Fall

Although I am sad to say goodbye to summer, we have been enjoying the fall. I feel like we didn't get as many fun things done this summer as usual... we didn't even go swimming, not once! (Not that I mind, I don't like swimming) So we've been trying to get out a little more lately.

We went on a hike with Grandma and some cousins up North Ogden divide

We went to Beus pond to feed the ducks

These were some scary geese. They started running towards us as soon as we came around the bend. They freaked the kids out and one bit Ben on the ankle.

We had a good time, but the kids were a little wary of the crazy aggressive ducks and geese. Seriously, I think you all need to go feed the ducks, because they acted like they hadn't seen food in days.

playing with some caterpillars

My kids love being outside even more now that it's not too hot.
These two were so proud of themselves for making a swinging teeter totter. I let them play on it for a while before I decided that it was probably too dangerous.

We went to the park with Grandma, Grandma Great, and cousins for some pizza and to pick out pumpkins

My favorite event during the fall... our anniversary. We celebrated 7 years today. I love to look back on these last seven years, and I look forward to the years to come. I couldn't ask for anything more. Nothing means more to me than Ben, my kids, and the Gospel.

beans

There have been a ridiculous amount of pinto beans around the house, and I will tell you why. At the end of spring, Luke needed some beans to do some counting on homework. I opened up a bag of pinto beans, took out a few and then put them on the counter. I forgot to put the bag away, and you can just imagine how fast Abigail and Carly found the bag and dumped it on the floor. We cleaned up the beans... Luke took about half the bag outside and dumped them into the flower bed. He wanted to grow beanstalk. Abigail took the ones she picked up and instead of throwing them in the garbage, she scattered them throughout the whole house. I swear I was vacuuming up beans for months, and everytime I would open up a play purse or backpack, I would find more. She loved toting them around calling them her babies. So on to a few months later I was weeding the flower bed only to discover a massive amount of beans growing. I showed Luke and he was really excited. We just let them grow, and then they got all dried up. Abigail came in the house one day with a handful of pinto beans. She asked for a bowl and sat outside for an hour picking all the beans. So once again there were beans all over the house. She tried to hide them from me so I wouldn't take them away. But I guess she slipped a few past me because she must have put some down the bathroom sink.
A couple of nights ago, Ben was helping the kids brush their teeth and he saw something in the sink drain. It grossed me out when I pulled it out of the drain. Good thing we found it before it sprouted a million more beans... I'm sick of beans! Really, I never want to see a pinto bean again.

4 months

This girl is the sweetest, happiest little thing!
Which is great, because she hasn't always been this good. She is definitely my fussiest baby. My Dr. promised me around 4 mos. she would settle down, and start growing out of the colicky phase. It was around 3 mos that she started to be a little more calm, and now she couldn't be anymore perfect. She sleeps and eats great. She's always center of attention with the kids, and she loves it. I just couldn't love this girl anymore.

Her 4 month stats...
14.11 lbs- 75 %
25 1/4 inches - 90%

cookout

Conference weekend, Luke and Lisa came down to visit. We all got together on Saturday for a cookout. The weather was perfect, and it was so fun catching up with them.

We miss these guys already

Carly's devouring some candy. I never ever would have cut Carly's hair so short, but now that it is, I think she looks adorable... and I never have to do it.

I took a picture of Abby, then she said 'wait!' she ran over to get her drink of orange punch, took a big swig, then told me to take another picture. She was laughing her little head off because I took a picture with her 'punch mustache'. And yes she does have a black eye... it looks a lot better in this picture. She got a small cut beneath her eye, then she hit on the bathtub later. So it was pretty black for a while.

Here's Luke posing with a skateboard, and his new Jazz shirt. Ben took Luke down to S.L. for the Jazz scrimmage on Saturday morning. Luke gets a little carsick sometimes, and well to spare you the details, he got a new shirt.