Our Weekend Get Away

So we have all been sick. Sore throats, coughs, fevers, but no swine flu don't worry. We all felt better by Thursday and decided to head south to "warmer" weather.

Here is the schedule:

5:00 pm head out

5:02 hit traffic

Some time after Provo... get out of Traffic

10:00 pm Make it to Zions National Park. Set up bed in back of truck.

12:00 sleep- Slept pretty well unless someone moved which woke up Ella who then screamed for a few minutes until she fell back asleep. But woke up to this.

This is the 2 miles hike to the Narrows. Tyler enjoyed climbing on all the rocks. We took this picture saying in 10 years he will be back here hiking the whole Narrows. Maybe we could make it a cousin party- all 6 boys! and of course any girls who are old enough!
Ella had to copy Tyler and jump off everything.

We went for a nice drive to the East Entrance and let the kids take naps. This picture of the tree was taken in the snow!
We were wondering if we would have to head home at 2 in the afternoon or if it would stop snowing. And it did but just for an hour. We did one more hike to a look out.
Thanks to our Daddy for taking us on an adventure. We love you. (even if we complain a little, it turned out to be a great weekend- even the long drive was nice.)
And thanks for driving us home safely through 2 different blizzard snow storms (it was a crazy drive home but we made it)
This picture is so Ella. She is a little dare devil!

Our Break UP!

We just cancelled our Credit Cards with Chase. Long story short, with out our approval or knowing... they have changed all our accounts to a card that is 1 dollar for 1 point. Where it used to be spend a dollar get 3 reward points. So add that up to the poor customer service we got dealing with the situation we have cancelled our long and happy partnership with Chase bank.

We are in the market for a new credit card. We want either cash back or travel points....

Anyone have a good suggestion. We are leaning towards Capital One No Hassle Miles. But wow, there are just too many options out there and where do you start looking. We don't want an annual fee. Too bad for Delta Skymiles!

Would really love suggestions!

Halloween Weekend

Tyler and Ella went to one door this year. Next year we will do better but this year. Trunk or treat was just fine. This is Grandma Harston opening the door and man they sure got plenty of candy from this house! Tyler was Buzz and Ella was the same pumpkin I was when I was a little girl.

This is Tyler's Preschool class. He is right in the middle. Next year he wants to be the Grim Reaper. ... His teacher explained it to him that the Grim Reaper comes and takes all the people to heaven when they die. He said that sounds nice and wants to do that too.
Side note: This class has 17 kids.... 4 are girls... the rest BOY!

We made it!

Tonight we carved pumpkins. I guess I carved the pumpkin and Tyler picked out the features on starfall.com for me.

Anyway, we made it through a week without Darren. He was in Montreal all week. I kept my life very simple while he was gone, and it wasn't too too bad. But man we sure were happy going to bed on Thursday knowing he would be home on Friday.

I visited my old roommate whose baby is at Primary Childrens born at 24 weeks. 1 pound 9 oz. alive and doing ok... today. but man I think it has been the longest 6 days of Rachael's life! We will keep praying for you Rach!

My dad had back surgery and I felt it my duty to take him some fresh yummy food almost every day. Muffins, brownies, apple crisp. And he listened to Tyler read books. Oh I should mention the candy jar was empty by the end of the week. Ella ran straight for it when we came in on Friday and looked all over wondering where that bowl of goodness was. GONE! but I think Grandma will replenish her supply.

Darren and I had a date today, riding our bikes in 45 % chance of rain weather. We had to pull over once and huddle under a tree as the hail pelted us. But most of the ride was cloudy but clear. Then I got a flat tire just as it started to rain again. LOVELY!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Fall Leaves

Darren is working in Canada this week. But we were able to have a really nice weekend together before he left. I had the flu last week and was still recovering by the weekend. We explored part of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Really Beautiful in Draper.

