Just Another Day in Paradise: October

October started off great with General Conference. During Saturday night's Priesthood session we had girl's night in with Mandy.

We supplied the kids.

She supplied the gourmet cupcakes. Notice Adam's awesome Dino hair.

Conference was wonderful as always with many talks meant just for me. We took advantage of the fall break by having a girly playdate with friends.

Time to do some birthday shopping for Rachel, 8 is coming! Adam got cozy in the cart.

We think these lego heads are very funny. Who wants that on their shelf at night? They'll have nightmares!

For Rachel's birthday she wanted to go horse back riding at South Mountain. It was so expensive to rent the horses for the half hour, that for the same price we could drive out to Aunt Luise's and ride horses with Uncle Van for the weekend. She thought that was a much better plan! Adam was so excited to see Uncle Van and was so ready to eat Frosted Mini Wheats with him every morning. He even planned to wear his mini wheat shirt.

Our first day, Thursday, we visited the Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center. SOOO Neat!

The missionary talked in front of these pictures and then one of them sneezed and they started talking like in Harry Potter. It was awesome. They got up and walked out of their frames inviting us to follow and hear their stories.

We went from room to room being told what happened by the people in the pictures seeing clips of the movie dramatizing the history. The rooms were decorated to be like camp sites or cabins or whatever setting the next installment would be in.

Adam and the sister missionary became great friends, in every room we went into he would sit right there by her side. In one room she dressed him up in their uniform, what a fierce little soldier.

I turned around and Adam was on the floor. I asked him what he was doing down there and he said, "I'm dead, they shot me with their gun."

At the end we went outside to ride horsies and pan for gold.

On the way home we saw the San Diego temple. I never knew how close it is to the freeway!

We watched a movie and relaxed that night. Aunt Luise's house still is the "lav of luxury!"

Adam knows.

Friday it was time for the real horsie riding!

Rachel wanted to be a part of all the grooming.

Sarah stayed away during grooming and was the last rider so we could stay longer before her allergies became unbearable.

Such a happy boy.

He was most happy just to be with his Daddy.

We had a simple glorious picnic.

Rachel helped with the tack.

She didn't mind getting nuzzled as she led Patrick back into his stall.

This is the happy 8 year old (to be).

That evening Aunt Luise took Rachel out to choose a little birthday cake and ice cream from the store with specail pink princess paper plates and all.

Saturday morning our hosts had a funeral to get to and we started for home. This was at the McDonald's for lunch on our way home. I'm glad they love each other.

When we got home we went for a playdate at our friends' house and they gave Adam a skateboard. He was so happy!

He thinks it's a great place to sit and read?! I love how when I take these cute shots of him when he is doing something random...his face looks back at me perplexed at why I am taking a picture of him doing the most normal thing in the world.

Our little trip was great, but now there is a lot of this going on. Ugh, poor Daddy.

Being Cute

A birthday at the park for Adam's friend Ethan.

Soccer season is in full swing.

Stake day of service cleaning Cesar Chavez Park.

Rachel's actual birthday. She asked for a cooking set for her doll Halley and a "fur real" dog which she named Coco. She didn't use all her money, so the 3rd gift is the leftover cash, which she was really excited about. She is trying to save up to $100.