ThE cOlD wEaThEr iS hErE!

Officially today! It was 83 degrees yesturday and now it is 44 degrees today! Fall is officially here and I must say I am excited. I know there are many out there who are sad to see summer go...but I am sure it is not me! I love Fall, along with all the fun holidays and activities that come with it. By far my favorite time of year! While we say hello to fall...I will post on the last two weeks of September for ya...and you all know how I love a good list...
A. I finally got to hold my new little neice! Lydia Yeates is just a doll! I am glad Em came to Utah so I could see both of them and she even came bearing gifts (a cute necklace she made for each girl in the family)


B. BYU lost a big game to Florida State and have made our family in a perma-bad mood ever since. Thankfully they won last weekend to Colorado State. I must say I never used to be such a college football fan- it was always baseball for me but I must say I am loving college football lately! One can get so into it!

C. Jenn Whiting took this picture of Annelise and I just had to post it because I just love this girl...and I am glad Jenn has some mad skills to capture it!


D. Last weekend I got to go on a girls night out with some friends up in Park City. It was super fun and much needed for me. I think I got 2 hours of sleep that night, laughed way too hard, ate too much, and definitely spent too much at the outlets. I am so glad I went! I need that more often.



E. My mom was in town again & I must say we always are motivated to do the funnest activities when she is here. My favorite this time was the mini-golf round we did at Sparetime. Aaron was surprisingly super good. That boy has got some coordination (despite the fact that he insisted on wearing his snow boots!) Annelise loved the mermaids and unicorns painted on the wall more than the golf. Go figure huh?


F. I think that sums it up- Cole's bday is on Saturday so I am sure I will post again soon with some pictures of my little boy.

BuSy? pLeAsE tRy AgAiN...

I really have been meaning to get to the 'ol blog for a while. I totally remember telling my sister-in-law near the end of the summer that I had free time and sometimes get bored...what was I thinking? I cursed myself...no free time now! And I can only imagine what everyone else out there is thinking too! School is such a blessing, but it really does make for some crazy busy scheduling.

Aaron did start preschool at the Montessori where Annelise went and absolutely loves it. He has been going for 3 weeks now and I must say I really was worried he would make the teachers earn their wages, but, they all report that they just love him. It is those long eye lashes. He could win over anyone.
I just had to throw this picture in...can you just tell what a funny kid I am dealing with?
And Annelise is still loving school and her new teacher too. Mrs. Stepens really is a great teacher. Annelise loved her school carnival too- much to my dismay, she begged to have her hair spray painted; Jaxon, a friend we took with us just looked at me and asked, "Is her hair always going to be that color?" I was praying that it would wash out nicely and it did. (I have the before and after pic for ya)


We did also hit up the state fair with the Whitings. No pictures to report but it was one crowded night. I am glad they came- it made it more fun waiting in super long lines. My mother-in-law actually won a blue ribbon for a gi-normous zucchini she entered in the agriculture contests! It really was huge. (It would have made alot of zucchini bread!)

I am loving the cooler weather though, we bike ride and play outside alot more. Do you love how I stuck all 3 kids in the trailer? I love their faces as they are squished. (thanks heidi for the trailer)
I am not the most hot weather fan like others. This is my absolute favorite time of year so I am so loving each day. I love love love FALL and I love Halloween. I am just itching to decorate already. I just may do it! I am going to beg Josh to take us on a drive Sunday to see the fall leaves color changes. I just love the seasons here in Utah. We never really experienced that in AZ. One super plus for Utah. Well, other than absolute randomness and business we are a happy bunch.

FiRsT dAy Of ScHoOl

Here's the biggest highlight for the month of September for Annelise...her first day of Kindergarten! She was so excited and couldn't wait! She loves her teacher and had no problem going. Here is to my sweet little girl who is growing up and is now in school!

So LoNg AuGuSt

Our family had a good end of the summer with August. We got to officially say goodbye to swim lessons and swimming...

and we got to play at Kangaroo Zoo...


we went bowling with Grammy...

and then there was the short trip Cole and I made to Oklahoma. I went to see Corbin bless his new baby Landen. It was so good to see my family and makes me miss them so much! Amy's dad, Noel was there too. I wish Mayra could have been there...but she made sure we would think about her sending some gifts for us with Brandon. (she is getting so good at sewing it is nuts!)



