Act 8; Scene 2: Some Spooktacular Happenings! And costume hints!

It's that time again!

Though I've been terrible at blogging, I have to at least get a few October blogs up!

This was actually the end of September, but we took a trek to Silver lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Pretty, and cold!

The kids love hiking!

And on the first day of October, we made pumpkin pancakes with ghost toppers! Well...we attempted the ghost toppers!

After a few interesting attempts at ghost toppers, we moved on to jack-o-lantern pancakes

The next day we tried our hand at spider web and candy corn pizzas for family night. 

Everyone around here loves pizza!

For family night, we talked about how the Holy Ghost is a comforter. So we made "apple blankets," because the holy ghost can feel just like being wrapped in a warm blanket.

Enjoying the apple blanket!

All three kids in the bath, and loving it!

We had some friends over for Halloween sugar cookie decorating.

Tommy's epic pile of sprinkles

Scarlet never does eat her cookies. She just likes the candy. And licks off the frosting.

JJ loving her cookie crumbs and cheerios

Tyson

Sawyer

The rest of the cookies that I decorated for Young Women!

We're trying to enjoy the fall while keepin' it real, here. 

Even though I think most people already know our Halloween costumes (thanks, excited children!), I still have to do some hints!

COSTUME HINT #1: We come from a royal line.

Happy Haunting!

Act 8; Scene 1: A Family Birthday

Wow. It's been almost 9 months since I've posted.

All I can say is, it's been a crazy 9 months. I feel like I haven't been able to catch up this whole time. But today, it is time to start a new chapter on this blog, because we recently celebrated our family's 7 year anniversary! So I will attempt to update you on the last 9 months (and the rest of that year!) in pictures.

But let's start with this, our new tradition: a family birthday celebration on our anniversary!

BLTs for dinner!

7 balloons for 7 years! The kids each got to pick one :-)

We created our own pin-the-angel-Moroni-on-the-temple game

We watched our wedding video

We even ordered a special birthday cake from Kneader's. They did a great job decorating it like a sunflower!

Tommy was the most excited about the cake.

What a fun tradition. We will be having awesome family birthday parties every anniversary from now on! 

And here is for a run-down of the past 9 months in our family!

Princess Scarlet...er...Elsa...in her birthday gift outfit

I am Woman!!!

Daddy's girl

Scarlet turns 2

                                      

Josie celebrated her one month birthday in the PICU at Primary Children's with RSV

Astronaut mask!

Almost ready to go home--going through recovery!

All the girls! JJ just home from the hospital

Scarlet's first haircut

Josie turns 2 months old!

JJ is blessed....fuzzy pictures! So sad!

Another fun Broadway Bound season is complete!

Tommy making a basket in Itty Bitty Ball

Annual hot dog and marshmallow roast!

Preschool fossil-making

A T Rex tooth!

At Kristen's wedding

Curly hair for the first time!

Me as Lucy Meserve in The American Prophet--a PBS special about Joseph Smith

The makeup lights make my face so shiny!!!

                                               

Scarlet becomes obsessed with "twirly dresses"

Our trip to Goblin Valley and Arches

Petting Zoo at Hole in the Rock

Giant horns!!!

White buffalo

We spent a lot of time playing in the car on this trip, since JJ HATED to be outside, and Scarlet tired out quickly

How JJ felt about the trip...

                                                   

Robert gets a new iPhone for his birthday!

Annual Northlake Easter Egg hunt!

Visit to Great Grandpa's

Aggie ice cream in Logan for Dad's birthday

4 months old on Easter Sunday

Easter

Daddy's girl--again!

Luke's birthday Reese's cupcakes

Family picture time

The Tulip Festival

She had to touch every leaf...

                                                 

Volunteer Day at the Aquarium--we got 50% off!

Swimming penguins!

Dinosaur Land! The wall of Dinosaur Bones

Exploring Dinosaur National Park

Summer backyard picnic!

Girls night out during Father's and Sons campout

Tommy's first Father's and Sons

Cystic Fibrosis Walk

Uncle Sam's wedding!

Cute kiddos

We try again with bottle type #4 to get JJ to take to it...with minimal to no success

Volunteering at This is the Place

The Utah Valley 10K

Kids' race

Go Tommy!

Tommy wanted to get me flowers when I was sick

Me ALL DAY after the 10K. Yuck!

Trip to WA for Ellen's baptism and Lawton's blessing

Celebrating Father's Day in Moses Lake

Our view of the coast from the house on the Bluff in Port Angeles, WA

Hurricane Ridge

Hiking Hurricane Ridge

Hoh Rainforest

Finding Star Fish in tide pools at La Push beach

JJ pretty much hated the ocean at this point

Feeding a buffalo!

The Dungeness Spit

Collecting shells

Graduation from online preschool

Playing "hide the egg" in the Rich home

My Pioneer babies!!!

Treasure Map Cake

Tommy's pirate birthday party!

The Fourth of July

The glow sticks were a big hit!

American Fork Steele Days Carnival

On the Ferris Wheel

JJ sleeping in the pioneer cradle at the Andrus Inn

Date to The Baked Bear--homemade ice cream sandwiches!

Daddy Daughter Date

Mommy Tommy date

Date to the MoTab Pioneer Day Concert with Luke and Amber

Pioneer Scarlet playing with her "Cinderella" doll at the Rich Home

She's ready for this picnic!

Date Night in the Rakuten Suite at the Real Salt Lake Soccer game!

Pioneer Day Temple to Temple 5k

Checking out the new bike path behind our house

Safari Sunday!

Australia Library Project

Luke and Amber get hitched!

Love Dad's photo bomb

Tommy's eyes were stinging from the onions I was cutting, so he put his goggles on while helping me slice cucumbers for pickles!

Finished product

Camping trip to Bear Lake

More shell collecting...our porch is covered with shells!

Check out Scarlet's frisbee action!

Tommy's dinner request!

Oops...this was from our WA trip. Scarlet looking for boats

 

2nd dentist trip

1st dentist trip

Twinner friends at the farm

What a great picture to end on!

 We're excited for the next chapter in our lives!

Happy August!