One of my favorite things about fall is our family trip to the pumpkin patch.  It’s so fun to see the kids pick out their perfect pumpkin.  It’s a hoot to watch them try to carry it to the car even when it’s bigger than they are.  I love getting new pictures of them traipsing through the pumpkins and vines and I love the hayride.  Yeah, well, not this year. 
We went to the “Pumpkin Patch” on Friday expecting to do the hayride and pumpkin patch last so we didn’t have to carry around our pumpkins while we did all the “agritourism” activities like the air jumper and the corn maze and the giant lizard (I’ll explain).  But once we were ready to go to the pumpkin patch and pick out our pumpkins, they informed us that the hayrides were closed and we would not get to go the pumpkin patch!  The farm was supposed to be open from 10-3, and it was only 2:00, so we were a little frustrated.  Ok, I was really frustrated and had to seriously bite my tongue so that I wouldn’t be a bad example for my children.  Would have been really nice for someone to tell us the pumpkin patch closed early.  Grr.  I will get over it, maybe by next year. 
We did have fun though, and I was able to get some good pics.  We had company this year!  Aunt Janie, Uncle Calvin, Penny, Lincoln and Dustin came along.

Jessica, who is working at the pumpkin patch this year, gave us our little introduction to farm life and its importance.
 

Feeding the goats.

Lincoln’s oh so awesome hat.

This trampoline was really cool.  I’ve never seen anything like it.

After the fancy tramp the boys tried to rope a steer.  Not being a cowpoke from Idaho, Levi needed a translation as to what that meant.  “We’re going to lasso a cow!”  Ah! Then the light bulb clicked on.  Luckily, Uncle Calvin who IS a cowpoke from Idaho at heart, knew how to show em…. sort of.

This little sneak peek is for Alli and Sarin who I know have been waiting for this day as long as I have!!! 

And those of you who are a little more observant will see something else new in this picture if you look close….

Yep.  Braces.  It’s the new thing, apparently.  Give them a small set when they’re young and a more complete set when they’re older that overall takes less time and makes for less hassle.  He gets to wear these for 15 months.  Rock’s family will find it interesting to know that we are using Kelson Orthodontics, Malaena’s  husband makes the gear and his brother is our orthodontist!

I know.  I shouldn’t have.

But I couldn’t resist.

I didn’t even try to talk her into an orange one.  I’m an enabler!!!!!

Liberty has been up to some funny things lately.

She learned how to put her hands in her pockets this week and thought she was pretty cool.  She walked around the house this way for quite a while.

Trying on Mommy’s shoes

This girl is almost ready to potty train.  She tells me as soon as, if not before she has a dirty diaper and when she’s wet-something her brothers never did or at least never cared about!  I finally dug the potty chair out of a box this week.  Unfortunately, the first time we had her try it she was naked and so now if she wants to try it, she takes off all her clothes.  We’ll have to work on that.  She might get some weird looks when she’s older if we don’t!

Yes, she’s still obsessed with pink.  It’s a little extreme now.  She will go through the crayon bin and pull out all the pinks and purples and carry them around the house.  And of course she loves the Little People pig too-he’s pink.  I’m thinkin she’s gonna be a pig for Halloween!

My favorite thing about Liberty right now is that every night when I put her to bed she asks me to sing her the “Temple song” (I Love to See the Temple).  I sang that to the boys too, but she really loves it and it’s the only song she’s ever actually requested.  She also notices every time we drive pass the Boise temple and yells out, “Temple! Temple!”  I can’t wait to take her through the open house in October!  I’m so glad she already has her sights set on the temple.  Hopefully she’ll take it well when she finds out her wedding dress can’t be pink.

For Rock’s birthday last week Levi made him this card all by himself.  (Ok, I helped with the spelling.)
You have to click on this one to read the bottom. 
Levi loves to write even though I haven’t given him any formal writing lessons yet.  I think it’s time!  He wants to do everything his big brothers do.

My nephew Dustin James was born in August and these pics are from the first time the kids got to meet their new cousin.

This weekend we took Aunt Alli to Aunt Jane’s house to play with more cousins; Katelyn and Jessica.  The boys love seeing all the animals too.


They helped groom Moe before taking him for a ride.  Or more correctly, before he took them for a ride.


His helmet was almost bigger than he was.

So glad to be close to so much family again!

I have never in all my life lived without rain so long.  Well, that’s not true.  When I lived in Jerusalem for four months, it only rained once.  Our kids have most definitely never lived so long without rain.  Last Sunday it rained for the first time in months.  The boys came running in yelling, “It’s raining!  It’s raining!”  as if the sky were falling.  But honestly, it’s been so long, they’ve forgotten rain really does fall from the sky.  They were so excited they ran outside to play in it.

We were all very grateful for the rain because it has been so smoky from the fires that we haven’t seen the mountains in a month!  The rain cleared the air for just a little while and we jumped in the car to remind ourselves what Boise really looks like.  We stumbled upon this beauty while on our drive.

This was also a first for me.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a WHOLE rainbow from beginning to end!  It was beautiful! 

Then here is a further testament to our lack of rain.  Yesterday we were driving in the van and when I turned on the windshield wipers Levi piped up from the back.  “What the heck!? It’s raining again!”