Fall Festivals, Farm, and Foliage

Cheesy title, I know. I figure I better post about our latest goings on before all of the Halloween picture madness begins. I hope my kids don't look at this blog and think our life was just one big outing. I assure you there's been plenty of everyday life...you know...diapers, meals, dishes, homework, chores, playing with friends, laundry...the list goes on. None of that is very picture worthy though so here goes.

Jer has been working hard to build our shed the past few weeks, but he took a break to take the kids to Hardware Ranch for the Elk Festival. They had a good time. They did a bunch of stuff including shooting guns and bows, and it was free so you can't beat that. I enjoyed a few blissful hours of quiet while Ian was sleepng. I am the family photographer so no pictures were taken during that one!


Mandy and I have taken the boys to the American West Heritage Center the last two years, and they had a blast! This year it was even more fun, and we were practically the only people there.


Mandy took a ride on the train with the boys while I waited with Ian.



All sorts of hay to climb and jump in. At one point Jace was trying to help Seth up a big hay hill. "Lift with your legs" was my advice for him.

There was also a slide you slid down on gunny sacks. It went really fast and you slammed into hay at the bottom. I need to get the pics from Mandy, but I know I was pulling some crazy faces while I was going down with Seth. I'm pretty sure if that was anywhere else you'd have to sign a wavier and wear a helmet or something! We had the place to ourselves, so the kids did it a bunch of times.

This was what we got when we asked for pirate faces at the pirate hay maze.

My mom and I also headed out on a little expedition to The Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point. It was a long drive, but the kids had a blast. There were about 15 inflatables--slides, bounce houses, etc. and they climbed and jumped for hours. Seth was such a trooper and was by far the youngest kid going on the big slides. He wants to do whatever Luke does. He only needed help a couple of times. I had to join him in one that had this wall with ropes to climb and after I got in I couldn't really get out, so I had to continue and slide down the big slide at the end where all the parents were waiting for their kids. Luckily no one felt the need to catch me.

There were also a ton of carnival style games. Seth was so tired at this point he could barely keep his eyes open. It was such a warm day I was practically sweating--that does not happen in Cache Valley this time of year. We ate some Cafe Rio food under a tent in a wind storm and then headed home exhausted.

Ian was once again super baby and had some time to love on grandma while I chased the boys around.

Last Sunday afternoon we headed up the canyon after church, and it was such a beautiful day. Our kids love to hike, and we had a blast. We did the Limber Pine trail which is just a really easy nature walk, and it was so fun.

Luke was carrying bottled water and snacks for him and Seth. Seth also had to have a backpack but his was mostly empty with a few toys.

Seth was always lagging behind doing his own thing and shooting things with his stick gun.

Ian was just along for the ride taking it all in. Good times.