the hayride we didn't get at the pumpkin patch...

The ONLY thing our fabulous pumpkin patch was missing was a hayride. So, after Drake's football game on Friday night we headed over to the Weathersby's to get that fall fix.

The kids had a blast on the hayrides, playing flashlight tag, hide and go seek, drinking hot chocolate, roasting marshmallows, and listening to a ghost story (thanks Cheryl...my kids are still checking the backyard for a tent).

I LOVE it when everyone wants Daddy...and no one wants Mommy!!!

Emma and Hadyn keeping toasty by the fire...

Everyone crowded around the fire listening to the ghost story...

Oh...and there was plenty of fun for the adults too...yummy soup and bread, relaxing around the fire, trying to keep track of kids in the dark...and flour fire bombs...another of Bree's brilliant ideas...it is amazing Billy is alive and Julia still has eyebrows...but unfortunately I have no pictures...

Happy Fall!!!

mommy's little helper

Hadyn LOVES to help me with whatever I am doing...cleaning, cooking, laundry, blogging, eating, EVERYTHING...but she was really getting into the whole ironing thing...she would iron and then give it to me to get "warm".

I can't wait until she can take over on this one.

the BEST pumpkin patch

I promised the kids I would take them to a pumpkin patch this year. I planned on taking them on a day they got out of school early. I picked them up planning to hit a pumpkin patch in Scottsdale...but we hadn't been in the car for 30 seconds and the fighting, whining and crying began...and it got worse and worse over the next 5 minutes...so I decided I would NOT be taking them to the pumpkin patch like this. We stopped by Owen's shop for a few minutes and the kids were more under control now and still begging to go to the pumpkin patch...so like a good mom...I broke down and took them to a pumpkin patch.

They were a little skeptical at first. But, it had all the necessities to make a great pumpkin patch...treats, rides,

a petting zoo,

entertainment...well, I guess i brought that with me....

and all the pumpkins you could want...in all shapes and sizes...

It only took them a few minutes to realize all the fun this pumpkin patch had to offer...and they took advantage of ALL of it.

After all the fun and excitement...and a few looks from the store employees as well as other shoppers (I don't know why)...everyone picked out their pumpkins...

and we headed home with smiles on our faces, a lot more money in our pockets...and most importantly my sanity.

I can't wait to go again next year!!!

she didn't get it from me

The girl we carpool with dog had her puppies a few weeks ago...so EVERY Tuesday since the middle of September we have bombarded their poor home to see the puppies. I have to admit they were really cute...but the more we saw them, and the bigger they got...I was glad we didn't have to live with them.

But Taryn...Taryn would ask daily if we could see the puppies, hold the puppies, if we could get a puppy...that is ALL she talked about for weeks. She was in heaven every time we went and never wanted to leave...I am kinda thinking she picked the wrong mom...obviously, she doesn't understand my COMPLETE lack of love for animals. Or the fact that I already have 5 of my own animals to take care of.

And, I love ALL those animals!!

30...really??

In heaven there are no years...time is infinite...another reason why heaven will be beautiful and perfect. Who wants to get older?? I don't. I don't want my kids too...I just want to stop time...stay where I am...but then I suppose I won't be able to return to my Heavenly Father that way, ahh...the plan. I guess I will suck it up...I will get older, let my kids get older and hope and pray I did the best I could for them.

Wow...back to reality...turning 30 does something to you.

I have celebrated LOTS over the past few months and have enjoyed each and every moment!! And today was without exception...and also without photos...not sure how that happened...so here are few memories...

Receiving 30 balloons...from some blonde girl??? (I wasn't here when they were delivered, and that was the description of who delivered them...it took me all day to find out who they were from...Owen of course)

My birthday crown

Julia crying at lunch...and Bree...and Tara...and Cindy...Julianne?? Krista??? It was an emotional day...and when I get older like Bree I will understand...

My store bought angel food cake that Owen brought home...put it in our angel food cake pan, and put it in the oven...he is the best isn't he...nothing quite like homemade

Taryn insisting I am 29 (I told her last year that I would never be any older...that girl doesn't forget)

Hearing my birthday song...again...that never gets old : )

My MANY birthday wishes...thank you everyone. It was a wonderful day!!

so long...

