General Conference.

We are just coming off of two days of General Conference, and It. Was. Awesome. I personally came to conference this time with specific questions, and they were answered right off the bat and then repeatedly throughout. The Lord is aware of each one of us, and He is definitely aware of me. He has a prophet on the earth, and his name is Russell M. Nelson. I know for myself, and I know anyone who asks God can also know.

This is probably a stark contrast in tone from last week's post. Dan read it and told me it was a major downer. Sorry, everyone. But I'm back in the swing this week.

Monday was Rosh Hashanah, so the girls didn't have school. We've been running pretty nonstop lately, so when the kids wanted to have a lazier morning, I was all for it. In fact, Gwen went back to bed three different times that morning and fell back asleep each time.

When everyone was finally up, we had breakfast and then made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, the only cookies I can ever make. Brownies, bars, cakes are all things I can do well. Cookies are my arch nemesis. They laugh at me from the oven as they slide into each other and burn their crispy ends in my direction.

But pumpkin cookies I can do!

The kids helped me with the cookies and also . . . cut up some carrots? I don't know why they thought that would be helpful. Also, check out Gwen wielding that knife and go double check that your front door is locked. Eek.

I had them point at our empty pumpkin cookie jar to let the friend who gave it to me years ago know that we were putting it to good use this week.

After we had been lazy bums all day, we decided to snap out of it and get outside. The weather was perfectamundo, and we spent some serious time at a park.

I wonder who thought, "I know! We'll put a purple hippo right here!"

In case you are wondering, June changed into clean pajamas for the park. We have standards, thankyouverymuch.

Though I did have to wrestle Gwen into wearing pants.

Oh pants. You burden you.

The weather was great all week. We did have one rainy day, but mostly it was just pleasant and not-too-hot, not-too-cold.

Which is why the next day, the girls headed back to school and the boys and I went to another park.

And also went on a walk.

Harris was finally tuckered out after all that, and that night he ASKED to be put to bed. I looked around to see if I was on Candid Camera, then hopped to it before he changed his mind. Sure enough, he curled up in his bed before I even got started putting the girls to bed.

This was especially lucky because Dan was out of town this week, and Harris has a hard time going to bed without Dan.

June and I continue to do her homework every day.

And Gwen carried on the tradition of wearing the best dress. This dress has been passed down from cousin Blythe to June to Gwen, and it's one of my favorites.

And we had conference weekend. In between sessions Saturday, Dan decorated the house for Halloween. He also went to the store and bought a couple more things. He seems to believe we need to add to the display every year. I do not believe this. This year, he bought one of those projectors to show spiders all over the house when it's dark. This also shines on one of the windows, so the inside of the house gets some of it too. I do not like this.

I'm just watching us slowly evolve into that family. You know which one I'm talking about.

During conference, the kids got their crafty on. June made me this chick in a "chicken coop" and anytime she didn't find me holding it to my chest with love or nuzzling it against my face in complete admiration, she was completely dismayed and would bring it to my attention.

The girls and I watched the Women's Session of conference together.

They didn't last long, but they sure did try. The Saturday evening session is very late out here on the East Coast. Past their bedtime.

Sunday morning, we realized we were out of pumpkin reserves and went a little overboard baking our beloved cookies AND a pumpkin cake.

Not pictured: The cream cheese frosting Dan whipped up for the cake. YUM.

Like I said, conference was wonderful. The only tough thing was when I discovered that the girls, without permission, had retrieved my sharpies from their safe place, which are put into said safe place to keep away from Mr. Harris Crazy Man, who did this to my ottoman/coffee table.

I'd like to say that my warmed up Conference-uplifted heart just laughed and gathered my children and hugged and kissed them, but that lady doesn't live here. I was pretty upset, but I didn't go nuts, and I was proud of that. The girls are grounded from all screens for a week though, which we all know is just me punishing myself.

I'm excited to read the Conference talks and study them and make some changes in my life. I really needed this weekend boost.

The End.