Things I Love About October

1. That crisp smell of fall in the air

2. Corn stalks on the porch

3. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup...you get the idea!



4. It's now okay to openly listen to Christmas music and watch White Christmas because the holidays are coming!

Underwear

I don't know what it is about Hyrum's underwear, but Lulu loves it. Whenever I am folding laundry it is the first thing she goes for in the basket. And she loves searching through his dresser drawers to find the perfect pair to play with. I just need to make sure all the ones she finds are CLEAN!

Laundry basket: $6
ALL liquid laundry soap: $11
Thomas the Tank toddler underwear: $3

tormenting your kids: PRICELESS

Hyrum's Birthday Blog

So I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with my life lately and keeping up with everything I am doing. Checking out everyone else's blogs just makes me have more guilt because I see all the great things you all are doing-including blogging which I have been so bad about the last two months! So for all you overachievers out there - you know who you are - Quit making me look bad!

We had a fun birthday celebration for Hyrum this month. I can't believe my baby boy is 3 years old. He is obsessed with the color orange and wanted an orange party for his special day. So he wore his favorite orange shirt and we had orange cupcakes, orange plates and orange streamers.




Having a birthday lunch with Grandma and Grandpa at "the place with the balloons" as he calls it (Red Robin).


Checking out his new "orange motorcycle" he got for his big day



I had to post this funny picture of Gabriella's nose. There was no blood, but a bandaid and kiss from mom always makes the ouchies feel better.

First time Fishing

We wanted to do something memorable with the kids while Doug's parents were visiting this weekend. It was 100 degrees outside, so we headed up the mountain to a family owned trout farm for some good old fishing. Well, I guess it isn't the first time fishing because we did some of that while camping up at Beaver this year, but never caught anything. There are several ponds to fish and a large picnic area for playing-which we didn't use because it was still too hot for the littles to sit in the sun long. We walked all around the ponds through the forested paths and watched the fish swimming throughout. It was exciting for the kids until we got out the worms. Both refused to touch them, even though they LOVE worms while we garden and weed the yard.
Patience is not something a four and two year old have much of, so catching a fish on the first cast was PERFECT. Reeling in the fish was so magical. Until it started thrashing and splashing out of the water. Gabby and Hyrum seriously screamed and ran in the complete opposite direction. Gabriella finally got up the courage to hold the line for a photo and rub the scales. That is until she saw "BLOOD IN THE FISH BUCKET!" I guess we didn't fully explain what we do with the fish. Hmmm....well, she knows now that their heads are gone! Hyrum had his turn catching one too, but was too scared to do anything once the fish was on the line. Maybe in a few years they won't be so chicken!







Some other fun things we've been doing the last few weeks:
Lewisville Park






Clark County Fair

Green Beans Galore!

One of the most gratifying things to do is garden. It is so wonderful to be able to cook or bake something homegrown. I let the kids help me this year by planting the seedlings and they have enjoyed watching the plants grown in our little box. Their favorite thing to do is harvest.



Gabriella LOVES green beans, so she was pretty proud of all her picking. There is also the first of our cherry tomatoes in that pile. It is so cute when Hyrum comes in with tomato seeds all over his shirt from snacking while they play outside.



Gabby took this photo of her "special" green beans. I like it.

Photo Update

I feel like we have been going going all summer long and before I know it the sunshine will be gone. I haven't posted in FOREVER, so here is the photo update.


We love summer hiking and chose a short one to break the kids in easy.


Here is Lulu living it up in her private chauffeur around Round Lake


Hyrum playing in the sand while on one of our many outings to Vancouver Lake

Smile girls!


LaurieAnn loved the pool


Gabby ready for a LOUD 4th of July party!



Sisters and our babies awaiting the neighborhood fireworks display



Last weekend we camped up the Columbia River Gorge at a favorite place near Wind River. The Hills joined us for dutch oven dinners, fishing, roasting mallows, and relaxing by the fire.



Hyrum trying out fishing for the first time



Not quite the kind of bike that Daddy wants but the kids loved it! Thanks for sharing it with us Porter and MaryLeigh!



Throwing rocks on our hike to Wahclella Falls


The pictures don't even do this waterfall justice. It is a gorgeous 2 mile loop hike near Multnomah Falls.


The kids were fabulous hikers. A few bridges and throwing rocks made it an adventure for them



Okay, so I just dubbed the shirt in this photo my hiking shirt. I was looking at some old photos and I am wearing this Columbia Sportswear shirt in virtually all our hikes. Dorky I know, but you have to go with what is comfortable, right?

Anyway, more to come on my blog, but for now BYE!