Timpanogous Cave

 I finally downloaded pictures from the boys camera and found some from this summer.  I took the boys to Timpanogos Cave and they were rock stars.  Its a mile up the mountain to get to the cave; it's all paved, but very steep. We didn't take any breaks and the boys and I were the second group to make it to the top off all the others who started with us.  They received lots of compliments and I was really proud. 

 You have to wear your backpacks on your front side so you don't hurt any cave formations

The ranger chose Brad to hold the flashlight so the group could see a formation, he loved that job. 

 After the tour, on our way back down.

I also found this picture of a cool chalk drawing they had done.

For awhile this Summer they were really into flags.  We got this flag book at the library and on their camera there were about forty pictures of different flags from the book.

Halloween

My friend gave me the great suggestion of going to Evans Family Farm on Lehi Main Street.  I drive past all the time but have never stopped. They drove us to the pumpkin patch on a hay bale filled trailer and we got to peruse the pumpkin patch to find what we wanted. We're definitely going back next year.

 Since I'm on a roll with starting family traditions, we made monster face pizzas for dinner before going out to trick or treat.  We missed Great-grandma Brown's assisted living trick or treating.  It was on Halloween at 3:00 and I felt like all I'd done the last few weeks was yell at the boys to hurry up, so that, combined with rush hour traffic and getting them dinner, I opted to stay home this year.

 Dan's co-workers had their annual pumpkin carving.  The boys drew their own faces with pen and I carved it out for them.  Their's are the two on the left, first row.

 The Orem Smiths Pharmacy clan

 We went trick or treating with our neighbors next door, Brady, Carter and Shay Jensen.  We made it to every house in our ward, so about 100 houses.  The weather was amazingly mild.  Dan has horrible luck with Halloween and had to work again this year, thanks to my mom for handing out our candy.

 The Haul

 They organized their candy into groups.  Brad's favorite is the plain Hersheys Bars and Seth likes the Skittles best.

 Brad looking super adorable in his Fireman costume.  People would make jokes about them needing to go put out a fire and they'd just say "We're not real firemen" in a voice that implied the adult wasn't very smart.

 Seth as a fireman.  I usually don't have them dress the same, but Costco had a killer price on these costumes, so I broke my unwritten rule.

Field Trip

The boys went to three different preschools, but none of them did field trips, so the Kindergarten trip to Cornbellys was their very first.  I went with Brad's class this time.  Now that I've been I realize that I could've asked to have Seth come with me, but when I asked him he said he liked his group.

 Cornbellys has a cornmaze, pig races, and lots of various fall themed activities for kids and families.  The kids all loved it because we got to ride on a bus, eat sack lunches, and play on cool games/rides.

 The giant spider web.  At least two of Seth's classmates thought Brad was Seth and Brad couldn't understand why they would think that. :)

We met up with Seth afterwards.

Being a Single Mom

 I tried not to be a martyr while Dan was gone to Germany and then work, church duties, and more work, but I probably failed.  I cleaned out most of my closets, but we did do some fun things as well.

 We went to the zoo with my friend Holly and her kids Jonas and Miley.  Seth is almost as tall as an orangoutang. 

 Watching the elephants

 We also went to Gardner Village to see the witch display with my friend Marsha.  Brad and Seth were really into filling out their scavenger hunt forms.  As a word of advice- it is super crowded if you go during Salt Lake County UEA recess.  Marsha got us discount tickets to the petting zoo and it was actually really cool.  We got to hold a bunny and feed the animals.

I went shopping at RC Willey while Dan was gone and got this great chair that the boys have named the "cuddle chair" because it is our favorite place to curl up and read together.

Fun in the Snow!

While I was at work all day, Dan and the boys played in the snow building a snowman.

The boy's friend Carter came over and helped as well.

Germany

Dan went to Germany for 10 days with his parents to visit his brother Scott.  They hiked in the Bavarian Alps, went to the Netherlands, and had a great time visiting Scott.