Halloween

Halloween was a lot of fun this year. Not only did we get to go to Disneyland but we got to see good friends and make an attempt of trick or treating in the rain and hail.

The Friday before Halloween we had our annual Pumpkin carving with friends Ben and Vanessa over with their adorable little girl Kinzley. We had some broccoli cheese soup in bread bowls(yummy) and a pumpkin roll for dessert. Next we carved our pumpkins. It is always so much fun to get together with Ben and Vanessa. At least we get to see them once a year.

For our trick or treating fun we headed to Springville to hang with the DeLlamas's again. We always have so much fun with them. This year was a little different though, because of the weather. It rained a lot and hailed a little. Luckily, Drake had had a good time trick or treating in Disneyland and I didn't need anymore candy to snack on continually everyday, so he didn't seem to mind hanging out at Sarah's playing with airplanes and cars.

All in all it was a very memorable Halloween!

Ben loves cleaning out the pumpkin

Drake got to help Daddy carve his pumpkin

The final product. Howling wolf(Ben and Vanessa), the Troll(Dan and I) and Happy the jack o lantern(Drake). The one on the end is a fake one.

Tigger and Eeyore

I love this picture of Logan!

Tigger smiling, poor Eeyore had a nose in the way a lot

October Update

SAMI'S VISIT

We started out the month with a 10 day visit from my niece Sami while her family; Sarah & Miah, Jake, Kade, and Mason with the exception of Mati who was staying with her Grandma, were in Hawaii visiting my other sister Angie. For the most part they got along pretty well, but there were those times when he just wanted to make her cry and she didn't disappoint. I realized that boys and girls are just programed different. We had a great time with Sami and Drake cried when we dropped her off.

Drake and Sami playing the best toy ever...an empty box

Sami in the box

Drake figuring out how to close the box

DISNEYLAND

For those of you that know me know I LOVE pretty much anything Disney. This month we got to go to Disneyland with our friends Clayton and Kristi Fulton and their two daughters, Kaylee and Lauren, who are the same ages as Drake and Logan. We checked in to our place Monday evening after the drive from Santa Clara.

Tuesday morning, we had to kill some time because Mickey's Halloween Party didn't start til 3pm in Disneyland, so we went to China town to do a little shopping. Dan got some hats, I made an impulse buy that I immediately regretted and then we ate at the resturant that we ate at on our honeymoon. After our short trip we headed back to get the kids dressed up to head to the Happiest Place on Earth. It was a bit of a rainy day and we weren't sure how it was going to be in the park, but once we got there we realized that it was going to be great.

For those that have never heard of or never been to the Halloween party should really go. It is totally worth it. The party officially starts at 6pm but you can start entering the park at 3pm. They put a wrist band on you and hand you a trick or treat bag as you walk in. They only allow a certain number of tickets for the party and at six when every one else has to leave you pretty much get to run on to every ride. Not only is there a limited number of people in the park, they have trick or treat stations and give out GOOD candy and lots of it, they have the characters out for pictures, parades, and fireworks. Now when I said you run on to the rides I wasn't kidding in fact because there was no one in line Dan and Clayton didn't even have to get out of the log on Slash Mountain they just sat there and went again. Kristi and I had the same thing happen when we rode Indiana Jones. It was AWESOME! I think we will go the Halloween Party again in the future.

Wednesday, we took a drive to try to find a beach. For future notice Newport Beach did not have a beach. At least not that we could find. So we ended up at Huntington where we got to see a guy who was fishing off the pier catch a stingray. We also got some fries at the Ruby's resturant that was on the pier.

Thursday, we were back at Disneyland and California Adventure. I tell ya I can't get enough of it. It was still a rainy day so there wasn't the over whelming number of people as usual.

Friday, we packed up and our little family headed up to Riverside, CA to visit my mission president. It was so wonderful to see Pres and Sys Baugh. It has been a couple of years since the last visit. After visiting with them we met up with the Fultons in Barstow and headed back to Santa Clara for a couple of days and then on to home.

As much fun as the vacation was it was nice to put my kids back to bed in their own rooms and in their own beds. Needless to say I can't wait until the next time we go to Disneyland.

Four years ago it was just the two of us on our Honeymoon in China Town now there are four of us.

Eeyore, Tigger, and Dad

Kristi, Lauren(aka Ariel), Clayton, Kaylee(aka Tinkerbell), Drake(aka Tigger), and Dan waiting to shoot some aliens.

Enjoying the ride

It was a bit rainy can ya tell?

