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.

Labor Day in Utah

We had a glorious two week stay in Utah overlapping the labor day weekend. We went on a great hike up Albion basin the first day with uncle Ben and not-so little Andrew. It was a windy, but beautiful sunny day and the wildflowers were amazing!

Andrew and GG playing on the rocks at secret lake
Pete and Ben with the chubs
Syd&I
All of us in this meadow full of wildflowers
Syd loved climbing on everything
Can you spot the moose we found?
Over the next couple days we did stop overs at most of the brothers homes to visit, but I forgot to get pics. Here is one from when we visited Dave and Bekah. The four girls had so much fun together just goofing off and it was just fun to watch. Our girls didn't want to leave their cousins.
Then it was up to Edgewood, playing in the pond and in the kayak with dad
This was the first time we got to have Pete along (for at least the first five days) in a while and the girls were all over him. Sydney kept asking me if "is it Saturday again?" she couldn't figure out why dad didn't have to go to work, but was thrilled that she got to have him with us all day for so many days in a row.
The girls drove the little jeep all over for hours at a time. They just love having so much room to roam as opposed to our little house and no yard.
smores by the fire pit that night
Another gorgeous hike, this time in Logan
There were so many wildflowers. The girls loved it and GG especially kept stopping at every other bush to try and smell them all. She finally just started walking with her little nose scrunched up (above) smelling as she walked along. It was a beautiful day.

Then most of my family arrived in Logan for a big get together. Edgewood is basically kid heaven and we made the most of it. We fished, swam, had water balloon fights, explored the old barn and had paper airplane throwing contests. It was so fun to see Syd with so many of her cousins

Syd and Emily fishing
Sydney actually caught a fish, but was terrified of it
lots of pool time

uncle Matt with Ellie

Aunt Sierra let the kids help make her famous pies

the kids table

Sunday we got all the kids dressed, off to church and even managed to a pic in front of the barn. It was a nice mellow day. After church we all just hung out and savored the end of summer and good company.

Dad and Andrew

Syd and I on the pond

John and family

Feeding the fish and ducks