Autumn!

We have had a beautiful autumn this year and I hope it keeps up at least through Halloween! The boys and I took a bike ride to a nearby park to snap some pictures...

Our Family Home Evening that night was carving pumpkins...

We're ready! Bring on the candy!

Punkin Patch

The weather has been gorgeous, so this afternoon we headed to a pumpkin patch to buy our pumpkins.

This is as still as I could get the boys to sit for a picture.

Searching for the best pumpkin

They had lots of other fun things to do too. Sam loved jumping on the big pillow in the ground.

Playing in the corn

Riding the cows

Resting with Mom for a split second.

Heading home.

My Baby is One!

I know I always say this, but I cannot believe it has already been a year! Daniel is growing up way too fast. He is such a joy in our family...we just love having him around!

It was a gorgeous fall day. Perfect for a little birthday party. We had my sisters and their families and our friends, the Wilson's over for a little cake and ice cream.

Daniel absolutely LOVES goldfish crackers, so I thought it appropriate to decorate his cake like one. Don't ever try to take away his cracker cup...you'll have a force to reckon with!

We played outside while it was still light before heading inside to party.

Daniel grabbed a big chunk of his cake and dug in. He seemed a little unsure at first, but warmed right up to the delicious cake!

Big brother Sam helps open presents.

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy! We love you!

End of Summer

We've had a fun-filled summer and it has flown by! Here are some more of the highlights:

Going to the Boise Classic hot air balloon festival at Ann Morrison Park. We lasted long enough to see two balloons blown up and then had to head home for bed.

Watching for Daddy to come home from work...a daily event (you can see Bill's car turning onto our street).

Daniel learning to walk

Good times with Dad in the back yard

Playing in the children's room at the Art Museum

More playing in the back yard

I'm so glad these boys love to play with each other! We're looking forward to a nice Autumn and more exciting adventures!

Preschool

Sam started preschool this week! It is a group of six 2-3 year-old kids from our ward and the other five mothers and I take turns teaching in our homes. It is two hours every Monday and Thursday mornings and I taught the first week. We are learning the alphabet, so this week we studied the letter "A".

Nate, Amerie, Olivia, Spencer, Sam (Kenzie was absent)

We did a matching game with animals that begin with the letter A, colored pictures of the animals, read the story and learned the song, "The Ants Go Marching", had a snack of "Ants on a log" and apple slices and made a little "Autumn" craft.

The kids sat still pretty well most of the time, but the last half hour they were ready to just play. Daniel loved being part of the gang. Sam gets along with all of the kids pretty well (he's knows most of them from the nursery in our ward). I think this will be really good for him and help prepare him to be a Sunbeam next year. And the weeks it's not at our house will be really good for me so I can run errands with just Daniel. It will be a breeze!

Sun Valley

I always look forward to this time of year because we get to go to Sun Valley, ID for a few days. This time we left at noon on Thursday so we could enjoy most of the day there. We picked Bill up at work so the boys could take their nap in the car. They slept most of the time and we arrived a little after 3 and checked in.

Since our friends, the Wilson's moved here, they came too and we hung out with them most of the time. We went swimming every day (I never had my camera with me though...boo!) in the wonderfully heated pool. It was great weather; a little chilly in the mornings and evenings, but perfect the rest of the time.

Sam relaxing on his bed. This year we got a family suite that had two rooms. It was a life saver when it came to nap and bedtime!

Feeding the ducks

Even Daniel wanted to participate!

Walking through Ketchum

Dinner at Despo's in Ketchum

Catching a little football on a break from Bill's meetings

One last feeding

Just before leaving for home. I hope this tradition keeps up!

Utah Visit [Second Stop: St. George]

We headed down to St. George Wednesday afternoon, stopped for dinner in Cedar City and made it to Bill's parents new house that evening.

They have a gorgeous view of the whole city. Three of Bill's sisters and his brother and their families had been there for a few days, so we were so happy to get to join the chaos! Fourteen grandchildren under the age of 13=not much sleep! Two other sisters and two older cousins stayed in a house nearby that Bill's parents rented for a week.

They have a wonderful pool in the backyard that was occupied almost 24/7. Sam finally got brave enough to swim on his own wearing his water wings and had a ball.

Watching a movie with cousin Seth

Watching a movie with cousin Andrew

More swimming (and squirting Uncle James)

Daniel loved the pool too and was always his happy little self

Daniel and his second cousin, Riley. They were born on the same day, just a few hours apart!

Whitaker Family talent show

Sam singing "Little Red Caboose"

Last night with everyone

We had so much fun and miss everyone already! We hope it's not too long before we can all get together again. We can't wait to meet our two new Whitaker cousins next spring!