First Snowfall

We woke up to lots of snow today and the boys were really excited about it. Jacks looked outside and said "Now I can build a snowman!" We were busy all morning with errands and so after their naps we got them all geared up in snowpants, boots, mittens, hats, and coats and they trudged out into the snow.
We have a hill in our backyard which I have hated since we moved in but haven't done anything about it, and today I was glad for it because it made it even more fun. The boys had a blast sledding down the hill!We'll have to get out there and build a snowman because Jacks has been talking about it since July. He saw a picture on the computer of the snowman he built last winter and has asked me countless times if he could go outside and build a snowman. I kept telling him he had to wait until there was snow...now I don't have any more excuses. I've always loved the snow (except driving in it) but I love it even more now that I can watch my boys enjoy it so much!!

Where did November go?

Wow life has been extra crazy this last month. I need to do some catching up on what we have been up to this last month. Disney on Ice was in town on Nov. 15 so we took the boys up to Salt Lake for that. They had a blast and keep asking to go again. Every night Jacks says his prayers and asks to go see the Mickey Show again. It really was a lot of fun.

I have had a sinus infection for about a year now and I have been going to an ear, nose, and throat doctor who decided it was time for surgery. So on Nov. 18 I went in for my very first surgery. I was pretty stressed about it because it was all so new and foreign, but the doctor did a good job and my recovery process was pretty easy. I am grateful to all of my family who were all so helpful that week!! (Nick even changed a diaper!)

Bert and I decided it was time to put Cooper in a big bed and put the boys together in the same room. They have adjusted to the change well. Jacks thinks it is great that Cooper shares a room with him now and they both get excited to run into bed now. They have become quite the chatterboxes after I shut the door though. Any suggestions on how to get them to go to sleep faster?? It really is quite funny though to tell them good night and shut the door and as soon as the door is shut you hear all this giggling.

We got our Christmas tree on the day after Thanksgiving. We decided to get a flocked one this year. It's been fun getting all the decorations out and listening to Christmas tunes. Now I really need to get shopping!!

Yesterday was my birthday and Bert took the day off. He got up with the boys and I got to sleep in which was so nice. Then we got ready and headed up to the Hogle Zoo. It was a lot of fun. It's something fun for our whole family because the kids love it but so do Bert and I. After the zoo we headed over to my mom's house to have birthday dinner with my family. It was so yummy! Thanks again mom for the yummy tacos. My family gave me a picture of the Mt. Timpanogos temple that I have been wanting for about a year now. I love it! Thanks everyone!

Boise Zoo

We went up to Boise on Thursday night to visit Bert's brother and his family. The boys did really well in the car and had a fun weekend playing with their cousins. On Friday we woke up and headed off to the Boise Zoo. We were disappointed when we got there and found out the new African exhibit was closed, but the rest of the zoo was very fun and we had a great time. Here are some pictures from the zoo:

Josh, Samantha, and Cooper going down the giraffe slide. Josh and Samantha were so helpful at the zoo!! I don't think Bert or I ever had to push the stroller because they always wanted to. And if Cooper was out of the stroller Sam was holding his hand and walking him around.
Jacks' outside the African Exhibit. Cooper was so excited to see the giraffes, but this was the only one he got to see.

Samantha taking Cooper down one of the slides.

Cooper wanted to kiss every statue in the zoo.
Bert and Jacks watching the penguins. These next pictures of Cooper crack me up because there were a bunch of penguin statues outside the penguin aquarium that represented all the different species of penguins. And, of course, Cooper had to kiss them all. "Kissed this one...""And this one...""Oh no, what am I going to do now?""All right, I'll just kiss him right here then!"

Our bat-eared foxes!!

We had a fun, busy weekend. Thanks to Dave and Julie for letting us stay with you!!

Trick or Treat?

I can't believe that Halloween has already come and gone! Time just flies! About a month ago I bought Cooper's costume and tried it on him only to have huge tears and a fit the whole time. Bert was concerned that I had wasted money to buy a costume that he would never wear but I told him that I had a month and I would work on him. Well, I am happy to say that there were no tears on Halloween when it was time to put on his costume and he wore it the whole night and was a good sport about it. I borrowed Jacks' costume from my sister-in-law and he loved it. The only problem was it made him really hot and when I took it off him at the end of the night his head was all sweaty.
My cute monsters!

Here are the cousins (except for Breann)

The kids with Tiff and Shar

Feeding the Ducks

Bert has a duck pond at his work and the boys love to go visit Daddy at work and feed the ducks. So last Tuesday I loaded up the boys and and the bread and we went to have lunch with Bert and the ducks. The boys had a great time and I sat there worrying that one of them was going to fall in. It's been such nice weather lately for these kind of activities and I'm not looking forward to all the cold that is on it's way.

Hee Haw Farms

Last night we went out to the Hee Haw Farms in Pleasant Grove with some of Bert's family. We all had a really good time. There was a ton of things to see and do.

Grandma Keele and Cooper watching the pig chases. They had 4 piglets in a pen and would ask for 5-6 kids to get in the pen and chase the pigs. They had to get a hold of them and hold on for about 10 seconds. It was super funny to watch.

Here are the kids riding on the animal train that was pulled by a tractor. That was definitely Cooper's favorite part since he loves tractors so much. Dallin and Jacks are on the left and Steph and Cooper are on the right.

Cute girls on the pony rides. Tammy is on the left and Steph is on the right. Jacks said he wanted to ride and stood in the line, but cried really hard when I stuck him on the horse.

The kids played on the "Hay Jump" for a long time. They bounced and did tricks and got hay all over them. It started to get cold by the end of the night so their cute noses are all red in these last pictures.

Cooper playing on the slide with Tammy

Jacks and Stephanie working their way through the mini corn maze. We all went through the big corn maze and Jacks had a lot of fun with that. The older kids that were leading let Jacks make all the decision on which way to go. He loved that and felt so important. Bert and I bought the boys a toy tractor to take home and they have been playing with them all day. It was a fun night and the boys are already asking to go again!!

Pumpkins Everywhere!!

On Friday we took the kids to a pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin. We went down to the Big Red Barn in Santaquin and took a hay ride, picked a pumpkin, and ate some yummy fresh apple cider donuts! We had a really good time and the boys loved the tractors and walking through the pumpkin field.

Most of my family came with us. From left to right: Ben, Breann, Becky, Lucy, Tiff, Jacks, Me, Cooper, Solveig, Tessa, Dave, Luke, and Erin. (Bert was taking the picture.)

It was hard to find little ones but Jacks found this one and carried it around. The next morning he started opening the front door and Bert asked him what he was doing. Jacks said, "I'm just seeing my pumpkin!"

I asked Cooper to pick one up and he gave a really good effort but ended up telling me it was 'heaby'.

It was a really fun Fall activity that everyone enjoyed! We did it last year and liked it so much we went out again this year. Maybe it will become a new tradition! I love this time of year and all the fun things to do!!!

The Canyon

Last night Bert and I took the kids up the canyon to see the leaves. Unfortunately, we missed all the vibrant fall colors, but we still had a good time together. The boys enjoyed playing in the leaves and their favorite thing was throwing rocks into the river. We all had a great time! It's amazing how these small, simple activities are the ones you remember and cherish the most! I feel very blessed to have a great husband and 2 great kids!!