaded up the jolly green giant and headed down to Richmond. 

Chantell and crew invited us to 4 things, none of which we felt we could do. But then as we talked more about it we decided we could have a tired Friday and meet them at Maymont Park. 

We talked in the car on the way down and all wished we weren’t going. And then on the way home we were all glad we’d gone. Always the way. 

We got milkshakes at Wawa on the way down and then got dinner from the food trucks at the park. Delaney got a pepperoni grilled cheese and tomato soup. I told her I didn’t want that because I have a really delicious tomato bisque recipe and I didn’t think I’d like their tomato soup, and sure enough, she didn’t like it. Thankfully Matt eats everything. Adi got Brunswick Stew, Frankie a shrimp basket, and Matt and I shared a Philly cheesesteak. 

My flower girl Delaney I and loved these floating poppies!

Maymont Park is kind of like Ann Marie Gardens, and they have this cool Glow event each year. 

It was really really beautiful. 

And this October's weather has been the best! It was just a tiny bit chilly, but not bad at all. 

Delaney and Adi are across the pond. 

We love spending time with the Virginia Rays, so glad Chantell always pushes!

The reflection on the water was stunning. 

Delaney loved this spot too. 

There was a fog machine and she’s always had a thing for fog machines. 

These girls love each other. 

D didn’t bring a coat so I texted Zoe and asked her to bring one, but then she just wore it around her waist the whole time. 🤷‍♀️

These glow swings were fun!

They swung around, but I am not about that life 

I just swung it like a regular swing. 

It was such a good night!

Almost 20 years with this guy. ❤️

After 9:00 the park was pretty empty so we had to enjoy it. 

You could make pictures with these little color sticks. 



And Dan and chantell got all pg-13 at the color wall. 

I guess Delaney walked with me most of the night? Or just requested a bunch of pictures. This is a very D heavy post. 

Matts camera is so nice!

Little mermaid grotto. 

And girls and their phones. 

Because Matt’s camera is better…



We stayed till 10 and got home at 11:30. The girls asked to skip seminary, but then when I woke them up everyone got up willingly. 

It will be an early Friday night for us, but totally worth it! 

This morning I got to go to Frankie’s classroom for a movie festival. The students made PSA’s and we got to watch and rate them, only we ran out of time so we won’t know how won until Monday. Frankie and her partner did Just Say No to Peer Pressure. ❤️ 

The Brass Tap

When Delaney and I went to dance on Monday the map suggested we go to The Brass Tap. What the heck? We’ve never even been there, it was so random. 

I went walking with Michelle Tuesday morning and then spent the rest of the day making 8 batches of my giant Brooki Bakehouse chocolate chip cookies for bus driver appreciation. My 25 year old kitchenaid can only handle 2 batches at a time, and by the time I add the chocolate chips I have to mix by hand because my kitchenaid can’t handle it. I’ve wanted a bigger one for years, but I also can’t get rid of a good machine. So for now, we mix in batches of 2. 

Then I made coq au vin and mashed potato’s and the Frey’s came over. We had a lovely night catching up. I had some sacred and tender experiences with Brenda when their son died and I’m so grateful our friendship has endured. And Matt and Tony keep in contact too, so that’s amazing. 

I stayed up late and baked all the cookies so I could pack them into these cute boxes this morning. 

While I waited, I started moving furniture so the carpet stretchers could come do their carpet stretching. 

This morning I got my first perfect Strands game, so I’m a pretty big deal. And then I turned around and biffed Connections. Haha. 

I love our cute mudroom but i don’t love this. We’ll keep working on it.   

At 1:00 I met up with 3 ladies from my staff appreciation committee to give out our bus driver appreciation bags. I put in them a hand sanitizer, spindrift drink, hot hands pack, and 2 cookies. So random, but I don’t know what 40 bus drivers would like, so I asked around and used those ideas. Listen, I’m doing my best. 🤣

We had meatball subs for dinner and caught up on Dancing with the Stars and then I took d to ballet and the big girls to young women where they painted pumpkins.