tuesday.

• I took Carly to preschool today. She packed her backpack and was all ready: sunglasses, cell phone (an old, uncharged one), books, two dishtowels (White Towel and his best friend), and of course a little pink puppy. A girl needs her basics.

• All three kids slept at the same time today . . . for an HOUR AND A HALF. I swept and mopped the floor, cleaned the clutter out of the toy bins, cleaned up the entire living room, made Carly a chore chart, read up on the hockey lock-out (say it ain't so!), and even sat down and ate lunch. I was so spoiled. If they did that every day, my life would be significantly less chaotic, and my house significantly cleaner.

• We went to the MSU Surplus store  last week and they had all these old beautiful books. Faded words, beautiful decorated spines, dirty edges. They just don't make books like that anymore; its all mass production paperbacks. I went though the rack and pulled book after book off the shelf. Funny how one person's trash is another's treasure. They are currently lined up on our desk, and I feel a little extra happy whenever I see them. That is the nerd in me. Its the part that misses registering for classes and strapping on my backpack and riding my bike up to BYU campus. After Carly's first day of preschool, she asked me, "Did you go to school today?" I told her I went to lots of school for a long time, and now I was all done and I get to be a mommy. "Oh, that's cool," she replied. It is very cool, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But after 4 years, Fall semester still begins and I feel a little twinge of sadness in my heart. But the sadness is long gone by the time midterms roll around.

• We got curtains in our living room. I kind of love them. I think I'm going to have Chris move them out a bit, but I think they make our little home a little more homey. Two years later and I'm still messing with things. I'm having total post-baby nesting. I just didn't have the energy during my pregnancy this time around to nest, let alone every time I started a project I started having some sort of contraction. Two babies in one uterus is the pits. Now I just feel like throwing everything away and painting things and moving pictures and furniture around . . . and hanging curtains, apparently. We recently moved out of the master, waving our white flag and surrendering it to the babies. But this means I get to decorate it for them . . . at least a little until we're ready to put all three in that room and Chris and I can stop sleeping in the basement.

• My sister in law recently got her wedding pictures back and there is one of our family of five. I'm pretty sure it is like the fourth picture of the five of us in existence: the hospital, Easter, the blessings, and the wedding. And its the first one where I think we all look half-way decent, even though Quinn is checking out the action to the side. Her bow looks cute. I've been wanting a family picture but don't want to pay for it right now, since the babies can't sit yet and Carly only makes goon faces when she sees a camera. So I'm really really happy this picture exists. We are downright adorable.

• It was a cool rainy day and I love it. The kids and I sat on the front porch and watched the rain. You just can't beat a change in season. Its a chance to start new, calm down, and look forward. I have to admit I was a little terrified of this fall, with Chris going back to school full time and leaving me alone with the three little people. But so far it has been nice. We are settling into a schedule. I've had more good days than bad. And I don't even remember the last time they made me cry. Though I do remember the last time they made me eat 4 cupcakes in one day: today. Good thing I have a 4.5 mile run tomorrow.