Pumpkin Carving

We decided it was time to finally carve the pumpkins we've been growing. We didn't have nearly as many this year as last, but we ended up with 3 pretty good sized ones and a few little ones. Adi also grew some white pumpkins that did great! BJ and I don't really care for the carving, but we love the seeds so that is why we do it. We were very disappointed when we cut open Bray's pumpkin to find it was starting to rot! All those seeds wasted. We cleaned it out and carved it anyways. The kids never really help so it is just BJ and I, but its Halloween what would it be without some pumpkin carving!

Brayden's kind of looks like him with some missing teeth!

Parties

While I was away my mom and Haylee took great care of my kids. They took them to grandma bus' halloween party, and some halloween thing that was going on in Brigham. I was so sad I missed Grandma Taggart's annual halloween party! Seriously it is one of the highlights we look forward to each year. It is so much fun and one of the rare opportunities we get to all get together and see all the cousins. Brayden also missed it. He stayed home with his dad because he had a football game Saturday morning, and then he and BJ were going to the BYU football game.

Jace and Kyla at the party. They are so cute!!

Ring around the Ghost

Graveyard bowling?

Poppy the skeleton, Kyla the witch, Adi the princess, and Jace the pirate

Painting pumpkins

Cute kids

San Diego (Days 4 & 5)

Each day I took fewer pictures. I forgot my battery charger and the battery was about dead. Saturday we didn't do too much. We had to take Darci to the airport, and after that we went down to Qualcomm Stadium to see where the Padres and Chargers play. Not way eciting, but something to do. I think we were all a little tired from the week and so we went back to the hotel and took a nap, then for dinner we went downtown to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. Sunday morning we got up and headed to return the car and over to the airport. Good thing we got there early there was a huge line. We had a great vacation, and I can't wait till next time! I love these girls!!

Qualcomm Stadium

Our hotel

Flight home

San Diego (Day 3)

Day 3 of our trip we decided to head up to Los Angeles. We got up real early(6:30) and that was so not by choice, we all just happen to wake up then! You'd think with no kids we would take advantage, but no we were die hards! On the way up we decided we would take the Pacific Coast Highway, so we got off in Newport Beach and followed the sign to the PCH. On the way over to it we passed right by the Newport Beach temple. So of course we pulled in and took pictures. I absolutely love going and seeing temples, they are so beautiful to me, and no matter where you go the temples just feel like home to me.

Newport Beach Temple

After a cruise up the PCH we got lost in LA while trying to find the Farmer's Market and The Grove. We heard celebrities are spotted there, but not that day! Anyways we finally made it there and first went to the American Girl Doll store, it was amazing! Cutest dolls and clothes, Adi would have been in heaven. After a little shopping we headed to the Cheesecake Factory across the way to eat. Of course it was yummy, and I got the pumpkin cheesecake to go, and I have to say I am not a fan. Should have stuck with my usual!

Lunch at Cheesecak Factory

The grove

After we shopped and browsed for awhile Darci and I had to get a pinkberry. Best frozen yogurt I've ever had!!

Since it was Friday and traffic in LA is so bad we were told not to try and get out till about 6, so about 6 we headed back to the car to go back to San Diego. The GPS system was no longer our friend. It was not working and to make a long and scary story short we got lost in LA. We ended up in Koreatown, and probably the scariest gas station I have ever been to. Very frightening, but finally made it to the freeway to basically sit in traffic for 2 hours. We finally made it back to our hotel in San Diego about 11 after a few missed exits and getting lost again in San Diego.

San Diego (Day 2)

Day 2 of our trip turned out to be much better than Day 1. I think the only mishap was when Andrea missed the exit we needed 5 times in a row and really made Darci mad!! Ah good times!! So on Day 2 we decided we would go to Coronado Island, San Diego Temple, Seaport Village, and Old Town. We started out by going to Coronado Island first, this beach was beautiful and not so stinky!

Coronado Island

Another funny story. We get to the beach and start walking down to the water and are just about to the tide and Darci starts freaking out. We run to her and I see no blood or anything, but she says her foot is stinging her, and it hurts real bad, so we see a lifeguard a ways down the beach and she decides to go ask him. So Darci and Angie start toward the lifeguard, and Andrea and I figure since she can walk she is fine and we slowly follow after them and along the way stop to take pictures and gather seashells and sand dollars(which were later crushed, won't say how that happened-Darci!!) in the sand. Anyways the lifeguard thinks it was a "no see um" sting from a jelly fish, and he told us to get ammonia and meat tenderizer to put on it. And the lifeguard I swear was David Arquette's twin!

