Fall Break

The boys just got done with their 2.5 week long Fall break (they go to a modified year round school). We've already talked about having gone to Flagstaff for the first few days...here's what we were up to since!

The boys had a healthy Halloween cooking class together

Monster cookie, mummy pizza, ghost banana, candy corn fruit, donut spider and claw crackers with cheese. Ok, mostly healthy! I love that Nate now wants to be my kitchen helper. Funny how you get kids into a cooking class, and suddenly they want to be more involved in the kitchen process at home.

Waffles and coffee with our little bestie

Croissant making! My French pal was nice to let us come over, and we spent almost SIX hours making croissants. Yum-o.

Sorry for the bluriness - donuts and watching cars get washed is a popular break activity..

Took advantage of cooler weather days and had a picnic/fed ducks in our neighborhood

We also took advantage of the weather and went to the zoo! First time on a pedal boat.

Can't miss the park on cool mornings!

Not pictured, but other activities included lunch with Nana, bouncing fun, we went to a play place with all kinds of slides and tunnels...

It also wouldn't be Fall break without at least one visit to a pumpkin patch, probably our only one for the season.

Witch, witch!

Train ride

Watching big bro, who was brave enough for the first row :)

Feeding deer

Fun with our besties

Feeding the uh, pig...

Corn-mazing

They also got to spend a night at their Nana and Pap Pap's house, and Nathan won tickets to go to an ASU football game! He wanted his Pap Pap to take him. This was his first game.

We got together with a few more friends, one of Nathan's and one of Aaron's.

That about sums it up! It's hard to try and remember now that that they've been back in school a week  :) Of course, activities were balanced with a lot of playtime at home. The boys enjoyed just getting to play with each other. Continuing to milk that for as long as I can!

Seeing Fall

As soon as we got home from Mexico and everything pumpkin came out...it got me really in the mood for Fall. More than ever, I felt like going someplace where we could actually experience it (with pumpkin everything). I started to lookup places in Arizona and discovered that yes, cities up north have changing leaf colors and cooler weather! I then happened to be looking at my sister's cabin rental and saw that there was some open time during Fall Break...so...we saw Fall! It was wonderful.

We didn't arrive til late afternoon, so we got there just in time for a nice dinner on the cabin deck.

The first full day we went to Snowbowl - where most Arizonian's go in the winter to ski. The ski lift is open winter - the first part of Fall, so we got there just in time. Since the boys love different modes of transportation, they were excited at the idea of something that moves in the sky that they hadn't been on yet.

Life size Connect Four! Awesome.

Up they go! I've never been on a ski lift, either. They are open (duh I guess) but only have a small bar to hold onto. Made me nervous with the kiddos, so I had Josh take Aaron.

First sight of pretty, yellow aspen trees

My favorite

The best selfie I could get - there was no dangling or holding the camera too far out for me!

View from the top

After the ride, we went to a nearby hiking trail that was recommended to see Fall color.

Hiking fam! We took our pup on all the excursions with us. She was in her glory too.

Squirrels talked to us...

Loved the aspens!

Packed some pumpkin coffee. I also made pumpkin muffins and scones.

Just his size

Fall is trying...

Deer driving home

Our sweet doggie. She's a good car rider.

On our way back to the cabin that day, we decided since we were pretty close to the Grand Canyon that we should go the following day. Neither the boys or I have ever been! Yes, as an Arizona native I have never been.

I thought it would be cool in there, but nope! It had to have been in the mid/upper 80's. We sort of looked around and walked a bit, but between the younger hiker and the heat we weren't there all that long. Return trip sometime...

That was our last full day. On the way home, we stopped in Sedona and did another recommended hike for leaf color. We saw some leaves that were different colors, but not "trees". We were a bit too early...but it was a great hike nonetheless.

Aaron was so excited to have a "hungry caterpillar" moment

Lily sped up anytime we were near a stream crossing - she loved running through the water.

Aaron's favorite way to "hike"

This is different, Dad.

It was so nice to spend almost three whole days outside. We are over Summer and ready for Fall to takeover at home, too!