{Holiday Fun}

This year for our annual Gingerbread houses we decided to be brave and make our own gingerbread. This was a two day process then designing and cutting the houses was a whole day in itself. The one thing we learned this year was next time we have to plan more time for the prep of it all....maybe allow 6 days for the making of dough, cooking and cooling to make them super sturdy. Plus we need to make at least 3 batches of dough!

Needless to say the houses were the biggest we have ever done...with the smallest windows ever!

{Bag Delivery}

One of the traditional November activities has been for the boys to go out with their cub scout troop and hang bags on doors for the Scouting For Food Program. While it seems to take less time each year it always seems we are out late on a school night and it seems to get darker each year.

Luckily they were both still smiling about 3/4 of the way through.

{Halloween Night}

These are the boys right before trick or treating.
This year we went around our little neighborhood and they got a ton of candy.
It was a cold night but lots of fun!

{Pumpkins}

This year we had a busy weekend right before Halloween so we ended up carving pumpkins hours before the trick or treating began..

The boys are old enough to do all the carving themselves....ummm when did that happen?

Of course they "let" their dad do all the gut scooping though!

{Star Wars, Pirate, Princess and a Witch}

Another Scout Halloween Carnival but this year K had to "work" the carnival instead of enjoy all the games and food.

We managed to get a picture of all the kids together before he got started.

We love that the girls come with us every year and we always end up with too many cakes from the cake walk!!

{red rock}

Grandma Walker and Grandpa Will came for a long weekend to spend some time with the boys.

They had a great time bowling with her but the greatest part for them all was the hiking in Red Rock. We hadn't been there for about 5 years so back then they were 5 and 3 and it was a whole different experience.

This time they climbed everywhere weren't afraid of anything and tried to get to the highest point they could.

can you see their heads peeking out???

a group shot

chatting with Grandma after making her scale her way to the top.

{Indian}

Again E was allowed to be an indian in the school's "Plymouth Plantation"  play. He got to shoot a bow and arrow and set the thanksgiving feast table. He loves to be an indian in the play. I think the reason is that the costume is totally comfortable and he can go bare foot. He is our child who always picks comfort over anything else when it comes to clothing.

He did a great job and seemed to have a great time on stage!

{Utah in October: Day 2}

Saturday:

The baby blessing was held in the morning and after a visit with all the family from Hawaii and a yummy breakfast we headed out to Snowbird. We had never done the activities up there and the weather was cold for us desert people but perfect for some outdoor fun. Plus Autumn was in full bloom in the mountains so we got to enjoy the changing colors!

First up was the Alpine Slide...E wasn't too sure about it so he road down with Uncle K the first time and then once by himself at the very end.

But truly the first ride was the ski lift up to the top of the slide. Our boys had never been on one before so this was an adventure in itself!

 K with Uncle B

E with Uncle K (who isn't too thrilled about the height)

Then everyone was headed on down!!

K all by himself

 E with Uncle K (and E was in control of the speed)

 Next up was the ropes course for E and the zipline for K. (E was to light for the zipline and K was too fast on the zipline so we couldn't catch a picture of him!)

Then E did the climbing wall while we waited for K to come down the zipline.

 And the E and L headed back up for another slide down...I think they giggled all the way up not believing we were letting them do this "on their own!"

It was a great visit and we love getting to spend time with our family!

{Utah in October: Day 1}

All of our Apo family met in Utah for our nephew's baby blessing. We left Thursday night to get an extra day with our families and have some fun!

Friday: "hiking," lunch and roasting marshmallows, and that evening most of the adults went to the BYU/USU game while some of us stayed home with the kids and went to Ikea (a must every time we hit Utah).

E was climbing this wall before I even realized it and was halfway up! He loved it!

Sandwiches, Smores and a stream to play in at lunchtime made the kids happy!

{raingutter regatta}

This year we only had one boat to make for the big race.

So here is E with his custom designed and built boat!

{Consitution Night 2011}

At AHA our scholars write constitutions for their classrooms. Basically the rules of the class. So to celebrate the feat of writing it (this can take up to two weeks) we have a Constitution Signing on National Constitution Day, September 17th. It is a great event and on e of my favorite of the school year!

C witnesses the boys sign their class constitutions while I stand and witness all of the scholars sign ours. It is lots of fun and so fitting for the kind of education our children get at our great school!

{Shakespeare Festival}

K is in Upper Grammar at our school. So he gets to do new things this year.

One of those things is the "Shakespeare Festival" Trip the first Friday of the school year. This year C went with them on trip which goes to Cedar City in Southern Utah.

They rode a chartered bus for the 2 1/2 hour trip there, played human fossball, ate at the college, watched the "Green Show" and "Romeo and Juliet" and returned around 2 am.

They had a great time and hopefully one year I'll get to go too! (probably not since I'm in the classroom during the trip.)

"Green Show" that's our school in the red shirts

the replica of the "Globe Theater"

{Summer Vacation Volume 3}

3...yes 3. The boys and I convinced C we needed one last beach trip. Just a quick one. We left super early on a Saturday and came home super late Sunday. But it's the beach and we can do anything to get to the beach.

E was so excited to try skim boarding....we found a board at home and he "practiced" on the family room carpet, and even that was hard.

But he did really well for his first time at the beach and I think he'll have it down next time we go down.

Basically we sat on the beach. all day. digging holes, making castles, reading, relaxing, watching the dolphins and waves all day. so relaxing!

The next day the boys found out that the hotel we stayed in had mini golf so they went down and played. Afterwards we went to "The New Children's Museum."  It was really a great art museum for kids. They experience art by doing it and climbing on it and getting into all of it. I wish we had something like that here. I'm glad we took them there before K is too big for the "little kid" stuff, because he is getting there already!

We loved our short time in San Diego and can't wait for the next annual spring break breach trip! April can't come soon enough! 

{Set 2}

There is something people don't tell you about when they live in the desert heat all summer.

We do it each summer.

We buy our first set of flip flops in March....they last until July.

Then the heat of the pavement kinda melts them and warps them into a non-flat flip flop and you have to get your second pair for the summer.

NOW really this is probably our 3rd maybe 4th pair but since I buy everyone two pair at a time, this only counts as the 2nd set so....be aware if you even move to the desert for the summer. Hot pavement means more flip flops.

{Bear}

E received his wolf at pack meeting in July, and is now officially a part of the Bear Den.

He doesn't like getting up in front of the group to have his face painted so he is always glad this only happens once a year.