Carving pumpkins

We're ready for Halloween! Grace is still too young to know what's going on, but Sydney is so excited this year. If it was up to her we would have carved the pumpkin weeks ago. We managed to hold her off until one week before the big day. Here she is getting goopy and loving it
and here's the finished product:

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Last weekend we got away for a fun camping trip to two parks we'd never been to. We were pretty impressed by both. We were blessed with gorgeous weather and beautiful fall colors.

We saw giant sequoia trees, a bear, a coyote and lots of deer, slept in a tent, roasted marshmallows, waded in streams, hiked, marveled at the stars and the scenery.

We need to do this more often!

Apple picking

My family went apple picking every fall when I was a kid and it was one of my favorite traditions. Apple orchards aren't as easy to find out here, but we found a great place out near the coast and went with our friends the Nadauld's and Bonner's. The kids loved it-and so did I.

Hazel, Syd and GG

The apples were so crisp and tasty fresh off the trees just like I remembered.

We picked lots of little ones that our kids could eat in one session. Grace loved crunching on her mini apple and worked on this one for an hour.

She also loved the wheelbarrow for rides and just chillin' in. We couldn't keep her out of it.

Angie and Jack

Millie with a mouthful.

Pete giving rides

loving the pastoral scenery and being out on a beautiful day. We headed to the beach after to finish off a great day!

Blue Angels in SF

As far as I'm concerned the best part of Fleet Week SF is the performance of the Blue Angels jets and stunt planes. Their real performance is on Saturday and the city is crammed with people, but I discovered last year that their practice session on Friday afternoon is a great show with about half the crowd. So I talked Pete into working a half day and then heading up to the city with his girls. We sat on the beach at Crissy Field and watched the show on a beautiful, clear sunny day. It was grand!

Our spot on the beach

This is how GG kisses, sucking her lips in to make the noise

Sydney playing in the sand

We got some sand between our toes and just relaxed on the beach.

Pete and the girls being airplanes

The jets moved so fast and did so many amazing maneuvers, but that made it hard to get a good shot of them.

Syd playing chase with the waves, she couldn't get enough of the water, so we took her pants off to avoid soaking them.

Of course one of those sneaky waves eventually came along and soaked her, but she didn't seem to mind.

We grabbed dinner in the city and then both girls passed out on the drive home-great day!

Fall catch up

I'm really behind, so here's an up-date for those who asked for it:

Mountain View Annual Fireman's Breakfast. This has become a tradition. We walk literally around the corner from our house and get served a great pancake breakfast by our friendly neighborhood fire department. The kids love interacting with the firemen and women in their uniforms and fire gear.

We watch fire rescue demonstrations complete with smoke, rappelling and hoses

The girls love climbing on the trucks and pushing and pulling on any buttons or gears they can find.
This year Syd got to put out a faux fire with a real fire hose-I love the intense look on her face and that little tongue sticking out while she concentrates.
Syd with neighbor buddy Josie
We enjoyed some great days at the pool at the end of September

Then we got a week of rain and prepared for the wet season. Syd in her new rain gear

But then we got a surprise and the weather turned back to summer. We had some beautiful warm days and have been at the pool again today! I love the fall here.

Running around the neighborhood after church.

Finally Sydney has really been enjoying her time at her pre-school and at the co-op pre-school I do on Mondays with three other moms. She makes fun crafts, learns about all kinds of things and gets to hang out with her buddies. I love getting to work with such great moms!

First day of pre-school

Sydney was so excited for her pre-school to start this fall. Here she is on her first day, ready to go.

India trip

In September Pete's office sent him to India and I decided I was going too. We ran around getting visas, shots for malaria and TB, reading guide books and watching documentary's about this unique country. Pete would go and do his work stuff and then I would meet up with him at the end of the week and we would tour. Just after Pete got there a terrorist group detonated a bomb in New Delhi, the capital and where I was flying in to meet Pete. We got nervous. 11 people died, 65 injured and they were threatening more bombs. So I decided not to do the trip after all. We have two pretty cute munchkins at home that I really want to be there for. So Pete came right home and I only got to see India from the pics he brought back. C'est la vie!

This one is my favorite-yes this is a real snake charmer! Pete said he couldn't take his eyes off the snakes.Pete at one of the few historical site he got to visit.

Utah trip continued

After we left Edgewood we got to spend a little time with Pete's brother Dan and his family. The girls had fun with their sweet cousins and we got to see the new twins who are already getting so big.

Here's a pic of Syd and Mary-I think

After that Pete left for a business trip to India and the girls and I stayed on for a another week just enjoying friends and family.

Here's Syd and London playing dress-up at my good friend Kate's

We had so much fun at my parents house and Syd got some really great time to hang out with cousin Kyler-they are so cute together it's unreal.
My mom got the little pink pool out again and they played for hours. They made up all sorts of games like emptying the pool slowly into my parents garden, then making it a huge mud pool.
GG just wanted to watch at first
but then she joined in with the big kids
My mom and I took the kids up to Bridal Veil falls on a beautiful day

We got some time at the pool with Aunt Lisa and her kids-I will never get over their view of Timpanogos!
My girls love this pool because it gets deeper gradually, like the beach and they can stand up and feel like big-kids
We also got to be there for Kyler and Ellie's joint B-day party which was a huge treat. Since we live so far away, I don't think Syd has ever been to a cousins birthday or vice-versa.

Look at these little cuties! They had a YoGaba Gaba party and my very talented artist brother designed and made all the bags, favors and the cake!
As you can see it tasted good too! After that we said goodbye and I flew the girls home. It was a great trip.