Darci and I before the sting

Darci and David the lifeguard

After the beach we decided to go to the San Diego Temple. It was absolutely gorgeous!! I loved being on the temple grounds and taking in its beauty. It is such a beautiful temple(my favorite)!

Another funny story. We are walking up to the temple and we run into this kid we went to high school with. How random is that?! Haven't seen him for 10 years and we go on a 5 day vacation and run in to him. It was so funny and random, but he gave us a few ideas on where to eat and places to vist and places to stay away from.

Darci, John, and Andrea

After the temple we hit Seaport Village.

There were tons of shops and we did alot of shopping and browsing, walked along the beach and just enjoyed the scenery.

After Seaport Village we decided to hit Old Town. There were lots of little vendor booths and restaurants. We didn't really walk around too much and see all the little shops in Old Town. We had been walking all day and were so tired. We went and ate a fabulous place called Coyote Cafe. I am still craving their burritos!!

San Diego (Day 1)

I was lucky enough to get to go to San Diego with a few of my good friends from high school. We had the best time and made so many memories. I was a little sad to leave my husband and kids and it just be me for 5 days, but I got over it and had a blast!!

This is us waiting for the shuttle at the airport to take us to get the rental car. They get mad when I would take pictures, but hey someone's got to!!

Funny story about where we stayed. We actually had a condo on the beach, but once we got to San Diego and talking to the nice lady on the shuttle, and then actually going to the sight of the condo, we realized we should not be staying there! Here were some of the clues. #1 it stunk. #2 it was about 15 minutes form the Tijuana border. #3 old tv just thrown out in some bushes next to the dumpster. #4 condo was smelly and just not up to our standards. #5 strange men taking photos of us. I think those are the most important ones. Anyways after seeing the place we decided we would not be staying there, even though we had already paid, so Darci went to the office and got our money back! So we ended up staying in a hotel in San Diego.

Here is the beach right outside our would have been condo, I think it looks pretty, but after the fact we learned that the water so close to the boarder is gross. Good thing we didn't touch it!

This little picture was painted on a building right across from where the condo was, nice huh?

Our first meal in CA, yep it is at Carl's Jr. We figured we better eat at a place we've heard of since we were in kind of a sketchy town!

Here is proof of the tv in the bushes, and the little "condo" to the left should of been ours, good thing we go out of it!!

Another funny story, after we finally got a hotel we were starving and we decided to go to Hard Rock Cafe in La Jolla, so we got directions and headed out. Well we get to La Jolla and go to exactly where the GPS said and can't find it. So we call the number and it is actually the Hard Rock in downtown San Diego(which we did go to Saturday night)and come to find out the one in La Jolla closed down about a month ago! Seriously add that to the horrible day in Imperial Beach and we were scared for the rest of our trip. Luckily we only had a few more things like that happen the rest of the trip! So we ended up going to a Chili's that was close by. This is the only picture(I swear) that I have to document the dinner. Thanks for taking one for the team, Andrea!! But then again you should have had your camera out Andrea!! I think Ang and I have the better photo!!

After our long and exhausting days this is what we would do every night before bed!

Cook out

We decided to go up the canyon Saturday night for dinner. We made it real simple hotdogs for Brayden and Adi, hamburger patties for BJ, and a taco left over from lunch for Jace. BJ is still on crutches but he was a sport and did it anyways. The kids had fun playing on a tree and putting leaves in the fire for dad. The leaves were beautiful and it was fun to go up there for a few hours. It started getting dark and we had been up there for about an hour or hour and a half and the kids started saying lets go, lets go home, its dark, I'm cold, etc.. BJ was disgusted with them that they weren't enjoying the outdoors as much as he was, but nothing is better than home and duh they are my kids! I swear next year we are going camping for reals, overnight and everything!!

This is what Jace would do when he walked by the fire.

Putting leaves in the fire

Fire starter

Flag Football

Brayden played flag football for the first time this year. He had a really good time and it was so much fun to watch! I didn't get too many great pictures, but one highlight from the season was when he caught a kickoff(no bounce) and ran it back for a touchdown! Yay Brayden! No camera or videa camera that game. There were many other good plays, but that one wins!




He grabbed the flag, Good job Bray!