5 months pregnant! (This shirt makes my belly look much smaller than it really is.) Handprint smears compliments of the out-of-womb goblins.

Leaning into the minimalist mindset for holiday decor. This little “mantle” made from my piano brings me joy.

Speaking of the piano, I finally got around to re-staining it. This is actually the same piano my grandmother taught me on. She had me help buff the stain as I grew up. Now it’s parked in my own home. Really lovely full-circle moment as I showed my kids how the oil worked.

Back to minimalist decor… the kids thought our front yard was lacking for Halloween. (I guess the dead lawn littered with toys and weeds wasn’t scary enough?) They set out with their paints & picked out pavers from our junk pile to make their own gravestones.

Another neighbor kid asked to join in, and ended up with an awesome tombstone for her own yard!

In other creepy halloween decor, I think this one outside a local business takes the cake.

wtf. Who thought it was a good idea to crucify the Heeler family???

Speaking of crucifying beloved dogs… Chloe got groomed and was NOT happy about it.

I found Archer playing chess with Junior one afternoon. His reason? Well, a friend had come over with his dogs, so naturally Junior went to hide in a bedroom. Archer felt bad for Junior being all by his lonesome, so he kept him company and taught him how to play chess.

Is that not the cutest thing?!

Junior can be pretty cute sometimes too. Like giving hugs while he snoozes at my side.

The little boys have been FASCINATED with the concave reflections in the dinner pot lately. This is what happens everytime Taylor or I cook with it.

Another glorious morning… it makes me SICK.

Sander made himself binoculars.

Arrow made some kind of headpiece for her Halloween costume. Of course Junior couldn’t be left out.

This is his 13th reason.

This little self-report card from Archer made me chuckle. I wonder what warranted the erasure??

Jenna and I saw our friends Rick & in a dance of Sherlock Holmes and it was GOOD.

Rick was cast as John Watson and Juliana as Mary Morstan. These two just killed it with the leads. The ballet-contemporary choreography was intriguing and also so funny.

I will be devastated if they don’t put this show on again next year, but I suppose we’ll have to make do with their original take “The Nutcracker & The Mouse Queen” coming up.

We have a really awesome PTA president & principal. The president had the genius idea to celebrate a school fundraiser by having the principal KISS A PIG in an assembly.

I also couldn’t resist getting a quick snuggle with Penny the Pig before she went home!

Thinking about doing this for our gender reveal next month:

Tay & the kids enjoyed general conference.

Soooo many doctor appts this month. One of which was to figure out what’s up with Archer’s balance. Turns out his ‘lazy eye’ is causing him to see double!

Luckily a simple surgery will help strengthen those eye muscles! (I say that as if I didn’t have several anxiety attacks over the idea of my babies getting surgery.)

And that’s a wrap on October!