AhHhhHH fall.....

Autumn....really really is my favorite time of year and we are so lucky this year to have had such a long and beautiful fall, I hope it continues to last! It is just recent that the weather is getting chilly at nights and in the mornings but the mid days are still in the high 60's and even the low 70's. All the colors are bright on the trees, the grasses are full, the fall flowers are still in bloom, the bushes and vines are bright reds and oranges and its just gorgeous outside! I find myself taking a ton of pictures this time of year. I am in love with pumpkins! Everything to do with them, carving them, decorating with them, the color orange, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin patches... you name it, I am loving them them! I love the soups for dinner, love the smell of the furnace kicking on every once in a while at night, and the cool breeze from the open windows during the day. I love shopping this time of year!!! New jeans, boots, sweaters, hoodies, scarves and hats!! I had a minor shopping spree last week for my girls of which I went a tad bit overboard (and now slightly feeling the buyers remorse), but OH MAN do they look darling!!!! My favorite purchase of the season has been a wool looking orange long dress coast with gold buttons for Ella!! To DIE for!! Love all the autumn scents like pumpkin spices, apple cider, cloves... anything warm and sweet! Snuggling up at night with hot chocolate and my hubby. All the new TV seasons have started which makes for some good TV! HALLOWEEN, need I say more! Candy corns and caramel apples, YUM!! Sports mania... October is just a big mesh of baseball playoffs, football and basketball games! And fall just makes me want to be with my family even more than I already am! We have done some fun family fall activities that everyone really enjoyed... here are a few on the pictures from Cornbellys, Gardner Village Witches (with the Richards family), and picking pumpkins!.... I LoVe fall!!!

My favorite tree in our yard... an Autumn Blaze Maple...


Gardner Village to see the witches with the Richards family...











Cornbellys Fun...














The one picture at the the Pumpkin Patch before the camera died...


The faBuLoUs coat...

3rd Grade Lehi Pioneers

Football, football,and more football....Once we start the first of August I feel like I blink and its Halloween before I know it. Here we are almost and I haven't posted anything about our team yet! Where has the time gone.? Its always a little intense this time of year with Ryan and Mason gone 3-4 nights a week and all the politics that come from parents and coaches, yeah it can definitely be a stress but for the most part we love it! Mason is awesome! And he has the greatest attitude. He continues to amaze me each year with his abilities. I know I am not suppose to say this with being a mom and all and someone who is suppose to be proper, but he really is a bAd @#!%! totally to the core from the way he walks and struts on the field, runs, hits, catches, has to have his 1/2 shirt, eye black and arm bands on for each game, and loves every minute of every game. He plays hard. He never complains about practice and thoroughly enjoys it. He has found a love of defense this year. He plays defensive end, and outside and middle linebacker and loves to hit. He has no fear of going up against guys bigger than him... he just takes them down! He has "pancaked" several guys, caused and recovered several fumbles, and tackled for a loss a bunch of times. Offensively this year has been a bit frustrating for him because he hasn't carried the ball much but he has played wide receiver and made some great catches, some even for TD's! His buddy, Braden plays quarterback, its fun to watch those two connect and score! He really has had a great season and we are so proud of him; he has grown and developed this talent wonderfully! We love Football!!!! GO #8... you really are a BAD @$#*!! I love going to your games! They really are a highlight of my week! I look forward to many more years to come!
*Masons Stats of the year* 67 footballs on his helmet, 2 defensive game MVP's, 1 offensive game MVP, Defensive player of the year! so proud of you buddy!!!

10/10/10

So today was a special today. We had dinner at my parents house tonight in honor of my Grandma Betty... today she would have turned 90 years old. She passed away in October of 1998 and I have missed her greatly ever since then. Today at dinner it was fun to think of her and be with my brothers and parents. My Grandma Betty and I had a very sweet and special relationship. My mom was her only girl and I am my moms only girl and I had no other girl cousins, so my mom and me and my grandma played together often. Yes, I was spoiled and loved every minute of it. Every year for my birthday she would take me school shopping and out to lunch, she often got me a new Easter or Christmas dress clear up into my high school days, she started our Girls Christmas Luncheon complete with bringing us of gift that usually consisted of bath salts or bath beads, and my mom still carries on the tradition, I loved having sleep overs at their house and falling asleep to the sound of a clock that quietly ticked on the night stand and then waking up in the morning to a big breakfast, she would always make me fruit salad at Sunday dinner, she came to so many of my soccer games, filled up my gas tank when I needed help, when I was little I remember her and my grandpa dressing up for Halloween, she always had a bowl of hard candies out on the coffee table, she always had music on when we came over, very artistic, and gave me unconditional love. She died about a month or so before I decided to go on my mission. And I often felt as though I had a guardian angel looking over me during that time. I wish she could've been here when I got married or when I had my babies but I know that she is watching from up above and not missing a minute of my life. I look forward to the day when I can hug my grandma again... she really is the best and although I only had her in my life until I was 21 she made a huge impact on me that will last me my lifetime! Today she is close to my heart and I hope she knows how much I love her and am grateful for her.

Are ya kIdDiNg me!

Are ya kidding me....these girls are really mine! They looked so cute this morning that i just had to snap some pics! I wonder if they know how lucky they are to have each other! Having a sister so close in age seems like such a blessing! As much as I love my brothers now, when I was little I really wanted a sister. So its extra special for me to have 2 girls. I love watching these two together! Claire follows and does whatever Ella does. They play great, they fight, they laugh, they love each other! Love having my girls. I can only hope that my relationship is as good as my mom's and mine is now and that I can be as patient as my mom was with me through all the teenage crap! Oh boy... if carma really is something then I might have it coming to me when they are between the ages 13-17. (but of course I will tell them I did no wrong when I was their age:)They are better than me though, right?! Fingers crossed... I just feel so blessed to be the mom of these beautiful, talented, smart, sweet and sassy, girls. They bring me lots of joy, and they definitely challenge me, but it makes me grow and appreciate things more. I pray that they will be strong, especially when they are older. It scares me to think of all the temptations and stuff that they will have to face. I can't imagine having to do it but I know they will have the tools and testimony it will take to get them through it all. Love you girls!!! I adore you!

Fall Leaves

So we made it this year...and the camera worked and everybody was there!! (last year was not so great) Anyways, on conference Sunday we went up to American Fork Canyon and did the Alpine Loop, along with everybody else in the world! I can't believe how crazy crowed it was. The roads are so narrow as it is and it is tough to navigate around craziness. It was even hard to find spots to stop and take pictures! But we did manage to get a few in. It was beautiful up there... totally serene and beautiful. I could have stayed up there all day but my kids, (and hubby) were done after a bit.... But I am so grateful for them being willing to make the trip with me this year... here are some of the pics