Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch ... Changes

Stay-at-home Mom. Doesn't this phrase just conjure up images of soap operas and bon-bons. Since soaps are dying and sugar is (for the most part) out of my diet, what, oh what is there to do? Oh please. Plenty. First, of all the last post was all about soccer. I had no idea how much of our lives would be eaten up by a black and white ball. I have heard of parents over scheduling their children and how dangerous that can be for years and swore that I would never be a mom like that. But with 5 out of 7 days each week revolving around soccer and one other around music lessons, it has felt over scheduled. No one warned me how easy it is to get to that place! But that is where we are. William's season finally finished yesterday, only to start talk of indoor leagues.

Besides soccer, this month has brought a new level of healthiness to our family. I have a new "toy for old people". A high-end juicer that has surprised us all by not only providing Bill and I will fresh, healthy green + veggie juices, but much to our shock has brought it to our boys, who actually *like* (ok, more tolerate with a really good attitude, but hey, I will take it!) the juices as well. They both took one look at my snazzy new travel cup (complete with color changing straw) and sold their souls to the juicer by promising to drink a lovely, healthy, juice concoction every single day for the rest of forever if I bought them their own cup o' snazzy! Best deal I ever made. (Today's kid juice flavors included: cucumber, carrot, fennel, kale, apple, pear and cranberries--Woot, woot!)


Since we were all energized from our "Green Power Juice" (as Romney calls our daily drinks) and the leaves have arrived at the most perfect colors, we decided to head out on a hike up City Creek Canyon today. Leaves changing colors takes me back in my mind to waiting for my sons to be born. I remember looking out our living room window VERY pregnant with William and seeing a tree that had just turned bright yellow, thinking that I would be a new mama in just a few days. And I was. I joke with him that he pulled the plug and drained the bathtub to tell us he was ready to come out. (At almost 13 he really loves me telling that story-not!) 13 years later it is a pretty intense experience to think back to that day and compare it to today. The leaves changing is just another reminder of how quickly these seasons have come and gone and how quickly my boys are growing up. No longer in strollers or carriers, they now run up dirt mounds during our hikes and giggle and joke and catch our grown -up lingual nuances. They hiked for 2 1/2 hours today with no complaints, still energized and happier than when we left our home having enjoyed the fresh air and fabulous scenery. Up paths some adults are not able to travel. Days like today help make the past month of luging around an ornery, hormonal, almost teenager all over this state fade to the back of my memory--in order to make room in my brain for remembering the bliss that this fall day.