October 2013

October was a really busy month.  We headed up to Utah at the beginning of the month for Fall break.  We decided to start the tradition of taking our kids to go see General Conference at the Conference Center when they turn 12 and we were very lucky that we were already planning on being in Utah during that time so Peyton and I got tickets to the Saturday morning session.  It was such a wonderful experience and I think Peyton loved it.

We spent a lot of time at my brother Andrew's house (including a donut party on Conference Sunday) but I didn't take any pictures of that.  I need to do better with my picture taking.

We spent a lot of time at BYU because we love it there.  Here are the girls on the Cougar.

They loved this hill that is right by the stadium and had to have a picture with the BYU paint.

Addison loved playing on the steps that lead to the football stadium.

We visited out favorite bench at the Wall in the Wilkinson Center.  Cosmo fits into our family very well.

The girls loved this art on BYU campus.

We visited the Dinosaur Museum (we can't wait for the Bean Museum to open up again so we can go there and see the other animals).

We visited the little pond they have on campus (Peyton has been asking to go here for years so she was excited that we finally went).  It was so beautiful with all the different colors of leaves on the plants and the trees.

Addison loved chasing the ducks around.

The main reason we came to Utah was to go to Rachael and Steve's wedding.  The day before the wedding we went and got pedicures.

We were so excited for the wedding.  The weather had been so perfect the whole week we had been in Utah but on the day of the wedding it rained the whole entire day.  It did not stop at all.  Everything still turned out great but we didn't take very many pictures because it was cold and wet.  Here is the happy couple after they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.

All of my siblings together for the happy occasion.

The wedding reception was fun but we didn't stay very long because Addison was exhausted after a long day with no nap.  I wish I could have stayed the whole time but sometimes the kids have to come first.  I am so happy for Rachael and Steve and feel so blessed to have Steve in our family (FINALLY!!!!).

We went to Trafalga one night while in Utah to play games and go on the rides.

We were able to see some of our long time friends.  This is my dear friend Keri who I met while we were living in South Bend, Indiana.  She just recently moved to Provo so I had to see her and catch up.  Luckily our kids had a great time together and we can't wait to visit them again this summer.

We also got together with Matt and Stacey at their beautiful home in Pleasant Grove.  Matt and Ryan have known each other since Junior High and roomed together at BYU.  Stacey and I became great friends once we married our spouses and have stayed friends since our days at BYU.  Their daughter Bailey came and spent the night at the condo with us and came to the BYU Homecoming parade with us.  My girls love going to this parade.

Lexi loves the marching band.  We were able to enjoy watching the parade with my cousin Matt and his family and my friend Keri and her kids.  My sister-in-law Michelle came with her boys (it is our tradition to enjoy this parade with them every time we come).  It was perfect weather and such great company.

After the parade we went to the Cougareat to meet up with our dear friends the Smiths.  We became great friends with this family when we lived in Tucson.  Lena was my very best friend there and their daughter Rachel was Peyton's best friend.  It was so fun to see them again (they live in Las Vegas now).

Me and Lena

Rachel and Peyton

All 8 of our kids

Ryan and I were able to attend a BYU women's volleyball game and go to the BYU football homecoming game while we were there.  It was so much fun.

When we got back from Utah I had the opportunity to spend a few days watching my nephew Cooper.  I was a little worried about watching him all day but he was just perfect.  He slept well, ate well, and had lots of fun playing with his cousins.  On one of the days I was also watching my friends  2 daughters so I had the opportunity to find out what it would be like with triplets.  I'm glad it was just for a few hours.

Cooper and Addison enjoyed a few afternoon walks together.

Addison has had a bad habit of pulling out her hair when she is tired or mad or while she is sleeping.  So after we noticed the behavior getting worse over about 5 months we decided that the best way to break the habit would be to shave her head (the doctor suggested this also).  So Ryan had the opportunity to shave her head.  Here she is right before we started the haircut (she has never had the best hair so even though it was tough to watch I was not attached to her hair like I was with my other 3 girls).

The first cut.

She did not enjoy this experience and was crying the whole time.

Here is the final product.  It was a little shocking to see her so bald (lots of people were shocked to see her at church like this) but if it helps stop her bad habit it will all be worth it.

In the middle of October Ryan took Peyton and Hailey to Magic Mountain with his friend Scott Turner and his daughter Jordon.  They had a great time riding all of the big roller coasters and hanging out.  

Ryan and I had the opportunity to go to Maui with the law firm Ryan works for.  They had a firm retreat for a few days and it was so wonderful.  We flew to Maui on Wednesday and came home on Sunday.  It was a quick trip but definitely worth it.  Here was our view from the balcony of our room.

We went snorkeling at the Molokini Crater and it was so beautiful.  I didn't enjoy the boat ride at all but I am so glad I went.

We went and drove a little on the road to Hana and stopped at a few of the small waterfalls (we didn't have enough time to do the whole drive).

We went jet skiing, ate lunch at Coconuts (such delicious coconut shrimp), and had a few great dinners with the firm.  The resort we stayed at was absolutely beautiful (Grand Wailea).  I did yoga on the beach (it was a free class they offered), worked out in their gym, went stand up paddle boarding (much harder than it looks), walked on the beach, went swimming in their many pools, and went on some fun water slides.  I am so grateful for Newport Trial Group for inviting us on this fantastic vacation.

This is a picture of the last sunset we had before we left to go back home.  Thanks Scott and Megan for taking care of our kids while we were gone.

After we got back from Hawaii it was time for Halloween.  I managed to pick up some pumpkins from the store and have the girls decorate them with the Mr. Potato Head stuff.

Here is Addison with her Frankenstein pumpkin.

 Lexi with her witch pumpkin.

 Hailey with her pirate pumpkin.

 Peyton with her skeleton pumpkin.

 On Halloween night the girls were so excited to go trick-or-treating.  Lexi dressed up as Merida from Brave.

All of my family came over to go trick-or-treating in our neighborhood.  Peyton dressed up as a 50's girl, Hailey was a bumble bee, Alexis was Merida, and Addison was a princess.  The kids had a great time and got lots of candy.