Snapshots

It's been over a week since I posted, which might be some kind of record for me. Some weeks are more "newsworthy" than others, but I think we are just officially settled in the Fall routine and are in a groove.  I was glancing back at my phone pics from the last week to see if I had missed anything worthy of posting, but found that the combined camera roll was a good summary of life in the last few days. Here's what we've been up to....

Matt has been home for more bedtimes, which we all love. The girls have started enjoying their bedtime books together.

Playtime...Adrienne tries her best to keep up with Jillian's antics. When she can't, she really knows how to work a scream to get our attention (and Jillian in trouble)

Jillian sporting one of her new school outfits that she selected. If it's bright, loud, and a fashion risk, you can bet she loves it (and totally rocks it).

I made four pans of baked penne with tomatoes and mozzarella one afternoon--gave 3 to friends who could use them (pregnant on bedrest/new baby/husband out of town), and kept the other for us.

Matt and I had a date on Thursday night. We finally tried the newest sushi restaurant in town (it is by far the beset) and we wandered around furniture stores as we begin our search for some basement furniture)

The basement remodel project is officially underway, and step 1 is done.  The bright red walls were replaced with "Techno Gray". Flooring and built-in wall unit for TV watching are also in the works.

Jenni and I had a fantastic moms-only day of shopping in Minneapolis on Saturday. This is the only picture I have to represent the day. Shoes make moms happy. I took it to text to our husbands, who were also spending the day together (with all 4 kids) at the Renaissance Festival. We totally got the better end of the deal this time!

Adrienne finally got in on a bit of Sunday morning art time with Jillian. I taped butcher paper to the table and they had a good time coloring together for about 5 minutes.

Jillian had a birthday party to attend on Sunday afternoon. She and I left home a couple hours early (Matt watching football, A napping) and ran some errands. We got the car washed/detailed, got her some new shoes (I let her choose the sparkly-sequinned tennis shoes over the more practical after she put on a dramatic performance exclaiming all the wonders of these shoes) , and went to pick up a basement flooring sample. She was so much fun and really seemed so grown up that day. We don't often have time alone together, but I think we are onto something with this Sunday afternoon deal.

Matt started drinking his breakfast. It's green and pretty gross.

And Jillian drew "a thing from outer space"