HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEN

Snoopy has something here . .

Snoopy is classic. I loved the other characters of Peanuts, but Snoopy was simply my favorite. He don't pull no punches and he sure meets challenges head on. What's not to love about that!

Nathan's 10th

Nathan turned 10 about 5 weeks ago. I was a flake and didn't post anything for weeks - so to catch up, here are some pics from his sleepover.

Bugs, Slugs, Legos, and Spiderwick Chronicles - these are a few of Nathan's favorite things. He got a taste of all of them for his birthday.

Pretty sure that's Noah's 4th finger he's graciously greeting me with. The kids had pizza for dinner and watched movies before FINALLY going to sleep at about 3:30 a.m. in the wee hours of the morn. Three of the boys had soccer games the next day. Surprisingly, they were in a pretty good mood after waking up at 7:00 a.m..

Nathan's favorite color is orange - like you all didn't know that with all the orange t-shirts that kid wears. I made a white cake and put holes in it with the tip of a wooden spoon. Then I poured orange jello over it and topped it with cool whip and orange slices. My mom use to make cakes like this when I was little. Ah, nostalgia!

I love Nathan's crazy friends. There was quite a variety of personalities at his party but they seemed to all get along pretty well.

I'm pretty sure he is not doing this next year. I know it's good for memory making, but I'm not sure I can pump myself up to do this every year. I must be getting old!

BFF High School Memories

You know how we all check our caller ID when the phone rings and if it is a number we don't know we don't answer it. I did that a few weeks back. Carp was home early and picked it up anyway. It was Becky.

Most of you that read my blog have no clue who Becky is. Well, let me introduce you to my best buddy ever from my youth!

Becky and I with friends at youth conference. Brad Wilcox spoke.

Becky and I met in our ward in Mission Viejo. She always dressed nice, was a dancer and loved to sing. I wore jeans and t-shirts, loved hiking and played a little piano. We had not so much in common, yet everything in common.

As a teenager we all needed to have someone to talk to, someone to share your dreams with, someone to gush over your latest crush with you, and someone to just, well, hang with. Becky was all of that for me.

Becky and I at youth conference at BYU.

We attended the same ward but were in different schools. We both had early morning seminary, but went to different buildings. When we were not in school or seminary, work or dance classes, we were together. I was incredibly lucky to have someone to spend so much of my time with having fun and making great teenage memories.

Becky and Scott/Jon and I ready for Prom.

Becky sang and I played the piano for different church functions. We often would spend time together at the piano playing and singing for fun. We also spent a lot of time at the beach together.

My favorite thing we ever did was write in each others journals. When I read about her dreams and desires for the future I remember sitting on her bed writing the same things in her journal.

When Becky and I went to college we didn't room together. I think we knew better than to do that! When a guy named Scott moved into my ward and showed up in my FHE group, I told him I had a girl I wanted to introduce him too. They are now married and live in the south.

When Carp handed me the phone and I heard Becky's voice I was filled with gratitued that she takes the time to call or come see me when she is out my way. She has a beautiful family. She still teaches dance and has 5 kids from senior down to almost 1 years old. I LOVED SEEING THEM! It's so wonderful to see her happy and have so many good things in her life. I love you Becky and hope you have many more happy years ahead!

Becky with Jet and me with Sam.

Becky and Scott Haslam.

Abrielle, Cloe, Becky and Jet.

Tetons

Here are some pictures of the Tetons.

We left Yellowstone and traveled down through the Teton. We camped there for a couple nights at Colter Bay and did some sightseeing.

View from the visitor center at Colter Bay.


All the visitor centers in Yellowstone and the Tetons had tables with different antlers for kids to check out. My big kid liked this moose antler. Of course, it seems as though he doesn't know where on their head it goes.


It was really cold at night in the Tetons. I am so grateful for warm quilts and sleeping bags! We're eating breakfast here before we take off for some sightseeing.



Colter Bay has lots of rocks in it water. People were out boating and stuff, but out kids played in the water and built rock walls.

Nate.

Pretty rocks.


Gabby.

Sam.

This show the rock wall the kids were making.

This is a functioning church. It had some really pretty stained glass inside.

This black tailed deer was near out campsite.


The Tetons are pictured behind everyone.


In Yellowstone you had to be a kid to work on your Junior Ranger patch. In the Tetons anyone can earn a patch. Seth, Nathan, Gabby and Sam all earned their Junior Ranger patches and were sworn in at the Colter Bay visitor center.

My kind of vacation - Relaxing!

We met this really nice family from Oregon a couple campsites down from us. Our kids played together at the campground and we sat down by the showers one night chatting. I'll look for the paper with their name on it to post it later. It was fun talking with them!

On our way home we stopped in Idaho Falls and took a picture of the temple there. It was so beautiful that day.

Yellowstone part II

Here are some pics of the critters we saw on our Yellowstone trip. They're kind of cool.

Coyote on the side of the road.

Old Faithful.


Bison in front of the van.

Elk in the river.


Way cool pictures.

Cute Squirrel.