happy halloween...

posting updates coming soon....

one year ago...

this was happening... at this exact time...

10 pm-ish...

all i can think of is how great a moment it was... one of the most happy times of my life...

its crazy how fast a year goes by when you are not counting down the days for it to be back together...

we are so happy that we are not going to have to do that any time soon!

in the meantime we have enjoyed our last year...

happiness...

 goofiness...

playfulness...

beets...

what would you do if you had too many beets you didnt know what to do with???

...brent made cupcakes...

chocolate beet cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting to be exact...

and they were delicious and now one of my new favorite treats!

they were seriously amazing and everyone should try them!

go here for the recipe...

[october 5th 2011]

pinterest...

our first accomplishment courtesy of pinterest was waffle iron cookies... 

so easy and fun!  instead of turning on your oven... you use your waffle iron to cook the cookies...

[october 3rd 2011]

so many things about october...

october is such a fun month and time of year...

its fall... and the holidays are near... 

there is so much to look forward to...

jones has been SO much more excited for halloween this year... and kept talking about how he wanted to be a "red and white guy" for halloween since the beginning of september... we never knew what he was talking about until he told me that it was a toy at jazzercise...

after finally finding the toy, we could see what he was trying to tell us...

lucky for me... he has now decided that it would be more fun to be a pirate...

thank goodness...

like i said... so many fun things... we were counting down the days until october 1st so we could officially put up the halloween decorations!

one of the first things jones loved to play with... these vampire teeth... along with a wooden mallet, usually used for pumpkin carving, and a giant orange glitter skeleton...

another october event that we look forward to is conference... so relaxing...  so inspirational...

ellis liked sitting with her dad...

and playing with this... doll...

while i finished making her this bracelet...

then we went to the skate park... to ride scooters...

sorry skaters...

and take pictures... 

love her... not my chin...

love him...

it was a great weekend... just hanging out with family...

....

....

[october 1st & 2nd 2011]

octopus garden...

we love the sea life aquarium...

jones asks to go there every time we go to legoland...

on this day the octopus was out and about... we have never seen him swimming around like this... it was crazy!!!

 he was going in circles around his whole tank and when he would get to the back he would thrust himself all the way to the front... it was kinda freaky!

and another favorite...

the nautilus...

 and last... jones informed me that these are girl jellyfish and boy jellyfish...

he is funny...

[september 29th 2011]

helping...

helping dad make dinner...

helping me always laugh while giving her a bath...

she LOVES bath time!

[top : september 25th & bottom : september 27th]

benihana...

we went to benihana for my birthday...

as always delish!

jones loved it!  and i loved watching him!

he kept laughing at our chef...

and our chef kept laughing back at him... it was fun!

[september 21st 2011]

racing, flips and cartwheels...

ready... 

set... 

go... 

flips... cartwheels...

who knew a few sticky guys from a crane game could be so fun!

[september 20th 2011]

camping...

we went camping with the hollobaughs... it was their "ward campout" and we tagged-along... it was so last minute... and so fun!  

i love camping!  

she got her thumb...

we went camping...

she loved it... i had her snuggled in 5 blankets to keep warm... and she did stay warm...

"wake-up time" as jones calls it...

brent and ellis at the camp site...

loved this picture i got of sally...

and shauna can get way better pictures of jones since her camera is way faster... he doesnt hold still too often...

then we went to an apple orchard to pick our own apples and pears...

these pears were so yummy!  so of the best i have ever had!!!

top left :: jones trying to juggle

top right :: jones picking more apples

cousins!

top left :: brent and them apples

top right :: he HAD to wear the sunglasses... i promise, that although i bought them, i did not make him wear them... 

holy pine cones... these were almost the size of my head...

i promise i was there...

then on to julian for some famous apple pie...

this poor bug was so innocently being watched... then jones smashed it with his shoe... i guess i am going to have to tone down the eagerness of him killing the spiders around our house for me... he got too excited... and this hasnt been the first time a "good" bug has died...

finally... the pie...

we went to two different pie shops... julian pie co. and moms... they were both very yummy...

but my favorite was from julian pie co... the caramel apple pie, warmed up, with cinnamon ice cream...

um... now my mouth is watering...

my least favorite... brent ordered one of the most popular items... old fashion apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese melted on top... it was... interesting...

we had fun!!!

[september 16th & 17th 2011]

then we came home and had some visitors...

first the curtis family

tami with her new baby twin boys...

i love this picture!

it was so fun to meet them at the beach... it was a perfect afternoon and very relaxing!  the kids all loved playing together!

we had a bon fire on the beach and i have never seen so many smores cooked so fast... EVER!

then on sunday sherri and clel were in town...

we love when family visits!

especially when it is their birthday and there is a great excuse for some yummy dessert!

[september 17th & 18th]