Conference Weekend!!!

Oh, I love October General Conference. It comes at the perfect time- fall, it's nice and crisp outside (ok, it's 67, but that's a little bit cool), the smell of firewood is so close, we can just stay in and eat and eat and prepare for winter and prepare to make ourselves better people.

This conference I have BIG plans. Listening to all 4 sessions. Taking Ellis out during Priesthood session Saturday night for a little date while Damon is learning all the good stuff. Baking biscuits and the blackberry jam we buy from the Amish folks that is to DIIIIIIEEE for... And Paula Deen's cinnamon rolls the next morning... And PW's springy shells for dinner, nothing is better in the fall than a good casserole with in-season veggies. yummmm...

But of course, the best part of the weekend, is being spiritually nourished.  Awaiting talks and counsel and inspiration from the best men and women for the job.  Listening to talks from my favorite speakers (Holland, and Uchtdorf), though of course they are all perfect.  And you?  You should listen/watch too!  You don't have to be a Mormon for this stuff to apply to you?  Do you have a family? Kids? Are you single? Are you worried, scared, nervous, sad, unsure, questioning??? Do you wonder how to get through the day, through the trials you have, through these changing times?  Do you want to make things better in your job, your marriage, your friendships, your family relations, your health? Do you just want to hear beautiful stories and wonderful suggestions?  Then this is for you?  You can watch on TV (Tivo it and watch later, and over and over!), on the internet live streaming, listen to it, read it later, whatever you want!  You will be amazed at how it seems they are speaking directly to you and to your situation and to your heart/needs/desires!

Me? I have a big ol' lists of questions to listen for answers... How do I be a better wife?  How can I be more patient and loving to those around me?  How to I be a more creative and inspirational mother?  How can I better motivate myself to read scriptures daily and feel the spirit during that study time?  How can I better recognize spiritual promptings?  And so much more...

If you would like some guidance on preparing for conference and the blessings it can bring, take a look at this message from President Uchtdorf.

And then, tune in! Sessions will be held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. (11 and 3, for those in the central time zone), both Saturday and Sunday.  You can also watch the sessions at a meetinghouse near you!  Check out http://mormon.org/worship/ to find one.
Online: Conference.lds.org
TV: if you have cable it will be broadcast on the BYUTV channel...

Gilty

Just a few amazing things on Gilt Groupe today.... that I'm lusting over...  Anybody have like, an inheritance sitting around that they want to donate to a good cause?

Emu Australia Elrancho boot $99 (reg $179)

Azaara Large Teardrop Earrings $98 ($255)

Azaara Rose Quartz Teardrop Ring $248 ($775)

Antonio Maurizi Leather Cap Toe Oxfords... for Damon, cause I'm thoughtful. $229 ($678)

Safavieh Dolan Sideboard $299 ($716)

Safavieh Charles George Armchair $449 ($895)

Safavieh Ken Armchair $249 ($630)

Dolce & Gabbana Boy's Leather Jacket $377 ($685)

Garden Gnome Halloween Outfit $20 ($35)

Fergusen Copeland Dawson Side Chair $650 ($2847)

Such good deals right???????? One day...

(ps, if you want a gilt invite, let me know... they really do have great deals on normal stuff (especially clothing and kids clothing) all the time- I got a $190 pair of Paige Premium Denim maternity jeans for $56 last year... 

Moments

from our last 7 days...
it's been a busy week!

Damon had tests, I had a couple of job interviews, Ellis and I did lots of grocery shopping, I helped put together a dinner for 300 women at church (it went down last night and turned out awesome) with a few other girls  from church, and Ellis grew a tooth!

We've been using a lot of stain remover...

Being too tired to stay awake during church...

Or too distracted to pay attention

enjoying baby spaghetti (piccolini pasta and organic tomato sauce)

hanging out in the kitchen

Really though, it was a little too busy this week for my tastes... I mean, we didn't even get to go to the farmer's market!

Last sunday after church we had the missionaries over for dinner

Monday Ellis and I ran errands most of the day and Damon had choir so he came home a little later

Tuesday, more errands, I went and applied at a couple of retail stores, Damon played volleyball at night

Wednesday, we went shopping at a few stores for the huge dinner last night, and then had mutual in the evening

Thursday I remember going to about 3 stores, poor Ellis was in the car seat a lot.