There was a nice bridge the kids loved to run on.
Toby loved running and the stream.
Tyler thought climbing on the boulders was great fun rock climbing.
Ella has two new teeth coming in. We had a rough Monday. But My mom is able to make any grandkid happy. We sang songs, entertained my dad who just had major surgery, and ate lots of Halloween Treats. I even made a yummy apple crisp for my dad. Darren, you would have loved it. But dont worry, I will make another one for you.
And this is me. I guess I dont post many pictures besides my kids.

Getting Ready for Halloween

I wanted to report that Ella made it into the 3rd percentile for weight for her 18 month check up. Man - her belly is getting big now, she was 19 pounds 9 oz! I love every little ounce!

Ella loves to do everything Tyler does. They race cars around in the kitchen while I am cooking. They play hid and seek on the his top bunk. She is starting to dress up because he does.

If she would just sit still long enough to eat more food. Oh wait, she doesn't like to sit in her high chair anymore. I cant even count how many times she has fallen off our barstools. Kids are resilient that is for sure!
I gave up on finding an astronaut costume. Buzz is an astronaut you know. (Then I found one 3 days after I got this one!) Oh well, Buzz it is!
Darren and I enjoyed the nice weather last night. We sat out on our nice patio and watched a movie. Thanks to Uncle Richard's warm wool blanket, we were toasty as could be.

Tonight we had tin foil dinners and s'mores. Tyler's eyes are bigger than his tummy when it comes to marshmallows, chocolate and grams!

Buzz

Ella is way into sitting on the potty. No magic yet but she does like to sit there.

Tyler wants to be an astronaut for Halloween. But I can't find a costume for under $60. So we decided Buzz Lightyear is an astronaut. Buzz was at our house all day yesterday zapping people. (I did put the movie on hold at the library so he could actually know what Buzz does)
My mother in law made Ella a dress and hat. Ella loves hats! Thanks Grandma Balls!

Darren's Triathlon

Darren just bought a Triathlon store in March with two friends. Meet Dan and Kyle. Dan has done done tri's before but Darren and Kyle haven't. So they signed up for one together. They weren't looking to podium or anything, or even come in the 5 or 10. They were just trying to beat each other. That's competition enough!

Pre swim - the swim was open water- meaning 300 people jumping into the water at one time then fighting to get ahead. Kicking and smacking each other the whole time. Water temp 68 degrees! 750 meters (just over a half a mile!)
Then they jump out, take off their wetsuit and bike 13 miles up a mountain on their mountain bikes. Did I say Up a mountain. Up to a ski resort to be exact.

Then they park their bike and run 3 miles- UP a mountain. For those skiers out there, the course ran up a black diamond hill. Who can run up a black diamond hill- Not many people did!
For my race Darren bought the kids these great shirts- They say, my mom is faster than your dad! We wore them again for his race. GO DAD!
So are you dying to know who won- Which of the three friends won????

MY HUSBAND!!!

Yeah Dalls!

4 years old and loving it

Tyler turned four on Saturday but Darren had a race Saturday morning. Tyler kept saying all morning, so when am I going to turn 4? He said he couldn't turn four until he blew out candles and opened presents. So I guess his birthday didn't start till about 1:30 pm on Saturday.

This is Tyler on Sunday blowing out his train cake candles. There was an engine with marshmallow smoke coming out, a M&M coal car, a animal car with preztals for the cage and animal crackers inside. There was logging car which was tootsie rolls.... then a starburst train (maybe this could be a mail train we decided). Regardless he loved it.

Grandma and Grandpa Balls bought him a new Sunday outfit. Doesn't he look handsome.
We got him some fun toys he will enjoy for some time.
On Saturday after the Triathlon we meet up with Corie and Nolan and the Balls' at the Pizza Factory in Odgen. Tyler got a free birthday dessert and ate half of it himself!
He had to blow out candles on his birthday so we also had brownies at the restaurant.
And some of Ella- Ella misses Tyler when he is at school. When he comes home she puts on his coat and his backpack and walks around saying school.
She also wants to be like Tyler riding a bike. She says Helmet and puts it on (backwards) and then cruises around on her bike. Don't get in her way or she will run you over. She isn't afraid of anything!