Falling for Fall!

Chewy or otherwise known as Bluebeard.! We all thought he looked so funny with his bearded face. Carter does a good job bathing his dog.

Carter out hunting with Byron. They brought down two birds and retrieved one. Jessie couldn't find the other one. They had a good time enjoying each others company. This weekend they went for a bike ride up to the satellite towers, hard work but they enjoyed that as well.

So what do you say when a sweet little girl asks if you want your toenails painted? You have to say yes of course. She did these herself and we are hoping she gets a steadier hand soon.

Tyler is LOVING being forced to take gymnastics. Not his first choice but his back handspring is nearly there. Hopefully he won't hate us when he is older because we made him learn a new skill. The girl to boy ratio in this class is awesome if you are willing to admit you like girls. Neither of our boys will admit to such a thing, thank goodness.

Watch this Mom!!! Owwwweeeeeeee...... He can do it but it doesn't look like he is very comfy now does it? Still the flexibility is impressive.

Ali is planting a big purple kiss on her Dad's cheek. He LOVED it!

I died at the cuteness of this moment. Ali picked out a crayon to be her application brush. It was the sweetest thing to watch her paint her lips and eyelids with her crayon dipped into her lip gloss and eye shadow. Fun times being a little girl! She was getting all dolled up for our ward Primary program. She looked fabulous!

I am loving this wild grape vine that is trailing itself up our house. I didn't plant it but am happy to have it. It looks especially cool with the red leaves in the fall.

Much to the boys chagrin the girls like to dress up our little boy dog Chewy. This night he got the cutest pig-tails. Ali was more than pleased to snap this photo of him. She LOVES taking pictures. I have to say she did a splendid job. He even looks like he is smiling.

Ali is often amusing herself with drawing pictures. Sometimes she even sells them to us, I don't know where she got that idea from? This is one of my favorites she has done lately. So cute!

Carter and his friend Payton in their first band concert. They did an amazing job on their trio and we enjoyed the concert immensely. Way to go Concert Band, you rock!

We are loving the scooter! This is Byron on his way to breakfast and then off to the shop for it's 500 mile tune-up. I can't believe we have driven it 500 miles already since the Spring when we got it. Byron has hinted at getting another one. Really I think he wants to work his way up to a motorcycle but is easing me into it. We will see how it all plays out.

Weekend fun! Caramel apples, yummy! The kids had lots of fun rolling their apples in the caramely goodness and picking their toppings.

Byron likes to take the camera out when he hunts. We have lots of photos like this one of Jessie running through the grass. Unfortunately this time no birds. We like to joke about the per pound cost of meat. It does not look good for the economics of hunting. Good thing it is lots of fun! Everyone has had a turn going this fall except Ali. She is dying for a chance to get to go hunting with her Dad. He has an easy day picked out for their trip, just waiting for the right weekend.

Mirror Lake Highway Drive

Sunday drives were made for October! Or Maybe October was made for Sunday drives...

We had the best drive today up Mirror Lake Highway. It was beautiful to see all the leaves changing colors. The kids were good in the back talking away about who saw what in which color. It was the most amusing game of i-spy ever. Ali took a little snooze, we listened to some of Conference. Very relaxing and containing. Easier to get the kids to listen if they are seat belted in. My favorite bit of conference is the announcement to make the old Provo Tabernacle into a temple. I cried when I heard. We used to live right by the old tabernacle and I was so sad when it burned down but now it will be resurrected into so much more. So excited!

The drive was typical BJP style traveling. Head out not really knowing which way is up but finding adventure along the way nonetheless. We found waterfalls galore. Ate lunch on a slab of rock by the Provo River, thew enough rocks in to change the rapid patterns, and went on a wild raspberry hunt. They were delicious! Enjoyed a hike around Mirror Lake and earned a compliment from Carter. "This trip was much more fun than I had anticipated." Why is he even surprised, we always have a great time when we DRAG the kids away from our home. Aside from my ever-present car sickness it was a smashing success for a Sunday afternoon adventure.

Have I mentioned I love aspen trees? Oh my goodness this year is the best aspen color ever. There were some trees that were nearly red. It was amazing. I am almost glad I didn't jump in a plane and fly to California to see the bioilluminescence that is happening in San Diego right now, almost. The trees were spectacular! Byron told me he wanted a photo of me taking the leaf photo above, but with just the one camera....we settled for this.

Snaggletooth gets more snaggly! On Friday Tyler lost ANOTHER tooth. Seriously boy, what are you going to do. The gap widens but there is hope inside with his two middle teeth just peeking through his gums. Thank goodness there may be hope for him yet. In the car Ty said, "Hurry we need to take a picture quick before the two front ones grow in." So cute!

My three favorite aspen trees. Must paint these trees!

Provo River Falls trail. This is a series of three equally cool waterfalls. Much cooler than I had anticipated!

Byron throwing pieces of his sandwich trying to lure the fish up to the surface. He wants to come back next week and fish where we ate lunch, just before mile marker 21, but there is much bird hunting to do right now....tough choices he will have to make next weekend.

Our stroll around Mirror Lake. Watched a girl reel in a trout, spotted a dead deer that looked just like a rock, and made it ALL the way round. Ali was very excited to make it the whole way. There was much speculation as to how the deer ended up in the river.

Picnic lunch on the banks of the Provo. Spotted the perfectly ripe red raspberry that spurred on our successful wild raspberry hunt. Splitting one berry between five just doesn't cut it. We all wanted more! Except maybe Carter he is not a big fan of eating wild berries. They could be poisonous!

Tyler on the mirror lake trail. A day full of beauty! Couldn't have asked for a better Conference Sunday. Byron and I even topped it off with a little drive on our Stella scooter. Ahhh....perfect!