The Denver Zoo

Today we were able to go to the Zoo! It was a perfect day. The weather was awesome and all the animals were out and ready to be watched! We were able to tag along with Dena, Charles, and Michelle. Thanks to them we got a ride down there and used their free passes! It was so much fun for all of us! Ethan was in heaven. He thought that the zoo was a pretty neat place. We carried the map of the zoo the entire way. He used the little pictures to find out where we were and tell us where he wanted to go.

We walked around the whole zoo! I think I was more worn out then my kids. We saw zebras, giraffes, polar bears, monkey, lions, and elephants. Ethan and Ciara were amazed at all the animals. The last time we went to the zoo was last summer on free day. So this was a great experience for my children to see animals that they have never seen before.

My favorite are always the zebras and giraffes. We had quite an experience with the monkeys. After watching some rather odd behavior we had an ape charge at us and bang the glass with his huge fists right in front of us. This was very intimidating even to me and scared the kids. Ethan and Ciara did not want to see anymore monkeys.

What a fun fall day at the zoo! I will have to take the kids back very soon. It was an awesome day.

All riding together

Ciara was fascinated watching all the animals

My favorite- The Zebras

Cute Girls!

They LOVED the fish!

I think that the sea turtle is as big as Ciara!

A Fantastic Football Fall Day

Today we drove to Colorado Springs to watch BYU vs Air Force football. It was perfect football weather. It was sunny and warm but you still needed sweaters, truly a beautiful Colorado fall day! I think that there were as many BYU fans as there were Air Force fans, and we saw many people from our ward there too!

Ethan was so excited to be going to a football game. He was so excited as we passed the big fighter jet that the Academy has at their entrance. He loved getting hot dogs and popcorn. Ciara loved playing on the bleachers and loved trying to find the mascots on the field. I loved being able to spend the day together as a family, and Seth loved being at a real football team watching BYU win.

Before the game there were 6 parachuters that jumped from a plane and landed on the field. It was awesome! When they first jumped they had this red smoke behind them so that you could see them better. Ethan and Ciara were fascinated by them. It was so neat to see how they all fell and landed so perfectly on the field.

This is right after the BYU players ran onto the field. You can see the cheerleaders waving BYU flags.

Then right before the game three fighter jets flew over the stadium. Now, this was the best part of the game. We could hear the jets well before we saw them. They flew right across the stadium, straight up, and then out of sight. They were loud, fast, and pretty cool. I think they were a little intimidating for Ethan because of how loud and close they were.

It was a great game with BYU winning by two touchdowns. It was neat to be there and to cheer and to be excited for the team.

Then when we got home I made a chocolate cake for Sunday dinner tomorrow and the kids had to lick the spoons. They loved it so much that I had to strip off their clothes after they were done!

This caused Ciara to go up to her room and to bring down several new sets of clothes that she insisted that I put on her. I never thought this stage could come so early. She loves to dress up, change her clothes, and look pretty. I don't know if that makes me happy that she loves to be a girly girl or sad that I will now be busy constantly changing her!

Ethan also had to show off his big strong muscles! His latest saying is that when he grows up he is going to be just like his Dad!

Ciara loves baby dolls and while Ethan and I were watching The Wizard of OZ on T.V. Ciara changed, wrapped, feed, and loved her baby! Here are some pictures of her playing so I can always remember her like this.

After a full and fun day the kids played in the bathtub. They have way too much fun together in the water. That is just one of our fun filled days this fall, we hope to have many more!

Holiday Giveaway

Tip Junkie is having a 12 Days of Junkie where there will be 2 winners announced each day for the next 12 days!

It's to help promote the women who are selling their products in the Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon. So be sure to head on over to Tip Junkie and enter the contest and check out all the amazing gift-giving possibilities in the shop-a-thon!

