Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Last week, I flew out to SLC to attend my friend Whitney's wedding. The bride looked stunning, the location was breathtaking and the wedding was one of the nicest I've ever attended. One of the things I loved most about the wedding was seeing all of my girlfriends from DC, most of whom I lived with at some point during my single life. I don't think I will ever find a group of friends like this again. They're very dear to me because we lived together during a fun, but sometimes difficult time of life. It was so fun catching up with them that we are (hopefully)planning another girls trip next year. So here's looking to Girl's trip 2009!

The DC crew outside the SLC temple

Whit with the DC and New York girls

Me & Mauri at the dessert reception

The most beautiful bride I've ever seen
The "shoe" shot -- we always gotta have one of these!

The new Mrs. Gourley

Halloween -- Amazing Race Style

So this blog entry is dedicated to some good friends who KNOW how to throw a party. A few weeks ago, Dallin and I noticed an envelope sitting on our windshield after church. We opened it up and found a cryptic invitation to a halloween party. We had no idea who was throwing it and what it would entail. As the week progressed, we started getting even more cryptic messages via email informing us that this party was going to be like the Amazing Race. We would be split into teams and given clues that would take us to different locations where we would have to perform tasks to get the next clue. As the days progressed, we got a packet of information outside our doorstep. Mind you, we still had no idea who was throwing the party, although I was starting to have some suspicions. This packet of information told us some more of the details and asked us to bring the following items: shovel or pick ax, long rubber gloves, flashlight, life jacket and protective head gear. At this point, I'm like, "OK, should I actually be WORRIED here? I mean, a pick ax? Protective head gear? Yikes!"



Finally the night of the party came. It was last night and Dallin and I had SO much fun. We dressed up... you'll have to see if you can guess who we were (see the pictures below). And we really did have to act like we were on the amazing race. It was awesome. They had us meet at our local Costco and then we split into our teams. We opened our first clue and off we went. Our teams had to search for and break open a pumpkin which contained our next clue, run through the new Scheels store and find our clue, eat some slices of pizza loaded up with a ton of hot chili peppers and hot sauce and then swing off of a 185-foot tower (think half swing, half bungee jumping). We seriously loved every minute of the night and as a reward for completing the race, headed over to Claim Jumper for dessert afterwards.

We seriously have some pretty creative friends so thank you for an adventurous and unforgettable evening!

Can you guess who we are?

Here's another shot in case you still haven't guessed. By the way, our buttons say "Vote for Pedro." If you STILL don't know, then there's nothing I can do for you, my friends. I seriously would bust up laughing after each picture and it took me about a minute before every picture to get my "game face" on.

The Great Pumpkin

Yesterday, Dallin took the day off of work and we escaped the cold weather here in Reno and drove to Bishop's Pumpkin Patch in California. Because it was a school day, the pumpkin farm wasn't very crowded, which was wonderful. At times, it felt like we kind of had the place to ourselves a bit. The kids had a blast. We took a hay wagon ride, went to the petting farm at Bishops, rode a train, picked pumpkins, played on all of the fun slides and other toys there, and ate yummy food. We even brought home fresh apple cider and the MOST delicious apple pie -- I'm talking ripe apples, thick, flaky crust and caramel goodness all rolled into 1 pie. Evan loves trains and was in heaven, I think, during the train ride. He just kept saying "choo choo" throughout the whole ride. Very cute.

We thought we might get stuck there because it was snowing back home in Reno and we weren't sure we'd be able to make it through the pass. But we lucked out and came home and enjoyed a little bit of snow in the backyard. The kids loved every minute of the day and Dallin and I were rewarded with 3 kids in bed by 7 p.m. passed out cold!

Every year I long to get that "perfect picture" of my family surrounded by pumpkins but we unfortunately were unable to get it this year. I took 36 pictures of my kids by the pumpkins.... you heard me right, 36!! But there was not ONE where all of my kids were looking and smiling at the camera at the same time. I guess there's always next year!

YeeHaw! Dallin and Evan playing in the cowboy village


One of our "better" pictures

Mommy & Aubrey by the pumpkins

My boys

Posing by some of the biggest pumpkins I've ever seen

The favorite of the day: train ride

The Power of Positive Thinking

Whenever our kids get frustrated with something, we encourage them to keep trying and to not quit. And we always say to them, "DeMordaunts don't say 'can't!'" This morning at the breakfast table, Aubrey kept asking Dallin if he was going to work. And then she asked him (in her most pouty, melt-your-heart voice), "Daddy, can you stay home with me today?" He, of course, said, "I'm sorry. I can't stay home today." And then without a moment's hesitation she spouted off, "Daddy, DeMordaunts don't say can't!" It was so cute and Dallin and I just busted up laughing. I guess they really do pay attention... some of the time.

On another note, the past 2 weeks have... well, stunk, to say the least. We've all seemed to have either bronchitis, the runs, a high-grade fever, or pink eye. But we do seem to be on the mend, thanks to some good antibiotics and lots of rest this weekend. As I was cleaning house today, I kept running into old miscellaneous pictures from this summer. This past summer has been one of our more memorable ones filled with lots of road trips and local day trips, family reunions, and lazy days by the pool. So I threw them all into a slideshow. Enjoy!

P to the O to the T to the T to the Y... trained!

I honestly feel like I should be given some medal of honor for successfully potty training my second child. This was a llloooonnnnngggg haul, but we have finally made it. I have to give many thanks to Walmart for selling a wide variety of Dora and princess underwear, princess stickers, and the Fisher-Price Fun-to Learn Potty. (see picture below). Hey, I think we all would use the potty more often if it played music every time we sat up or flushed it.



So, congrats to my big girl Aubrey and her big accomplishment!!