Coming Up Out Of The Fog

I don't want to jinx anything, but I think it's possible we are finally becoming ourselves again here in the Fear household. We've been sucker-punched by the respiratory flu, which started with Natalie and made its way through the rest of us, one by one. It's been a miserable 10 days. All of us, with the exception of Natalie, are still nursing one or more symptoms, but thankfully we are all finally on the mend.

I am very happy, though, that the fog of sickness seems to be lifting just in time for Halloween. We already missed one party, and we're not keen to miss any more. The girls are actually allowed to dress up at their new school, and there will even be a parade! Hooray! I loved Halloween parades when I was in elementary school, and was more than a little bummed when their previous school did not allow the tradition.

I don't think there is a costume contest at the school, though, which is a shame, because Bea would totally take it this year, as is her birthright. (Jay and I have both won quite a few costume contests in our time - no wonder we are a perfect match.......... what? Too sickening?) Jay made Bea's costume and I'm so excited to have her wear it. Natalie's costume is adorable as well, but I'm afraid people won't know who she is. I'll know, of course, since it was my childhood dream to *be* this person, but we'll see if anyone else can figure it out.

But anyway ... enough talk about costumes. There are so many things to do this week that I don't know why I'm still typing. I should get off the computer and:

1) Decontaminate my house, which looks like a mob came through it just to use every clean dish and throw used tissues all over the place.

2) Determine if it's worth sorting through the mountains of unfolded laundry to figure out what's really clean, or if it's easier to just throw it all back in the wash.

3) Figure out what I'm going to do for Jay's birthday, which is this week...

4) Finally go to a pumpkin patch with the kiddos, assuming there are any pumpkins left.

5) Find the cheapest place to buy Halloween candy, since word on the street is we get *a ton* of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood. Not to mention our church's trunk-or-treat celebration. Jay thinks we should just buy candy for trunk-or-treat, and then use the candy the girls get that night to give out to the neighborhood kids on Halloween. I of course have ix-nayed that idea, but he seems determined, so I'm going to need to be extra vigilant.

There are many more things to add to the list, I'm sure, but I better stop if I want to have a chance to actually accomplish something today. Have a great Halloween everyone ... and whatever you do, don't get caught swiping your kids candy. Take it from me, it's very embarrassing.

What Service!

Ever since General Conference, we've been trying to emphasize the importance of serving others, as taught by our prophet President Monson.

I guess Dexter has been paying attention! :)

Results x 2

#1 - the results of our family pictures are in! When Jay and I first viewed them, we were alternating between cracking up and exclaiming, "awwww!" Thanks to the wonderful Shannon Montez for the great experience and the great results. You can view the 3 minute slideshow here.

#2 - Remember those apples we picked? (I hope so, it was only one post ago!) Here's the "before:"

And here's the "after":

Jay and I had a blast making the pie together. He tackled the crust, and I must say he did an excellent job. I had the last piece for breakfast this morning. (After the girls went to school, naturally.)

Adventures in Apple Picking

We continued the exploration of our new area with a trip to Apple Hill, a group of 56 apple farms and orchards (and lots of bakeries, to boot). We had a wonderful time, full of apple picking, cider drinking, and baked-good eating.

When the healthy point of your day is a hot dog, you know it's been a good day.

I think we've found a new Fear family Autumn tradition, although next year we'll have to start in September and squeeze a few more trips in before the season ends. There are a lot of apple pies to be made and consumed, you know!

Let the baking begin!

Now I'm Second Guessing Myself, Which Is Nuts

When I was in my mid-twenties, I went to fashion design school. That fact may not be apparent by my outfits on most days, but it's a fact nonetheless. At said school, my favorite class was color theory, where we spent Saturday morning painting and walking around Union Square analyzing the department store window dressings. Twas great fun. I felt that I had a knack for putting colors together, but more in an interior design sense than in a fashion sense. (I really stunk at designing clothes.)

But anyway, as I was saying...

I actually didn't stink at pairing colors, and have since prided myself on only ever changing my mind about one paint color I've chosen (back at "the house with the red door," as Natalie and Bea remember it). Well...

Make it two.

I picked out a new paint color for our dining room chairs, and although I really like it with the table color, and I like it with the new wall color, I don't know if I like it all together. There is something not quite right about the room, and I can't put my finger on it. I'm quite flummoxed. Maybe it's the whitewashed sideboard. I don't know. Jay thinks there is too much of one color (even though it's two different shades). Maybe it's the two different shades that are the problem.

Maybe I just need new curtains. (That's the story I'm trying to sell Jay.)

Here is a sneak peek - don't look if you have a moral opposition to painting wood furniture.

I won't show you the whole room since I'm not happy with it and it will likely change. I already drug dragged took the boys to Lowe's this morning and came home with every paint chip they offer. I will conquer this!!

Thank goodness we bought a paint sprayer.

P.S. - I will be seriously impressed if someone can tell me where my post title comes from without looking it up.

Sneaker

See this face?

Cute ... innocent... would never do anything sneaky, right?

Well, he does like to empty out cupboards when I'm not looking...

...but that's nothing compared to this malfeasance:

Jay was trying to hide the Oreos on his lap but made the mistake of putting his right ankle on his left knee, thus creating just enough space for a 10 month old hand to slip through and make his move. Nothing is safe from Cal's sneaky little hands.

And look at how he's wagging his finger at us, taunting us. We're going to have to be much more vigilant about our secret snacks from now on.