Ciara's 1st Haircut

Today I took Ciara in for her very first haircut. I was a little hesitant because I love that her hair is getting longer but she really needed bangs and her ends were getting ratty and uneven. So I took her into a fun kids salon to get her hair done. I am really glad I did. She looks so cute with bangs. It is not a major change but makes her look more like a little girl. Ciara was a big girl and very brave until the girl started actually cutting her hair then she didn't like it much. She kept saying scary and that it hurt. But she sat in the chair the entire time and loved that they girl but a ribbon bow in her hair when she was done. My mom came with us and then took us all out to lunch after. I love that I am able to share all these fun events with my mom. I can't believe that my baby girl Ciara has had another milestone!

Some Before Pictures

Some During Pictures

Some After Pictures

The Candy Factory

Last week we went on a field trip to the Candy Factory with Dena, Charles, and Michelle. They give free tours so we decided to go and check it out. After giving out lots of samples and watching a movie we were taken back to watch them make the candy. They make card candy like suckers and candy canes. They occasionally make chocolate but they weren't that day. We watched them as they made the little hard candies with Santa's face in the middle. It was very interesting. Then they took us back to where they package all the candy to ship. They also let us sample their homemade marshmallows covered in carmel. Ethan thought it was neat but later he asked me why they didn't make little M&M's, now that would have been a fun tour. But to see more pictures click-here.

Making the Candy

Watching them Make the Candy

Sampling the Carmel Covered Marshmallows

Happy Halloween!

This past week our house has been filled with lots of Halloween activities. It all started last Saturday night at out wards Trunk-or Treat! It was a lot of fun and there was a great turn out. Ethan was so excited to be able to wear his cowboy clothes again! Ethan was a cowboy last year and was dead set on being one again, and even I tried to convince him to be something else. But nope! He wanted to be a cowboy, and he said he was a cowboy just like Grandpa Evans! Ciara was a bumblebee fairy. Her costume had cute little wings attached to the back. The kids had fun going on a hay ride, fishing for prizes, getting their face painted, and especially going trunk-or-treating!

Seth and the kids before the ward trunk-or-treat!

My parents at our ward party! Doesn't my Dad look like the real Hulk?

Then on Thursday Ethan was able to get dressed back up for his preschool Halloween party. But as usual we were running out the door late and didn't get pictures of him that morning. It takes one longer to get a little cowboy ready in the morning then you would have thought. But don't worry I have plenty of pictures despite that. Ethan sure had fun at preschool. We sure feel blessed that Ethan is able to attend preschool with a wonderful teacher for the second year in a row!

This is Ethan's big, tough cowboy face! So Cute!

Then Friday was the big night! We had my parents, Casey and Brynn and their kids, and Gabe and Dena and their kids, friends from our ward, over for a Halloween party. When everyone came over we took some great pictures! Don't the kids all look so cute! Ciara had two costumes and her second one was a little purple monster. So I got her all dressed and took pictures and then thought she did not look girly enough and changed her into her bumblebee costume to go trick-or-treating! Then we started round one of our trick or treating. Can you believe that it was so warm that we didn't even need to wear jackets the entire night! Crazy! Ciara loved going trick-or-treating. She loved going up to the doors and her little eyes would get wide with amazement each time they would put candy in her basket. She never got tired the entire evening. I think she would have continued to do it all night if I let her. We all came back home to have chili and stew for dinner. After eating and resting we went back out for round two. The kids got so much candy. Poor Ethan wore cowboy boots all night and by the time we got home his feet were pretty sore. But my kids love to open and look at the candy and then throw it away just to open another one. Oh well!

My Cute Little Monster

My Cute Little Bumblebee!

Ethan and Charles

Ciara and Michelle

Ciara and Baby Fayth- Both cute little bugs!

They are all so excited to go trick-or-treating!

Don't they all look so adorable!

Charles, Tanner, Ciara, Michelle, Tytan, and Ethan

Ciara thought people giving her candy was so awesome!

It was a very fun and exciting week. I am so glad to be able to spend the holidays with my children. They make everything so much more fun and exciting. I love to see the excitement in their faces and listen to all the cute things that the say in anticipation for the fun!