Family night at the pumpkin patch

We decided to head over to a local pumpkin patch to hand pick our pumpkins this year for family night. The boys were so excited and of course ran out to find the biggest pumpkins out there (pictures on the side bars). The pumpkins were so large that the boys (& Matt) had a hard time lugging them onto the cart to wheel them to the register. We found that the scale at the patch only went up to 60lbs and the 4 largest pumpkins maxed out...kept saying "error". We were taken back a bit at the price, but you can't put a price on family fun right?!?! Then we delivered spider cookies to some families in the ward. The boys had a blast knocking and running away. It was a great night spent with our family.

A day in the woods

A couple of weeks ago the boys were out of school for a few days and Matt was in between business trips so we decided to take a drive up to the hills to cut wood for our wood stove this winter. We started off with a picnic of sandwiches, chips, and lemonade. Then began cutting down junipers (we got our permit through the BLM) and hauling them to the trailer. Lucikly they were light enough that the boys were able to carry them without much hassle. Chase and Trey even got to try their hand at cutting down a tree (with the supervision and help of dad of course). Zander and McKay had fun just exploring and playing in the dirt. It was a fun day spent with our family!

FHE fun

Have you seen the new game show on NBC, Minute to Win It? Matt and I have enjoyed watching it the couple times we have seen it . . . fun easy games to do at home (they would make a fun combined YW/YM activity). So for FHE last week I decided to combine our activity and treat using one of the games from Minute to Win It. We took some cookies (purchased for free--just paid tax) and followed the rules of the game. Put a cookie on your forehead between the eyes then using facial muscles move the cookie down and into your mouth. It was a fun activity . . . the boys especially had a blast and asked to do it again this week (no go)! Try it out!

Labor Day Adventures

Matt and I decided to get out of the house for Labor Day. We wanted to spend a day with the boys having fun, not working on the house. So we packed a lunch and headed for Hagerman. We went to the Hagerman Fossil Beds, which was kind of blah. I had gone on a field trip eons ago and we dug fossils. I thought the boys might have fun with that, but there is NO WHERE to dig fossils in Hagermen. Everyone was pretty bummed out about that. Matt and the boys did a short .6 mile hike to see an Oregon Trail overlook while I sat in the car with sleeping McKay. Chase wasso excited to find a Horny Toad right before we left. He was pretty upset at us when we told him he couldn't bring it home.



Then it was on to find the alligator farm. What a JOKE! The signing for that place is terrible....actually, non-existent! We were frustrated and went to turn around just as we found the place. I have to say that I don't think it was worth the gas or time that it took to get there . . . the alligators were quite boring. Even with Matt tossing rocks, small rocks, at them they didn't move.



The boys were more interested in the fish in the creek and the caterpillar that Layton found.

After the alligator farm we headed to the National Fish Hatchery. Of course my boys love places like this. We walked around and saw the baby Steelhead in the pens. McKay loved seeing the fish swimming around. They paint blue fish on the ground to lead to the different fish areas. Zander had fun following the fish. He would stop at each set of fish and say "fish" and point.

There was a neat area with Rainbow Trout and White Sturgeon that we were able to lay on our bellys and touch the sturgeon. Everyone had a great time touching the sturgeon.

For lunch we headed to a nearby lake to eat and fish, but there were WAY too many people so we packed up and drove to the State Fish Hatchery which was much nicer and had less people. There were picnic tables and trees for shade so we ate our sandwiches and fished. Only a couple small fish were caught, but everyone still had fun just enjoying the outdoors.
Zander and McKay had to spend the afternoon in the stroller and carseat, but they still had fun being outside and seeing all the fun things, and snacking on Twizzlers. :D They were such troopers.
As we were getting in the car to leave Trey caught a little frog which he brought home and released in the ditch behind our house. We stopped at Doug and Kathryn's house on the way home for a quick visit. Had dinner at Sonic in Jerome per the boys' request, and then made our way home. It was a great way to officially end the summer season!