While there, other than doing the most important thing of seeing Landen, we also went out to eat, saw the Oklahoma City bombing memorial, and went to the horse racing track (both races my horse came in first!) And we took lots of pictures relating to baseball. Can you tell we are all fans? There was the coolest "stadiums of America" displays that we took pics. Mickey Mantle was born in Oklahoma so they had a statue of him that we saw too.



It really was so good to be with the Harline family, and to see and hear the sweet blessing Corb gave Landen. He is one special little boy.

TiFiE RaNcH cAmPiNg TrIp

Our family and Josh's family went on the funnest (is that a word?) camping trip this past weekend. It was the coolest place to camp. It was called Tifie Ranch and is located really close to East Canyon Lake. It had really nice A-frame cabins to stay in, or you could stay in a tent, or tee-pee. We stayed in the cabins. They didn't have bathrooms or a kitchen so we used a shared pavillion with the kitchen and bathrooms with other cabins but they were so nice.

It was such a beautiful area with a archery area, paintball range, playground, and had a river running along the property. The boys tried fishing the river with no luck, so they went up to East Canyon and guess who caught the biggest fish? Annelise! (Josh reports that she prayed really hard right before they caught it!) It did rain on Saturday, but we kept warm by the campfire and did all the fun camping things you normally do. I just cannot get over how beautiful it was and I want to go back already!

The kids had so much fun with their cousins and also chasing around three wild kittens that belonged to the groundskeeper. There was always something to do and the kids just loved every minute. I am so glad we had the chance to camp at least once this summer and it made it even better to go with the Yeates family. Thanks Charissa for planning it and making us all go!

oUr LaTeSt...

Aaron has developed a great love and almost an obsession with Cole lately. He always wants to play with him, feed him, he sings to him, and two nights ago, we realized he wants to sleep with him in his room...(I love Cole's expression on his face about the whole thing) It is really sweet- but now we do have to figure out something to keep him out of his room for his safety!
On Saturday, before we saw a movie we had some extra time to spend, so we thought we would take the kids to the ogden temple and walk around. It was so nice, the weather was perfect, and we love the opportunities to talk about the temple with Annelise.
Then that night, Josh and I celebrated our anniversary. (our 7th! But we kept joking all night that it seems like it has been 50!) We went to Cirque Du Soleil at the E Center. It was amazing to see in person and I just can't get over what amazing things people are capable of doing and what they can do with their talents. Josh loved this crazy bike rider and the juggler...and I loved the guys who hold their bodies side ways on poles and the acrobatics on the swings.
Then for Family Night this week we tried to keep up with our New Year's Resolution to hike and camp more...so we took a hike up the Albion Basin hike. It was a half a mile hike up the mountain to Crecent Lake. It was so beautiful with so many wild flowers. Annelise hiked up (I was so proud of her for not giving up- it got pretty hard with the switchbacks) and had such bad blisters that she rode in the backpack on the way down and Aaron walked. It was so nice. I am making that an official family tradition to do each August when the flowers are blooming. Annelise of course picked some of her favorites and I think I might dry them for her. The hike made me want to hike more with our family.

24tH oF JuLy

I do love a parade...well, not really. I am not a huge parade fan- but Josh is, so we started our holiday off with the Pioneer Day Parade in Salt Lake. His favorite float is the Mama's Faith Church float. My personaly fav. is the motorcycle cops in the beginning. And I just cannot believe what work goes into putting together so many of the floats! And then we had a picnic at the park where Josh's family all celebrated Aaron's b-day with a yummy ice cream cake. The next day we went to the Hill Air Force Base Museum. I love that museum. Josh had never been, so it was so fun for him to go. He has always had a fascination with planes and flying, and the kids loved all the planes. Surprising the kids were good even though it was hot and way past nap time! It is amazing to think what progress air flight has taken over the past 100 years+. It is also amazing to contemplate the physics of aero dynamics. I cannot believe some planes ever made it off the ground! Josh says that if he were to have joined the armed forces he would have joined the air force (and almost did when he was home from his mission but his dad persuaded him otherwise). And me, I would love the marines. They have swords and I think it would be so cool to know how to use one well! I wish that we could say we have given such a sacrifice for our country like those who have served, or even to contemplate the sacrifice the pioneers made for our religion and freedom; it is awe inspiring. I would consider myself really patriotic, but to serve in such a truly selfless way is amazing to me. I am so thankful for those who have. The theme of the Pioneer day parade really summed it up well, "For God, Freedom, & Country."


