There are only two things a child will share willingly - communicable diseases and his mother's age. ~Benjamin Spock, Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care

Yep, fall is here and school has started. Me and Isaac and Zoey all have colds.

In the news: Isaac has learned to tie his shoes, by himself!! We have shown him how several times but often it is faster and more automatic when done by a parent. Last week I took a shoe and Isaac took a shoe. You should have seen the size of his eyes when he accomplished his feat. LeaAnn and Kaidyn came to church with us yesterday and the buz went something like "I can tie my shoes. I use two bunny ears." "I can tie my shoes too, but I do it like this." and it was a whole fancy 5/6 year old conversation.

Chris and I have celebrated our nineth wedding anniversary. Pretty amazing if I say so myself. I have known the man exactly half my life! Crazyness. Why put up new pics-when I can dig and find great ones like this.

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. ~Author Unknown

The house came with a bunch of roses and they are still blooming!! Everything here needs great attention, but at least we have something to work with.

We have been pretty busy lately. Wednesday we went to a birthday party. Thursday we went to a magic show. Friday Sage came over to play with the kids after school. Saturday we went to the dog show with Solems and had them over for supper. Sunday we went to church and Sunday School. Today is picture day. I really hope that Isaac doesn't have a koolaid mustache for his pictures. You would think I would not have given him red koolaid today of all days. I guess we will see.

I have been baking quite a bit. I have found that I super love apple dumplings. Something about that butter and sugar mixture on soft warm bread I think. The massage biz is going very well. Not quick and speedy, just well. I also got hired by the Rec Center so that will help things out too.

The kids have been busy riding their bikes, playing kick ball (we just run in the yard and kick the ball) and batting the softball. Zoey is very proud. She is starting to ride her big girl bike. She can't touch the ground when she sits on it, so climbing up is interesting, but she has enough motion in her little ankle that she can pedal like her big brother. They both can hit the ball well and enjoy it so much. I was glad to see Zoey start kicking the ball around in the yard. Usually if we play that game, she stops the ball and lays on it and the game is over. She still runs like a girl and I think I will have to fix that soon. Considering that I am a girl, I can't believe how much that irritates me. But I have been teaching biomechanics for years and can't get it out of my system.

The other morning their was a butterfly in our house, flyin' around. I think it may have been a moth, but it was large and colorful. Isaac caught it and put it in a tupperware container. We showed it to the neighbor girls and kept it til Chris came home from work and then released it back outside.

Random Leftovers

I finally got hooked up! I now have Internet and all of the computer pieces to run my computer from home. So I couldn't help myself, but to post a few pictures from the summer that got stuck in my camera until now. We have had our first house guests. Ed and Bessie came for a quick visit and we had a great time with them. We took them through the black hills and stopped at a lookout. Zoey and Chris were the only ones daring enough to climb it and this time there was someone manning station. The kids got bags with all kinds of goodies with Smokey the Bear letting them know that only they can prevent forrest fires.

Climbing trees is irresistible.

Let's pile on Aunt Amy.

My crazy Zoey.

Isaac finally did get a hair cut after all.

Isaac's first day of school. And check out that matching backpack.

Let's just relax at the beach!! We went with LeaAnn, Kaidyn and James.

If you want to be happy, be. ~Leo Tolstoy

You know I don't read much just for pleasure. I read mostly about hydration and proper body mechanics and how stubbing your toe makes your back hurt. But the poem I posted is from a book called ten poems to change your life by Roger Housden. The title intrigued me and so I read. And cried. And just thought I would share. This book actually sits in my office. Yep, I have an office.

I am employed again and with great joy. I am a massage therapist for Touch Stone Massage Therapy. I share a space with an exceptional lady-Rachel Nava. I specialize in pre/post event massage, sports massage and therapeutic massage. I also work by appointment only. This is a great set up as I no longer wake up at 5:30 am! I am also hoping to be able to do some personal training at the Rec Center, keep our fingers crossed on that one. So far so good--I do feel a bit liberated as I am doing exactly what I want and for now it seems that I have time for my kids, my husband, my job and EVEN ME. I am so not used to this, but I think I can adjust.

Isaac is loving school and meeting new friends. Zoey is doing well at day care, but having a harder time warming up. We are definitely in a season of change. The weather has quickly cooled off and I image the leaves will change soon. It was still super hot over the Labor Day holiday so we went to the beach with Solems and played in the sand. I think we have shoved everything into our summer that we possibly could have and now moving on to family time at home. We moved at a crazy time so we missed out on free gymnastics, swimming lessons and soccer registration. But I think we should be fine for the time being and we will see if we need any extra curricular activities come winter.

The Journey

By Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice--

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers at the very foundations,

though their meloncholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and their was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do--

determined to save

the only life that you could save.