October 2012 - Halloween

The night before Halloween we went to a party at Daddy's work and some friends.  They had some really cute crafts and games, the kids had a blast.

We got the kids in their costumes and they were very excited.

James taking in the sites.

Mariah got a Rapunzel flower painted on her cheek.  She was excited about the idea, but she kinda picked at it the rest of the night, I think the paint bugged her.

Enjoying one of her treats while we waited for a craft.

Mariah and her friend Adria.

On Halloween we had quite a few things going on, including going to Uncle Zack's work party.

James and Mariah got to paint some pumpkins.

After Uncle Zack's party, we went to the ward trunk-or-treat.

Rapunzel and her Flynn Rider.  Daddy grew out his facial hair just for this.

Carefully picking some treats, he had to find the candy in all those toys.

Mariah was very excited about the rings and other toys.

Getting more treats.

Rapunzel and Flynn Rider playing a game to get some candy.

Thomas on the train tracks 

Baby Ellen and I dressed up as a ghost in the night. 

October 2012

We got the chance to go to Hee-Haw Farms at the beginning of the month, and the kids had a blast!

There was a pyramid of hay bales with a slide, and this PVC pipe thing was the ladder (many kids used it as a slide too).  It took James a while to get used to it, but he was a pro by the end of the night.

Mariah was really excited to shoot the corn cob cannons, but she was done after one go,
she didn't like the noise.

The had a giant pit of corn kernels for the kids to play in, and they loved it!  There was a random baby doll in the corner that James wanted to play with.

Mariah liked burying her legs.

They had several tractors and James loved climbing on them to drive.



James and Mariah played on a tractor together while we waited to go trick or treating.

The thing the kids were most excited about was the HUGE slide!  Mariah went on this slide several times by herself last year, but she was intimidated this year and wanted to go with Daddy first.

She loved it, and then was ready to go by herself.

She said the slide was noisy so she covered her ears.

James was super excited to slide, and begged Chris to go over and over and over again!
Love that grin!

September 2012

 Mariah got to start preschool this year!  She was looking forward to this all summer.

 

 On the doorstep she started to get a bit nervous!

This is her new dress just for preschool.

 Once she saw her teacher and the other kids, she started to get excited.

I think she was still a bit nervous that I was leaving.  

 

 She was all grins when I picked her up.  She was excited to show me her letter A paper.

She loves preschool and is happy to go every day, 

and usually asks to go on days when she doesn't have preschool.

 I got to go to the Women's Expo at UVU with my mom and my friend, Nikki.  Mostly it's stuff I'm not interested in, but they have a few things I like.  They also had bounce houses for the kids.  

James and Mariah were thrilled had a ball.

 They had this fairly tall ladder leading up to the slide.  James really wanted to go down it, and once we showed him how to do it, he had a blast!

There he is at the top, all by himself!  

Not sure who said he could grow up!

August 2012

 I had tried to get James to nap and he refused, and when I got out of the shower I heard a funny noise outside the door.  I opened the door to find this!

Mariah loves to help in the kitchen and was very excited to help make cinnamon rolls.

 Thanksgiving Point had $2 Tuesdays during the month of August, so I decided to take the kids over.  I won't be going on the last $2 Tuesday of the summer next time, it was INSANE!  

I also don't recommend taking 2 kids to a dinosaur museum while 6 months pregnant.  

I'm glad we went this time though, the kids had fun and were very good overall.

 

In one area they had some fossil impressions that the kids could play around in.

I think we spent more time here than anywhere else, 

they loved running around and following the footprints!

 James is sizing up an imprint for his bum.

 James would just run from indent to indent.  Every once in a while he'd go to run off, but as soon as I'd move towards him he'd circle back around.

 Mariah peeking out of a little dinosaur cave.

 James was very excited to pet the baby dinosaur.

 Mariah was a little bit nervous of it, but she thought it was pretty cool.

At the Zoo August 2012

We had the chance to go to the zoo with some of my cousins, and I'm glad we went!

The grown-ups outnumbered the little kids for once, so I was able to get some fun pictures.

 

James playing peek-a boo (with Grandma's help).

Mariah and James watching the bird show together.  

The happy cuddling didn't last long, but I can pretend. :)

 Mariah finally got a turn to sit on the big elephant. 

There's always so many kids around this thing.

Just coming through a log in bear county.

Mariah and Aunt Lorri dancing in the misters.

James was excited to get in the nest, 

and he sat down and immediately got up as I tried to take the picture.

 Climbing on the big rhino statue.  James didn't want to get on any of these things.

 Sharing an icee, it was quite hot that day!

 Cuddling the baby tiger.

 

Mariah insisted that Ashton sit with her for this picture.

 After the zoo, we decided to take a trip to temple square for Family Home Evening.  

Mariah loves pictures of the Salt Lake Temple and was very excited to see it.

Smelling a pretty flower.

James walked up the stairs, and then was done before I could take a picture.

Mariah standing in the alcove by the doors.  She was excited that I told her I had my picture taken in the same spot when I got married.

Taking a bit of a break, looking up at the temple.

Mariah was very excited about the huge Jesus statue, but when I tried to take her picture, she suddenly noticed the stars and galaxies on the ceiling and wouldn't look at me anymore.