I want a hair cut. Somedays. I think the problem is I'm growing out my bangs and that tends to drive me nuts. I've gotten further than last time, about two years ago, when I got frustrated one day and hacked them off again. (I still remember how good that felt!) I don't know why I do this to myself. I don't really like my forehead. Anyway, I want a haircut. I could give a fabulous donation to Locks of Love this time. 16 inches if I really went short. On somedays I just imagine going in to the salon and telling them cut it however they want as long as I don't have to curl or dry it everyday. Other days I watch people and try to decide if I want their style. I found two I like a lot--one on a doll, and one on a less than admirable "celebrity." (Neither of those would I dare bring in to the stylist and ask them to copy on my head!) Hmmm... I guess I'll keep waiting. It tends to freak out my dear sweetheart when I start talking about it anyway. I promise not to shave my head, but he always looks as though it would be just as bad.

Mary turned 5 on Wednesday. We celebrated with a "chocolate toothache" that somehow survived Joseph long enough to be served. Because of the vast amounts of chocolate and sugar involved we opted to party before dinner. She liked only the frosting and thus ate only the frosting. :) Her dinner was chosen on the virtue of being able to be eaten with chopsticks: rice, tofu, and squash. Very little was actually eaten (after the thrill of chopstick-ing it was mastered) due to the aforesaid party.



We had stake conference today. I was outvoted in the desire to stay for the late session. I wanted to see friends from our old wards, but the kids were hungry and wanted to go home. Nathan didn't want screaming, cranky kids so, though he wanted to see everyone as much as I did, he wanted to get them home. Sorry. But, he did have a wonderful idea. We're going to take off one Sunday here and visit up there. Probably after Thanksgiving, before we leave for Chicago. Yay!

Lil'Nathan has gotten very creative with his legos and with his train tracks. He won't put them away at night unless I immortalize them on film (can you say that with a digital camera?). Thus, we have a great many pictures of his various creations. Here's the one from Friday, I think.


Due in part to Mary's birthday and in part to the general feeling of being "fried" we skipped school the second half of last week. It was a great idea. The kids played and miraculously didn't fight much. I got the house cleaned up and finally made some bread. (I'd quite forgotten how good homemade bread is.) Everyone is ready to start up again tomorrow, even Lil'Nathan. This is a picture of the two of them playing with tanograms. Notice the pj's. I won't tell you what the time was. (The fish water is blue b/c we are fighting another fungal infection. It's pretty, though, huh?)

And, of course, Joseph can't be left out of anything. This is his tanogram masterpiece. (Also known as the dissassembling of the others' work.)



Last night on the way home from stake conference Mary told us she was cold. We had just gotten in the car. Here's the conversation. :

Mary--"I'm cold Daddy, turn on the heat."

Daddy--"Mary, you know it takes a while for the car to warm up."

Mary--"No! I said I was cold, not the car."

I laughed until I thought I might hurt myself. It felt great.