4th week of October

 We had a pretty busy week.  Here are some highlights.

The boys had Monday off of school.  They went up to the cabin in the morning to help Dave winterize, then came home, got the boat, and went out duck hunting for the afternoon.  I worked all week in the office, riding the train downtown.

Nyles shot some Coots and a duck.  They are making progress on the SLC Temple and Visitor Centers.  Hudson playing w/ a duck decoy in the bathtub after they got home from hunting.  

Tuesday afternoon, we had our Halloween Activity Day.  We combined again w/ the girls.  We had 4 stations and had the kids rotate to each one every few minutes.  Steve and Nyles came and helped, which I greatly appreciated, and Hudson came and played :)

Fun Halloween activities: Bowling, ping pong, bingo and hat toss.

Having fun!

That evening Nyles and Steve went to a combined YW/YM activity.  They had a murder mystery dinner.  While they were gone, Carter, Hudson and I went to the library.

Steve is now working on a "Lego Room" in our attic.  The boys love playing Legos, but they make a mess, so we want to have one room to put them all in.  It will be a win/win for all of us.  

The start of the "Lego Room" in our attic.  Cute Carter on 'mustache' day at school.

Pretty sunset, then Draper Temple.

Thursday night, Nyles had his first band concert.  He is playing the flute, started in August.  

They did awesome, especially considering how short of time they've been playing. 

Nyles w/ his flute.  Dave came as well, and Joann/Diane/LuDean/my parents were able to watch online.  Thank you for your love and support.  It means a lot to all of us!

That night as we were getting ready for bed, Steve started feeling pain in his back (kidney).  He knew right away that he was starting to feel a kidney stone.  Luckily he had some pain meds that helped and he got some sleep.  Friday he was still feeling it, but he managed to get through the day.

Friday night we had out ward chili cookoff.  Nyles stepped up and made the smoked chili for Steve, as Steve still wasn't feeling well w/ his kidney stone in process.  I also made some chili.  Steve came to the dinner, though he wasn't feeling well and was drugged (ie a little out of it).  Steve did get a blessing from 2 men in the bishopric though while he was there.  Everyone voted on their favorite chili, and Nyles won first place!!! Good work Nyles!!!

Great quote.  Nyles after his first place win at our ward chili cookoff!

After we got the boys to bed, Steve went into the ER w/ even more pain from his kidney stones.  They did a CT scan and said his stone was 6.5mm and they only intervene at 7mm, so they sent him home w/ a med refill just after midnight.  They told him to call his Dr. to hopefully get him in next week or come back to the ER if it gets any worse.  Nice eh?

Saturday I mowed the lawn, we got groceries, and did more cleaning and laundry.  Then that afternoon, 4pm, we left to go over to Olympus Hills Bowling lanes for Dave's surprise 70th birthday party.  We helped set up and got ready for him to arrive.  As he walked through the door we all started to sing Happy Birthday to him.  Luckily he was totally surprised!  We actually pulled it off :)  The immediate family was there, along w/ extended family, plus neighbors and past/present ward members (including from the single's ward he was bishop in).  Overall it was a great turnout.

Dave coming through the door, surprised by the people inside!

Fun bowling!  Steve wasn't feeling great again, from his kidney stone in process, but he managed.

Disco time!

Glow sticks!!!

We all helped clean up and were out of there by 7:45pm (they were kicking us out as out time had ended and other people were coming in).  Steve continued to hurt and was tired, so we went to bed shortly after the kids did (with pain meds on board for Steve).  It was a fun evening though, and we were glad we pulled off the surprise party for Dave.  We are so thankful to have him in our lives.  It was great to celebrate him for a night.

Pretty Daisies in bloom and Mums; so pretty!

Sunday evening we went to Ezra's birthday party.

Great insight and quotes:

3rd Week of October

Here are some highlights from last week. 

Monday, October 14th, we went over to by the Draper Library and played pickleball, then we went to the library for some Halloween crafts.  

Making painted pumpkins out of apples.

Nyles making a tree, now Hudson making ghosts from potatoes.  

All their projects done.  Good work boys!

Doing a reenactment.  Cute Hudson and Carter.

Cute comparison between the boys at the same ages :)

Hudson helping Steve plants more tulip bulbs.

We went and looked at the comet.  Our neighbor is big into astronomy, so we went and talked to him (Dian Davidson), and he showed us where the comet was and gave us facts about comets.  It was cool!

Wednesday, Nyles had an orthodontist appointment.  He got rubber bands on his braces.  That night I went to a Pilates class w/ Pauline after work.