Sandy beaches, rolling waves, lots of seashells, barking seals, little crabs, long bike rides, LOTS of family time, beautiful views, and yummy treats...

I will take with me the memories (and a mountain bike)...and dream of our next trip to the island...hopefully soon!!!

one last ride

We took one last ride up the Silver Strand before we left for home Monday...

We stopped only for some yummy treats, to take one last longing look at our summer condo...

and to let Drake be a boy...who else would say "hmmm, let me buckle my helmet to the bike trailer...that sounds like fun"

beach bbq

And yet another perfect end to another fun filled day. This was our favorite way to eat on this vacation...and I am sure the hotels too...since the rest of our meals were cooked in our room, on a griddle...no, we are not above that!!

We finished dinner with some roasted marshmallows after which everyone was sticky, exhausted and ready for bed.

the monument

After exploring the tide pools we went up to the monument and lighthouse in cabriolla national park. The views of the bay were amazing. It was fun to see where we had been that morning, and giving the kids a better perspective of how far we were from the hotel...and we even saw one of the ships leaving that we had watched unloading.

We also could hear the fog horn for the ships. It would beep every few minutes and every time without fail that we would hear it, Dax would reply with a "beeeep" of his own, it was pretty funny. Our own little foghorn.

and another adventure

After spending the morning on the bay we went to Cabrillo National Monument to check out the bay from a totally different perspective. This is another absolutely picteresque place with TONS to see...and about a million more places for the kids to fall to an early death. I was constantly yelling at the kids to stay away from the edge, and not to take one more step and to stay right where they were. I was definately more comfortable when they were sitting down. They were all sitting watching the ocean so I went over to take a picture and as I pulled my camera around it flipped one of my rings off my finger...

I was standing right near the edge of a cliff and I was sure it was gone, lost forever...but as I looked over the edge I saw it...it had landed on one of the ledges in the rock. After debating ways to get it, all while trying to keep the kids from falling into the ocean wanting to see it, Owen decided to scale the rocks to retrieve it becase he "sure as heck wasn't going back to Italy to get me another one"

As Owen climbed down, I am freaking out a little, okay maybe a lot...picturing him falling into the ocean...and me raising 4 kids all by myself. Taryn was off crying somewhere refusing to look, and Drake was trying to follow Owen, couldn't get enough of the excitement. But, just as Owen promised, he got my ring and climbed back up to us in safety...I guess I don't get to go back to Italy...

After that little adventure we had fun with all the tidepools finding all kinds of fun things. Taryn's favorite, a crab she claimed as her own that was playing peek-a-boo.

Isn't she the cutest...

It was another amazing Southern California place...that I didn't get to spend enough time at...

cruising the bay

The next morning we rented a boat and explored the bay. It was a lot of fun with tons to see. We watched as cargo ships unloaded and loaded their goods. We saw a car ship unloading ENDLESS cars...it was crazy. The kids loved all the naval ships, the huge yachts and boats. I LOVED hitting the huge waves that some of those boats make...it was a little nerve wracking at times...

Dax was not sure of the whole boat thing and would not let go of me...but, everyone else had fun...

We went all the way to where the bay meets the ocean and found tons of these guys hanging out on all the bouys. Owen thought it would be SO much fun to get as close as we could. They started barking at us, it stunk really bad and I was freaking out...and Owen kept going closer...he is so sweet. I was convinced the seals were going to jump into our boat...I finally convinced Owen to back away and we headed back to shore.

beach bums

Our choice mode of transportation for the weekend...this was my favorite thing about this summer too...there is just nothing quite like biking to/from/around the beach.

If we weren't cruising around on the bikes we were relaxing on the beach...playing in the sand (or eating the sand)...finding seashells...and chasing the waves

After playing on the beach for a while we went to check out an event that was happening a little farther up the beach...I don't usually get too excited about these things but they were offering free surfing, paddleboarding, and kyaking lessons...TONS of free give aways...and even more free food...which included Odwalla juices and bars...when I saw that I was sold...we were staying...

Drake surfing...

The best part about the event happened on the way home when we recieved a phone call informing us that Owen had won a Gary Fisher Mountain Bike...

Yea, it was a GREAT start to our weekend...