BYU Football with our Family!

 We have had so much fun going to BYU Football games this fall in Provo.  I was given some free tickets from the College of Education at BYU so Alyssa and I enjoyed a great game.  Austin scored several games with the Haneys this year (like Boise-one of the greatest finishes in Cougar history) and then our family went with the Scouts in October.  Gooooo Cougars!

It's A Caramel Apples Kind of Night!

 For the past several years, we have enjoyed a fun tradition with the kids and their grandparents to make "gourmet" caramel apples.  We all look forward to it!  

At the end of our fall break, Grandma Barbie, Poppie, and the Watts came over for an evening of sugary fun.  We made some yummy homemade caramel and then dipped our treats in pecans, mini m&ms, coconut, sprinkles, and drizzled them with white and milk chocolate.  They turned out beautiful and were scrumptious too.  As always, it turned out to be a fun evening making memories with our family.

 Taylor, looking a little creepy but happy to bite into an apple brace-free!  LOL!

One Down, Three To Go! Taylor's Braces Come Off!

 The glorious morning of the removal

....and after!

She had been waiting for months for the day to come.  She had paid extra attention to wearing her rubber bands (for the first time since 6th grade).  And it all paid off!  Taylor's braces came off and wow- how gorgeous did she look!  We asked Grandma Barbie if she could help us out with the morning appointment for Taylor for which we were all so grateful since Dave and I both were at work.    Taylor was so cute to send me pictures immediately after so I could coo at them from my classroom.  

For the next few days, I kept finding pictures of her smiling on my phone.  Why not?  That's why we sacrificed to have her wear braces:  for THAT smile!  

Community Plays and Broadway: they're both exciting for me!

 It had been on our calendar for several months, with a few phone calls and text messages to make certain our commitment to come was taken seriously:  Carson's play "Alladin"!  The kids were super excited to have Maurie come with us and Grandma ride with us since we see both of them less than we would like to.  

Carson was hilarious in the play as the genie.  He had the audience laughing, eating out of the palm of his hands!  I couldn't quit smiling.  Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Cindy watch her son act, beaming with pride and joy.  It warmed my heart.

Although my husband doesn't enjoy the theater, he makes certain I don't miss the opportunities to see things I want to see.  Uncle Doug gave Melissa and I front row tickets to see 42nd Street.  It was an incredible show with tap dancing and singing that kept us captivated from the opening to the very end.  It was truly one of the better shows we have seen.  Melissa is so wonderful!  I am in awe of her and her family.  She and Doug center everything around their children in a healthy way that brings them together tightly, creating a safe, loving place for their children.  Dave and I talk about them often, inspired to create closer familial relationships within the walls of our home.  

OCJH Fall Social

(I sent this to my husband last week.  He sure has been cleaning up a little more now!)

One wonderful fall tradition our family enjoys is a family BBQ at my school in Lindon.  My incredible principal has horses and brings them for the kids/grandkids to ride at the BBQ each fall.  Another principal grills hamburgers and hotdogs for us.  Someone else makes cotton candy.  The student council creates new activities each year:  face painting, mini car races, ping pong, games, etc. We love Oak Canyon and I love working in a place with people I genuinely love.  

"My People"

 I love referring to my family as "my people."  They are mine and I am theirs.  Fall is here and my people and I are doing the best we can!  We have concussions, need to go to the eye doctor, we have anxiety and even depression, but we keep going!

 Jaxson and Alexa on their tandem bike, riding around Cedar Hills!  Adorable!

 We have great friends in our neighborhood and ward.  They are kind and generous too.  Austin scored big time with a ticket to the Boise/BYU Football game with the Haneys.  He was so excited, and we were for him too!  Here is a picture of him dressed in blue for the game.  He sent this picture to both Grandpa Hatch and Uncle Brandon.  Grandpa called right away to talk to him.  Uncle Brandon called later calling Austin the luckiest young man in the world since Boise is Uncle Brandon's favorite college football team.

When Taylor first went to school and had little projects to do, I made certain hers looked the best!  I worked so hard on her little projects, something I regret and do differently now.  Jaxson had to re-create an original wonder of the world.  We talked about how it would look and I helped him gather what he needed.  But then it was Jaxson's turn to express his talent and think about how the gardens in Greece might have been constructed.  He got into it, worked for days constructing his masterpiece.  Rarely have I seen pride in his work like this!  By the time he was finished, he was beaming!  He had to text Grandma a picture of his masterpiece and she was very excited too!

I drive often to pick up Taylor from her junior high school.  Between orthodontist appointments, therapy sessions, making up quizzes and getting extra help, this girl keeps me running!  So I had a snap a picture of how darling she looked.  I love Taylor!  I love the young woman she is and is becoming.

 Biking.  I love living in Utah.  I love biking.  I love my kids.  Put them all together and I enjoy moments of complete bliss!  Alyssa got a new bike so we decided to try it out on the canal trail.  Jaxson's bike wasn't working and he was determined to go with us, so that boy ran and ran!