A little R & R {October 7-9th}

We have had our plans change more than once when wanting to go and visit Ryan's Brother and Sister-in-law in Bear Lake this year.  And despite the crummy weather, we loaded up and left town to get as much Rest and  Relaxation as possible before plowing into the holiday season.  Ryan took some "Mental Health Days" and we sure did enjoy them!

We made a short and very cool (no pun intended, but it was FREEZING!) stop in a close-to-home town...and saw the Soda Springs Geyser.  I thought it erupted every fifteen minutes, and after waiting at least that long, the boys thought it was better viewed from the comfort of a heated car.  Can't say I blame them!

It took me 20 minutes to realize this ISN'T the geyser I should
have expected...just gearing up for that ahah moment. 

Travertine terraces were pretty amazing and beautiful!
Blue skies would have made for gorgeous pictures. 

Smart to get in the warm car! 

The drive down was beautiful...the dark and mystic skies - scenery in general was gorgeous!

The clouds were very intense the whole drive...super fun! 

not bad for a 'through the windshield' photo! LOL! 

We didn't let a little rain ruin our fun though.  The kids played so well together, and had a blast just playing with their cousins.  We adults also had a nice time catching up and visiting.  When we decided to stay an extra day, Mitch and Heidi and their kids led us on an adventure up a gorgeous canyon, where the kids ran to get wiggles out and collected cans for their local recycling program, threw rocks in the river, then ran along the path.  Ryan even let Rylee & Mitch shoot a few rounds off my P22 Walther handgun...Heidi and I herded the kids back to the car, but not before some fun and silly photo ops.

Proof I was there and helped carry the baby.  

Do you want a "Merry Christmas" now or later?  :) 

Cousins....I love this shot! 

These three crack me up.  They played so well together! 

Thanks again, guys!

Brotherly Bonding moment right here.

loved the back pack

Millions and millions of these beauties made the stroll enjoyable and breathtaking.

Of course, as we were leaving Sunday afternoon, the sun's rays were starting to peek through the clouds...

Thanks for putting us up and putting up with us this weekend guys!  We need to do that again, soon!!!

We had to make a quick stop at my parents' home to pick up the bed frame my dad fixed for us...pictures to come!!!  Thank you dad!

Finally!

Autumn in Idaho is underway and Winter is just around the corner...

How do I know that?

• Well, first of all, because of Daylight Savings, my children refuse to sleep past 5:15 am.
• My children are keeping their clothes on, because it's actually cool in the apartment.  
• They go right to sleep at night, because they're snuggled under their blankets at night.
• I find myself making soup for every meal.
• My slippers slipped out of the closet and onto my feet to stay.
• And last of all, we were eased into this beautiful stuff...after a night and morning of rain, we finally got SNOW!!

And not just a skiff...It's still snowing, and this picture was taken around 4 this afternoon  (I know,  bad picture...it's the only one they'd give me...there was about 3 inches here).

I was a 'mean mom' and didn't want to go out to the garage to get the snow clothes (or wash them, because we're potty training a certain defiant two-year-old) so I let them play in just the regular shoes and coats...Tomorrow I promised I'd break out the snow pants and boots...because Tanner is going to make a tunnel by shoveling all the snow from the left side of the lawn onto the right side, and use daddy's avalanche shovel to do it.  He explained it to me with hand actions and all...I was laughing so hard!  He was so serious!

Who knows...at this point, we may need a tunnel to get to the car in the morning!

{Gratitude}

After teaching Tanner's Joy School class this morning, Ryan and I hurried off to vote.  "Wow" is all I can say.  I don't know why I was so nervous, I wasn't running for any office!

We promptly headed to Rexburg to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa Poulsen before they head off the St. George for the winter.  The plan was to do a fun photo shoot with the boys and mow the lawn one last time, but once I got to raking leaves to play in, there was no stopping this machine!!!

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I try my best to let them do all the talking. 

Not digging the photo op.

This is only 1/4 of the leaves in the yard.  My arms are so sore from raking!!

Childhood memories

Much too warm for jackets, and it's already November!

These boys spent a good four hours in this pile of leaves...

...oh, to be a kid again!  All I could think of was the spiders crawling around in there.

We spent our afternoon outside playing doing yard work...and it was enjoyable...and we had such a great time as a family.  One more reason I want us to have our own yard.  But for now, we'll help Granma and Granpa Poulsen with theirs.

I took some time to clip back all the iris plants...spiders galore...but I was a brave little girl.  Grandma was even more brave, and gave each boy a pair of scissors to help me.  We have yet to find the 3rd pair of scissors...

Eighteen bags of leaves.  Count them.  I thought I'd have 4 or 5 when I started raking...little did I know...

Lots of playing + lots of working = two little boys who are going to sleep well tonight!

My heart is full of {Gratitude}

Gratitude for my Heavenly Father, and his beautiful creations...for my loving husband and handsome children.
Gratitude for generous in-laws to let us come enjoy their yard.  Gratitude for my parents, and all the wonderful memories they created for us. 

Gratitude for my healthy body.


Gratitude for freedom of choice, in choosing leaders for the state that I live in.

Gratitude for the obedience of those who came before me.

Gratitude for modern conveniences and talents.

