Full Steam Fall

Hey, who's drivin' this thing?  Our October was full speed ahead.

Trying to keep Rosie happy on long drives is tricky.

Leslie got to come home for General Conference (first weekend of Oct) weekend.  She had big news:  her physical therapists for her ankle surgery recovery said she could be cleared to do whatever she wants to do (several months sooner than expected).  What did she really want to do? SERVE A MISSION.  Surprise! She had been planning to attend another semester of college and then maybe or maybe not go at that point.  But, she said that as soon as she made the decision to go, she felt wonderful and focused, and so many things have fallen into place for her.  We are expecting her call in the next few days.  I feel like Hannah consecrating my firstborn child to God, and so proud, and so excited for her siblings to see her example and adventures.  Also so glad that she has had the chance to adult for a few months at college.  It has been a good, growing and solidifying experience for her, even though it has definitely had its challenges.

Rosie playing Pet Shops with Grandma Frances.

 For Fall Break, Leslie didn't want to be hours and hours in the car, so we decided to staycation in Ogden and Logan.  And we actually had a blast.  (Mark says staycation planning is my secret talent.)
I was excited to spend some time exploring Ogden because my Grandpa Happy Jack was born there, and the Drake family's roots run deep there.  For example, Cooper's middle name is Drake, so he likes hearing stories about GGGrandpa Daniel N. Drake, who was a deputy sheriff.  He was involved in a shootout at:  this very trainyard.  The Union Station Museum complex was awesome and just our speed--we had a lot of fun climbing around on the old trains and trying out the equipment, picking out our favorite old cars, and even seeing the Browning Rifle museum, although I told Boston he can't have the "awesome" gun picture as his screensaver, haha. (We talked about "avoiding the appearance of evil" from 1Thessalonians.)

 We also had a fun time at the Treehouse Children's Museum, although my spoiled middle children were a bit put out that there wasn't more "climbing" involved--I think they envisioned more of a jungle gym.  It was very detailed and imaginitive, with lots of dress-up/pretend options and photo ops.  At least Luke was into it, and Rosie could have stayed all day.

 They did like trying out the Oval Office.  

Actually, Mark loved the dress-ups.  I think he texted this one to his employees.

 Leslie enjoyed this a little too much as well.  She's used to being the boss.

 Us riding in the inside of a Caboose.

 The Caboose in the caboose.

 The kids couldn't remember the name for this antiquated thing.  Phone Booth.

They liked my description of the "cow catcher" (the point on the front of the engine).  Cooper is kind of dramatic.  I think he was yelling at the cows to mooooove it.

 I could have done a nice photo shoot here--if only I was wearing my cowboy boots instead of my hot pink Nikes.  Oh well.  Mom life. Embrace the Nikes and the double chins--growing old is a privelege.

Luke has a goal to visit all the Utah temples.  Ogden.  Check.

 This place at the Treehouse was just darling.  A little simulated Newborn room.  Leslie and Rosie played in here for a long time, with Leslie nursing it up for her.  We just kept gaga-ing over how cute it was.

 This is the boys running a puppet show to the kids down below.  They could watch what they were doing on a screen.  Rosie is pretty into the three pigs, so this was fun for everyone.

 One activity was to visit the enormous, sprawling Ogden cemetery where GGGrandpa Drake is buried.  I offered the kids a pack of gum to whomever found his gravestone first.  That place was beautiful but massive, and I wasn't sure we could do it, even splitting up, but Cooper spotted it in about five minutes.  I think he maybe had a little nudge from beyond, or he is quick at recognizing his own name in print.  Pretty cool.  Then, to celebrate, we visited the neighboring city park right on the river, which turned out to be about the coolest playground we have ever seen, even for my big teenagers.  We were probably there for two hours, which is a reeeeeally long time.

 It was a gorgeous fall day.

 This was one of the coolest things.  I am calling it the swinging seesaw.  Imagine you had a rope swing with another rope to yank the swing around.  Like a double rope swing.  I would want one in our back yard if I wasn't worried of someone dying.  Luke was screeching and laughing about to die.  I even was able to go for a ride (with some help to climb up).

Here is Leslie with Luke.  

 We thought maybe Rosie would take a nap in this webbed swing.  She didn't.  Mark, however...

 Leslie said, "Mom, we don't have many pictures together."  So, here we are.

 We also went for a short hike down the river trail.

 In Logan, Leslie took us on a tour of campus, including this cool, wild woody structure.

 The dining car.

 Luke, illustrating putting on the full Armour of God for scripture study.

 Luke also had to make a How To booklet for school.  He did, "How to Draw a Lion".  Although no one helped him with the title, so it came out "How to Draw a Lyun".  Sigh.  My teachers ALWAYS corrected my spelling and punctuation and even handwriting, but that doesn't seem to be a thing when the class size is largish--and Luke's teacher is very good.  My country school kindergarten was a whopping 7 pupils, and that shrunk to 5 by sixth grade.  My sister Brooke was a "lonely only" (there were two graduating senior lonely onlies featured on the Tonight Show one year--I think one was from Montana). Luke has 22 and I count us lucky.  So, I correct it when I can.  Not everyone can hack the Little House on the Prairie life.

 October Snow.  They should have done a Calvin and Hobbes Monster snowman for Halloween.

 Luke is the skeleton.  Rosie was not a fan of Halloween and pretty freaked out by his costume.

 Leslie went to a costume dance.  Here she is as the OPERATION guy.  Her friend went as an UNO card.

 Macy went as a Secret Agent.  Her one stipulation was that she got to wear high heeled boots.  I think it was a ploy to get the boots...

I had a gorgeous bowl of these little mini-apples for our non-sugar trick or treaters.  Unfortunately, my short little Snow White sampled almost all of them one bite at a time.  Snow White dressed up like a cowgirl, per her own request.

 My brother Jake's family decorated their truck like this for their ward's trunk or treat.  With all the marvelous historic organizational changes in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints this year, this was just too clever not to include.

 Cooper has been busy playing on a Bantam league basketball team.  He is one of the youngest and smallest on the team, so this is a really great opportunity for some challenge (and refs that actually call stuff).

The Days and the Moores had an awesome double date to see Brian Regan. And eat cheesecake in the truck in the dark while we waited for the parking lot traffic.  Life does not get any better.

Unless you count two-year olds singing their ABCs.  Who am I to impose limits on life?