HaLLoWeEn FuN

Let the Force be with you...
We hope you had a GRAND Halloween, as it's always a favorite at our house!

Chewy, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Buzz Lightyear
(okay we couldn't find the R2D2 costume)

Fun with Grandma - she always throws the BEST Halloween parties!

We got to meet our newest cousin, Cayson, who was visiting from Arizona. So sweet and much smaller in person.

Preschool Party

Pumpkin carving with cousins

Halloween time was filled with family parties, a preschool fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch (sadly mom lost those pictures), pumpkin carving, scaring people in matching skeleton costumes (they requested to do this almost daily for a week), neighborhood trunk or treat and good ole' trick or treating in the rain (bad weather didn't stop our wild boys from having fun). Holidays are the BEST with kiddos around!

Mason is already going through withdrawals from all the decorations coming down...he LOVED all the "pirates" (skeletons) and pumpkins, always shouting: "I see da Hadaween!" from the car at all the decorated porches and stores. Until next year...

I Heart San Fran

Thanks to a Cobbler Convention of sorts, we had a lovely whirlwind weekend getaway to San Francisco. If you haven't been, you NEED to plan a trip to SF. We loved riding the charming cable cars up and down the hilly streets, people-watching at the Wharf, eating fresh seafood every day, hitting the odd markets of Chinatown, icecream sundaes with hot chocolate on the side at Ghiridelli Square (why not have them both??), shopping gallore (we're talking a 6 floor Nordstrom, 3 story DSW Shoe Warehouse and huge H&M right next door!!). And my FAVORITE was a boat trip across the Bay to Sausalito - a quaint, artsy town with fun shops and restaurants (reminded me of La Jolla or Carmel).
Now all we needed was the never-ending credit card to spend at all those great stores :)

I ADORED San Fran! So nice spending time with my hubby without the wild boys (who we missed of course).

Golden Gate Bridge in background on our boat ride to Sausalito, my fave spot!

Famous Alcatraz prison, we took a boat tour by night, eerie.

Doing a little "business"

Hang on tight! Riding the trolley.

Stunning view at the top of Lombard Street, the windiest street in the world.

Couldn't resist snapping this shot out our hotel window, see those shining red letters?? That's right H&M right next door - heavenly!

And 6 floors of Nordstrom Bliss, torturous without the funds to truly enjoy it!

Pier covered in seals out sunbathing (and so stinky)

Arrrrgh!! This one's for our boys!

Right down from our hotel where they manually turn the cable cars

Thanks Rob & Jody for the GRAND trip and thanks Nana & Jace for surviving the crazies!! They enjoyed all the fun Halloween adventures! The highlight our trip ending was coming home to this sight:

"BOO!! SURPRISE!!" They all yelled as they jumped out in matching skeleton costumes (the dog included). I sure love my theatrical mother! Too funny, wish I captured it on video.

The Fair

We just had to hit the good ole' Utah State Fair for some greasy food and white trash fun. It truly is a fantastic people-watching affair! Plus the kids love all the stinky farm animals and dumpy rides. Yep, that pretty much sums up the Fair.
Highlights included:
Seeing my cuz, country singer Brenn Hill perform
The boys riding down the big, giant slides on potato sacks (Christian caught some major air and Mason giggled the whole way down)
Goats yelling at us
Eating a giant Navajo Taco (and not getting sick)

Mason insisted on Grandpa Jace carrying him everywhere, of course.

What a sport Troy, riding in the dirty helicopter with your boys! You should have seen the toothless ride operator, again all part of the fun...

Mason LOVED the bunnies!

School Days

That's right, the much-anticipated First Day of Preschool (2nd year) finally arrived mid-September! After months of answering "how many more days until my new 'flips and tricks' school mom?" Christian is now a very happy boy, meeting new friends and yes, doing tumbling (aka "flips and tricks") once a week. We are loving the location, right down the street and walking distance (when I'm not being lazy), however we're still getting used to all the rules and having to co-op in class. Not my favorite...isn't preschool supposed to be a break from the kiddo (plus a break from mom and dad)?? Oh well, it's fun to meet all his cute school friends and see what they're up to in class (trying to be positive :)

First day, all decked out in his Star Wars shirt and Sketchers Super Z Straps (which he just HAD to have - hence my post on commercials hooking our kiddos so young).

And the Bumblebee backpack, of course.
With one of his fun, neighbor friends (another bonus - 4 neighbor friends in same class).

Labor Day Outdoors

We headed up to our friend's cabin in Oakley to enjoy some end of summer outdoor fun. It was so beautiful up there! The boys were in Star Wars heaven (marathons each night followed by light saber fights) and we did some fishing and four-wheeling.

We played tourists in my hometown of Park City, hitting the festivities at the resort, which the kids loved. Troy took Christian down the Alpine Coaster - new rollercoster version of Alpine Slide but no chance of falling off the track. He loved it! It was a good weekend other than Mason screaming bloody murder for 3 days straight. Don't know if he wasn't feeling good or just Terrible Twos hitting in hard (or a mix of both) but he let us all have it - ALL WEEKEND LONG. Don't think we'll be invited to their cabin again anytime soon.

All cozy during an intense Star Wars moment.


And they're off! Chic shades complimentary of the wife.

Thanks Scott & Jen for a fun weekend at your beautiful cabin! We'll bring you some ear plugs next time...or better yet, we'll leave the kids home :)

Few Funnies of Late

#1 When I pointed out Christian spilled his chocolate icecream down his shirt, he said: "Mom, we should have got Oxiclean - it cleans the stains right before your eyes open. I've seen it work!" Hmmm, I think we've been watching too much TV. His sponge brain just soaks in all those catchy ads (hence the Sketcher super Z straps he just had to get for school because they make him run and jump faster of course).

#2 While shopping today, Mason started pointing at all the mannequins saying "that guys have boobies" over and over again. His little obsession - he's a boob man already, what can I say? Many more related stories here, but probably not blog-appropriate...

A couple months ago, Christian found the funeral program from our dear neighbor friend in the car.
Christian: What's this mom?
Me: It's from Wanda's funeral (like he even knows what a funeral is)
C: Oh, was there a machine there?
Me: A machine?
C: Yeah, to take her up to heaven.
PRICELESS (and it gets even better).
As I try to explain how when people die there bodies go in the ground and their spirits float up to heaven...
C: So now Wanda can talk to us in a still, small voice, right mom?

I laugh and ask where he learned that. His church teacher was explaining the Holy Ghost (hence a spirit and Wanda is now a spirit so that's how he pieced it all together). Pure innocence, love it...

Brotherly Love

For the love of a Brother...and a Popsicle on a hot summer day.

I'm so grateful for the bond my boys have with each other, as brothers, best buddies for life. A bond that can never be broken. Even through fights and tears, there is always love for each other. Laughing, playing, teasing, wrestling. Christian always so patient, kind and protective. Mason often teasing and testing big brother but always wanting to be just like him. Little or big, Brothers are the best!

Breathtaking view from my mom's new backyard in Ivins. At night, the moon rises over those beautiful red rocks. Amazing. Completely serene.

I want to eat those popsicle-stained smackers. Mmm mmm.

Bucket rides - so easily entertained with brothers as buddies.

Finger dipping PB for snacks, why not when we're naked at the pool?

And for the bond of sisters - We sure had fun with our favorite Grammy and Aunt "Fifi" Faye. Here they are hamming it up with the old butler while furniture shopping. And these ladies know how to shop! Thanks for the entertainment ladies! Love you.