Birthday Trip for Mom and the Kids

Hallie and the kids took a brief trip out to California over the weekend while Mike kept the home fires burning. He’s due to travel most of next week, and we have a fur baby at home to look after. We’ve also enjoyed watching the World Series this week. Landon says watching baseball is more fun than playing it, especially when Dad’s into the action.

We celebrated Landon’s birthday some more on Monday at gymnastics with pizza and donuts. When you consider that they burned the calories off prior to the party, the junk food wasn’t quite so bad. Landon's coach Isaac made him and Israel nested birthday cards.

Landon got a LEGO watch in the mail from Grandma and Grandpa Dorey Fablehaven books from Diamond and Caleb. This is one happy boy!

While Landon was at gymnastics on Wednesday, the other three of us went to the Springville Museum of Art for its annual Halloween Party. Eliza dressed up as a zombie bride this year. She got a lot of compliments. Good job, Mom, on your amazing makeup job! Dad’s wondering where sweet little Dorothy went.

"You will be rich," said the psychic. Cool if it happens!

On Thursday after school, the kids had a bit of time to hit the gym before Mike took the trio to the airport. Eliza lost her other top front tooth, so now she speekths with a lispth.

Hallie must have had quite the sugar rush and crash with her zombie Frappuccino before the flight and Krispy Kreme afterwards. The kids definitely enjoyed the tasty treats.

"Braaains!" . . . Freeze

Go, Dodger Blue! 

Mike kept busy Friday volunteering at the kids’ school. When asked (multiple times), “Why didn’t you go too?” he replied, “Someone’s gotta look after the cat.” Ha, ha. He saw some of Eliza's art, so he took some pics.

He spent the rest of the day on BYU campus before coming home to watch the World Series.

In California, Hallie and the kids spent a very busy Friday visiting school friends at Las Posas and gymnastics friends at Victory.

­

Mike spent all day up at BYU Saturday trying to get some work done. Trying is the operative word. At least the environment was well-suited for work. Had he thought about it early enough, he could have walked up and watched the football game. At least we’re two wins in. As it is, he did some creative work too.

Graphic design doesn't pay, but it's fun!

Hallie and the kids spent Saturday with more visits, including more time at Victory and with Victory friends and with Grandma and Grandpa O. and Alie in the afternoon.

Is that a lion or Shep?

All this time on the go-go-go finally caught up to Eliza. Landon stayed overnight at his friend Dietrich’s house.

Mike had a too-quiet Sunday at home with Fergus, who was his constant companion, before going to church and being a substitute teacher for Hallie’s Primary class.

Hallie and the kids did some more visiting with friends and family. Mike hasn’t got many details from Hallie and the gang, and she doesn’t have a computer, so no specifics. Just pictures. Eliza looks really into the LEGO Vampire set she got from Grandpa O. Another little builder in the making! 

Visiting with Dietrich's family.

Back at Papa and Grandma M.'s for a bit, . . .

. . . then off for a visit to the Hopkins cousins!

While Mike likes his furry buddy Fergus, he looks forward to seeing everyone when they come back Monday. Of course, then it will be his turn to take to the air! 

This little guy spent the whole time Mike was around purring. 

And this World Series? Bananas! 

Short and Sweet One This Week

Mostly photos this week. We had Red Ribbon Week, went on a field trip to a big red barn, got a couple of days off from school, watched Eliza’s first gymnastics competition, and started Landon’s birthday celebrations. Woo hoo!

Tuesday: The kids dressed in bright colors for Red Ribbon Week. Eliza took full advantage of the jump suit Grandma and Grandpa D. got for her. 

Later in the day, Mom accompanied her and her class on a field Trip to Rowley's Red Barn. Hallie liked it so much that she had Mike take her back while the kids were at gymnastics!  

Speaking of which, Eliza got her leotard for Saturday's competition. It is as expensive as it looks, and Eliza is really trying to smile through her bedtime crabbiness. 

Wednesday: Fall colors are everywhere! With the winds that came up this week, leaves came raining down like, well, rain. 

Thursday: The kids got two days off this week for UEA weekend. Landon's gym schedule changed to mornings, which meant he got his afternoons off; however, it also meant that he missed out on going on the BYU Campus guided tour we had scheduled for today. We saw a hot air balloon on the way up. His loss. 

Eliza got to ride in the front seat of the gold cart, and Dad had almost as much trivia to tell as the guide. Of course, a lot of Mike's was, "I had a class here" or "This building was just a giant hole in the ground when I was a student."

We were treated to a sunset later in the day after Eliza's gymnastics class.

Friday: Mike got out the fall decor, including a door decoration that he and Eliza put up in the evening. 

Saturday: Today was Eliza's big day! Eliza put it all out there on the floor and had fun. 

She took first on beam and third place overall in her level. You go, girl! 

Sunday: We started Landon's birthday celebrations with confetti-filled balloons containing a secret message. He's going on a trip to California with Mom and Eliza! Then we had French toast for breakfast. 

Eliza has started developing her talent for drawing, taking inspiration from Mo Willems.

After church, we drove up to Salt Lake hoping to meet up with Landon's birth mom for a birthday visit. It didn't work out. We're sorry for that. We did get another glowing sunset on our trip back home.