October 2014

My mom and I went to a local farm to pick up some pumpkins and yummy squash. We found out they still had raspberries and they just hand you a container to go out and pick them. Eli had a blast.

On 10/4/14 we flew to Disneyland for the Utah vs UCLA game. Hall saw this rotary phone and didn’t have a clue what it was or how you use it.

As we ate breakfast that morning, we let the kids in on a little secret. I’m pregnant. I was only 5.5 weeks, but I’m the roller coaster and thrill ride girl, and Halle knows I’ll go on anything pretty much any amount of times with her. Jared can only handle once, maybe twice. So, she would be confused as to why I wasn’t riding a whole lot. We also told Jared’s family for the same reason. I had told my mom the very day I got the positive pregnancy test, so at least she already knew. The kids were pretty excited.

I downloaded a free charades type game on my phone to pass the time in lines.

This is pretty much the only fast ride I went on. I figured it’s just like a normal seatbelt and doesn’t go any faster than the car I was in to get from the airport to the hotel.

I’m guessing Utah won the game.

We had a character dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen. We don’t do the character meals too often because they are pricey, and the kids are kind of over the characters since we go a lot. They were thrilled to see the characters, and that was good.

Minnie forgot she already came by our table, so we got another picture.

We let them know Eli’s birthday was coming up, so they brought him a special pin, cupcake, and sang to him.

Jared is looking over to see what Eli thinks of Tower of Terror.

We have never seen Oswald at the parks, so it was REALLY cool. Nobody seemed to know who he was, so there was no line. He’s one of the very first characters Walt Disney created. He was owned by Universal Studios, where Walt was working at the time of creation. Walt and his colleague were separated from the Oswald project and secretly created a replacement character, Mickey Mouse. In 2006 Oswald was returned to the Disney company through a trade where sportscaster Al Michaels was let out of his ABC/ESPN contract and allowed to work for NBC (Universal). I think it’s all very interesting, but maybe nobody else cares. Moving on…

In these pictures you can see Jared with Halle, then Aunt Janene with Liam, and Grandma Joan with Eli on the Gadget Go-Coaster.

Jared wouldn’t let me go on the Roger Rabbit ride and this is me looking pathetic all by myself.

Halle thought it was pretty funny that she looks like she’s smelling her armpits.

We headed back to the hotel for a small nap and change of clothes for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party which Jess graciously offered to pay for everyone to attend. This is where you get in a costume and go trick or treating in Disneyland. Generally the lines are supposed to be shorter because less people are there. I’m pretty sure it was crazier that night than it was any other day. When we went in Disney World many years before it was quite magical. There weren’t lines for the characters (who were also dressed in costumes), and no lines for rides. Disneyland apparently didn’t limit their ticket sales enough.

I didn’t weigh our loot, but it was significant. I didn’t buy Halloween candy to give out, and just gave out this stuff. We STILL had extras which I sent with Halle to school on her pretend birthday celebration (since she has a summer birthday they pick a different day during the year). Her classmates consumed it all. Hallelujah.

Getting home from vacation requires naps. Love this snuggle bug who always insists he’s not sleepy.

We visited the new aquarium. Eli loved the penguins.

On 10/24 Eli celebrated his 4th birthday with friends. I took them to Gymcats open gym, then back to the house for cookies from the Sweet Tooth Fairy.

That night Joan took the kids bowling.

We got to dog sit for Jess and Joan. That’s Dash on the left with the black ears. He’s also an Italian Greyhound.

This is me with all three puppies – Patch, Dash, and Morrie. Sleeping at night in our bed was not pleasant.

Dash with Halle.

Another big football game, but I have no idea who we were against.

Jared and Jess went to NYC for business.

Good thing Jared was with Jess while he slept on the subway full of people that could easily steal anything off of him!

Macarons!!! I made Jared take a picture to prove that he hadn’t yet dropped, smashed, or barely cracked my macarons. Last time he went to NYC they made it all the way into the garage where he proceeded to drop them on the ground. They still taste the same, but it’s just not quite right when the beautiful shiny crusty outside is cracked before you even bite into it! Macarons I do not share. I hide them in the pantry from all family and friends, and eat them in 1-2 days by myself.

Finally time for Halloween.

September 2014

I tried a new hairdo since I knew we were going to Disneyland October. It stayed for maybe 10 minutes, so I decided it wasn’t the best hairdo for all day on rides, but it was super cute.

Halle had a mini drama play at school. She was the chief and this poor kid had to be her stool. She was pretty embarrassed to sit on someone and tried her best to put most of her weight on her legs.
Eli got stung at one of Halle’s soccer games. His foot puffed up so huge and it was super warm, but he didn’t seem to have any other bad reaction.

On September 6 Eli had his first soccer game. He was so excited! Watching three year olds play soccer is hilarious. I was cackling almost the entire time.

See how the majority of the kids are on the ground? That’s how they spent half the game. They’d trip over each other, over the ball, over their own feet. Eli did score a few times and was so excited!
Then it was off to a football game. A guy we tailgate with totally photo bombed this cute picture.
Sleeping kids are cute.

One Sunday instead of going to Stake Conference we hiked to Stewart Falls. We figured it was perfect family time enjoying the beautiful outdoors. The leaves were already changing up in the mountains and it was just gorgeous.


The hike was about twice as long as I expected. I had found it searching for kid-friendly hikes. And while it was beautiful and we had fun, it was a bit too long for the kids. And Eli ended up being a big sick. He fell asleep on Jared, and he was such a great dad to carry him for the hike back.
Not only did Eli not feel well, but then he ended up having pink eye, which was obvious by that night. We took him to the doctor and the poor kid also had a double ear infection!
For Family Home Evening we had an activity where we each had a specific job to make these delicious chocolate pudding dirt cups. We tied this into family and chores. We each have to do our part within our home. If we didn’t do each of our jobs right for the dessert, it wouldn’t have tasted so fantastic. If we don’t do our part in our home then our family feels more contentious and our home isn’t a place of peace and love.

Eli fell asleep while I read a book. I love sleeping with a butt in my face.

We have a lot of rainbows in September. This was one of many.
Halle had a game where it just poured rain. The girls pushed through it and I think was the best I’ve seen them play!

Another rainbow.

Rameses will find anything soft on the floor to lay on. You’d think he doesn’t have three beds in the house.

And one of the most exciting things was finishing our kitchen remodel!
Before:

During:

After:

The dogs were so happy to have the loud noises gone, and be free from the very enclosed space of their beds all day every day.
I was so happy to not be eating at our kitchen table over our couch/carpet. I tried to make real meals and rarely eat out, but feeding young kids pasta with red sauce, fruit that stains, and smoothies is very stressful. We really didn’t want to stain our couch and carpet. We ate outside when we could. We have SO much more counter space, and storage! I was so tired of having all of my cookie sheets and small appliances on my pantry floor. I absolutely despised the lazy susan where my pots and pans were stored. That corner between the sink and the stove top (they called the original a kitchen with a peninsula) was practically useless for dinner prep and always had junk on it since I couldn’t use it for any other purpose. I’m just thrilled and love my new appliances as well! We got an induction stove top, which I have LOVED. I’m so pleased with the end result.