Gratitude for feelings, emotions, and arms to be wrapped in when I need comfort.

Gratitude for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Gratitude for prayer and the gentle whisperings of the Holy Ghost.

Punkins

We needed out tonight, so we headed to the U-Pick Red Barn for some good fun.  Knowing I'd not be in the mood or position to garden this summer, we didn't plant one, as we have in years past (and this was probably the year we needed it most!).  The only thing I really missed from this experience was the fresh vegetables and the beautiful pumpkins.  And the dirt.  And the weeds.  And the lack of preserved veggies the rest of the winter will probably not go un-noticed...  Okay, so I really should have planted one anyways...

It was nearly impossible to get a decent picture of this fun outing!  These boys make me laugh and make me cry...today it was both. 

Non-moving subjects.  Easy-peasy. 

For $5 each, the boys were able to go on a train ride around the barn, find their way through a straw maze, and pick a 'punkin'. 

They are soooo excited for Halloween!  Mostly to carve those pumpkins...We'll see how that turns out!

Closing Summer

Is it already time for the leaves to change colors?  Didn't I just get out the shorts and t-shirts and now it's too chilly to wear them?  I love autumn time, but honestly, it's been a very cool summer, and I'm just now enjoying the bright sunshine.  The weather lately has been perfect, and not too hot.  I think for the first time in a long time, I want summer to stay, just a while longer.  I've got my fall decor up, and am thinking about Halloween Costumes and Christmas Presents.  Already, I'm back to wearing slippers at night and in the morning, and dragging the space heater out because of the draft coming in from the front door.  I suppose all that means is that Summer is coming to a close. 

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We spent our Tuesday afternoon having many adventures while Ryan finished digging & pulling out a 200 pound tree stump, mowing the lawn, and helping with yard work at Grama and Grampa Poulsen's house.

We found and made new friends...like ladybugs in the green beans and worms in the grass...

and skipped naps to play in the garden and smell the sweet-peas.

We giggled for a good hour while swinging from the rope swing and rolling down the hill...

and later wound up at the nature park feeding the hungry geese and ducks so they won't be hungry when they fly south.

Daddy and Grampa were content to sit and visit.  Kortlen was wanting in on the action, but there's not much he could do about it, now was there!

Most importantly, we tuckered ourselves right out and went right to sleep, without any arguments after a warm bath and snuggles in bed. 

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I tucked my babies under quilts, chopped and froze onions from my in-law's garden to be used for delicious soups and stews for the coming Winter, and washed and dried a couple loads of laundry.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to being a little nicer, eating a little better, and enjoying these precious moments even more.  I can't wait to breathe in the crisp fall air on my jog, and bundle up under a blanket while I read my scriptures.

I am blessed. My heart is full. 

Beautiful Sundays

Ryan's parents invited us to a Sunday Dinner of waffles, eggs, baccon, juice and yummy maple syrup...and how could we pass up such a great opportunity to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Poulsen, not to mention snap so fun pictures!  Typically Ryan's mom will fix a gourmet roast and potato dinner, but because she broke her wrist over Labor Day weekend, we were going for simple...she should get her four pins out this week! 

We stopped by the gardens at BYU-Idaho, and I can honestly say, they've done so much wonderful work since I was there!  I don't think I had ever been when the leaves were so beautiful and red! 

Here's some fun pictures...and the one of me...Tanner took.  I was quite impressed!  Mind you, he got my elbow, armpit, the trees and my knee before he got lucky, but I'm wondering if it was all luck.  :) 

Yes, you see that right.  Ryan JUMPED into a tree 6 times his height.  He managed to be twice his height higher in that tree, and the boys thought it was so nifty...I was praying a campus cop wouldn't see...

To end a wonderful night, the boys played in the leaves on the grass, on the tramp, on the slide, and on the hill.  They were in heaven...er...grandma and grandpa's back yard having a hay leaf day! 

I {heart} Autumn...

...I think it's one of my favorite seasons. The other favorites being Winter, Spring, and Summer (and in that order, too). *wink*

I love the cool air.

I love being entitled to covering my lovely love handles with sweaters.

I love wearing thick, wool socks.

I love putting my freezing and balmy feet on my husband's hot legs when I wake up cold in the middle of the night.

I love a nice steaming cup of Postum...and now that I'm out and can't find it ANYWHERE, I'll love settling for a nice steaming cup of hot chocolate mix from the cannery.

I love soup. With cornbread and molasses. And a thick chunk of real butter.

I love layers of clothes on my boys...jeans, long-sleeve t's and sweatshirts.

I love snuggling with my lover under a blanket to just talk.

I love brown. Leaves, dirt, dust, and even mud...to me, it just says "roundup".

I love holiday preparations.

I love Halloween Costumes, crafting inexpensive home-made Christmas gifts, planning three birthdays, and eating out of food storage to afford my illness. :)

I {heart} Autumn!
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I have fond memories of picking red leafed branches up at Keetley and Hobble Creek with my dad and siblings...bringing them back home and putting them in a vase on the fireplace or the kitchen table for my mom. She would arrange them beautifully for all to enjoy. Oh, how I wish I could carry on the tradition and find some beautiful red (and I mean RED) leaves in my neighborhood!