Luke's Cape

For weeks, Luke has gone back and forth trying to decide what he wants to be for Halloween.

When he decided he wanted to be Darth Vader, Grandma offered to make him a cape.

When she told Luke she was going to start making his cape, Luke immediately started drawing up plans of his own.He brought grandma tiny little drawings of what he expected his cape to look like. When he presented his instructions to grandma. His instructions were filled with buttons and holes and all kinds of intricate designs.

Grandma was extremely impressed with Luke's design, but told him it was too hard for her to make and so she was just going to make him a simple, black cape.

When the cape was finished, I, excitedly approached Luke and told him how cool I thought his cape was.

He said, somewhat disappointed, "Yeah, I know, but she didn't follow my instructions!"

The next thing I know, he's upstairs, cutting fabric, gluing buttons, cutting holes, adding rope, etc.

So, this is Luke's cape...he designed it himself, and followed his own instructions! It's a little too small to wear, but he is so proud of it!

Just the Two of Us

For our birthdays, Devon's parents watched the kids while we took off to sunny, warm, St. George.

It's funny how dramatically life changes after having kids. Looking back, it's hard to remember what we talked about or did together before having them.

This weekend away was much needed and it was good to experience being just the two of us again.

It's surprising how much you can do when you're not towing around three little ones with you everywhere you go.

• We saw two movies
• Were able to eat out without feeling rushed to hurry and finish before the kids started getting restless. It's amazing how much greater the food tastes when you actually get to chew AND swallow.
• Shop. Oh, how I miss shopping. Shopping is not the same when you are looking for little ones hiding in the clothes racks, chasing them down the isles, or wrestling with one in your arms while you try to pay the bill.
• Hold hands.
• Stay up late and watch movies without feeling worried about being woken up during the middle of the night.
• Sleep in
• Shower without being interrupted by screaming/fighting children and having to negotiate with them to get along while washing my hair.
• Quiet car rides.

Needless to say, we had a great time together...but we really missed the kids and were anxious to get home to see them!

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Goodbye Summer, Hello Winter

Goodbye warm, summer mornings at the park...

Hello 32 degrees and hot chocolate...
Goodbye flip flops, barefeet, shorts, and playing with the hose and mud in the backyard...

Hello, snow, winter coats, sweatshirts, long pants, socks and close-toed shoes...


Goodbye beach {{oh, wait. we already said goodbye to that}}, suntans, and air conditioning...

Hello, heated indoor pools, snowballs, snowmen, rosy cheeks and noses, and extra blankets...

Goodbye popsicles, green leaves, bright flowers, blue skies, and bicycles...

Hello, bare trees, runny noses, fireplaces, slippery roads, and snow sleds.

Bug Catchin' and Smores!

Taylors teacher, Mrs. Clark, invited all of the families from her class out to her parents home in New Harmony for a cookout and to catch bugs.

Mrs. Clark's dad is a bug scientist and loves to teach the kids about bugs. Of course, I had nothing to do with the bugs, but had fun watching the kids catch them.

It was so much fun meeting the other families from Taylors class and getting to know her teacher. In San Diego, we would have never experienced a teacher inviting us over to her house for a cookout...I love it!

Boys Will Be Boys

Have you ever heard the saying: "Life is not measured by the breaths you take, rather the moments that take your breath away."

This picture definitely demonstrates one of those moments that takes my breath away.

In that brief,breathless moment, I am grateful I have no neighbors within eye sight to judge me for letting my kids run around like this. At the same time, I am thinking..."you know you're a red neck when...(you can finish the sentence)."
Ay-yay-yay!

So You Want to be a Helicopter Pilot?

Uncle Curtis, next door, is a Helicopter pilot. He recently flew his helicopter back from Mexico and before cleaning it up and flying it back to the hangar, he let the kids take a look and hang out in the cock pit.
Obviously, Luke and Blake LOVED it!
It's not every day you get to hang out in a helicopter for fun! Cool, huh?
Thanks Uncle Curtis!

The River

We have been exploring the outdoors and finding new and different things to do here in Southern Utah.

Our most recent adventure was driving up the canyon and stopping by the river to throw rocks.

Some of the highlights were:

• Running water always makes you have to pee
• Clay, when wet, is very slippery and does not wash out of clothes well
• Devon insisting on digging up a very huge rock because he just "had to take it home"
• Thank goodness for crocks!
• Don't let the kids use the camera to take pictures, it always ends in disaster!
• There's nothing like bonding as a family while throwing rocks in the river