Bum Hand and Other News

So, my hand is still bugging me, even though today it's been ten days since I fell on it. (I'm feeling sillier and sillier about this whole thing as time goes on.) Two wonderful people brought us dinner last week to help out, which was such a lifesaver, and you better believe we made those meals stretch! Basically, we have had a lot of leftovers/cereal for dinner/rotisserie chicken nights because as soon as I start thinking about needing to make dinner, and all of the chopping and prepping involved with making just about anything, I totally balk; basically, that's the time of day when my trusty hand is hurting the worst and I'm feeling the least capable of accomplishing just about anything. (I blame cute Spencer and his homework-hour table-climbing shenanigans for that.)

Last night I caught Craig just in time on his way home from work to have him pick up some bagels so he could make his famous bagel sandwiches for us for dinner.
There are two things I love in particular about those things:

1) Craig makes them.
2) I don't.

Oh, and also, they are super delicious and go perfectly with Orange Julias, (as we like to call them around here.) Breakfast is the dinner of champions, that's what I say. Plus, did I mention that Craig makes them?

In other news, you will never believe this, but school in our district was CANCELED on Monday due to massive rain and flooding. Canceled. Can you imagine? I mean, we live in Phoenix. The only kind of inclement weather we have ever been exposed to is triple digit heat for 5 or 6 months out of the year, and that certainly doesn't keep us from going to school (though it does account for inside recess sometimes!) And not only did the girls not have school, but Craig's boss also texted and told everyone not to come in because the flooding was so bad. Sweet, right?

So, we did what any family would do when they find themselves with an unexpected free day: we watched lots of tv and took naps. It's really amazing how much you can get done in one day!

This is the flooded greenbelt across the street from our house. It seriously looked like a lake. Other greenbelts around the neighborhood were so full of water that people busted out their boogie boards and actually went swimming in them.

Dis. Gusting.

Christmas On Our Minds

I am trying something new this year. It's called: Start Christmas Shopping in August So That You Don't Have to Spend a Fortune On It In November and December. 

(This is a big deal. I am truly a procrastinator at heart; but, Saving Money trumps Putting Stuff Off, at least this year, so I'm going for it.)

Since I am starting early, that means I had to ask the kids recently what they wanted for Christmas. Of course, they diligently produced their lists; Julia's features a "yot," (don't worry, we won't really get her one until she learns how to spell it correctly), Alexa has requested all things beautiful, from "beautiful dresses," to "beautiful jewelry," and Vanna, our future entomologist, wants a "text book of bugs."

I didn't realize that asking for their lists at the end of the summer would fully insinuate Christmas into their brains so early in the season. (And by "early in the season," I mean, "not the Christmas season at all.)

Alas, I should have known better, for I am seeing touches of it all over now...

{tree}

{letter}

{The Santa Clause 2}

{Christmas music dance party}

And so, in the Monson house, on this day in early September, it's beginning to look...

...just a little...

...like Christmas.

Testing our Patriotism

Once upon a time, Craig painted Julia's toenails in fabulous patriotic colors and designs for the 4th of July.

Then he let her paint his nails, because that's the kind of cool dad he is.

And then she proceeded to voice her disappointment that he would be removing the nail polish before he went to work the next day. I believe the conversation went something like this:

Julia: Are you going to keep the polish on for work tomorrow?

Craig: Uh, no.

Julia: Why not?

Craig: Honey, I am a professional. I work in an office. I can't just show up to work with nail polish on.

Julia: Oh what, so they would fire you if you came to work with your fingernails were painted?

I mean, we're patriotic and all. But we do have to draw the line somewhere.

My Boy

This is Spencer.

He has fuzzy hair.

And a winning smiling.

Sometimes, he eats shovels.

Oh, I love him so.

On Mess & Stress

In an effort to enjoy life more and stress less, I have been really trying to be better about letting some things go. (Don't ask Craig how I am doing in this department. It's an ongoing process and any progress is likely invisible to him. But it's happening. I promise.) Part of this "letting go" has to do with the constant messes that dot our beautiful, homey landscape. I have been letting the girls leave their toys out so they can play with them the next day, instead of having them clean up before bed each night, and I just close their bedroom door so that I don't have to look at the chaos. Works for them. Works for me.

Yesterday, though, was a mandatory clean-up day. It had been a long while since their room resembled anything that a vacuum cleaner could actually traverse, and it was time. So they worked their hearts out and cleaned & vacuumed, and finally got it looking pretty pristine for one treasured day.

Less than 24 hours later, it looks like this again:

I will take this time to say that I am so glad that they are young enough to still want play with toys, that they play TOGETHER (albeit with the occasional scream and/or slammed door), that they still use their imaginations constantly, and that they haven't turned the television on at all today,

These are very wonderful, rare things, that I both recognize and appreciate. This time in their childhoods is so precious, and fleeting, and so I'm going to say, "play your little hearts out while you can, my sweeties...

...but please, please close your door and save me from the mess".

P.S. Our camera is totally broken. It was in Craig's pocket when we went skating last Monday, and he fell on it, and now the screen is cracked and the focus is all weird. It kinda looks like I focused on one part of the picture intentionally, but nope, it's just the funky camera. Busted hand, busted camera...Labor Day was a bang-up day for us!