Octubre Uno

Last month was October, and October of 2013 turned out to be pretty amazing for Alicia Deets.

My husband has been out of town during the weeks for work, so we crammed a lot of living into our weekends. My weeks have been full of a gigantic appreciation for single moms and single working moms. The majority of my pay has gone to sitters and we’ve eaten a lot of stuff we shouldn’t (Ramen) and hardly anything wholesome (broccoli).

I’m going to catalog the first half of the month by weekends.
K?

The first weekend was my 10 year class reunion. I love my class -I’ve been looking forward to the reunion for a long time! It was so great to hang out with some of people I truly care for. They’re creative and funny and only 67% more tired than they were on our Senior Class Trip. As we ate sandwiches and chips and crepes at the park, we all stood around under the sun and visited while children ran around yelling and having a blast.
The kids had all the energy in the world. Yes, THE CHILDREN took our energy. And it’s okay. They’re going to need it more than we will I think.
We went to the Homecoming Game where everyone froze their buns off except Alice Michelle.

Around this time, my Dad was still in the hospital so I was pretty absent blogging-wise. I was also very absent housekeeping wise, and my sweet sweet sweet angel aunts came and filled my house with their goodness and cleaning skills and apples.

Because my house was clean and wonderful I was able to have Rial and Lisa over which means I was able to have Ronan over which means Alice is betrothed.

The first weekend in October was full of worry, memories, smiles, love, and General Conference.
The second weekend in October was dedicated wholly to Just Us.
It involved driving a pick-up into the wild blue yonder and shooting stuff. I shot (camera) a picture of my littlest looking her absolute littlest against a background I like to call The Vast Expanse of the Arizona Desert. Mira:

It also involved an on going sand fight and ended in us taking a picture the only way we could get everyone in… everyone’s shadow and Alice’s legs. Ole!

It did not involve make up.

But he still looks good without it.

We spent our evening making popcorn balls using the Rice Crispie Treat Method. Melt butter, add mallows (eat a few first) and then add popped popcorn. Have the kids pretend the stick of butter is lotion (they will either love or hate this) and then have them shape the gooey popcorn into balls.
BAM!
No candy thermometer needed.

The kids went bonkers over the tiny root beers. We all sat together and watched a movie. What movie? I have no idea. It was THAT good.
The third weekend I boarded a plane. It sounds SO simple, but really. It meant packing up three kids and driving into the sun with double vision (the Dr. says my left eye and right aren’t in alignment which is a very Alicia condition to deal with and matches my stumpy right leg). My nerves were a big fat bundle of fun…. and by fun I mean “fun.” I used almost an entire bottle of my tummy-ache essential oils and single-handedly (is that a word?) drank nigh-unto-a-gallon of Sprite. But it was all worth it because I arrived in Utah unscathed.
I saw D. Todd Christofferson in the SLC airport, so when I say I arrived in Utah I mean… I ARRIVED in UTAH and was promptly safely deposited into the hands of my very best friend, Tia.
Which means I was deposited into the hands of Illa’s Mom which means I’ve arranged for Alice to have a very best friend as well… a different kind of betrothal.

Tia fed me the minute I walked into her home, and then she fed me again a few hours later… treating me to my first ever Cafe Rio experience.
AND THEN she treated me to my very first ever Salt Lake Temple experience which was life-changing for me.

My little sister joined us, and we took the opportunity to wander the halls a bit. So BEAUTIFUL! I highly recommend wandering the halls of a Temple. We were even able to peak around the room where the brides dress. It made the little girl in me do cartwheels.
The next morning, Tia treated me to my very first ever Mickey Mouse waffle which was also life-changing in it’s own special way:

After breakfast, we hit up Temple Square (something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time).
There’s a MUSEUM full of CHURCH HISTORY. Can you imagine? Do you even KNOW?! I don’t even know how people in Utah don’t die of excitement and splendor.

We all took turns at a pulpit built just like the one they speak from at Conference. It felt natural. And by natural I mean silly.

Tia snapped a picture of Julianne and I looking at a display in the visitor’s center. It reminded me of Zoolander… “What is this? A center for ants?! It needs to be at least… THREE TIMES this big!”

And then she snapped a picture of my sweet sister and I standing right where we wish we could be always. She’s always been the Mary to my Martha.

Just before leaving, a sister missionary took our picture for us. A wonderful, memorable weekend that I will NEVER forget.

I hugged my Julianne goodbye and waited at Tia’s home for my Steven to come and get me… and was challenged to play a game which made me feel wholly inadequate when I lost and extremely BOSS when I didn’t lose.

Steve took me out on the town and -true to the nature of every host I encountered on my Utah trip -FED me. It was so great to be back with him. He’s the Frost to my Robert.

Yessir, he is wonderfee.