Traditional Halloween Post

I know that not everybody cares what we dressed up as for Halloween, however, certain members of our family happened to fall ill during the Halloween season and did not get a chance to see how cute we all were, so here are some reasons why you should care:



1)Look how dang cute that pirate is. . . doesn't he make you WANT to give him your booty!










2) As per a previous post, you can see the tensile strength of Lucy's hair. This time however it is utilized for her costume.









3) I have no tooth. I mean, c'mon-that's pretty cool. By the way, it was really gone.







And of course, let's not forget. . .
4) Royal looks oh so hot in his Evel Knievil suit. Vrrooooom!

It's Autumn Time, the leaves are falling down

I love fall! We visited my parents in Logan and were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Logan Canyon. I found my old camera from my photography class and though it was quite outdated (i.e. not digital) I took some pictures and scanned them in to share.
There is something so reminiscent about the smell of fallen leaves. It's musty and earthy, and makes me feel like I should be in boots and a turtleneck sweater, strolling somewhere by a lake. I have always loved the "crisp, but not too cold" ambiance that autumn provides. Perhaps it is the anticipation of the upcoming holidays, or just the feeling of the earth rolling back the covers for winter.
I just had to bring Lucy and Grant to the canyon where I gained an appreciation for this time of year. I have a lot of memories of hiking, climbing and campfires in these hills.
I hope that my children will grow to appreciate being outside and enjoying how beautiful this earth is. Especially when it is garnished with vibrant oranges, reds and yellows. It seems that I always want to take family pictures when there is a backdrop of fall trees to spice it up. I am grateful to be in an area that allows me to enjoy it every year!

Arches You Glad to See us--Ha!

There's a story here: During our courtship, Royal wooed me with the promise of taking me to Moab and Arches since I had never been before. Fast-forward 4+ years; 3 trips planned to go, zero successful. Until recently, that is, for I was able to cross another item off my bucket list and took my little family to Moab--which, by the way, is the city of Royal's birth.

We went with our friends the Custers in their fabulous Honda Odyssey which has single-handedly influenced my opinion of minivans and the spaciousness that they provide.

Lucy did a great job with the hiking, whenever she wasn't playing in the sand. The area had this super-fine, flour-like sand that the kids just went crazy for. The video below shows a fun sand canyon we found. Grant was an exceptional trooper in his blue Snugli attached to Royal; watching the scenes as we passed them.

If you have never gone, I really recommend it. Even if you get the 2 two-year old, 1 four-year old, and six-month infant version of it all. By the end, the kids didn't have the same dedication to the hikes as we did, but it was definitely worth it. Besides, how can you resist a good ole' family road trip?

Salon Royale

Royal is amazing. He is very creative when it comes to doing Lucy's hair, and also very precise. This day, thanks to some strategically placed hair elastics, he was able to defy gravity with this 'do. Here she is telling us which beds it is okay to jump on (because you have to set SOME guidelines after all!)

Word to your Mother, Literally

I ran across this video and bust a gut laughing. I don't have the minivan yet, but can still appreciate the essence of the video. Enjoy if you haven't yet- The Swagger Wagon.

Look at me--I'm Mormon-y!

I am happy to announce that I am unemployed! I understand that most people would not be so enthused about this type of announcement, but I am thrilled to join the ranks of Mormon moms (Mor-moms) as a stay at home mom. To celebrate, I mopped the floor on my hands and knees and vacuumed wearing pearls and high heels.

Although it was pretty hard to give up the job as the pregnant P.E. teacher, I decided to let my legacy live on in the lives of the children I bossed around for 4 years. And, thanks to 2 of my former employers, I have some work opportunities that I can do at home to help bridge the gap.

Which leads me to my insight of this whole blog. When we were deciding if I would be teaching again this year, I would talk about it with fellow Mor-moms and neighbors. They always give those "It's a tough choice" comments, knowing that it is a personal decision each family has to make. However, as soon as we decided that I would stay home with our two darlings, I heard, "You made the right choice." We have really only been blessed because of it, and I am so happy to be here and now in this new adventure.

Bless this Little Guy!

We blessed Grant at the beginning of June, but I wanted to get some pictures of him in his white suit posted. I think he happens to look pretty darn cute. Even though we didn't wear the hat for the blessing, he definitely pulls it off in this Oliver-esque pose! A special shout-out to Mamu Robins for getting him decked out so super fly.