Bits and Pieces

Monday:

Luke has discovered he loves Cocoa Puffs. While I don't usually purchase sugary cereals, we had a box leftover from decorating Ben's BMX cake which he discovered. Now they are his favorite, replacing mini-corn dogs. I don't know which is worse, but he's getting calories, and he's taking them in of his own volition, so I try to close my eyes, give him a vitamin, and ignore what he's actually consuming.Luke refused to participate in gymnastics; preferring instead to mope curled inside one of the padded tunnels. He is not a kid who can be talked into anything, no matter how hard I try. I guess that's a good thing in some ways, but on Monday, it was really frustrating. We went home early. Maybe it's because I let him have Cocoa Puffs for breakfast.The afternoon was quiet with Luke sent off to bed for a nap, which he didn't take. But he was quietly playing, so it was OK. Josh was thrilled watching the wheat grinder do its job. I didn't get to making the bread, but I did make the best-ever cornbread to go with our delicious chipotle beef chili which we shared with the missionaries for dinner. Josh told everyone that the "wheat was homemade."

It was fun driving the three kids who are home during the day around in the Subaru. It reminded me of the period of time after Josh was born when Adam was getting his MBA, before we got the van. Sardines along the back. There was something so perfect about those days, even though we didn't have two pennies to rub together.

Tuesday:

My first attempt at solo-breadmaking in the morning resulted in some really misshapen, slightly undercooked loaves. But boy were they delicious! The lesson in this: bread doesn't have to look perfect to be delectable. Can bread baking teach us some good lessons for life? Absolutely. I think I'm in love.After five days of trying to ignore the fact that the van was inoperable, we took the battery out and drove it down to the auto store to have the charge checked. It registered 17 amps out of 700 possible. We now have a new battery. The question still is: what made the battery drain? The lights had been left on a couple of times, but I have a feeling it's not just that. We're having the alternator checked tomorrow, now that the van can leave our garage. I'm hoping that's not it.

The kids' report cards came home. They were stellar. The boys got high 5's all around and big hugs and some kisses too.

It was actually cold enough that the house never warmed up during the day and I turned the heat on. I also brought my beautiful front-porch mum in at night to keep it safe from frost. The weather is cooling down, which makes me want to pop in Halloween movies and drink copious amounts of hot cocoa! I love it. But it's also good we're expecting 70's this weekend. My waistline does not need copious amounts of hot cocoa.No Scouts! I do enjoy my calling at church as Wolf Scout Den Leader, but with the Pack Master out of town and not there to hold our monthly Pack Meeting, and many marching bands who were participating in a band competition at the high school next door to the church we attend using the parking lot for practice, Scouts was canceled. To have a night off in this busy month of October was gladly taken. I had a hot bath, with bubbles and a book.

Wednesday:

My sister purchased a ticket to come visit us for five days encompassing Halloween weekend. Yay! Yay! Yaaaaaay!!!!!!! I have felt giddy all day. And I might have gotten a little misty with joy.I was able to zip off to the grocery store late, just after the kids went to bed, to get supplies for a vegetarian casserole for the conference days potluck dinner for the teachers tomorrow night. I actually got one of those small carts. The kind with no kid basket. They didn't have those before I had kids at any of the stores I shopped at, and I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to get one since. Either I have someone who needs a kid seat with me, am zipping in for a couple of things so I just get a little hand basket, or I'm on a solo shopping trip and that usually means I have a lot of shopping to do and need a big cart. It was kind of fun zipping around with my tiny cart, not worrying whether I would hit the aisle displays or endcaps!