The Weather, Harry Potter and Other Things I Know You're Dying to Hear About

Ahhh.  November in Arizona is complete heaven.  The sun shines every day.  Temperatures hover around 75 during the day, then cool off enough for cozy jammies at night.  My kids are constantly outside.  I go for a jog in the sunshine every morning.  THIS is why we live here.

The twins are settling nicely into first grade.  However, Luke has decided he wants nothing to do with his brother.  Last week, he was "Hero of the Week" and did not want to include a single picture of Sam on his poster.  I guess this makes sense developmentally.  He wants to be his own person...define himself.  But it makes me a little sad.

They have also decided they want to play separate sports.  Sam-soccer.  Luke-tennis.  But I am torturing them both with piano lessons!  They started this week.

Last week, Brad and I took a trip to Orlando.  We did the parks WITHOUT the kids.  Pure fun.  Harry Potter at Universal Studios was the highlight.  (Crowded but worth the wait!) We really are kids at heart.  Thanks, Babe for planning.  Thanks to Nana and Aunt Geesh for babysitting.

Em chose to choreograph a roller-blade number for the Activity Girls' Talent Night at church.  She performed beautifully, especially considering the fact that the day before she had five (!) teeth pulled.  Two of the teeth removed had crowns.  Nice.  I love paying to have all that expensive work taken out.  By the time this kid is 18, she will have a million dollar smile.  Literally.

Jake has become a sixth grade party animal.  The doorbell rings non-stop with friends asking to play.  He bikes to the park everyday with his buddies, has all kinds of birthday party invites and a great scout troop.  For the first time in his life, Jake has an age-appropriate social life and I am so happy for him.

Life is good.

I Heart Fall

The absolute best thing about starting school in July is getting two weeks off in October. So beautiful.

We started early and headed up to The Motherland last week.

I know a lot of folks don't like Utah, but they just don't know the right Utah people. Or the good places to eat. I, for one, love visiting the Beehive State. I know all the right people and am related to most of them.

The only photo I can get off my phone. More to come.

Highlights of our trip have included: meeting old friends, a 64th birthday bash, ATV rides, taking the big kids to General Conference, Twinkie Power squared, Alpine Sliding and some serious cousinlove.

We've spent the past few days in Park City and I've loved it. Our family had a getaway place here when I was growing up and a drive up the canyon always meant something fun was going to happen. Feeding the ducks and roasting marshmallows. Singing along with the old-fashioned player piano. Breakfast at a restaurant or skiing at Deer Valley, if we were really lucky.

Brad and I came here on our honeymoon. We've brought our kids almost every year. Now it's a place full of happy memories for them as well as for me. After all the summer upheaval, it is heavenly to spend a few days resting in the mountains. We're loving the autumn colors and crisp weather.

What am I reading? My mom's awesome book, Son of a Gun, of course! Did I tell you she is being published?! And it's really really good. Watch for it at a bookstore near you.

Tomorrow we head to Vegas.

I am seriously loving October.

How We're Spending Our Summer Vacation

Swimming in Cincinnati.

Pedi-love in Loveland.

Walking a Purple People Bridge across the Ohio.

Finding fishy friends in Newport.

Slugging in Louisville.

Cruising caverns in Kentucky.

Eating Original Recipe at the original KFC.

Speeding in NASCAR country.

Getting hooked in Kansas City.

Looking at Liberty Jail.

Hiking in Boulder.

Snake-hunting in Brighton, CO.

Camping in Little Cottonwood.

The past two weeks have been some of our most fun, relaxing and memorable days ever. Seeing the country at eye-level is fascinating. Spending time with long-lost friends and relatives-- absolutely priceless.

Thanks so much to everyone who has hosted, fed, or entertained our family in any way. You people are amazing. We owe you. Big Time.

Tomorrow will be the grand splash finale--a day on the lake in Uncle Sco's boat.

Next stop: Sunshine Central (or as Brad likes to call it...Satan's Backyard).

I'll keep you posted.

One Last Bite

We took one last bite of the Big Apple this week.

Seven kids, two moms and one great big adventure.

Ripley's Believe it Or Not...orange shirts so nobody got lost.

Jake makes a friend...

...and gets claustrophobic.

Subway ride = highlight.

Rock climbing in Central Park.

Great day, great kids, great memories.

Capitol

Why were my kids out of school again? I really don't know. I've stopped asking.

But since they had another free day, we took another fun daytrip.

This time tagging along with Brad on a client visit to DC.

It was truly a memorable day.

I just hope my kids remember...

cherry blossoms,

snow cones,

stopping at an old favorite in Chevy Chase,

and exploring Air and Space at the Smithsonian.

And I hope they DON'T remember spilling in the restaurant, fighting in the backseat, crying because their feet hurt and whining because we didn't buy t-shirts.

Good times.

Philadelphia Story

Spring Break--Day Two: An Educational Trip into Philly. The kids were good tourists and enjoyed a taste of history.

I'm not kidding myself, though. I know what rings their bell.

Seriously, which Liberty Bell would YOU prefer?

And, would you prefer a trip to the Mint (where, apparently, they are not making coins due to the recession and the fact that casinos use tickets these days) ...

...or a mint shake at Franklin Square?

Sam was the only one to accidentally whack someone with his club. Unfortunately, she was not a member of this family. Oops.

Still, we had a lot of traditional Philly brotherly and sisterly love.

Monday's destination: Gettysburg.

Thank goodness our Spring Break was cut short to make up snow days.

I'm not sure how much more love I can handle.

Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses

Spring Break--Day One: I decided to take the kids to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

We're always up for an educational outing and the weather has been gorgeous.

Apparently, everyone else had the same idea.

We stood in line for over two and a half hours just to get on the ferry. I actually started to feel like an immigrant mother shepherding my little aliens through the crowd, surrounded by people of every culture and religion. Just how DID those greenhorn mommas do it without CapriSun, antibacterial wipes and PacMan on the cell phone?

Tomorrow: The Liberty Bell