Government Canyon Hike

Yesterday we went hiking with some friend in Government Canyon.  It was beautiful weather and the kids had fun.  It was just us moms with the kids and we overdid it just a little.  This park has dinosaur fossil footprints.  The kids really wanted to see them, but that total hike was 5 miles.  We thought with breaks and lunch, we'd be good to go.  The way there was great.  Kids had fun. We stopped for snacks and then had lunch at the fossils. 

 

 

You can see this footprint really well.  I was expecting a little better though.  I wasn't as impressed as other were that had told me about this.  

On the way to the fossils, there was an Overlook Trail.  On the way back, we went up it.  It overlooked where we had just been seeing the fossils. 

 

 

After that, the walk back was still 2 miles and seemed to take a long time.  I ended up carrying Molly a lot and Emily had to carry Ian a lot.  The boys did great and I think what made them tired was waiting for us. 

Overall, it was fun, just a little too long.  I'm writing this Friday morning and today Molly and I have sore legs. 

Fall in IL

I am so glad we were able to go to IL during the fall time.  I love the leaves changing color and cooler temps.  The kids had a blast running through leaf piles and being covered by leaves too.

 

 

 

We were collecting leaves and pinecones.  Molly had too many to carry, so Tyler showed her a new way to carry them.

 

 

 

 

Halloween in IL

We went to IL for Halloween and the kids had a blast.  I always miss the fall and was hoping for some nice fall weather.  Instead they had a cold front and on Friday the temperature with windchill was 27.  It made for cold trick or treating.  But at least when it was 55 and sunny on Sunday, we thought it was beautiful and didn't even need jackets.  

 We went to Val's house for pizza before heading out

Tyler was a Creeper from Minecraft

Molly was Princess Anna

 

Molly and Uncle Tom

All the cousins.  Don't ya just love Bailey's bunch of grapes costume

 

 

The kids had to wear 2 layers on top and bottom plus coat, hat and gloves.  They did great and didn't seem too bothered by the cold.

I'll be posting more pictures from our trip soon.

Molly & Payton

Payton is in the preschool that Molly does on Wednesdays.  (It's just 5 kids with one of the moms teaching for the 2 hrs.)  Payton started doing the Starting Out Wild classes with Molly.  These two are so cute together!  Last Friday it was about birds.  The had binoculars to look for bird nests and they made a bird nest. 

Molly, the hair dresser!

Molly is really into playing "hairstyle."  She does my hair and I do hers. She also loves to do all her doggies' hair.  A few weeks ago she asked Tyler to play with her too.  He nicely did so, but after awhile I wasn't hearing much from them.  I went to check on them and they were really cutting her dog's hair and her horses mane.  That brilliant idea was from Tyler. I told them NO, we don't cut for real.  I even said-you never cut your animal's hair, your hair, or a friends hair.  I left them again and I guess Tyler decided he was finished too because what fun is it if you can't really cut hair.  Later I go up and tell Molly she needs to clean up and pick up the hair she cut.  I start helping her and I find real hair.  She thought it'd be fun to cut her own hair.  It's not that bad, just looks like a layer on the one side.  She usually wears a headband, so it's not even noticeable. 

 

I don't think she'll be cutting her hair again.  At least, my fingers are crossed that she doesn't.