Chills and Thrills

The answer is Yes.

To the questions of:

• Will they have more than one post for October?
• Has life been crazy for the Sjolseths?
• Is Sheila taller than Erik?
• Will they have their annual "Ugliest UT Sweater Competition" even though UT is hurt-in this season'?
• Do they have the cutest boys ever?

Holy Crayola!  It has been something else.  September was a kick in the gut, and October was a couple of punches in the kidneys.  Fo' sure, people.  I hope that the holiday months are blessedly boring, boring.

This week we are trying to get back to normal.  Fun plans for the weekend with dinosaurs and fossils.

Everett turned four last week, awesome pictures will be posted at some point.  His request for his birthday was chocolate.  "Chocolate cake with candles and fire," said while frantically moving his hands to simulate fire.  So, we had a Chocolate Birthday Party which went really well.  Today, I started teaching him how to play dominos.  He is a crack-up!

Perpetual Motion Merritt is as cute as ever.  I have to learn how to repair and replace our window screens before the number of ones he has damaged gets to the double digits.  (glass has been safe so far)  He now says "I love you"--it sounds like "ouu."  He is the best hugger and loves to run into our neighbor's garage while fleeing any kind of request like,"Merritt, come here .  .  . Merritt, time to get in the car . . .  Merritt, here's a cookie!"  Can't be bribed away from that garage.

Erik and I dressed up for a fun Halloween party on Saturday.  If I were more energized I would put the pictures right here:               !  You'll have to just wait until I do the huge download.

I started sketching the whimsy mural.  I need to get paint.  Some day I'll remember to buy it.  I have the next adventure the Magic Schoolbus people should put together.  More on that later.

Gorgeous weather!  Lots of playing outside, races, making compost, digging for worms, burying toys, eating dirt, premature picking of peppers (eager youngest gardener), and Everett's growing green bean plants.  Finding the reddest leaf, because Mommy likes red.

Erik has held down the fort.  Seriously. 

Friends, friends, friends, and family have been a super support.  Don't know what I would have done without them, aside from crawling into a fetal position in the back of my closet while whimpering to myself.  (instantly reminded of the short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper")

I am looking forward to November.