Fall Leaves in Provo Canyon

Can you believe we live five minutes from this? How lucky are we?

Happy Birthday Taylor!

Taylor is my first-born, my darling little baby. But, ten years later, she's not so little anymore. It seems like she is getting taller, more mature, and more grown up literally every day and I feel like time is passing right in front of my eyes! Taylor is a bright, athletic, even tempered little lady. She has been a constant joy. But more than anything else, she has a heart of gold. She is a truly amazing sister. She is my right hand and biggest helper. Without ever being asked, she is always there to console the little kids, put on their shoes, get them dressed, or help them get something to eat. She is instinctively nurturing and innately tender. She will be a wonderful mommy someday. I absolutely adore my "Little Bit" and don't know what I'd do or be without her. She made me a mommy and changed my life forever.

Taylor's Tenth & Tailgate

Taylor turned ten on Friday, September 30th and we packed if full of all the fun we could think of. After school, we had cake and ice cream with friends and then we headed for Extreme Air Sports. This is the coolest warehouse full of springboard, climbing walls, trampolines, rubber mats, and foam pits.

Afterwards, we ran home to host a tailgate at our house for the BYU football game. We invited all of our friends and neigbors to celebrate Taylor's birthday and tailgate with us. We set up our big screen and a huge sound system in the backyard and brought out a ton of yummy food. We partied late into the night and the kids were in heaven.

Sadly, there are no pictures of the tailgate to memorialize the occasion, so these cute ones of the kids will have to do!

A Trip to the Zoo

We had a random Monday off of school in September. I started the morning off with no grand ambition, but then as I puttered around aimlessly in my bathrobe and the kids were mesmerized mindlessly in front of the television, I thought, "What are we doing?!" So, I called my mom and we quickly rallied ourselves for an impromptu visit to the zoo.

I'm lucky that Jeffrey and my mom are always up for an adventure. It was a beautiful day and SO much more fun than cleaning and watching television! The kids always love the zoo and the little ones are so funny with the animals. Quincy talks baby talk to all the cute baby animals and Fisher can't get enough of the snakes and spiders.

We were able to happen upon a very friendly giraffe who was literally a foot away from us.

My Funny Kids

Sometimes a picture just says it all, doesn't it?

St. George

The weekend after going to the Tetons, we had the opportunity to go to St. George on a last-minute whim. One of Dan's friends offered us the use of his house on Thursday night. I quickly packed on Friday morning and we left after lunch on Friday as a surprise to the kids. As we were driving there, we suddenly realized this was the first vacation (if you could call it that) we have EVER taken as our little family all by ourselves!

Though it was a farily short and low-key trip, we had a wonderful time just lounging around in a new place. We ate out, swam, hiked, and watched the BYU game.

Jackson Lake Lodge

In September, my parents treated us to a weekend in Teton National Park. It was perfect. We stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge, where my parents stay every time they come. The views from the lodge are amazing and you can usually spot wildlife in these fields right behind the patio.

The Lodge sports an honest-to-goodness, old school diner-style, grill with barstools and lunch counters. The kids think this is fabulous. It also boasts a fancy schmancy dining room with floor to ceiling views of the moutains, uppity cuisine, and butter in the shape of moose. This is also fabulous.

We stayed in little cabins that surround the lodge. The kids kept fighting over the honor of keeping the key and unlocking the door. When does that lose its lustre for the rest of us? The mere opportunity of sleeping in a hotel room was such an adventure for all of them. The kids busied themselves in squirrel spotting while the rest of rested and read in between activities.