Halloween Sneak Peak

We are so excited that Halloween is almost here! Today the kiddies got dressed up for the first of many appearances this weekend as their new spooky personas...

Superkid is a Skeleton Pirate and Tadpole is a ferocious Shark. When I first told Superkid what Tad's costume would be his comment was, "Argh! That Shark will bite my boat!"

And Abizella says, "I'm a HA! HA! HA! Witch!"

Apples

I consider the first 3 Autumns that I lived in New England a complete waste. I didn't even know what I was missing out on until I was on maternity leave with Superkid and Sandy (who was our upstairs neighbor at the time) brought down a GIANT bowl of various freshly picked apples from a recent picking excursion. I casually grabbed an apple to munch on one afternoon and it all came crashing down on me. I had NEVER tasted ANYTHING that divine before. Well, I have not missed out on an apple picking season since.

The first trip I went on was with a more experienced apple picker then myself (my friend LIS-ER). We strapped our super huge 1-year old babies onto our backs and headed out with 2-20 lb. bags each for about a 2 mile hike up the road. Let's just say we didn't think out the trip as well as we thought. LIS-ER had to run and fetch the car while I waited in the orchard with 50 lbs of kids and 80 lbs of apples. In those early years we just wandered through the orchard munching on any variety of apple and tossing the goodies into the bags. I remember overhearing some more experienced pickers once turning their noses up and walking out the farm stand door when a farmer/cashier told them that there wasn't a certain variety of apple to pick. I shook my head in pity for the fools because there were so many delicious apples to eat out there. That was before I tasted my first Honey Crisp. Now, I am a slave to these sweet globes of ecstasy. I start stalking my favorite haunts in early September waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Sadly, this year, my favorite place did not have a good crop of Honey Crisps. Booo! This has forced me and the troops to branch out and try some new places.

Holly was on the task. She found this spectacular orchard for the wealthy ($2.50/lb! + $8/person entry!) ...but I have to say, it was actually worth it (especially since Holly treated!). We took a fancy Choo Choo ride out to the orchard through a tunnel of grape vines that spanned at least two miles and smelled like heaven. 

And how 'bout them apples? They were ENORMOUS (lots of rain this year)! Abz is here munching on a Jonagold. 

This is the first time I have ever gone apple picking and ate only ONE apple! I walked away with a ten pound bag with 10 apples... they were spectacular... but they were not Honey Crisps.

But there was plenty of fun stuff to do and Superkid and Abizella were all about getting our money's worth...

The sweetest apples came from this tree...

We tried again, this time heading North instead of West. We were deceived, not only did they not have Honey Crisps or Jonagold's...they basically only had Macs. Boooo! But it was still all worth it to see the youngins work the orchard. Abizella, who will have NOTHING to do with blueberry picking, was our most attentive apple picker.

Tadpole was good at scope out the low lying "goodies" ...

And we took home quite the haul...

And a pumpkin or two as well...

Okay, so next to apple crisp, the best way to eat apples has got to be smothered with caramel. I saw this idea in a magazine where you use a melon baller to scoop out little mini apples to dip. Genius! Not only are the treats easier (and less messy) to eat for the weee little ones, but if you are into a high caramel to apple ratio (like I am!) this treat is for you!

And the toppings are really the best part...

Halloween Goodness

Party Weekend

The birthday festivities began with BOWLING MANIA! Imagine 10 kids hucking bowling balls as fast as they can sometimes two or three at a time (bowling pins or not, it mattereth very little to this crowd).

And here is Superkid tapping his little head trying to think of the BEST wish EVER! 

think.. think... think...

For me, it is ALL about the ICING! Mmmmm!

Everyone helped with the decorating...

Abizella and Boo REALLy enjoyed "Heavy Heavy Hang Over"...

(notice Boo's stripey buns!)

Superkid took the "bumping" into his own hands...

And here are Superkid's ever loyal Birthday Party go-ers (and Goobs too... how did you dodge the camera?)

And my favorite moment, Superkid hugging the computer monitor, where Grandma was teleconferencing, after opening her gift.

5!

5 years ago today, our lives changed forever. Thank-you for the BEST five years of our lives!

Love, Mom and Dad

Locomotive Diversity

While I was chatting on the phone with my friend, who's name has been withheld to protect her dignity, who was tooling around the Target on a "Jazzy"...

Who should come ROARING up in my driveway on their brand new PURPLE HARLEY?...

Who says my friends are homogenous?!!!

3 Pronged Attack

When Superkid was a baby I fed him with one spoon, and it seemed to work well enough. Abizella required 2 spoons, one for her busy little hands and one for me to shovel it in. Tadpole requires 3 spoons (the "3 Pronged Attack"). 1 for each of his busy little hands and one for me to shovel. The truth is, it takes upwards of 10 spoons so he has plenty to drop and say, "Oh! Oh!".

And as long as we are talking about Tadpole talking... here are a list of some of my favorite things he says...

"Choo Choo!" whenever he hears the train (12 times a day) or when Thomas the Train is on T.V.

Shoes "Shuz"! Whenever he is ready to go outside, pronounced "Ousside"

and "Yeezus" for the picture of Jesus by his bed that he likes to curl up with at night...

Of course, curling up with un-snuggly objects in not unusual at our house...

Welcome Welcome Conference Morning

All of the great traditions involve food...

And snuggling...

Family and Friends

One of the best parts of going back to Utah is getting to be with my family and friends that I don't normally get to see. Because there were so many events going on, I really got to take in a lot. I wish I were better at snapping pics. Before I flew out there I saw some pics on Brian and Melissa's web site of some of my cousin's kids that I haven't seen in 10 years. Honestly, I would not be able to pick them out on the street. It breaks my heart not to know them better. But I did LOVE getting to see my Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and their kids (and how much they look alike!) while I was there.

Here is my favorite Uncle David meeting Little Tadpole. Everyone should have a cool Uncle Dave!

And his wife, my mom's sister, Aunt Carolyn

Aunt Val and Cousin Angie (Adah, you remember her from the swinging singles ward).

Uncle Dan and Aunt Louise (My Mom's sister)

My Mom, Cousin Lisa and her Daughter Sophie

Aunt Nelda and Aunt Zella (ever wonder where Abizella comes from?)

Cousin Suzy, her daughter Sierra and little K-Man (Nersey's son)

Cousin Julie, Aunt Zella Jean (like I said, ever wonder where Abizella comes from?) and Julie's daughters Mylie, and 2 more I forgot their names, doh! (rescue me Mindurs!) ...and another not shown.

I LOVED seeing old friends too! 

Here is Sarah and her new baby twins Oakley and Ashley!!!!

...and Jupawsly's daughter P.J. (How did I not get a picture of Jupaws, and Mel?)

...and my high school and Rusky friend Wendy. When we were in Russia the longest we were EVER separated was 8 hours, and it was a total accident. It is hard to believe I have only seen her twice in 7 years!

Crossing enemy territory.... (Warning: The following contains graphic displays of BYU loyalty. In the interest protecting those of you with delicate U of U sensibilities, I recommend closing this website now).

Mr. BYU  Prof. himself and his lovely wife Melonius and Superkid and Abizella's long lost friends Cuddles and EZ. (At least they had the decency of leaving their "true colors" behind the Zion Curtain)

And Jeff, Delise and Co. on their way behind the Zion Curtain for a game. Thanks for making us a part of the day's festivities.

And a BIG Treat! The George's were visiting in Utah too! The way Superkid hugged Sandy in the parking lot of Thanksgiving Point you would have thought he found his long lost mother. 

And it was PJ's 1st birthday!!! Thanks for celebrating with us!