"What we are to be, we are now becoming..."
(contemplating the cosmos...)
So.... yesterday after Church Jeff and I decided to take a drive up Provo Canyon and show Corbin what Fall in Utah really looks like.
You ever been to this place called Cascade Springs? It's gorgeous this time of year (and extremely busy). Here are a few shots Jeff got of the scenery and the kids....
Of course Yoda had to come to and Quinton had to take his turn walking him over the bridge.... so cute!
I love this season...
...can't wait for more color and all the warm cozy food that goes with Fall (apple, pumpkin, pecan pie)
She is such a neat lady. I could certainly write a lengthy post about her many positive qualities and attributes and how impressed I was (and still am) with her since the first time I met her. She is one of those women you can tell has lead a complete and fulfilling life and from whom you can soak up much wisdom and wit. Jeff has story after story about grandmother.... and she has written much of her own personal history and gifted her posterity with many books about her own life. It's great reading material. Last week, on September 8, 2009 to be exact, grandmother turned 88, and who'd have thunk? She still acts and talks and looks like she's 60!
Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Ed invited the entire extended family to their cozy home up Hobble Creek Canyon.... and what a perfect time to celebrate outside. We potluck BBQ'd on the deck around the fireplace...
and the kids gathered 'round the new fire pit in the yard to roast s'mores!
It was fun to sit and talk with cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course GG (for great-grandmother, as she's affectionately known) and Gordon. That's Jeff's cousin Cory (recently returned RM from Ohio and back at BYU), his fiance Emily, Becca, and prego Michelle.
Although we didn't light 88 candles, the cake was big enough to hold that many! She blew them all out TWICE! (with some help from great-grandchildren.)
The day we got back from Bear Lake we spent some time in our backyard getting to know our neighbors' new Golden Retriever puppies.... and harvesting some more raspberries and peaches from our yard. Our neighbors gifted us with some tomatoes, egg plants, and bell peppers as well. So yummy! Along with the zucchini and cucumbers I get each week at church from the "sister's surplus" table at the back of Relief Society, we have quite the crisper of yummy food these days-- all for free!
...then, when you peel off the fruit the almond is inside a hard outer shell, which you crack to reveal the actual raw almond.
We're spoiled to have so much yummy, fresh food. Utah has been good to us in that regard.
...or just laying in them.
Cole is quite the camper/mountain man. He hauls his nice trailer (and lets crying kids sleep in it) and tons of food and loves to cook for anyone and everyone. He's quick to make sure you have a seat and a drink and is always asking "what can I get ya?" It was good to see him sit and relax for a few minutes.
Quinton and Krew sure enjoyed playing in the dirt and rocks.
Corbin loved the endless amount of swords-- I mean sticks available to play with....
... he had to be armed for all the bunny/chipmunk hunts the kids went on.
After breakfast we loaded the kids up in the truck and headed down to the lake for some fun in the sun. We were worried the weather wouldn't cooperate, but it turned out to be the perfect weekend, not too hot or cold and NO RAIN!
The boys were a bit apprehensive at first, but soon they were both in the water quite a ways out.
Quinton loved wading in the shallow water and walking through the tiny waves.
Corbin found a friend JC, a little girl his age and they followed each other around the beach, through the water, and kept each other quite entertained.
Scott brought his boat and Jeff took Corbin out for a tube ride (that's Jeff in the black shirt and white hat walking out to the boat with Corbin). I guess Corbin was too scared to get on the tube in the water, but he watched Jeff do it and when Jeff fell off the tube Corbin screamed to Scott... "STOP, that's my daddy, get him!"
Later, back on the beach, there was an intense and on-going game of Lasso golf that kept the guys entertained for like 3 days straight!
Grandpa Dick and Grandma TeeTee joined us for Saturday afternoon. They enjoyed relaxing on the beach and watching their kids and grandkids play.
I tried putting Q down for a nap in the back of the Tahoe because he was so tired from the sand and water. I went to check on after about 10 minutes and found this:
(little monkey had climbed into the drivers seat and locked the doors.... with the keys inside! Luckily the windows were cracked enough and the sun-roof was open to fish the keys out.)
The next day we headed up to the Minnetonka Caves in the Cache National Forest. Q and I napped in the car while the rest of the group walked through the caves.
It was a pretty lengthy walk with lots of steps and 40* inside so I'm glad I didn't go, but the others said it was amazing inside!
One of the great rooms. (Kind of dark, I know.)
After the caves it was back to the beach for some more fun. Ty and Tanzynn brought their cool kites to fly in the windy shoreline.
Krew loved the kites as well and its a good thing someone was nearby to coach him or his little 22 lb. frame would have lifted off with the kites.
Brandon and Nichole enjoyed the scenery and the tube. Still look like newly-weds after 16 years!
Getting buried in the sand to make sand monsters...
...and sand angels.
Even Q loved the sand up to his chin!
But the funnest part is washing it off in the water. Quinton and Krew loved throwing sand in the water.
There's my man walking hand in hand with his baby on the beach. Moments like that remind my why kids are worth it.
Thanks to Haley my 8-month prego belly got captured in all its glory. I feel so much bigger than i look here. I guess chasing around 2 kids toddlers will do that to ya. I realize I haven't been documenting my growing baby bump this time around, so here it is for all of you to see.
I think Bear Lake is a place we could go back to often. It was a great weekend and we'd love to do it again next summer!
Scoring his first goal in practice.
One of his coaches is Zack DeFrancis (who plays for BYU and is from AZ), which Corbin thought was pretty neat.
Learning to stop, or trap, the ball.
Learning how to throw it in... with your hands!
Taking a water break... listening to coach.
On Saturday scrimmages, Quinton loves to sit and eat snacks and watch his brother (and dad) play soccer.... and occasionally he tries to venture off onto the field and steal the soccer balls and cones too.... but that's the little brother's job, right?
Corbin likes to be the self-appointed goalie. They never really taught the kids about the goalie position, but Corbin inherently tried to defend his goal during the first scrimmage and some of the other kids caught on. He's pretty good at it too.
Although, when he sees a chance Corbin's not afraid to go after the ball and dribble it down the field to score. Here he is right after kicking in the winning goal at his scrimmage yesterday.... made his day!
Only 1 more "game" left until the season is over and he gets his medal. Here's a short clip of Corbin dribbling and assisting a goal.
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