Farm Country

Here are some photos from a family visit to Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point back on Saturday, September 17, 2011.

We weren't sure that Evie would enjoy riding the horses, so we initially just put Anna on. But then Evie wanted her turn. We should have known that she wouldn't want to be left out.

Of course, then she didn't want to leave the horses. Oh the heartbreak!

Not my favorite picture, but I figure that we need some proof that I was around at some of these activities.

Preschool 2011

This year for preschool, Anna and I are doing a co-op with four other kids and their moms. They have preschool every Tuesday and Thursday and I get to teach every fifth week or so.

 The first day of preschool with Seth, Julianna, Rachel, Andrew, Anna, and Will (September 13).

We have a field trip about once a month. Our first field trip was to Bridal Veil Falls on September 29. Mostly we just let the kids run and explore.

Evie has enjoyed tagging along on our field trips. It's not too unusual for her to cry when I drop Anna off at preschool. Sometimes it's extra hard being little.

Rachel, Evie, Anna, Andrew, Seth, and Will

In October we went to an apple orchard for our field trip. We got to take a hayride around the trees that make up the bulk of their profitable crop. They also keep a cluster of Golden Delicious trees because I guess the blossoms attract bees and help encourage polination of the other trees. We got to pick apples from the Golden Delicious trees and then pay by the pound. It was so fun to pick apples that I couldn't stop. I think we ended up with seven pounds.

The cider making facilities. Unfortunately the apples were late this year so there was no cider to try.

Halloween 2011

I had hoped to carve pumpkins on Friday night, but instead found myself spending three hours trying to pick up my packet for the half marathon I ran on Saturday morning. With all the construction it took me about an hour to make it down to the University Mall in Provo. Then I stood in line for about an hour and a half before getting back in my car to drive another forty-five minutes home. The kids were pretty good sports about standing in line, especially when the couple behind me held my place so that I could go buy a pretzel and ice cream. I had thought picking up my packet would be a quick in and out, and then we'd go to Costco, so I hadn't brought any snacks. To add to the stress of it all, while I was holding Evie's hand, she decided to hang and then her arm started to slip out of socket again. I think it was the other arm, but I'm not sure anymore. As soon as she started to let out her wail that means she's in pain, I picked her up and pushed on her arm, hearing the crunch as it popped back into place. Then as we were almost to the packet pick up area, Anna totally disappeared on me. I had my eye on her as she played with a sculpture nearby, and then Evie blocked my view for a second and Anna was gone. Finally I found her holding the hand of a security guard.

By the time we made it home at 7:30 Friday night, we decided to just put them to bed after feeding them some late dinner.

Saturday didn't work out either for pumpkin carving and then on Sunday evening we went trick-or-treating at Grandma's, so that meant that we carved our pumpkins Monday afternoon.

Evie was supposed to be taking a nap while we carved our pumpkins, but for some reason she never actually fell asleep. About the time we finished pulling all the guts out of the large pumpkin, Evie's yells turned a little hysterical, so I got her up. I don't think Anna ever reached in a touched any of the pumpkin guts. She did try to use a spoon, but let me do most of it.

Anna recommended the square eyes and a silly mouth. She also decorated his nose while I went to get Evie out of bed.

We finished our pumpkins just in time to put on costumes and go trick-or-treating at Dad's office.

Evie refused to wear her hair, but she asked to wear the purple headband that came with her costume.

One of Dan's co-workers had a bowl full of Tootsie Pops sitting on a chair outside his office. When Anna saw them, she said with excitement, "Look Mom! It's like every day poop!" I think she was trying to express the idea that the Tootsie pops are just like the ones I reward her with when she goes poop on the potty. Of course, we laughed at her statement and so did the owner of the Tootsie Pops, and our laugher seemed to embarrass Anna a bit.

Monday was full of funny quotes from Anna. At one point she told me that I was "a bad parent." I guess I found it funny that she used the word parent, because she often tells me I'm a bad mommy. Then she got angry at me again when we were driving out of the Costco parking lot and said, "You are a sad little man." When I laughed at that, she said, "Stop your sillying, Mom!" But you know, if I don't laugh, I'll cry.

Evie's loves suckers most of all.

Trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. The weather was awesome and this year no one was sick.

One last picture at the end of the day with our Jack-o-lantern.

Thanksgiving 2010

For Thanksgiving, we flew to Southern California and spent the holiday with Dan's parents. The weather was in the sixties, which was well above the cool temperatures in Utah (I think it was in the teens and twenties while we were gone). We even took Anna to the beach Saturday morning before we left and let her wade in the water. She loved it and, of course, she also fell a couple times so that by the time we left, she was drenched and covered in sand. We also spent a lot of time with Grandpa and Sandy, playing in their home.

 Evie has learned to shut her eyes when she thinks I'm going to take a photo. I guess she doesn't like that flash. But I've learned to wait until she opens her eyes again and then I take her pic and probably zap her with the flash too.

 Grandpa sharing his ice cream with Evie

A Few More Halloween Photos