I want to be a pirate when I grow up.

Pirates are not really the best role models when you consider how they were often thieves, murderers, and worse. I suppose some may have had noble purposes, but surely the lot of them were unethical. (And I guess I should realize that pirates do actually still exist today even though I always think of them in the past.)

Jill is blessed to know some really great five year old girls who don't seem to mind the age gap and play with her very well: Alexa, Lilly, and Alyssa. Alexa is one of the famous Whitney children, the family to which Jill seems to wish she belonged.

Here is one of Lilly and Jill.

(Obviously this picture was taken about two years ago.)

Alexa and Jill

I don't have any of Alyssa and Jill, but rest assured that they play well together when the occation arises. :)

The other day, Alyssa was sitting in the back of the car with Jill. She said, "I want to be a doctor when I grow up. What do you want to be, Jill?" Jill replied, "I want to be a pirate."

Jill is obviously very fixated on Halloween. I do not know if she yet realizes that she will "grow up" some day and be big like mommy. She does know, however, that she really wants to be a pirate and that Danny is going to be a pirate also. A few months ago, Jill said she wanted to be a bear. Then she picked the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Halloween board book from the library. In that book, Mickey Mouse himself is a pirate. So what does Jill want to be? A pirate, of course. Thank you, Mickey.

I have nothing against Halloween pirate costumes. I was one many years myself. I just think it is somewhat interesting how much influence Mickey Mouse has on Jill.

And I can't wait until my amazing mother-in-law is finished with the matching pirate costumes.

Daniel is really crawling now. He never crawls for really long periods of time, but he gets where he wants to go and he pulls himself up to stand whenever possible. He also loves Cheerios and any food that he can get in his mouth. He loves mirrors, too.

Jill continues to attend "Hammer face" every first Saturday of the month. ("Hammer face" is what Jill calls "Kid Workshops at Home Depot." There is always face painting at our store (maybe at all locations—I don't know), and the very first time she went with her daddy, she asked to have a hammer painted on her face. She asks throughout the month if she can go to hammer face, and I sadly have to tell her it is only once a month. It is completely free, which is great! And sometimes there are special events going on, too. Like this month, there was a hay maze. Jeff had to work, so Jill went with her grandpa, and they made this great helicopter! (Which Jill already broke by throwing down the stairs. It looks good, but sadly it did not fly. Ha.)

Isn't it cute that they give the kids little aprons just like the employees? You get a pin for every craft you make. Jill has a lot of bling! :) I think I am going to see if Jill's joy school wants to go on a fieldtrip there. It is a lot of fun.

My church had General Conference this past weekend. It happens twice a year, and we get to hear from the prophet, apostles, and other general auxiliary leaders. It is fantastic! Every time, I leave feeling refreshed and . . . eager. I always feel so encouraged to improve and so loved. If you're curious what the prophet and others said, all of the sessions are online, just click the "General Conference" link at the beginning of this paragraph.

This weekend, Jeff and I finally get to show Jill what the beach and ocean are! We are going to Myrtle Beach for five days. I am excited! :)

Oh, I found another cute Lilly and Jill one.