What’s been happening around here lately

I feel like I’ve been trying so hard to catch up with the “big things” going on around here, but I want so much to remember the “little things” too!

So I’m taking today to just write a few thoughts going through my heart, and also some happenings that I want to remember.

The other night while Dave and I were driving home from dinner with some friends, I was driving on the freeway. It was dark. There was a car parked on the side of the freeway with all the lights off. Dave got nervous seeing it there and when he jumped a little, I jumped more, and overcorrected and swerved all over the place on that freeway. It was SCARY I tell you. It took a long time for our hearts to slow down and for us to say a prayer of pure gratitude that there weren’t other cars on the freeway, that we were able to slow down, that all was well.

It was such a good wake-up call to be so careful driving. I wasn’t distracted that time, just overreacted. But often Dave and I realized we are both distracted while driving and that is scary business. In a split second things could change pretty quick. It was interesting that also this week my dad sent a text to all of us because he had had a feeling to warn us to be alert while driving. It’s so easy to get distracted!

So, Dave and I made a deal that we were going to be more aware and never pick up our phones while driving. We told Lucy who we know will hold us to it! Also, I told Dave I was going to give him a five minute back-rub if I forget. Ha! Maybe someone out there reading needs this reminder too. Driving can be so dangerous if we’re not careful.

We had the chance to interview my sister-in-law Anita for our podcast that aired this week.

Oh how we love that girl. She is so wise and calm (maybe being Swiss and living in Switzerland help her be that way??) and is a life coach and has so much good to say. Tune in if you want to delve into our thoughts with us this week. You can also check her out at @foppa_wisdom.

Let’s talk about my grandbaby. Oh how we love Murphy! Right now she is “growing up” right before our eyes since she has moved to a “big girl” crib:

And also has started into the wonders of solid foods:

…which seem not so “wonderful” so far. Ha!

I am having a little bit of a rough time being so far away from that girl. Thank Heavens Abby is so good at sending me things and FaceTiming. LOVE YOU ABBY!

New York City is looking good on Elle and Carson as they wrap their month-long externship up in Brooklyn and head to live in Manhattan for the next month.

Those two are learning so much and are pretty great explorers.

Grace is working hard doing school and two jobs. I think she is destined to be a playgroup leader since that’s what she did twice in China and now working with United Way. Also finding time to get out and enjoy the beauty of the world.

I am DYING to get to the fall leaves right now…

Claire is tucked safely in the MTC and we got to talk to her on Monday since it was P-Day (preparation day).

She loves her companions (she has two), and is learning SO MUCH. Which is making her glow.

Lucy is scrambling this week since it’s the end of the term (before Fall Break). She has a self-made goal to get all her grades to A’s before the end of the quarter. (Just as a side-note to clarify, Dave and I have nothing to do with this, and sometimes that girl gets a tad bit huffy with us because she wants us to expect excellence from her.) This girl has some serious drive. She has all these lists of retakes and assignments she needs to get in, and that girl is DOING it. And sometimes I just don’t know how with her vision issues. She has Dave and I read sections she needs to annotate and asks for help seeing maps every now and again.

This one was so tiny I had to take a picture of it so I could zoom in myself…school is just not made for those with rapidly declining vision.

Dave and I, in trying to eat more healthy, have a deal that we can only have desserts if someone offers them to us except on the weekends. Little baby steps to more health around here. Lucy announced the other day that she might want to join us too. It’s good to have the “Three Musketeers” working on healthy eating together:)

Because I’m trying to wean myself from excessive cookie-baking (ha!), I’m working on perfecting the recipe for the french bread my sister-in-law brought for dinner a few weeks ago.

I’m determined to get it right, and will have to post the recipe here when I do.

We are trying to do these little “modern manners” from Brooke Romney each night at dinner.

We just got the new one for kids that includes the “whys” and man alive it is good!

Great Christmas gift idea I have to say.

I haven’t written much about books lately. We just had book club discussing The Wager last night:

Not on my all-time-favorites list, but man alive, it gave such a good window into the life of a seaman back in the 1700s. The misery and mutiny, human nature and how it can make men lose their mind when they are starving to death. The power of the human soul to cling to survival against the most horrific odds.

I’m working on a post all about my thoughts about LDS garments that I was going to post today, but it’s not quite ready. Hopefully soon. I am grateful for all the comments and questions that have helped me delve into that a bit more.

Oh there are so many more little things floating around here, but for now I have to go set up for a church thing I’m in charge of tonight.

Sending some love out from the desert this Wednesday where it’s finally starting to cool off just a tad bit in the desert.