Ninja - Scientist - Unicorn - Snow White

They all lay peacefully in their beds with clean faces and hands. Another holiday gone. Lillie was exactly Tada's age and size when we moved from Florida to Utah. Here we are now, walking through the neighborhood on a cold October night with our little girls. Growing older by the second. They trick-or-treat with dear friends. Grace's friend walks right beside her and they talk between houses. Their voices float together as they teach each other things about life, both just 8 years old. Just like I did with my own friends today.

I wake every morning thankful for my life and my babies. And all of my family. For the sweet-smelling air of this place and for simple food and places and people. For all the laughter that will come my way. For those in my life that give me love. For Jake. For our privileged existence.

I can only hope it will always be this good.

I don't care who you are, this'll get ya!

Sunday Photo & special offer.

We have had a beautiful week. When I look outside and see my girls playing together, my lungs fill with sweet, fresh air. 

As a family we try to look for ways to give, and for this cause I offer:

For one day only...... Get your fall family photo taken by My Matilda Photography for $50...

Here's what to do:

                      ~ Request a session time {sarah@mymatilda.com} for Sunday, November 6th. 

~ Donate online to the Utah Food Bank in the amount of $50 or more. {www.utahfoodbank.org/give-now} 

~ Forward me your confirmation email and your time will be reserved.

What you receive:

~ A 30-minute family session in or around Big Cottonwood Canyon. Approximately 10 digitally processed images are yours on CD within 10 days. 

What we give our community:

~ Food!

Limited sessions available -- Offer stands until space is full -- Feel free to share this elsewhere on the web!!

The Hone family today in the canyon:

Sunday Photo.

Caught them after they went out to the mudpit first thing in the morning. I love how you can sense their level of self-awareness through their body language. Grace has a pretty standard way. Ruby has a creative idea of the way she wants to portray herself. In some of the other photos she was extremely dramatic in the way she was posed. Lillie has very little idea of the way that smile actually looks :) And Tada is not aware in the least.

This weekend we had planned to drive up the canyon to snowbird to check out the activities up there. So we grabbed some lunch, during which Lillie had the biggest scream-down tantrum of her life. Sometimes I find myself in those situations, sitting at booth, Lillie screaming her head off and all the other girl around me and I am at a loss. My mind a blank slate. I glance around at other people as if to ask "does anyone..... anyone... know what I should do.... in this situation..... anyone?".

Jake came to the rescue this time and took her out to the car. When they came back Lillie was still upset. We got through lunch and drove down the road toward the canyon and all I really wanted was to get Lillie safely in her own home, with things she could do, things she could watch and play with and help her be happy. Her comfortable little bubble. So home we went.

Sometimes you just have to give up on your plans and [you tell yourself] it's ok.

I am taking a 3-week CNA class that started last night and I think it'll effect my time and motivation for blogging... we'll see!

Grace and more.

She came home from school yesterday and there was something magic about her. I couldn't stop staring at her. I took a photo, and she changed into a different shirt, and I took a few more. My children are just that, mine. The familiarity of their faces, the "I'm coming home" factor, just blows me away. I've seen them, every day, for YEARS.

Every bit of them is chemically mine, is physically mine. Connected to me in unexplainable ways. The smell of their hair, the constellations of freckles I've memorized, the shape of their collarbones.... everything evokes so much emotion and love. These children. They are so precious.

My Matilda -- Emi's Wedding.

{See the rest here.}

Matilda Mae.

My Tadd is so precious to me. I went in and kissed those warm cheeks tonight. She and Lillie share that little bedroom together. Their breathing was soft and low. They spend so much of the day trying so hard to LIVE, that when they sleep, they are heavy and still by contrast.

Sigh.

My little ones.

Sunday Photos.

Jake and his girls, always, always, surrounding him.

Ruby and Lillie played outside yesterday. They spread fruity pebbles all over the cement. I want to remember forever the way their voices sounded. Lillie's lisp mixed with Ruby's "mom voice" pretending Lillie had the flu and Ruby was her mom, caring for her. Ruby made her a bed, supplied a water bottle and a plate (for puke) and lots of pillows. A book in case she got bored, and some cereal (as you can see). They played like that for two hours!

Lillie gets it now. She doesn't push so hard against them. She wants to connect to her world in a different way.

We were driving home yesterday at around 6 pm. All the girls were crying. As we drove up the hill to our neighborhood, they all had tears rolling down their faces for different reasons. Talking didn't help, music didn't help, they just kept on spewing madness. Emotional little girls. They were upset, things are unfair in their lives! They don't get enough! They are deprived! Jake and I were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe...

This might be happening right now....

Grandpa Dee and Grandma Jeannie.

My grandparents came through town for a bit and we all met at my cousin's house. They live in California and I miss them terribly. I love the way my grandma gently pushes the hair behind my ear, and the way my grandpa smiles that crafty smile. They're so much a part of me.

This is on my birthday, about 20 years ago...

Beautiful friend.

This morning was hard with her. But now she's quiet. Watching Strawberry Shortcake and eating Ritz. I can breathe... and it's nice to gaze at her beauty in still shots. I took these the other day when she was waiting at the window for someone to arrive.

Sunday Photos.

It's nothing but pure craziness in my house, but it's also fun, riotous living. Every day is another round of bombs.

Tada is a teaser. This is a talent she has developed in the last several months. She teases Lillie relentlessly and it is not very well received (ex: drips juice on her, closes the door on her, takes her chips and runs away, takes her toys and runs away). And if someone teases Lillie, screaming ensues and my quality of life is compromised. So not cool, Tada!

Lillie is liking her time when the girls are in school to be my little friend. She puts an exclamation point on my day, whether or not I need one!

Grace is the same as always. Averaging some good days, some teenage-esque attitude and some brilliance. She's highly organized and lets me hold her like a baby whenever possible, complete with thumb-sucking.

Ruby is one big beating heart. She lives and dies for love and bursts with love notes and affection.

Here is her latest pair of notes for me:

I am constantly amazed at these human-gifts I share my life with. Here goes another week!