on this day ♥

vegetables for canned salsa are being prepped on the kitchen counter, where General Conference is also streaming live on my laptop.

I am incredulous that we actually still have garden tomatoes in October.

Logan is smiling and giggling at my screen, thinking Elder Holland is skyping in and talking specifically to him.

Danika is contentedly playing with her feet.

Taylor & Reilly are playing "Dinosaurs and Puppy Dogs."
(a game with seemingly only one possible-- and deeply tragic-- ending.)

Bryson avoids the eye scorching of last year's jalapeño debacle with handy dandy gloves-- which coincidentally also help him avoid slicing his finger open while chopping onions this time around.

mason jars sit, waiting impatiently (like me) for its intended contents to finish simmering on the stove top.

I notice Taylor is still running around in his swimsuit from the morning's lessons.  he is still not dressed for the day, clad only in an undershirt, swim trunks, and his giant dinosaur foot slippers.

as afternoon wanes, Reilly is found fast asleep--flopped forward on her knees-- on the family room carpet.
an impossible position.
not even the shrieks of delight coming from her big brother as he wrestles on the floor with his daddy rouse her.

Taylor runs into the kitchen for what must be the millionth time over the course of the day and finally notices what I have been up to.

"Hey," he says, "is that chip sauce you're making?"

the first batch of salsa is finally ladled into the jars, and takes a nice hot bath in the canner.

I look over at the twins, happily cooing on their play mat.
they are holding hands.

there is a mad dash for take-out, and a secondary run for more vinegar.
I muse over why there are several kinds of white, red wine, apple cider, rice wine, and balsamic for sale at the local store, yet only a solitary variety of white wine vinegar-- encased in bottles resembling upside-down maracas.
I pick up two.
I resist the urge to shake them as I trot to the checkout line.

Bryson leaves for Priesthood Session, and the kids and I settle in for the evening.

bedtime for the fab four, and I am happy to crash on the couch with a little crochet and some classic cinema.  and maybe a little chip sauce. 

Some Like it Hot, in honor of the late Mr. Curtis.  one of my all-time favorites. 

a sigh of absolute contentment.

tomorrow nothing is on the calendar except quality family time.
just the six of us, being fed by the Spirit.
and an æbleskiver breakfast.