The boys had Fall Break Thursday, Friday and the following Monday.  Thursday, they went out duck hunting as they didn't have school.  Nyles shot a Ruddy duck.

Hudson loves to play w/ the ducks ;)

Hudson singing a song about the duck.

Thursday evening I went to the Draper Temple and did some initiatories.  

Friday afternoon, Steve took Nyles and performed baptisms for the dead.

Beautiful views as we came home after going to the chiropractor Friday afternoon.  

A creation Carter made at the chiropractors.

Carter's creation at the chiropractor.

Saturday we went to Lagoon for Diane's birthday.  We picked her up on the way, and met Stacie/Phill's family there.  We got there right as it opened at 10am.

Steve and the boys on the Samurai ride (finally running again after being closed most of the season).  Then eating sugar cookies as we sang Happy Birthday to Diane.  Stacie's birthday was the day before.  Cute Hudson w/ frosting on his nose. 

Hudson, Steve and I on Scrambler.  Stacie, Diane and Claire.  Then Hudson and I on Bombora.

Steve, Hudson, Claire, Carter, Conor, and Nyles working to get themselves upside down on the Rock-a-plane ride.

Then at the Musical Express ride.  Carrie and Lynsie came and joined us the last hour or so.

It got REALLY busy, so we did a few more rides, then called it a day.

Diane invited us back to their place for dinner, so we dropped her off, then went home.  I then mowed the lawn and made cupcakes.  I put them in the freezer to cool them off while I jumped in the shower quickly, then we left.  We picked up Texas Road House for dinner (that LuDean paid for), and took it over to Diane/LuDean's place.  Stacie's family met us there, along w/ Dave/Joann, and Chandler/Megan.  The dinner was yummy and it was fun to visit w/ everyone.

Singing to Diane (and Stacie).  Oreo spider cupcakes and funfetti.

Sunday Steve and Nyles went and gave the sacrament to patients at Valencia Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility (2 different sacrament meetings.  I helped in Nursery and Steve taught Primary (Carter's class).  After church we had tithing settlement.  We then had the Thomas family over for dinner.  Steve made his yummy smoked chili.  

Great quotes:

2nd week of October

This past week seemed to go by pretty quickly.  Here are some highlights.

I went into the office this whole week.  Monday night, Steve was helping Nyles finish up his book report, so I took Carter and Hudson to the library.  We found hidden pumpkins in the kids' area, and I filled out a cooking conversion quiz.  They let the boys get a "prize" for my quiz.  We then went and played pickleball by the senior citizen center nearby.  We had fun.  

Hudson, Carter and I playing pickleball.  

The weather has been so nice and warm, above average for sure!  I'm not complaining!

Wednesday evening, Steve took the boys out duck hunting after school until sunset.

They had fun and got a couple ducks.

I went to a Pilates class that night.  After class, I stopped by Walmart to get a couple groceries.  Steve and I took a picture of the sunset at about the same time: cute.

Thursday,  I had a free entre at Cafe Rio, so we ordered that for dinner.  After dinner, Steve and I went to Costco to get some groceries.  Barbara came down and stayed w/ us that night.

Friday, Steve took the boys out duck hunting again since Barb, Pauline and I were going out to eat dinner together.  Nyles' friend Lincoln also came w/ them.  Lincoln also just finished his hunter's safety, like Nyles, but doesn't have any gear or anything to go hunting.

Barb, Pauline and I ate dinner at Cubby's, then went to Sam's Club to get some snacks/groceries.  Barbara stocked up while she was down here (my as well).  Pauline then went home to pack for their quick flight to Denver the next day.  Barb and I came back to our place, then went for a walk around the neighborhood w/ Piper since the boys weren't home yet.  It was again, a warm evening.  We didn't need a jacket, which was nice.

The boys out duck hunting at Utah Lake.

Barb and the boys Saturday morning (Steve slept in).  Barb went to do some shopping, then headed over to Pauline's to stay w/ her kids while they were gone.  It was so fun having Barbara come visit!  I then mowed the lawn.  The boys had fun shooting grasshoppers w/ the airsoft guns.

Steve and Carter then went to our neighbor's baptism (Ethan Gatherum), at the church.  After they got home, we ate some lunch, then drove out to the "Wonderstone Quarry" out west of Utah Lake.  Our neighbors, the Moreton's came out w/ us as well, driving in their truck.

Driving out to the quarry.  Hudson hiding under his blanket.  We made it!  Looking for rocks!

Finding Wonderstones!  

Carter, Kaitlyn Moreton, Nyles, Steve and Hudson smashing the rocks open.

