October 2010

A great white egret came to visit. We ran into this bird on our driveway when we came home from church. It was hunting frogs.

Seth was a pumpkin for Halloween, just like Elaina was last year.

Elaina was Sleeping Beauty for Halloween. Now she wants to wear that dress all the time. Neil and I wore renaissance attire.

Elaina is our pumpkin patch model.

Watch out, Seth is going to get you!!

Here's our little family on our outing to the pumpkin patch at Bates Nut Farms.

My friend Christine came to visit with her mother in-law, Pamela Done. Lainie had a great time playing with her.

Seth's first birthday was October 9. He started off eating his first taste of cake with relish. One slice of cake, 2 cupcakes and a sucker later, not so much.

Yum! Seth's first taste of cake.

Look at the bounty of cupcakes at Seth's first birthday party.

Mt. Washington, NH Hiking Trip - October 2010

Neil went on his annual hiking trip with the guys in October. This year, it was the ascent of Mt. Washington, NH, the tallest mountain on the East Coast. He started out the trip with a quick jaunt to Vermont, where he got to visit the birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith, among other things. He got totally drenched in a rainstorm while he was there.

Before attempting to climb Mt. Washington, the guys took this cog railway to the top of the mountain. Here they are leaning forward in the train as it climbs a 30 percent grade.

The day after riding to the top in comfort, the guys ascended Mt. Washington on foot. Most of the trail was very steep, including this slope with hundreds of waterfalls. By the end, you're scrambling over boulders to get to the top. Fortunately, everyone made it to the summit. Okay, so it's only a 6000 foot mountain, pretty wimpy by western standards, but everyone still felt like it was a big accomplishment.

September 2010

September was all about getting the yard put in. We finally have a lawn, trees, and flowers!

The most important thing we have is a ground-level trampoline. That is the place the kids go whenever we go outside. It is the fulfillment of a life-long dream for me. I have wanted one since I was 11 years old.

We went walking on a trail in downtown Fallbrook for a family home evening activity. Seth loves riding with Dad in the baby back pack.

Lainy and I paused during a walk to look at the little stream under the bridge.

My sister Kelly and niece Rachel both have September birthdays, and of course, we got to celebrate both of them.