In Mourning

For Fall.  Oh how I will miss it.  I am not ready for this dreary, rainy, cold weather.  We have had such lovely, warm sunshine for almost two months.  It almost felt like we got to extend summer fun for just a little bit.  Mother Nature was so good to us, so I really can't complain, but I am never ready to let it go.  I love the leaves and the sun with cool breezes.  But alas, we must say goodbye.  Luckily we did get to get out and enjoy the beauty of the earth during this most wonderful season...

Hiking up Santaquin Canyon with Grandma & Grandpa while Dad was gone hunting:

Hiking up Diamond Fork WITH Daddy:

 

Goodbye Autumn.  We grieve and await your return.  :(

Still Growing Strong

Last week this is what my garden looked like:

And it was still producing:

And now, what to do with ALL this:

Don't get me wrong, I do LOVE having a garden, but I think I need to work on a little variety next year.  We have been eating squash and zucchini way too much lately.  And since I'm the only one who eats tomatoes, that is getting old too.  (Although I did find a really yummy zucchini soup recipe that I have made several times and even my kids eat it.)  We did have ONE cantaloupe that I babied all summer, and then it got plucked by one un-named two year old and left on the lawn too long. :(

But I am already excited for next year - any tips for not having my beans and peas die?  Oh, and I think I will plant lots of pumpkins.  Those are fun.

The end of a tradition?

So ever since Corbin was ONE, we have been going to this place called HEE HAWS every fall. It is your typical fall festival/pumpkin gathering type place and I have always thought it to be a fun family outing until . . . (a) for the second year in a row, I felt sorry for the penned up animals (and I don't even like animals that much) and (b) all of my kids were wheezing, hacking and having crappy allergies all night long after. So that night I am thinking - why would I take my poor asthmatic/allergic-to-everything kids to a place with hay and dust and animals? Who knows. But I will probably forget by next year and take them again anyway. And we did have a dang good time despite it all.

The. Coolest. Museum. Ever.

Well, besides The Met.  But for kids, The OMSI is definitely the best we've ever seen.   It was actually fun for kids and adults alike.  They had a huge exhibit on Einstein and I really learned alot, and of course, the kids loved it.  Every ten feet there was another interactive exhibit or activity to keep them entertained and learning.

 


Really, the pictures don't do it justice.  And as always, of course I have like 100 pictures of the place, but you'll just have to trust me.  If you are ever in Portland, or anywhere close, you should go there.  It's worth it.  And while you're in Portland, you should visit The Deli Barn (2410 SE 182nd Ave), which is owned by our hosts for the day, Grandma Barbie and Grandpa Bob.  Yummy food, made fresh while you wait.  You can also play the lottery and Keno, if you're into that kind of thing. :)

 

And we also had dinner at the yummiest Seafood place ever - Salty's, right on the Wallamette River.  Great food, awesome view.  And I was so proud of my boys for being so good in such a fancy restaurant. 

Thank you Grandma Barbie and Bob for such a wonderful day! We are so spoiled! And so lucky to have you!

The Oregon Coast

On our trip to Oregon, we got to go to the coast for just a day with my cousin and her kids.  Cannon Beach was beautiful. fun. new. breathtaking. so worth it.