Blanding to visit Pamela

The kids had a fall break in October.  We decided to take off and head south to Blanding.  This was a great trip.  My dearest friend Pam lives there.  She and I met in Logan at school and she let me live with her in her house.  She is fun, energetic and does a million things.  Like have chickens, ducks, raise worms to feed the ducks and chickens, have goats, homeschool 4 kids, feed them good healthy food, and takes them on all kinds of adventures.  She's amazing.  One of my favorite people in the world.  

We went to Bluff Fort down by Blanding.  Great church historical sight.

Pam still had her disco ball from college days so the kids dressed up each night and danced away.

But my favorite was going to some amazing Indian ruins.  This one is nicknamed the Ballroom cave because it is as big as a ballroom.  There was a first floor then you descend down into a whole separate level.  Tyler is pointing to some cool drawings.  The view from the cave was amazing.  and the kids loved playing in the lower cave.  

It was a great hike to the cave.  Then on our way out Pam and I took turns running up the side trails to find other ruins.  It was so neat.  I got to see some well preserved ruins.  

But the best part of the trip was sitting around and visiting.  Kids played.  We feed them occasionally.  And we just talked.  Everyone should meet Pamela.  She's amazing!

Goblin Valley

Mid October we took a trip to Goblin Valley with some new friends from our new neighborhood.  The Larkins, Larabees, and Rees's.  We had a great camping spot.  Right up on top of a big plateau.  The sunrises and sunsets were spectacular.  The campsite was loaded with nice rock benches and a huge rock table to prepare all our food.  

We spent one day hikingn a river bed slot canyon.  Another day we played around on all the "Goblins".  Hide and Seek with the kids.  And just climbing up and down all kinds of things.  A fun trip.  Sometimes having others go with you makes it even more enjoyable because kids can play with kids and parents can sit around and talk to parents.  

These two are the best little buddies.  Ella will be an amazing mom one day.  She loves Abby so much and takes care of her all the time.  Ella loved our camping trip so much (there were several little girls her age).. she came home and wrote a report about it.  

Summing up September

A few fun things and not so fun things happened in September.  

Abby still takes one good long nap a day.  And she still loves to snuggle.  Or "get loves".  She loves to sit out on the grass and say hello to our neighbor the horse.  

Ella and I are working on having cute hair every day. I think it is so important to have hair done very day.  Ella also got bit by a spider.  This picture doesn't even look bad.  IT WAS BAD!  It got super infected. We went to the doctor. They had to cut it open and get all the puss out.  I didn't like having my daughter scream and cry.  we had three of us holding her down.  The fever was intense but the medicine helped almost immediately.  

Tyler started mowing one section of our grass.  He needs a new propelled mower if he is going to do more.  Its a very heavy mower!  And I loved this picture.  All three kids helping do the dishwasher.  YEAH!  Abby wants to do anything and everything that Tyler and Ella are doing.  

Abby is my stay at home buy. This picture made me smiles.  She got her baby wipes, a diaper and some Desitin.  Along with a bib.  She wanted to be a mommy!

Tyler turns 9 years old!

We haven't figured out yet how to celebrate birthdays.  Do you have a birthday party every year.  Do you only invite so many friends.  It gets hard when you have church friends, new house friends, old house friends, school friends and cousins.  

So we kept it simple.  

Hot dog roast in the back yard.  Lots of cheese balls which I totally love! and some soft toy fighting.  We had some rain so no out door movie, but we played outside glow stick night games between the rain showers.  Then all the kids went downstairs and watched the Lego movie in the unfinished basement.  The night was simple and a success.  You only have  birthday once a year, so make them feel special.

My mom came over the night before and brought Tyler a huge donut.  It was delicious.  I mean... He loved it!  Happy Birthday to our smart, thinking, reading, lego loving active 9 year old.  We love you Tyler.  

City of Rocks

Me and my stay at home buddy- Abby, packed up for a nice weekend in City of Rocks.  (Every time Abby sees a bug she lays down on the ground and looks at it really close and says BUG!)  We packed up Darrens truck and picked up the kids from school and headed out.  Darren had to work Friday so we left him behind.  (Ang brought him up the next day)  But I felt pretty good setting up the tent with my kids.  (especially knowing the rain storm was going to come back).  We had Little Caesars (cold) pizza for dinner because I knew I couldn't do three kids and set up a tent AND dinner.  Great experience on ... yes I can do it!

We drove through some major dust storms, rain storms, thunderstorms and saw some terrible accidents.  BUT we said a prayer and made it safely.  We left the storm behind us and drove into the hidden valley of City of Rocks.  The sun was shining and everything was cloudy and misty.  (the camera just couldn't capture it!)  This hidden gem is so amazing.  A kids paradise for climbing around on rocks all day long. 

These two are upside down in a rock.  And I was lying on the ground under them.  

There was great climbing by all the kids.  Some by adults but more so by kids.  They all left feeling a little more excited about climbing.

Steve and Ang were our master chefs.  We had so much good food.  The LaRivieres, the Hyldahls, the Howells, the Ang and Steve crew, and us.  Good times.