Eeyore it taking a nap

Little Tigger and Eeyore meet big Tigger

Mom and a happy Eeyore

Dad and Tigger

Halloween at Disneyland

Tigger had a great time

Dan and Drake with Lightning and Mater

Mom and boys waiting for Muppets in 3D

Drake loves to drive

Kristi, Kaylee, Drake and I riding the spinning lady bugs. Drake and Kaylee just laughed the whole time.

Dads enjoying some flying at Bugs life

Drake told me "I loves Chip and Dale"

An afternoon nap

Dan, Drake, Clayton, and Kaylee on the tea cups

Drake is one crazy driver

Logan had so much fun.

He was so excited to shoot the monsters and anyone who got in his way

LOGANS FIRST HAIRCUT

Sadly, my little Logan is growing up. I was trying to wait until his first birthday to cut his hair but his hair grew a lot faster than Drakes, and I'm afraid that if I wait that long he will look a little too shaggy. So we got it cut. Here are his before, during and after pictures. He will be 10 months old tomorrow.

One last look at my baby boy.

The barber was great!

He's not so sure about the clippers

The first after shot

He looks so big...(if you are wondering about the hand; he wanted to see how hot a lightbulb gets. Five blisters later, it gets really hot.)

Labor Day

Labor Day weekend is one of the few holidays that UPS celebrates and with Dan off at 3 we planned an great weekend; family, hiking, food, friends and of course baseball. We began with a friday afternoon date….to the gun range. Dan bought a .45 caliber pistol and hadn't got to blow anything up yet, so we went to the range with with his new .45 and an old Ruger mark II .22 pistol. Dan was so excited that he took apart the Ruger and cleaned it the night before. We got to the range and started shooting the new pistol. It was great. Then we decided to use the Ruger…..not so great. Dan, with weeks of experience behind him, put the gun back together and forgot one simple step. So it was a quick date since only one of the two guns was working. Dan came off champion in the marksman contest and avenged an earlier loss in the week at the bowling alley.

Saturday morning we travelled to Provo Canyon for a hike with my cousins from Las Vegas. Kip and Mel, Paris and Lisa, and Miranda. We hiked to bridal veil falls. It was short and fun. The water was freezing. Dan finally manned up after all the other men got in the water. My cold weather sissy husband just couldn’t let someone else show him up. After working up an appetite we went to Fuddruckers for lunch. While there Drake got bit by a total strangers child it drew blood in several places. The final activity for the day was heading to a range in Springville so the guys could feel like men.

Sunday was full of….relaxing and church

Silly Drake
King of the rock
Paris helping Drake across the log

My three boys

Logan likes the vibration

Monday was a morning at wheeler farm and an afternoon at the bees game with our good friends the Burnetts. A long ride up emigration canyon, through east canyon, and back out through Henifer and Morgan. On the way back we stopped near Hill Air Force Base and ate at a great mexican restaurant. The kids went to bed immediately when we got home. Dan had his fantasy football draft with some friends and the night was over. What a wonderful weekend. Enjoy the pictures.

Logan wants his pacifier
Drake and the goat
Don't they look like they are having fun
Driving the tractor
Taking a ride on the wagon
Drake taking Logan for a ride
Drake loves horses

"I DID IT"

So Drake wants to go golfing on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I gave in to the mounting pressure and walked with him for 6 holes of Par-3 golf. I would tee off and then we would walk to the green together where Drake would pull out his golf ball and putt. The system was perfect because he loves to putt. In fact one ball is never enough for him. he routinely takes my ball and puts it with his own and will putt them both. This short video clip was the highlight each hole.

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

The other night Drake was helping me fold laundry when we came across Dan's speedo, he wears them under his real swim trunks just so there is never a crack showing. Anyway Drake picked them up and asked me 'Mommy what this?', I told him ask Daddy. He turned to Dan and said 'Daddy what this? Daddy swim diaper?' I almost died laughing! It was hilarious!!

Minivan

Ok, so I know that many people frown upon minivans, but I find them highly functional and logical. After months and months of shopping and test driving; this week we joined the ranks of proud minivan owners. We purchased a 2004 charcoal gray Nissan Quest. It has all the features and more that we wanted. It is leather, with DVD, automatic sliding doors and automatic rear gate. This means I come out of the grocery store push a button on my keys and the back opens up. It also has running boards, luggage rack, moon roof, and sky roof( four sun roofs for the passengers in the back). It is beautiful! I really am so excited. Every time I get in it I have to smile and I get all giddy discovering what all the buttons do. Thank you Dan for allowing me to get it!