Sunlight, sleep, bottling, baking and some catch up

Those are a few of the things I'm learning to love about fall in Arizona. The mornings may not be crisp but they are cooling down enough to go outside (hurray). The kitchen still smells like yummy canned goodness, and fresh baked bread, and the sunlight filters through the windows at just the right angle to get me feeling nostalgic for my childhood fall days. Wilson is working on figuring out "no nap" days and often looks like this...

His parents are trying to figure out how to get him to stop terrorizing his sister and unfortunately standing with his nose in the corner doesn't seem to be working. This first time we had him do this he stood there happily for 15 minutes. Every time we asked him if he was ready to not hit girls anymore he would reply, "nope," and happily stay there.

Mark made a crazy trip to Utah to watch BYU lose, but it was worth it in my books because he brought me home two boxes of apples and 17 quarts of peaches that my mother-in-law bottled for me. Yes, I love her and have blessed her name a thousand times over.

I love making applesauce. For me it is a timeless family tradition. I love the smell, I love turning the wheel on the strainer and smashing the apples down. We always worked together as kids (and now I know my mom did most, if not all, the work) and during and after would enjoy countless bowls of fresh applesauce and cream. Someday I hope to make this tradition complete by pouring fresh cows cream on the applesauce, and I'll probably name our jersey cow Rosie Junior. :) Making applesauce was one of those memories that I never want to forget and one that I love because I can give my kids that same memory.

This past weekend was a big one for me - a relatively big mommy milestone because I got my first ever real babysitter. "Real" as in 12yr old young woman from our ward. She did a fabulous job and my kids really loved her and most importantly for me is that I felt a lot of peace in leaving my kids with her. Mark and I were able to fit in a temple session and it was nice to be out with my hubby for the evening. Sat. night Mark cancelled his scheduled volunteering so I could go to dinner and the R.S. Broadcast. This is what I came home to - a little bit of bedroom football? The kids were happy to have their dad all to themselves - and I can't say that I blame them.

I'm just posting these next two pictures because they remind me of happiness and fall and home. I love the angled late afternoon sunlight coming in the playroom window, and I love that my kids are happily playing while a pan of cinnamon buns rises on the counter and I'm grateful for the things in my life that make all of this possible!

And last but not least...
This morning Zina was invited to a tea party. She was so excited to get all dressed up, hair done, makeup on, etc. She went as a fairy princess, but when we got there started to feel insecure because she didn't know some of the girls. She was very unhappy and wanted me with her constantly. I was so so happy to see that the other girls were really very sweet and patient with her and after a while she warmed up and had a fabulous time!