Playgroup

We have been having so much fun having a weekly playgroup with the cousins. Last year we weren't able to join in the fun because Sydney had preschool Tuesday mornings and the twins always took a morning naps. This week we decided to visit the witches at Gardner Village which I love doing every year. The sun was pretty bright so there are a lot of rather annoying shadows in the pictures but we had a lot of fun.



My sister-in-law Andrea is always so sweet to hold Natalie for me while I chase after the other one.

He's getting really fast. Somedays I'm so glad I only have one of them walking.

We stopped in the candy store and everyone got something sweet to eat.

Here's Sam, Sydney, and Drew on the pony ride. Ethan is below because I couldn't get a good picture with all four of the pony riders.

Wrong Number?

No...no one I know has died too recently, but do you occasionally get phone calls for someone else? Well I finally figured out who is trying to be reached every few months or so when I pick up the phone. Lake Hills Memorial Mortuary is (801) 566-1249. It's all starting to make sense. I thought it was another joke along the lines of "here's $5, Bishop. My dad says you're the poorest Bishop we've had in years." I'm just hoping it's not a subtle hint about where I'm heading any time soon. :)

A day at the park

I started work really early this morning, so after, I came up find Lisa relaxing after putting the twins to bed. Sydney and I headed to "big park" (West Jordan Park). It was a lot of fun. Despite getting out in the sun, slides, swings, and all that, my favorite part of 1:1 time with Sydney is her imagination. She accidentally stepped in some mud, shook it of, and went on to tell me about how baby dragon stepped in some mud yesterday and just kept playing anyway.

After an hour or so, she started into her latest nicknaming, calling me "Honky". I thought it was her name for Lisa, but I was Honky today and she was Prito. We went to Holiday for some slushies for our treat and headed home.

Cardboard Forts

We've been living the life of cardboard houses lately. Well, at least the kids. We saved the cardboard boxes from the playground equipment and have been forgetting about them downstairs in the basement. Here are a few fun shots.

Twin Lakes

The Twin Lakes hike was really pretty. It's definitely fall and the leaves are starting to change color. The clouds were out for the first hour and half, after which the sun came out and said "check out these colors!".

Lisa really has an eye for a great picture.

Sydney's just plain cute. The way she talks, walks, etc.

And I thought Silver Lake was pretty walking around. The view from above gives better perspective. Of course, Tanner was sleeping about this point. Another picture comes later with the sun out.

Twin Lakes was pretty cool, but definitely had been partially drained. You can see the sun starting to come out.

It was so warm before the sun hid in the clouds that I left my sweatshirt in the car. This is Lisa's kindness letting Darth Sydney wear hers.

Nanny's eyes just make you stop whatever you're doing. Sadly, her spitfire attitude and hilarious nature means you need to be on the guard. Here? Just sweetness.

Tanner has a history of not eating his lunch when we go hiking. He takes his share, stacks the crackers, walks around with crackers, then rubs them around in the dirt.

Another view of Darth Sydney. No red paint on the face.

Tanner had eaten all his mini M&Ms, so Sydney shared a few. After three or four, the hands went on the hips and no more M&Ms were allotted.

Isn't she the prettiest thing you've ever seen? Hey...stop checking out my wife!

This was funny. After I got her to stop for a picture, she said "take a picture with my eyes looking this way". She's got a mind for good pictures. Silly bug.

It was fun to hike down with the sun out of the clouds.

A nice couple asked if we wanted a family picture. I love these.

Personally I think my best picture yet. The lake is gorgeous, the bold evergreens contrast the yellows and light greens of the aspens.

I can't get over the beauty of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Sydney and I were hopping, skipping, and jumping on the way down the trail. It always makes Tanner and Natalie laugh.

Fall.

Love notes

Sydney is really into making love notes for people these days. At church on Sunday she made a love note for everyone in the family sitting behind us. She's always asking what comes after the I and the L in I Love You. She can get two letters in before she needs help with the spelling. Most of the notes turn out like this one: I Lovey Ou. I haven't taught her how to separate the words yet. This love note is extra special though because she said it's a picture of her and Jesus holding hands. She sat down and said "I'm going to draw a picture of Jesus....Oh! And I have to draw a picture of me holding his hand....How do I spell 'I love you?'" I thought it was sweet.

Logan Canyon - Crimson / Riverside Trail

Since my brother-in-law Eric's birthday was Tuesday and mine was Saturday, we went up to Logan to celebrate at their place. We were planning all week on doing a hike in Logan Canyon, but on the way up, it was pouring. We drove up through quite a bit of rain and pulled up to the map showing the trail heads. It had just barely stopped raining, and the clouds looked good, but the clouds were moving pretty fast. We decided we'd just start up and be able to turn around if need be. We hiked for an hour and a half and had a couple drops when we were almost back. Lisa called it "the birthday miracle". Paul took Tanner on his shoulders so I put Sydney in the backpack halfway through and we all had a great time. We started up the Crimson trail, then took the turnoff down to the riverside trail and followed it back to the cars.

The men looking over the map.

Grandpa and Tanner. The best of buds.

Just the start of the pretty colors up in Logan Canyon.

It's definitely fall. It was so gorgeous.

These are my favorite flowers. Any time I see them, they have to be added to the blog.

Grandma in the dense forest.

Sydney and I having a good time.

Everyone wants in on that action!

Nature at its best.

A soft, fuzzy guy we found on the way.

Nanny loves leaves, then sometimes forgets that she's not just handed food.

It was weird seeing puffy white clouds then dark forboding clouds every twenty minutes.

The snake Grandpa found. Tanner is enthralled by anything Grandpa does.

Brave Sydney holding the snake.

Summer colors vs. fall colors

Did I mention Tanner likes Grandpa?

I think I did.

Sydney's pretty good about all the photo shoots at pretty locations. It's sad the lilly filled pond can't be in focus too.

Oh Nanny Boo! Lisa loves these shots with the kids looking up. They're pretty cute.

Our Favorite Things

There are always a few things that are standard for our family. One is our love of Wheeler Farm and feeding the ducks (and the kids running away from the geese).

Natalie enjoying showing off her legs are strong enough to stand.

Tanner's four pieces of bread (to give to the ducks) went straight in his mouth.

Evidence of Lisa's yummy cookies we took to the farm.

Tanner and his buddy Grandpa.

Happy customers.