Calico Basin

We found our new favorite hiking spot 2 weeks ago. And good thing we went when we did. It's been cold ever since! Calico Basin is free and it's the turn off right before Red Rock (which is fun, but you have to pay and it's always fairly busy whenever we can go).

We picnicked near a cool tree.

Enjoyed a pickle.

Found out Michael is part monkey.

Made this face more times than can be counted.

Piggy backed.

Posed.

And peaced out.

A New Year, A New Journal

Our stake is using these journals I designed last year for the Youth's Come Follow Me curriculum. For the new year I designed a new cover page (for the new theme: Come Unto Christ) and a new challenge page!! They can be found HERE, and you print as many as you want! 

I am no longer in my ward's young women's teaching, but while I did use this journal alongside the inspired new curriculum, I saw an amazing change in the girls. I thought the information would be too basic and year after year it would become boring, but it shocked me how much the girls learned. With the journals it definitely helped them retain information. They had an opportunity to look back on what was taught before and then add on to that. Having a little reminder was so helpful!

Now that the second year of the Come Follow Me is soon approaching, I can't wait to see our young women add on to what they learned a whole year ago!

If you already have a JOURNAL, here's the new COVER and CHALLENGE PAGE.

Setting up the Christmas tree

I brought my camera to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house, but of course I only took 2 pictures. And those 2 pictures happen to be almost the same 2 pictures Michael took. Neither of us had any idea! More on that later...

We've stuffed our bellies and black Friday is now over (side note: JoAnn was CRAZY! and Michael found out he's slightly agoraphobic...thank you Walmart.). All that meant we could officially set up the tree!

Towards the end August decided to join us. I also let him join since he was no longer throwing the ornaments shouting, "Baw! Baw!"

He even helped a little. That is a look of concentration right there.

This salt dough ornament Michael made 2 years ago was his all time favorite. He made it dance to the Christmas music!

The End.

Gilcrease Take 2

So, I might be a little crazy about Halloween. 

We came back for those amazing Gilcrease Orchard apple cider donuts and the free hay ride (which only happens on Saturdays). Plus, I wanted some pictures of August. We went mega picture overload with Scarlett as a baby that I am determined to get lots of August. Already failing...

He sat here for 2.4 seconds. Long enough! Funny thing--August is all boy, but not when it comes to dirt. He really didn't like the pumpkin patch and all those dusty desert pumpkins.

Dirt, however, is the natural habitat of the Scarlett monster.

           

 It was super hot and finding a hayride back was a bit tricky. One came by, stopped, and then kept going (they were obviously and understandably full). A lady that was also waiting for a ride started swearing at the hayride guys. People are seriously so ridiculous. If I were more bold I would've told her her butt needed the walk back. But I am not. So...The End.

Gilcrease, because it's fun!

 It's tradition to go to Gilcrease Orchards and pick out a pumpkin every year before Halloween. This year we got to go twice! This post I'll just share about a jillion and a half of the pictures from the time we went with our friends for play group.

They have to get married....we have too many cute pictures for their wedding slide show already!

August GQing it up.

 

A bunch of these pictures c/o Bethany. Thanks!

Fall is here!

I am loving this fall weather! We had a "cold snap" so we actually had to break out the jackets. The shoe thing we're working on...

 August is just a few days shy of 16 months. 2 months until nursery! He doesn't even talk yet! Except for "woah" and "ball". Every so often we'll get a mama and daa (still missing the "d" at the end). He signed a whole sentence once though! "Eat more, please." And if he's thirsty he'll bring you a cup and lead you to the fridge. 

August is just such a different creature than Scarlett. He loves balls, has monster feet, wants to ride everything, gives the best hugs, blows raspberries on everything (couch, your arm, anyone laying on the floor...), is blanky particular, and is super awkward. He will just stand and stare at people. No smile. No waving back. Nothing. Maybe I'm the one that's awkward...hmm.

August is also a pro climber. He looks even more pro when people at the park think he's less than a year old...poor guy is tiny. But not tiny enough to give his sister a hard time. He's definitely starting to stand his own.

Scarlett is our wolf in sheep's clothing. She looks all sweet and innocent, but man, she's a trouble maker! Can't you see it coming through in that smirk? 

Just this last week I gave her a small bucket of water to play in. August came inside soaking wet. Since August was then naked and her pants were wet, she wanted to play naked too. I made her keep her underwear on, but next thing I know I'm double taking it out the sliding glass door to a naked Scarlett sitting in the back of the cozy coupe. 

Me: Scarlett!! GET YOUR UNDERWEAR ON!!

S (5 min later walking inside): I need to wipe.

M: What?!

S: I need to wipe.

M: Were you peeing in the cozy coupe!

S: Yeah....

Yes. She peed in the "trunk" of the cozy coupe. My offspring are disgusting.

Scarlett is 3 1/2. Besides being super naughty, she loves princesses, singing, singing what she is doing, peeling garlic, swinging herself at the park (this is HUGE...even as a baby she hated swings!), pretending monsters are using the potty, putting on makeup, cutting paper into cute things then continues on to make confetti, her stuffed giraffe buddy and her my little pony Pinky Pie, drawing, coloring, and baking anything resembling a cupcake.

I don't know how people have insane amounts of children without ripping out their eyeballs. 

Two is good. 

Two is...perfect.

Wyoming: Part I

These days we only make it up to Michael's parents' house in Star Valley about once a year. It's never enough, so we have to cram a bunch in in just a few days! 

I freaked when I saw that the highs were going to be in the 50's with lows in the 30's. (Our lows in Vegas hadn't even reached the 70's). Thursday in Wyoming I don't think it even made it out of the 30's! So glad I bought August a coat at the last minute! 

We rode the horses. Scarlett would not get off. "Can I have one-a dees? We get a horsie?" Michael finally told her the horses had to take a nap and she couldn't be on it when it layed down.

And of course the trampoline was endless fun. August never could get up with all the kids jumping around, but he kind of preferred it that way! I had him jump by himself and it wasn't near as much fun.

Laughing at the chickens. And becoming brave enough to chase them.

"Where'd they go??"

No comment....

Michael had taken August for a motorbike ride earlier that day, found it while chasing chickens, and got really upset when I wouldn't take him. Michael took him up to the tractors and he loved them. He circled one 3 times looking for a way to get up into it. Such a little boy.

The infamous rope swing. 

And more motorbike rides.

I love having a place like "Gwamma and Gwampa's" house to visit. Scarlett played all day with cousins,  picked Grandma's flowers (oops), and had to wear her pink rain boots everywhere! It was a kid's paradise.