Friday was more planning and shopping, I had an interview in the evening and Damon had an MRI

Saturday ALL DAY was picking up food, cutting up lettuce, organizing, setting out, feeding, eating, all day love dinner affair.

And lots of other things that I can't even remember, but I do know that just now, Damon and I were doing the dishes trying to remember the last time we ate dinner here, together...

Today, church is over, Ellis is napping, Damon is studying..

I think next week I'll try to keep things a little quieter... A little more time with Ellis, working that tooth up and out all the way, staring out on the back patio, trying new foods... And hopefully more time with Damon, maybe even a date night this Friday? Maybe... 

Don't forget to slow down a little, and remember the moments that matter!

We're back!!!

Oh my gosh, dudes, internet is SOOOO fast when you pay for it from a good company!  We got quest and after waiting almost 2 WEEKS to be able to instal (they were backed up), here we are with some blazin' fast nets!!! It's amazing. Totally worth $30 a month.

Anyway, so here I am, back to all 4 of you readers! Mom- what's up???  Dad- How's it going homes?  Jenn- I get to see you in 3 weeks! Michelle- I get to see you tomorrow morning!

So, Ellis is being like the most awesome/exhausting baby ever lately.  He's so funny and laughs at the weirdest stuff (Black Eyed Peas songs) and also whine's like a coyote whenever I walk away from him (to cook, to clean something, to go to the bathroom...) so it's like, the polar oposites all in one little dude.

He is almost 7 months old- how the heck does that even make sense???  We took him for his 6 month appointment a couple weeks ago and I'd say, he is the best baby ever.  At 6 months he

weighed 16 pounds. I know, right?
was something like 26 inches long.
(90% for height, 19% for weight, wonder where he got that from...)

and that's about it... haha, he didn't sit up, crawl, anything... We are proud to say he now sits up now, for a minute or two before he topples over.  I'm totally fine with him not being mobile though, cause that is the day I will have to move cords, unpack, clean even more than I do now (srsly, I vacuum at least once a day), and chase him around.

And he loves eating.  Along with nursing, he eats squash and green beans and bananas, sweet potatoes and toast with apple butter, pasta with tomato sauce, chicken noodle soup, and today, her for real ate like more than a half a can of Wolfgang Puck Organic Garden Vegetable soup.  We are doing baby-led weaning (which actually isn't weaning at all, more like baby-led solids) which means that instead of pureed baby food,  I mostly give him pieces of food so he learns to chew instead of just swallow, and also so he controls the amount he eats, not me.  It is a messy endeavor but he is learning quickly and loves feeding himself.  I mix fruit baby foods with oatmeal for him for breakfast, but generally don't give him any other jar baby food.  Which is fine by me cause they are kinda a pain, I don't know how their veggies and fruits are grown (I stick to organic food for Ellis and am trying to switch Damon and I slowly too).  It works well for us, and I feel good about cooking Ellis' food myself or giving him more healthy prepared foods.

As far as Damon and I, well, Damon is busy, and I'm not so much.  Every day I wake up and start brainstorming ideas of what I can do to get out of the house.  Usually it's Target. (did ANYBODY get any good Missoni stuff???)  To look for this comforter:

No luck. The only Missoni stuff they still had were a few little girls' capes and a couple pairs of tights that I didn't like. Bummer.

Other than that exciting stuff, not too much is going on.  But friends, it's so good to be back!

Here's a little video for you!

weeks and weeks

It's been that long since I've really been a good little blogger... It's also how long we've been without internet... Also, our phones barely get reception in our new apartment (I'm usually on roaming in here) so even using our phones to tether is not working well.  Aaaaannnd, I bought internet from the Quest people, but apparently they are so overloaded that our install date isn't till the 20th!!! Even though we are installing it ourselves!! It is beyond ridiculous.  But just you wait... I got plenty of stuff coming!

Summer is fading away here.  Yesterday it got up to 90, but tomorrow, the high is only 58... My kind of weather!!! Fall is the most glorious beautiful spiritual season of all, and I can't wait for it!  The apple orchards are opening and the farmer's markets have so much good stuff.  I'm determined to find the best apple cider for my honey-pie and the best pumpkin for Ellis to paint for Halloween...

So I promise I'll be back, in just days, DAYS people!!

Until then, here's a little gem for you!