Months and months and months

No, I haven't forgotten that I have a blog.  I think about posting at least once a day, but there's always something to do or someone that needs me.  And the truth is that when I have a little down time I like to read, watch a show, catch up on other people's blogs or enter contests (one of my crazy hobbies). 

So I haven't blogged for months, and months, and months.  I want to get back into the swing of things but going back over the past several months seems so overwhelming I think I'll just have to touch on the highlights.  I'll start with September and October.

Ethan and Tanner were off-track so we had a Park-A-Palooza day and another day we hit Discovery Gateway, which was beloved by the youngest to the oldest.  However, I think Ethan has just about outgrown the place.  Sigh.

 Tanner turned 6!!!  Wow.  Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends came over to help him celebrate and it was a great party.  He chose a chocolate football cake in blue (Go Cougars!).  Tanner is really a great little guy. He can still throw a pretty good tantrum, but he's getting better and most of the time he's smiling and happy.

 I think Tanner could be best friends with a rock.  He has no qualms about talking to people and feels like everyone is his friend.  He doesn't get that from me, it must be all from Brian.  He's really liking school (but not homework), and is glad for the new friends he's made there.  We love you Tanner!

 Ethan participated in his first Raingutter Regata with Cub Scouts.  He built the boat almost entirely by himself (with just a little guidance from Brian).  They told the boys not to touch the boats during the races and since Ethan is such a stickler for rules he never did.  Even when it became obvious that the boats were getting hung up along the track he still never touched his boat.  That meant that he lost about every race and came in last place.

 In the picture below he's putting on a brave face, but he was seriously disappointed.  I'm proud of him that he tries so hard to be obedient and I know that he'll be blessed for that.  He's not loving scouts right now, so we may have many long years ahead of us, but maybe he'll come around to it.  He usually likes it once he gets there, but he's never eager to go.

 Anders learned to sit up in September!  He was perfectly delighted with this new skill.  Oh how I love that smile.

 On a lovely fall day I took the boys to play mini-golf at Mulligan's.  Bradon especially loves mini-golf and we all had a good time.

 In October we went to the Pumpkin Patch and selected this year's pumpkins.  Tanner had to walk all the way to the back of the patch before he was satisfied with his selection.

 Anders made about the best looking Commander Cody I've ever seen.

 We went up to the cabin one weekend.  Oh my goodness, I'm so grateful for these four handsome boys.

 The weather was beautiful and the leaves were just breathtaking.

 Just look at those colors and handsome little Bradon!

 Ethan and Tanner got to go to a football game and so Brian and I dropped them off and we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls on the way back to the cabin.  It was lovely, but Bradon just thought it was cold and wanted to get back in the car.

 We went to Planet Play.  We could play Deal or No Deal all day.

 We carved pumpkins.  Tanner wanted Harry Potter but after I started to lose my mind he settled for a different design.

 The boys made sand art at Grandma Hepworth's house.

 After much deliberation and indecision Bradon decided to be a dinosaur on Halloween.  Bradon loved trick-or-treating so much that he was the last one out that night and Brian finally had to bring him home against his wishes.

 Tanner was a Transformer - Bumblebee.  He wanted to go trick-or-treating with friends this year and came back pooped.  He did go out for one more round, but he couldn't match Bradon's stamina.  Of course, Bradon was being pushed in a stroller which may have helped.

 I loved Ethan's Halloween costume this year.  He was Bronco Mendenhall, head coach of the BYU Cougars.  He drew up some plays, and Brian made him a coach's badge.  Thanks to Uncle Chris we were able to get him some headphones to which we affixed some BYU stickers.  I loved it and so did a lot of other people.  I didn't see any other Bronco Mendenhalls on Halloween night.

 And lastly I'll end with some photos from the Halloween parade at school.  I'm so glad their school does this and doesn't just ignore Halloween (even though sometimes I'd like to).  It's fun to see all the costumes and the creativity.

It was a great September and October and I really miss those beautiful fall days.  I'm already longing for Spring.