Halloween Fit Club

My friend, Chenae and I were talking about how we used to workout to Jayne Fonda workouts in high school.  We watched a video clip online and she suggested I dress up with my Fit Club the next day in honor of Jayne and Halloween.  It was a blast!  Scooby was the only one to actually workout in her clothes.  I quickly changed.  I would've died.  

To the mountains we go!!

Kyle and Josh joined us for a hike up American Fork canyon.  We went up to the waterfalls and I had Lyla in a pack the entire time.  It was a great hike and the kids did great.

We've been enjoying the fall weather and walking to the park down the hill from our house.  Lyla is growing up and wanting to be independent and sitting on a bike herself.

Women's Good Food Retreat

My cute friend, Kris, invited me and some friends to her family cabin to share good, healthy food and workout.  It was so needed!  The mountain air is amazing.  It was a bit chilly, but so nice.  We ate yummy food Friday night, took a brisk walk around the neighborhood in Heber and chatted until bed.  Saturday we did a new P90 workout together before showering and packing up for home.  Next time, we'll stay longer! 

I was amazed how little I packed and how fast I was ready to go without packing for kids!

Kid-isms

These are some good ones that I never want to forget.  Love having two 4-year olds asking me lots of questions and telling me great information.

October 16th:

Sydney is playing that Ethan is her "kitty". She just said, "hold on kitty. I'm working out with grandma."  (Yes, I was working out…so I was grandma.)

 

October 16th:

Just asked my 4-year old to check the baby monitor to see if my baby was awake. She said, "can I see your phone and I'll ask that girl" (aka Siri).

July 19th:

Thank you, man at Seven Peaks who had "gross" long hair. Ethan is finally not insisting on growing his hair long and is all but begging for us to cut it immediately. 

Wish I could drop you a real thank you note.

Ethan: "Mom. I don't want to have long hair anymore."

Me: "Oh really?  Why do you say that buddy?"

Ethan: "Because I saw a man with long hair and it looked really gross."

July 13th:

Ethan has an outtie belly button. He saw mine and said "take a deep breath and pop it up -- see like mine? Go like this (takes a deep breath). Try to pop it out."

"That doesn't even look like a belly button anyway with that little crack in it." (I had a laparoscopy several years ago and there's a scar.) 

June 18th:

Ethan: "Mom! This is important! I saw a commercial on TV for OxyClean. It cleans things really well."

Me: "Yes. We have some in the laundry room. That IS important. I'm glad you told me."

Ethan: (looking relieved and disappointed at the same time)

May 15th:

Sydney (grabbing popcorn I made) "Mom, my tummy is very full."
Me: "Sydney, well don't keep eating if you're tummy is telling you it's full."
Sydney: "Well, my tummy is very hungry…very, very hungry…"
??

March 19th:

Ethan "mom. I have a secret. I found a girl I'm going to marry."
Me "at preschool?"
Ethan "yes!"
Me "what's her name?"
Ethan "I don't know. I might find someone else though. She was in that room waiting for our parents to pick us up. She has black hair like you and Kayla. She's in the same school but not in our class. I'll see her next time."

Oh. My. Goodness. Laughing so hard! Love at preschool.

February 15th:

Have a cold that went straight to my vocal chords. My voice is barely audible. My son keeps asking me "why are you whispering?" and "try going like this mom…ah hem (clearing throat noise)." I would laugh, if I had a voice!

February 7th:

Me: "Ethan, stop being bossy."
Ethan: "I'm not being bossy. I'm just telling her what to do so she knows what to do everyday." 
Boy, was I off!

Date night

My parents had two extra tickets to a play at the Hale Center Theatre and Dave was my date.  We had so much fun.   

Evening fall hike

The weather has been so nice this week that we had to get outside tonight with the kids.  Doug had done an awesome hike with the Young Men earlier this summer and took us up the canyon.  The leaves were changing and it was amazing!  Photos don't do it justice!

Birthday party

A cute neighbor invited Ethan and Sydney to her birthday party.  She was new in the neighborhood, so I tagged along just in case.  They were adamant that I join them.  They had an amazing time.  I told her mom that she had set the bar for birthday parties from now on!

Queen Elsa came and painted faces and read them a story and gave them bracelets. There was a piñata and yummy cupcakes, pizza party, and watching the movie Frozen.

Kids Day!

After we decided to come home Sunday morning, we debated what to do that day.  I suggested that we make it the "kid's day" portion of our vacation.  Ethan and Sydney were so excited.  They said they wanted to go to parks all the way home.  We found some really fun places to stop and play.  We ate a picnic lunch in Wellington at a park with a stage--needless to say, we put that to good use!

After breaking up the trip with play, the drive home was fantastic!  The kids weren't whining or complaining.  Doug and I kept telling each other how we were so glad we did this.

We stopped just before leaving the canyon and making the last part of the trek home at a great park we'd stopped at before.  Shortly after leaving, Doug couldn't find his cell phone.  We drove back to the park and searched with no luck.  We ended up calling the Wellington police who found his phone and shipped it to him the next day.  We were SO grateful considering it also held his license and credit cards!

Although we were sad to end our trip, we were glad to be home with showers and warm beds.

Camping snuggles

We have wanted to go camping all summer.  We had issues scheduling with Church responsibilities and family activities…let alone Doug's limited time off.  We decided to go over General Conference weekend and go to Moab, where it would hopefully be warmer.  The nights were in the mid-40's and planned to spend a good portion in the tent waiting for the weather to warm up.  We left later than we wanted and didn't make it all the way to Moab.  We thought we were genius to stop in Green River (just 1-hour from Moab) and set up camp after the sun had gone down, while we had a little daylight left.  

It seemed too perfect…until about 11 pm when a freight train came through RIGHT by our tent.  It came several more times through the night too.  We hadn't seen it through the few trees (and it was dark anyway).  Suffice it to say that it was a LONG night of little sleep.  By 4 am, Lyla was cold and cried out and I held her in my sleeping bag while she fell back asleep…and I stayed awake.  When the kids came in our tent around 6:00, I told Doug that I wanted to camp up and go home.  He patiently listened and then we continued on to Moab.  :-)

Doug packed up camp while we stayed in the tent and then I moved all the kids to the car to stay warm while we packed up the rest.  Doug is so patient when I whine.

Arches

Saturday we snagged a great campsite and headed to Arches National Park.  We conquered some excellent hikes and Ethan and Sydney proved yet again that they are truly Marchant hikers.

They wanted to climb and climb…while I stayed below with Lyla with sweaty palms anxious about their safety.  Doug is great at teaching them to be adventurous.

We lucked out with a stellar campsite--just by the river and surrounded by beautiful red rock.

Lyla did really well in the pack--just didn't nap like we thought she would.  I eventually drove around for a few minutes until she dozed off and stayed in the car for her hour nap.  Worth it for sure!

Friendly hugs

My childhood friend, Amanda Timmons, came into town this week to visit some Utah national parks with her boyfriend.  We were fortunate enough to orchestrate a visit on their way to the airport.  I absolutely loved seeing her!  It felt like yesterday.  Ethan and Sydney danced for her and it was fun to tell them how she has a twin brother and they're still good friends.  :-)

I'm getting ready to wean Lyla.  This is the latest take-over that I experience when nursing that's starting to make me feel claustrophobic!  She plays with my hair (usually pulling it hard) while sticking her foot in my neck.  Not the most comfortable experience.