After we figured out what we were looking for, we started finding more, by smashing open the right kind of rocks to show the Wonderstone inside.

The Wonderstone is really cool looking!  "Wonderstone is formed when volcanic ash is compacted by the weight of overlying material and cemented together by heat. The banding in wonderstone is caused by iron oxide mineralization or staining, which is often described as Liesegang banding."

So fun!

On our way back, a train literally was stopped blocking the road.  So we made a decision not to wait and instead go to another road around the train.  Thankfully we beat the train and didn't get stuck at the next train crossing.  Hudson fell asleep on the way home.

Pretty sunset as we were driving home.

On Sunday, Hudson and Carter wore bow ties to church.  Steve smoked a beef roast.  We went over to LuDean's/Diane's place to share dinner.  Dave met us there.  Joann wasn't feeling well, so she stayed home.  Steve took the roast beef and put them on rolls and made French Dip sandwiches.  They were SUPER yummy!  Good work Steve!  As we got home, the boys played some more in the backyard and on the trampoline.

Cute Carter and Hudson w/ their bow ties.  Yummy roasts.  Carter and Hudson riding Nyles.

Diane gave us some Halloween decorations.  Thank you!!

Great quotes:

First week of October

The first week of October has come and gone.  Here are some highlights.

Tuesday afternoon, we had activity days.  We invited the girls to come as well.  We had a few challenges w/ candy corn pumpkins.  The first was to make a tower w/ toothpicks.

The 2nd task was to create a sling shot to fling the candy corn pumpkins.  They did awesome!

Pretty mums in our yard.  Carter, Hudson and I went to the park while Steve and Nyles went to YMs.  They went downtown to explore the Church History Museum.

Draper Temple, while at the Draper Park.  Pretty sunset.

Wednesday, Steve finished up the curbing in the front yard.  Yeah no more rocks!  

It's so much easier to mow now!  Good work Steve!  Thank you!

Steve then made a fire in the backyard and the boys made s'mores.  He also had an impulse buy at Sam's Club and got a huge oversized camp chair on clearance.  The boys LOVE it! :)

Awesome curbing.  I took Hudson to the park for a few minutes during my lunch break.  He can go all the way up to the top slide and down, all by himself now!  He's getting so big!

Thursday evening, after work and Carter went to his first gymnastics class, we went out to Toole for the open house.  We met Rose and Pauline there.  It was beautiful!

Afterwards, we went to Rose's place for dessert.  Thanks for the fun evening!

Friday, we went to the chiropractor then got a few snacks for General Conference on the way home.

Saturday morning we watched General Conference, then after lunch we went down to Utah Lake for the duck season opener.  We decided ALL to go this time.  I decided to do the Trial Hunter Program and see if I liked it.  Rob also came, and drove down in his car.  It was a beautiful, HOT day!  It was fun to be out together as a family.  The scenery was beautiful.  I didn't like the loud sound from the guns though, so we'll need to bring earplugs next time.  I shot both Steve and Nyles' guns before we started, and the recoiling was a little more than I expected.  I let Steve, Nyles and Rob shoot the rest of the time.  It was still a fun experience though.

Nice hot day!  Launching the boat!  On our way down the river!

Steve the stud, driving the boat, then spreading out decoys.

Cute boys:  Hudson played w/ the paddle until we were set up, Carter big smiles, and Nyles ready to go!  Rob was excited to shoot some ducks as well.  The blind my dad built last year for the boat really helped camouflage us, and Steve got more grass to hide us even further.

Steve shot a Green Winged Teal shortly after we got set up.  Hudson LOVED to pet it and play w/ it (gross).  I brought baby wipes and sanitizer to use thankfully. Carter later just watched a show as it slowed down a little in the afternoon.

Good times!

And another one!  Carter and Hudson played flipping empty shotgun shells.

Then Steve got his favorite duck, a Gadwall.  It is quite larger than a Green Winged Teal Duck.

They ended up shooting 7, and we found 4.

Cute Steve.  Pretty views.

Pretty sunset as we drove back in before the daylight was gone.

Despite the occasional bad smells from the nasty mud, it was a beautiful place.

Pretty sunset.

Pretty moon and star.

We watched General Conference on Sunday.  It was fantastic!  It always goes by so fast.  I'm glad we can rewatch them and read them again soon.  I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and the boys played General Conference bingo for some of the talks.

Carter found a really pretty leaf.  Nyles finished his poster, running for student council.  We had family dinner at Jeff/Kim's house.  We sang Happy Birthday to Stacie and Dave for October and Isaac for September.  We missed Diane, who also has a October birthday.

Great quotes from conference: