Meet the Flintstones!

Halloween came and went so fast, I neglected to blog about our stone age family. Ty and Gracie had a blast this Halloween. They got to dress up twice, once for our church trunk or treat and then again on Halloween. We decided that this was the year for the whole family to dress up, so we went as Fred and Wilma Flintstone along with Pebbles, and Bam Bam Rubble with Zac as our dino. So fun! So sad though that lots of kids don't recognize these characters. Kev and I also went to an adult Halloween party and enjoyed dressing up then too. Sadly though I did not get a picture of the whole family together.

Our family home evening pumpkin carving, minus mine. I wasn't quite finished.


Ty and Gracie loved trying to carve their pumpkins. Gracie enjoyed putting stickers on hers. Ty enjoyed the carving tools.


"Yabba Dabba Doo!" Fred and Dino.


I just love this picture of Daddy and son, or I guess Daddy and dinosaur.


The cutest Bam Bam ever! He wasn't too fond of his club though. It was too wimpy for him because it was made of cloth. I think he would have preferred a bat.


Pebbles Flintstone! Too cute! She loved having the bone in her hair, but didn't enjoy when I sprayed it orange. I thought her costume turned out great, and she recieved many compliments when she went trick or treating.


All the kids minus Tad trick or treating. It was so fun for Ty and Gracie to go with our friends trick or treating.


Ty was such a pro, he kept right up with the big boys and wasn't scared to say trick or treat.


Our little Dino! I realize it is the wrong color, but he makes a pretty cute dinosaur.


I thought that we would have to keep stopping because they would want to eat their treats. But no once they realized the more houses you go to the more treats you get, they were ready to run.


Pebbles did so good trick or treating until she took a little fall and then got super cold. Here she is with good friend Tad. She was then carried by daddy.


LOVE this picture. My kids are super hard for me to take a good picture of because the twins don't like getting their picture taken. However, they are all looking at me...which equals success!


My baby girl. I love this picture because she is actually smiling in it! Yay! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she has all her treats in her hands.


Oh yes, can't forget Wilma! The Mama of the family.


A very fun Halloween and the twins have loved eating their "pumpkin treats".

Grandma time...

It is so hard for us not to live by any of our family. We miss them and wish they could be more apart of the kids lives. It seems like the kids are just warming up to them and then they leave. I guess we need to skype more. But it was so great of my mom to come stay with the twins for the week while Kev and I were in New Orleans. This is no small task to ask of my mom, the twinners are a hand full. But my mom was more than willing and we so appreciate that. These are some pictures my mom took while with them for the week. It looks like they had a great time. Thanks Mom!

Mom's friend Deb came up from Portland to help her and brought her dog, which was a big hit with the kids. I can only imagine what is to come when they learn how to ask us for one.


Gracie girl got a hair cut! Mom took her to get her cute little bob. I was so nervous about this but I think it turned out darling!


I am guessing they are saying, "airplane".


Not sure what is happening in this picture, but I think it is cute how intrigued they look. They like to do this when Daddy is on his laptop too.


Ty too got a haircut! This is traumatizing for him, but he looks so handsome!


Gracie loves to swing! Fun times at the park.


I know they went on lots of walks. I am sure they enjoyed running about with Deb's dog.


My sister came and stayed for a few days too. Thanks so much for taking care of my precious babes, I love them to pieces but it was a nice little break to get away! Come back next year, so I can go with Kev again!

Pumpkin Patch

It's that time a year again, the air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors, it is getting dark early, time to go to the pumpkin patch, yep it feels like Fall.

Despite our rainy, drizzly day we headed out in search of our pumpkins. We had a great time going through the straw maze, petting the animals, going on the hay ride, picking out our pumpkins and then eating some yummy sweet corn. A fun family day!

Gracie: "Ty have you ever seen so many pumpkins?"


Gracie must really love pumpkins because I can never get her to smile for pictures. She was so happy to see all the pumpkins.


Ty: "What about these mom?" "Let's see how many I can throw..."


Daddy and the twinners just about to enter the maze. Gracie and Ty led the way.


Couldn't resist taking a picture of these cute pigs!


Ty especially loved the goats, and was very soft and gentle with them.


Gracie thought these cute little kittens were the best. She kept trying to hold them. Don't even think about it Gracie girl, Daddy would say no way!


Our fun little hayride. Ty didn't even mind it, even though he was apprehensive at first.


Ty: "These pumpkins aren't that heavy!" "I found mine!"


Gracie: "Ok, I am done looking for pumpkins Daddy, I want to go on the pony ride!"


"How about this one!"


The CUTEST


PUMPKIN


FACES!


Ty: "I think I will just take a rest, this pumpkin looks good."


A successful trip to the pumpkin patch, we came home with two big pumpkins and three smaller ones. And two very happy two year olds!

The Big Easy!

So, I realize I should have done this in multiple posts, but then I might not get back to finishing it. There are lots of pictures!

When Kev told me a few months ago that he had a work conference in New Orleans in October, I said "I want to go! ". And thats just what I did. This last week Kev, Zac and I had the opportunity to visit the very neat city of New Orleans. Kev didn't get to play as much as I did, but together we had a great trip. I wish I could say I brought back a southern accent because I love them so, but I didn't just some mardi gras beads and pralines for my mom.

Alright so here is our trip in pictures.

My mom was wonderful and came and watched the twins for us. I got to see what it was like to have just one baby. And Zac loved it! We had some great one on one time and he was the BEST traveler.


We arrived in the evening, checked into the Marriot and then headed out to find us some dinner.


We of course had to go check out the infamous Bourbon street. Let me tell you this street is exactly what you hear, loud, crazy, full of entertainment, and people.


This is Kev looking off the balcony at the restaurant we ate at. The later it gets the more "hoppin" the street gets.


Kev eating his first real southern dish. This was some good ol' jambalaya. We also had alligator for an appetizer and I had a po' boy sandwich for dinner. All very good.


How sweet is he? Zac was so tired from the traveling and despite how loud Bourbon street was he decided he had had enough excitement.


So, you have to go there to say you did. But to be honest, I don't need to go down Bourbon street again. After walking it and seeing what it was all about, its not for me. I got the feeling from the locals that they don't really dig Bourbon street either, it is a tourist trap not at all what it use to be. Basically it is a stinky, dirty, full of clubs, with drinking and nudity street.


While Kev went and learned about renal dyalisis, I went shopping of course! Zac and I walked down to Canal Place and enjoyed some lunch and did some looking around. It is a very upscale mall, therefore we did not come home with shopping bags.


When Kev was done for the day, he came up to get us and we went out to explore the French Quarter.


Our hotel was right next to the French Quarter so it was very easy for us to walk everywhere. We didn't need the car we rented. On our walk to find us some dinner we came to the Mississippi River. Beautiful! The river was real low too.


Side Story: So when we came upon the river, we wanted to make sure it was infact the Mississippi so Kev approached this older couple next to us along with their friends another older couple. And come to find out he was the temple president for the Baton Rouge temple. He and his wife had been serving there for the last three years and were showing their daughter in law's parents around who were from Utah. He said he saw us and thought we might be members because our faces had the countenance of Christ in them. That made my heart feel so good! We talked for a few more minutes and enjoyed hearing their thoughts on Lousiania. And they confirmed what Kev had thought the night before, missionaries aren't allowed on Bourbon street and even the whole French Quarter.

I wanted me some Fried Chicken! Kev asked what I wanted for dinner and I said some real southern fried chicken and that is just what we got. Yum! It was delicious. Absolutely worth all the calories I am sure it was.


On our way back we walked along the Mississippi River. It was real quiet and peaceful until I saw a rat scurry across the boardwalk. I hate rats!


Again while Kevin was absorbing all he could learn, I went on a tour to the Laura Plantation. It is a creole plantation. And full of history! It was so cool to hear about the family's memories, lives and business. A sugar cane plantation and it was so interesting to learn about the slaves.


I thought these banana trees were so neat.


Zac and I after the tour had ended. He did amazing.


I loved seeing the southern homes in the arts and garden district. We took the streetcar trolley through town and got to see all the mansions along the way. Beautiful homes!


Kev and I took the City/Katrina tour and it was amazing to hear all the history of the city. This was at one of their cemetaries we stopped at.


It was neat to hear how they use to do above ground burials. Some of these gravestones went back to the 1700's and were family plots. They all get cremated and share a burial space. So interesting!


This park is bigger than Central Park. It is huge and has so much to do! I wish I would have been able to stay and explore it longer.


Another picture of the City Park. We stopped and got some praline and cream ice cream. There was also a wedding taking place here.


This house is so cool. We met the owner while we were stopping to take a picture. She has lived here for 30 years, super nice. Loved the decorations.


Zac is a ladies man! I swear he was the only baby in all of New Orleans while we were there. Everyone wanted to say hi and ohh and ahh at him. I am fairly certain that not many babies are brought to the big easy.


The most photographed cathedral.


And our last dinner while in town, delicous food while listening to some great jazz music. Very appropiate setting for where we were.


Other things we loved but I didn't photograph, the French cafe where we had beignets (french powdered donuts). I loved them, so yummy! Cafe Oliver where we had the best pecan pie. Oh so scrumptious! The superdome where the Saints play. Everywhere you look there is Saints merchandise. We went down to the lower ninth ward and saw the devastaion of Hurricane Katrina. Six years later and they are still re-building and trying to overcome that catastophy. It was amazing to see the history and culture of this city. It is also said to be the most haunted city in America, full of ghost stories and legends. And of course all that jazz! As they say in the big easy, let the good times roll...and we did! It was a great trip. Hope to go back someday.

Time for an update...

I can't believe I didn't post anything in September. Now I am so behind. I need to get what we did in September written down so I won't forget.

September has come to be one of my favorite months. It is usually one of the most beautiful months for the pacific northwest too. We had a very busy, full month. The sad part about it all is that my camera broke at the beginning of the month. So I don't have any of my own pictures to show. But like I said I need to get some of the journaling done before I forget it all.

For Labor day weekend we were so lucky to have our friends Rick and Sarah Shumway visit us with their two boys. Kevin and Rick met in graduate school and have remained good friends since. We loved doing things with Rick and Sarah when they were living here, and we have missed them since they moved. It was great to have them come visit. They did the drive from Utah straight through in 1 day. I was impressed. We went up to the Edmonds Farmers Market and I think it is the best little market I have been too. It is such a cute, charming town. I want to go back next year. Kevin got me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, the twins got balloon animals and we tasted some yummy kettle corn. Then we had lunch and went to the beach/park nearby. I loved it. The weather was great and the beach wasn't crowded, their were lots shells, and the kids got to run and play. We then took the ferry to Poulsbo where we did some more walking and shopping, and ate some goodies from their Norwegian bakery. We went and sat on the grass along the water and the kids ran some more. What a day! We then had dinner in the harbor at Anthonys. The views were great.

The next day was Seattle, up to Ballard to see the Locks and more fish to eat. Another great day, Kev smoked us some delicious ribs for dinner and then we went into the harbor and walked around downtown. The following morning the Shumways headed back to Utah and did their drive all day again. A short, quick visit but we had so much fun! It was great to catch up and see how much thier boys have grown and go explore Seattle with them again. Thanks Shumways for coming! Sarah please email me some pictures from our weekend!

The next weekend we went to Portland and it was HOT! It was in the ninetys the entire weekend. We had such a great time seeing my dad and sister. The kids love their Grandpa and their auntie! In their prayers the whole time they blessed "Bumpa" and "Auntie", it so cute when they pray. We went to the Oregon Zoo, which was awesome. I haven't been there in like 8 years, and it has more animals then our zoo at home. We loved the bears, elephants, zebras, and rainforest animals the best. The twins got to run around the whole time and they had a blast. Daddy got them new bath toys from the gift shop and they have enjoyed them lots since we have been home. After the Zoo we went to the Duck store and I oohhed and ahhed at all the green and yellow things that I wanted. We also went to the famous VooDoo Donuts and tried a variety of their very popular pastries. My personal favorites were the ones Kev got for the kids, the ones with chocolate and m&m's.

We also went to the beach with my dad. It was absolutely beautiful! It was warm at the Oregon Coast! That is amazing. We stopped at Camp18 for breakfast on our way, they have the best hot chocolate. Then we went to Seaside, their was a car show going on, so it was busy. But the beach wasn't too crowded. We went and had a little picnic and the kids played in the sand. Gracie loves the water, she had a great time getting wet with Daddy. Zac did awesome and Ty loved to chase the seagulls away. I just need my dad to find his camera so he can send me some pictures from our day. After the beach we went to the outlet mall and did some "back to school" shopping. I tell Kevin I want to go down to Portland and do some back to school shopping and his reply is "Ok, but nobody in this house is going back to school." After shopping we went on a wild goose chase to find some good fish and chips, my dad's gps on his phone led us to some back woods road on the outskirts of Astoria. We decided to turn around and head back to Portland to get dinner, we ended up at Red Lobster, where yes my dad and I had fish and chips.

Kevin headed back home on Sunday and I stayed for a couple more days to get more time with my sister. I got my hair done, which always makes me feel like a new woman. And I got to meet up with my dear friend Alexis and had a great time catching up with her. The kids loved seeing her too. And then I did some more "back to school" shopping. I love it because I feel like I am saving so much on the no sales tax.

No sales tax, gas attendants that pump your gas and the DUCKS, three reasons I LOVE Portland! Well then their is my family, friends, smaller, cleaner city, weather is slightly better and that is why I tell Kev I will move to Portland in a heartbeat.

Ok, so that is only half the month. And I am too tired to journal more.

This picture has nothing to do with what I blogged about, but it is the last picture I took before my camera broke. Love this little guy to pieces!