Football and Changing Leaves

We love BYU football and whenever they play somewhere reasonably close we try to catch a game. This year they played Georgia Tech in Atlanta. It was an opportunity we couldn't pass up especially because our good friends the Castletons live there!

We left late Thursday night and got there around midnight. The next morning we woke up and took a drive to the Chattahoochee National forest to hike to Anna Ruby falls. The leaves were changing colors, it felt like fall and it was just past the cutest little German town of Helen, Georgia. The hike was pleasant and the girls had a ball. Running up and down the trail and trying to catch falling leaves. We grabbed some German pastries and brats on our way back to town. It was a perfect day!

The next day the Castleton's had a tailgate party, the kids played and we headed to the game. The kids had Pom pins in tow and were decked out in BYU garb. It was a great game and we actually won!

After the game we said goodbye to our short little jaunt and headed home. It was such a fabulous trip and it really made it feel like fall for me.

Go Cougars!!

We love BYU football and whenever they play within a reasonable distance to travel we make the trip if possible to go see our Cougars play.  This year they happened to play Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and it just so happens that are good friends the Castletons live there.  We had two reasons to go and off we went. 

The game was the last weekend in October and the leaves had started to change colors.  We drove up Thursday night and then spent most of Friday in the Chatahoochee National Forest just outside of Helen, Georgia.  There was a nice little hike up to the Anna Ruby Falls, leaves were changing colors and it was cool out.  It was seriously a heavenly day.  The girls ran and played trying to catch falling leaves on the way in and out of the falls and we took the time to take some pictures of our beautiful girls in the fall foliage.

Then on Saturday, we woke up to a tailgate party complete with pom poms and fake tattoos and then off we headed to the game.  The girls were both so excited and dressed in their BYU gear.  It made it even more fun to have their friends Grace, Lilly and Preston with us.  BYU won and Brooklyn told me I should have had more faith (I said I wasn't sure if they would win going in, trying to avoid disappointment later).  It was a great game, spent with great friends.

This and That

We had a busy October. Here are a few pics from a family night brad planned about the tree of life and our weekly ritual of "Do as I'm Doing" puppy style.

The girls may be future newscasters a trip to the MOSI the girls and I made with our friends the Coxs on a day off school.

There is also a pic of Brooklyn on crazy sock day at school.

Fall!

I love fall. I love pumpkin and baking and the smells and the cooler weather. Just thinking about it makes me happy. This month we went to two fall festivals, one at Brooklyn's school and one at the church. The girls had a blast. I'm not sure what one for the highlight but I think the hay ride(which I somehow didn't get a pic of) and all the cotton candy and snow comes we're definitely in the running. I think my favorite part was when Brad Brooklyn and Lexi were all sack racing.

Student of the Month

Brooklyn is a great student and such a smart girl. We were so proud of her when she got student of the month. The character trait for the month was responsibility, which definitely fits her. We are so proud of our goose!!

Brooklyn's favorite part is the donut breakfast. She wasn't quite finished enjoying her donut when she was called up to get her certificate and went up with powdered donut all over her mouth. It was definitely cute and reminded me that she is still my little girl even though she seems to be growing so quickly.

Just Horsing Around

The girls favorite part of the day is when daddy comes home. He has had to work late all week and they have missed him so much. Every night when he got home they wanted to horse around for a bit before bed. I think it's my favorite time of day too!

Beach Day

We live in Florida and the first time we have made it to the beach this year was the middle if October! We had a great time though. We tried out a new beach on Anna Maria Island and the water was so clear and it was such a beautiful beach and day. We saw dolphins jumping, caught a jellyfish we were worried would sting the kids, saw lots of fish (one nibbles on my toe) And we think we some stingrays. We went with our friends the Coxs and the kids carved a face in the sand. It just might be more fun than carving a pumpkin in October.

The girls both loved the water and were playing in it for hours as well as building sand castles, more like hills, and playing with their friends

It was the perfect day!

Look who joined the cool club

Brad and I are both sight challenged, and we knew when we had kids it was only a matter of time before at least one of them joined us. Brooklyn has had some trouble seeing the board this year so we took her to the eye doctor and today her super cute glasses came. We let her pick her own frames and she loved the "big frames" (plastic). She made such a great choice and she is so beautiful with or without them.

CHARGE

So my friend Ryan and I were driving to Home Depot today and traffic was stopped for a rogue cow in the road. We thought it was funny so instantly pulled out our cameras. Ryan said she kind of hopes it would come in the road for a better pic. Then what do you know it did! I got a pic of what I thought was going to be the cow crossing the road but as it hit the center of the road it rounded towards us and seriously charged toward my car!! (Thanks Ryan for the charging pic.) I totally thought my car was totaled and we were sitting ducks with toddlers in the car. It veered away literally at the last second and know we have a great story to tell. Ha!

Disneyworld!!!!!

We had passes to Disney that we had to use by the end of September so we took the last two Saturdays of September and played at Magic Kingdom!! It truly is one of the happiest places in earth. Lexi could not wait to meet all her princess friends and Brooklyn was itching to get back on Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. The princesses did not disappoint and Lexi was able to meet Cinderella, Belle, Rapunzel, Merida, Ariel and Jasmine. Definitely made her trip. We were also lucky enough to meet Peter Pan!

Brooklyn's favorite rides were Peter Pans flight, the Barnstormer, Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. We rode jungle cruise both days. The second time she wasn't too jazzed and then ended up being the guest skipper and driving the boat. She was definitely glad we went then! Brad was also called out as the "cool guy" for being the only person not willing to repeat after the tour guide. Ha!

Lexi loved Dumbo, Aladdin's Flying Carpets, Small World and the carousel. She did not like Peter Pan the first time. She isn't the thrill seeker Brooklyn is but the second time she loved it.

We were also lucky enough to get picked to "test" the Belle experience that won't be open until December!! It is in a new part of Fantasyland and it was so fun. The girls got to go through Belle's cottage and take a secret mirror passage into the Beast's castle the night Belle and the Beast fell in love! As a surprise the "audience" put on a play with Belle. Anyone that wanted was given a part. Brooklyn was a dancing plate. They told a short story of how Belle came to be there and had such a fun time. At the end all the kids were able to take their picture with Belle and get a bookmark. The girls LOVED it and it was so fun to get to try it before anyone else.