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!

Back from Basic

I've been meaning to post about Dans return for awhile now so here are the pictures of it. I was so excited to get him back, Drake seemed to be excited also, and Logan was his normal happy self. Drake was super excited to get to see the airplanes. We decided to have Dan fly into St George since the boys and I were there, and because we thought it would be more fun for Drake to be able to watch the plane land and see Dan get off it. Dan was dreaming of Drake running up to him and giving him a big hug. Drake watched Dan's plane land and watched for him to step off. My Dad held Drake by the door and when Dan walked in Drake ran towards him, then at he stopped looked at him and ran towards me. We finally got him to give Dan a hug and then he was attached to his Daddy.
My dad and Drake waiting
Drake watching the plane land
Waiting for Dan to exit
There he is getting off
Drake giving Daddy a hug



Since Dan's birthday was the day before his return we had a birthday party for him. We made a cake and opened presents. For the next two weeks we stayed at Angies house and enjoyed being together as a family once again. Dan brought back a uniform for Drake and Drake loved it. Drake would put it on every morning to go outside to play. They looked so good in their matching uniforms. One day Drake had been outside playing and came back in the house wanting his bottle. He happened to have two bottles each half full one with milk and one with juice. He fell asleep on the floor under the bar with two empty bottles wearing the uniform. I think with he had a bit too much to drink. One day we headed up to Snow Canyon and took some great pictures. It was a little sad that it was raining so no hiking, but it was really beautiful. I had forgotten the beauty of the red rocks backed by the gray sky. Sadly we had to return to SLC and leave behind the warm and sunshine. Good thing I have such cute boys to get me through the following three weeks of Dan being gone again. We can't wait for him to be back for good!!
Drake 'lighting' the cake
Testing out the gifts
Matching uniforms
Passed out like so many before him
Snow Canyon

My guys
Two of the cutest boys around