Dear Family

It's been two weeks since I last wrote and they have been such a busy two weeks. I have been at the computer for hours this week-- editing session after session, then writing my talk for church this Sunday and then the Gospel Doctrine lesson. I shot a wedding yesterday (and last saturday) and did 6 other family sessions since Sunday. I am tired of being at the computer, but it is such a nightly habit that it feels normal at least. October is a crazy month for my business with multiple sessions every week, but I have been so grateful for Brian's help. He has stepped up in playing with the kids, watching them for hours, making dinners and cleaning the house. . . doing what he calls "setting up the Dominos"so the kids can then knock them all down again. haha!

But as much as I've been working hard, I've also been playing hard. Managed to still mountain bike a few times, do several trail runs, go canyoneering with clay and leslie and do a few hikes. This time of year is too beautiful to stay inside all the time!

 A magician (David DaVinci Thrillusionist) has been in town all summer doing shows at a popular venue and put on a community fundraiser show at the high school this past week. Brian and I decided to take Liesel and Hannah. Felicity was SO MAD when we left her with Aunt Sarah, but I promised her ice cream. After Sarah put her to bed, she said, "WAIT! MY ICE CREAM!" Sarah said that while they ate, Felicity told her she was her friend. Awww.  The girls LOVED the magic show and I have to admit, it was pretty amazing. He was pulling doves out of thin air and then made them all disappear and they were replaced by a macaw... and several other tricks.

 Brian ordered our new flock online and they shipped out the day they hatched and arrived the next morning. It was pretty exciting to pick up a cheeping package from the post office and Felicity was SO excited to open it when we got home (she was the only one home). They are the cutest and the kids have named every single one and played with them for hours. We have Braver, Bun-Bun, Rusty, Checker, Oreo, Blastit, Star and Fluffy. One of the chicks has broken a leg after getting accidentally jumped on by Liesel while an 11-year-old was babysitting (she was traumatized) but it seems to be doing ok.

We are looking forward to celebrating Hannah's friend birthday this week and her real 5-year-old birthday on Friday. I can't wait! I love celebrating their birthdays with them so much.

PHOTOS:

I let them pick out their own outfits (with a few edits). Can you tell?

Hannah at Preschool (sam, her BFF in the pic too). She tells me every day what she ate for snack and who she played with a recess as well as what centers she played at, which are always "home and family and the art center" 

I love that her self portrait has brown hair... and the nose is too cute! 

Felicity and Hannah helping me get the garden ready before the first freeze. 

Felicity on a hike with mama one morning for exercise. I can still carry her, thank goodness! 

At the Thrillusionist show-- Hannah is checking to make sure Liesel's cookie isn't bigger. And she is wearing that shirt in every photo... must be a fav. 

The day the new chicks arrived! Endless hours of entertainment and once they get bored, I get eggs. 

Taken today on our Sunday stroll. I'm passing all of my youth and beauty to these kids (dannnng I look OLD!) and I'm six months pregnant now. Three more left until we get to meet baby!