Fall Break and Concerts

Sarah had her first concert of the year. She did great and had so much fun. They could wear their Halloween costumes but since we hadn't made hers yet, she wore her candy bandit costume from last year. Only James and I came, along with my parents. Justin was hunting, Henry had a football game and Erica was home sick. Luckily I had arranged for Henry to get a ride home from his game with a friend and Nadine was able to stay with Erica instead of coming to the concert. It was a hectic evening but all ended well. Well, except that Erica was sick and missed the rest of school that week.

We didn't do a whole lot for fall break. But we did go to Kennecott to tour the mine. I've been wanting to go for a long time. Justin does a lot of work for Rio Tinto (but not in the Bingham mine) so he wanted to see it too. We picked Justin up at work and then drove to the visitors center. James made the observation month's ago that speed limit signs always end in 0s or 5s so it was fun for him to see one that ended in a 4.

Sarah liked it too because she's almost 14.

In the parking lot there is a gift shop where they scan your ticket and then you get on the bus that takes you up to the visitors' overlook. So that's what the $6 gets you, a ride up to the mine. The tour is self guided.

I barely captured this speed limit sign. 44.5mph. So random. I'm sure it's to get your attention. Well the employees attention--the public can't get through the gates.

Here's a tire from the haul trucks or "haulers". They are huge dump trucks and kind of the star of the mine.

Excavators fill up the beds of thr haulers and then they dump the rock here and then the rock goes along a conveyor belt out of the mine and out of the canyon to be crushed.

It's kind of funny how long we enjoyed watching and listening to the trucks drive around.

These trucks are huge. Can you see the white pickup? It could smush a full size truck. 
Here's another size comparison. 

The trees were pretty above the pit.

And then we caught the next bus down. We spent about 2 hours there. They are building a new visitors center and a museum and will have a decommissioned hauler to get up close and personal. I'd like to go back when that's all done.

That was pretty much the highlight of our fall break. The kids played with friends, we watched some movies, Henry got sick, we went to the park with cousins, made some pumpkin desserts.

A week ago I got my finger good on the cheese grater. I'll spare you the details but I was little surprised at the extent of bruising a few days later.

Henry's football season also ended this week. They lost their first tournament game and he was pretty devastated. He thinks he wants to play basketball this year even though he wasn't interested at all last year so we'll see.

Thursday Sarah dressed up and went caroling with her friends.  They caroled for me when I picked her up. They went to a few houses and actually got some candy. 

On Friday Justin picked the rest of the tomatoes and I picked the rest of the pumpkins and acorn squash before the hard freeze. I got like 12 squash from one plant plus this one that looks like a butternut. How does that happen?

For Erica's primary activity that afternoon they made apple cider at Sis. Hart's house. She came home with a bottle of cider and was so excited to explain how they made it. She wants a cider press of her very own! Her leader sent me these pictures later but Erica did a very good job explaining the tools and process.

The biggles went hunting with Justin that night so it was just me and my littles for Friday night and all day Saturday. We watched The Haunted Mansion Friday and after the movie we went for a walk to our neighbor's that have an elaborate Halloween display complete with music. James was still a little creeped out by the music and isn't outside in the dark hardly ever so we didn't stay long. 

Mapleton has like 12 streetlights in the whole city making the walk around the block extra creepy.

 On Saturday we picked up some supplies for Erica's costume and some fun Halloween crafts. 

Here's a sneak peek of Erica's costume.

We also stopped for lunch in a storm at Chick-fil-a. I loved this worker's rain hut she had to keep her dry. She saw me taking her picture and waved. I told her I hope I didn't embarrass her and she said of course not, she loves it. I think crossing guards should get these weatherproof huts.

Henry had his first orchestra concert last night. I couldn't see him very well but I did notice he was super happy and nodded along with his playing. Cutest little cello player there ever was.

And I'm just really liking how James writes his name. He doesn't do an uppercase A anymore which his teacher sees as an improvement. I went in for his parent teacher conference and his teacher said he is super smart but she's had to send him back to his seat for wrestling during rug time? What?? I had a little talk with him and I am proud to say he is wrestle free for 

He's basically off the charts on his reading and math skills so I guess it's okay that his social skills need a little work. He must mean it when he says he "didn't learn anything today" when I pick him up.

3 Cheers for the Best Weather Ever

We've spent a lot of evenings at the playing field for Henry's games. James has gotten pretty creative entertaining himself.

Justin and Henry went to the BYU football game v. USU. Justin's aunt has season tickets and generously offered Justin the tickets to any game he'd like. He took Henry and this was Henry's first BYU game (he's been to a few high school games and a USU game.)

He loved it and they ate Cougar Tales (super long maple bars) in my honor. I only go to BYU sporting events for the Cougar Tales. He loved staying up late and they made it back to the truck just before the downpour 

How was general conference at your house? Ours was full of coloring, bingo, candy and smartie towers. I liked so many of the talks but the only thing I can really remember is the story about the brothers emptying out the little sister's room while she slept and leaving a note that the family had moved.

On Saturday I took the littles to the Scarecrow Spectacular at the city park. They were the only two that wanted to go so it was just us. They pretty much only went for the doughnut but we also looked around in the historic buildings.

These cutouts are also a must.

Fun fact: James is kind of sorta thinking about being Linus for Halloween.

They tried some games this year. 

Dang Sierra Bonita. Show off much?

Sunday, along with the rest of the world, we drove up American Fork canyon. It took us 2 hours to go what should have taken 50 minutes. At least the view was nice and we went nice and slow so we got a good long view.

Now I know quaking aspen trees are the "most widely distributed tree species in North America" but I'd like to think that they are extra beautiful in Utah's mountains.

We then took the side spur way over to Cascade Springs. It was packed so it wasn't very fun. We just had to walk briskly along so as to not block traffic. Boo. 

I had to work hard to get a picture without a hundred people. There was a couple trying to do their engagement photos here on the boardwalks with all these people. Their photographer looked very frustrated. 

They were pretty good sports considering they were starving at this point and James was not feeling well.

From here we drove down to Midway and ate a picnic dinner then drove down Provo Canyon to home. I don't ever want to go on a Sunday afternoon again, maybe like a Tuesday morning next year. 

James is killing it in kindergarten. He's like way off the chart so I don't even know what these numbers mean. He can read several of his books on his own and is 5 pages away from finishing his 1st grade math workbook.

And that's that. Justin has been hunting a lot and still has many more days ahead. Fall break is just a couple of days away and I've got lots more pumpkin desserts in the works. I love this time of year.