We also have been keeping ourselves busy by swimming at the pool after the kids' lessons. The kids are getting so tan- and I wonder why it is so hard for me to get my legs tan! Oh well.

We also had a backyard camp out. Annelise's idea really, and also much to her persistence and persuasion is why we braved the mosquitoes! It ended up being super fun.

PiCnIc TiMe

Our cute neighbors have had a summer thing going where they have a neighborhood bbq each weekend. I love it cuz I don't have to cook, our kids all play, and it gives us something fun to do on Saturday nights with our friends! I am so glad she is a party planner!

bRiNg It

I am currently on week 4 of doing the P90x program. It is really kicking my behind but I am so glad. I have needed to loose some good 'ol "baby weight". I love the workouts- and I gotta say that it is everything I can do to get up and push "play" on the dvd player each day. It is hard though- since naturally I expect results faster than I am getting them, but exercise sure does make a person feel better afterwards. I am not sure if I will get "ripped" but we'll see! Here's to making it to week 13!

kEtChUp DaY

I have alot to "ketchup" on to stay moderately updated on our blog! So here goes!

{Fourth of July}
We got to go to the Stadium of Fire. It was my first time and I was so excited. You know what, I almost think I was as excited or more than Annelise that the Jonas Bros. were performing. She says she likes them because they sing good, and she likes the way they dress and their hair. My little girl likes boys already! However, I agree! I might have even sang along and was sad when it was over! And the fireworks were awesome, and came just in time before the wind picked up too much! It looked like it wasn't going to happen with all the lightning in the distance! I must admit that I did cry (luckily not for the Jonas Bros) but when Glenn Beck spoke about the serviemen/women who sacrifice for our country. We really are so blessed and I just can't imagine how much of a sacrifice it would be to fight for your country, far away, away from your family, in a foreign place; it brings so many emotions. I am so thankful for the service our troops give. I love patriotic holidays. I just love this country so it is such a fun thing to celebrate.



{Aaron's bday}
Aaron turned three two days after the fourth and we loved to celebrate our little Aaron. He is such an energetic, fun-loving, smart little boy. He loves trains so my mom (who came into town for a couple days) and I made a train cake for him and since it is an odd year for his bday- that meant we just had a family only party. We did bust out the fireworks in the end after presents (two trucks and a leapster game) and cake. I think that he felt special and knew it was his day the whole day and I don't think he missed out on anything by not having a party. (I tend to over-do parties so I can only do them every other year.) We love Aaron and are so glad he is in our family. He has a magical ability to capture peoples' hearts. (including mine)


{Roy Aquatic Pool}
I just love my cute neighbor Mindy, she plans fun stuff and gets all of us to go. She is such a great party planner and I love to benefit from it. This time it was swimming for anyone who could go at the pool. I did however get sunburnt on my nose since it was the first time of the summer to really get out in the sun. It has been one overcast summer so far! The kids had such a good time. And it is fun to have something fun to do with the kids!


{Park City}We also got the chance to go to Park City and stay overnight in the prettiest hotel I have ever stayed at! We got invited by our cute friends the Menloves and it was so fun. It was the first time we had ridden the Alpine Coaster- wow that was fun. I got to take Annelise with me and Josh took Aaron and it was so awesome. The Menloves have the cutest kids and it was fun to have our kids and their kids play. It was too short of a "stay-cation" though. I need more time away from home I think. That is what makes the summer fun- is the times you get to get away.


{Baby Landen}
OH! I almost forgot! One super important thing happened too...I am an aunt on the Harline side of the family! Finally! But hey, when you look at that little Harline face...it was worth the wait. I wish I could hold him right now! Congrats Corb & Amy.