Halloween 2012

Gage was really into carving pumpkins this year. We just couldn't get to it fast enough.

The slimy seeds really don't bother me that much, I was just having fun for the picture.

 

 I love how hard he is concentrating on carving. Jared is much more patient with Gage with things like this. I don't like seeing him using a knife. YIKES!

 We loved how they all turned out. Can you guess which one is Jared's? Gage's is the flame face. He did a great job!

 

We were a vampire family for our ward Trunk or Treat. We look pretty spooky, huh!?!?

 

Gage was so sad that Halloween was over. The next couple days after Halloween he kept lamenting and saying that it should just last longer because it is so fun to dress up. I'm sure the candy didn't have anything to do with it though!

Boise Temple Open House

We were excited for the opportunity to attend the Boise temple open house. It is the temple I grew up going to. It's where I did my first baptism for the dead. They recently renovated the temple and are now holding an open house. More on that later...

Jared and I both have family that live close to Boise so it was great to be able to visit them. Nathan and Neita's home was our first stop.  Joel, who is just a year younger than Gage, didn't have school so they had fun playing while the other kids were at school. First thing in the morning the Wii games began. The weather was beautiful so I sent them outside to play and take a break from the Wii. Jared enjoyed tinkering around with Nathan a bit when he came home from work for lunch. Then Jared and I went to bug him at his office. We were also able to go to Bailey's volleyball game. We were her good luck charm! They did great. It was a very exciting and tense 5 games.

Our time was short and sweet, but we enjoyed it. I forget what it's like being in a house with lots of kids, 7 to be exact. It's fun!

 We met my brother Barry and his wife Heather and 3 kids, Quinton, Clara and Warren at the temple. Gage was so excited to be able to go into the temple. He knows his parents go there often and he was thrilled that it was finally his turn to. He said it was awesome! We thought so too.

 Here is my cutie!

  Family moments in front of the Boise temple.

 We were able to spend a couple days with Barry and Heather. It was the first time I got to see my nephew Warren. He is such a sweetheart. He is constantly giving his smiles to everyone. This picture cracks me up. Who's mouth is open wider, Warren's or his daddy's.

They have sand dunes in Mountain Home where they live so after Quinton's soccer game and lunch we headed out to the sand dunes. Gage was so fascinated with the dunes. He had so much fun.

 We tried to do some sand sledding, but it wasn't very successful.

 

 The wind was blowing pretty good and blowing the sand into our eyes.

 

I sure would love to live closer to all of our siblings. It was so good see be able to visit even though it had to be short and sweet!

Soccer Season

 The last few years Jared has enjoyed playing soccer. I didn't get the best pictures of him, but it was getting dark and my camera isn't that great.

 Gage likes going to Jared's games, but gets bored pretty quick because he would rather be playing the game than watching. He was so ready to start playing in the Fall. Jared was the coach again this year. He says he doesn't like coaching, but the parents and his wife think he is great at it. Check out some of Gage's moves!

 Here's the team. There were 9 boys and 3 girls. Gage got involved a lot more this season and went after the ball a lot. But running is still what he loves best.

 So...once upon a time there was a wonderful husband who was patiently sitting in a chair waiting for his wife to cut his hair. His wife was tired after a long day, but the hair cut really needed to get done. He was looking pretty shaggy. So she grabbed the clippers, put on one of the guards, and shaved down the middle of the wonderful husbands scalp. Suddenly, she stopped, gasped, and got a sick feeling in her stomach. YIKES! She realized too late that she hadn't put the right guard on and this is what resulted (see below). This was the shortest hair cut this wonderful husband has ever had. We are not sure who felt worse about it, the sweet, caring, loving, dutiful wife or the wonderful husband! He is shaggy no more...

Labor Day Weekend

 We decided to take one last quick camping trip with our family friend, Karra. We really wanted to go to Lake Como in the Hamilton area, but the smoke from all the fires was pretty thick there. So we stayed closer to home and went to Rock Creek. It ended up being pretty smokey there too, but we tried to ignore it and have fun anyway. Here's our little camp site.

  So what did we do to entertain ourselves? Jared got out his new toy, a climbing rope. He started messing around and then...

 Gage was swinging from the trees and having a blast!

 Karra wanted a refresher course on knots and Jared was happy to oblige, but she didn't want her picture taken. Can you tell?

The next day we met up with our friends, the Hyltons, to fish and play in Rock Creek. This bridge is pretty cool.

Can you see Jared and Gage down below trying to find a good fishing spot?

 

That red dot is Gage waving to me on the bridge.

Beautiful!

 Seth, Connor and Claire. Gage was so happy to have his friends join us.

 Elena and Claire

 When we were done playing  and fishing we came back to camp and enjoyed a dutch oven meal and some more flying from the trees.

 

 

 I guess camping hadn't worn us out enough on Friday and Saturday because we decided to head up to Rattle Snake and go on a bike ride on Monday. We went 6 miles up and then came back down. Gage did great! It is so fun to have him older and able to do activities like this with us now. He loves, loves, loves riding his bike!

 Don't we look so cool in our bike riding gettup!?! I love this trail. We met someone along the way that saw a bear cub up in a tree. Of course we didn't see anything that exciting.

 Gage and his bike and the great outdoors.

It was a great way to end our Labor Day Weekend.

Helm's in Glacier

We have made it an annual trip to camp and explore Glacier National Park. We really look forward to it. We also enjoy our cushy camping at the KOA in West Glacier. This year we were extra excited because some of Jared's family was able to come along; Bethanie, Jim and their family, Jared's parents and sister Angela.

 Andrew was determined to split that wood!

The kids were excited to take a turn helping Jared chop some wood. They loved it but it sure made me nervous.

 Gage and Natalie were no less determined!

 

  Some fun pictures taken on "Going to the Sun" road. Natalie, Hannah, Gage and Grandad.

 

 Jim, Andrew and Hannah

 

 Angela peaking out the truck window.

 Grandad and Jared checking out the views.

 Love that view and I love that cutie Gage!

 Angela enjoyed "off-roading". I was impressed!

 

 Cute cousins!

 St. Mary's Falls leading up to Virginia Falls

 The hike to Virginia Falls is my favorite hike. It's so beautiful all the way up and there are lots of spots to stop and watch the water. I love this picture of Grandad hanging his feet over the edge and taking in the view.

 

 There it is...Virginia Falls. It is so pretty and powerful. When you stand by it you can hardly hear each other talk and the mist was thick and refreshing.

 This is a great picture of Bethanie smiling at the camera.

 This is a picture of Virginia Falls down the trail a bit. Awesome!

 And of course we had our hot dog and smore roast.

 Also, some campfire singing with Grandma and her cute little baritone guitar.

 

 A nice leisurely hike/walk is "Trail of the Cedars". The kids loved getting inside some the big hollow trees.

 Angela is trying out her tree hugging feelings

 Grandma and Grandad took us on a boat ride on Lake McDonald. It was a perfect day for it, just gorgeous.

 Angela enjoyed front row seating. The kids loved the fact that once the boat was moving they were allowed to move about the boat..up, down, down, up.

 

Those are bear claws if you couldn't tell, hanging around Gage's neck! Cool!

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my time with family and Glacier. It is now a precious memory.