Beaver Creek Trail

Yesterday Geoff took the day off, and we picked the girls up from school and headed straight to the mountains for a bike ride.  The colors were beautiful, again.

Beaver Creek Trail is aptly named.  There are beaver dams all along the way.

It was spectacular.  Some colors were nearly fluorescent, and others were beautifully muted and earthy.  My iphone just couldn't do it justice.

We came across a little bike ramp, and Ceci wanted to try it.  The first time she didn't quite make it.

The second time she made it with help.  (I love these pictures that capture Geoff as a dad. He is so encouraging and positive, and always there to help see the girls through any challenge.)

And then she got it, no problem.

I don't see a jump in the picture of Geoff, do you?  In typical form, he'll take something small and go big.

Alpine Loop

Yesterday afternoon we took a drive up Guardsman Pass and over through a section of the Alpine Loop to see the leaves.  In some areas we were too late, but we caught some beautiful areas too. Perfect 72 degree weather.

Beforehand I made a delicious tinfoil dinner with potatoes, chicken and green beans, with butter, Herbs de Provence and salt and pepper.  I cooked them for an hour in the oven, wrapped them in a towel to keep warm, and we had a picnic-to-go. 



Off we went.

  

At the summit we found a beautiful picnic spot.

We made it home just in time to see the red moon eclipse.  Very cool.  Perfect Fall day.

Donut Falls

Last Saturday Adele, Ceci and I hiked Donut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  This is a very popular hike, and I hadn't ever done it.  It was cool and crisp and the leaves are beginning to change. While about 100 other people had the same idea that morning, I'm glad we did it.

Braces, Braces All Around

Adele and Tennie got braces.  Adele got hers the week before last and suffered through a lot of initial pain. Tennie got hers a week later, anticipating the worst, and didn't feel it as much.  Poor Tennie, she was perfectly okay with her slightly crooked teeth and had no desire for braces, but after an x-ray showed that one of her baby teeth was growing sideways instead of down, and she would need braces and then surgery to move it in the right direction, she resigned herself to a mouth full of wires.  I think they look adorable.

Ceci is 11!

Yesterday Ceci turned 11.  I don't like when my kids get older, especially during these years when childhood phases out.  Ceci has declared she is NOT a tween, and we are not to call her one.  But those changes are inevitable; the worst being the development of self-consciousness (and general grumpiness.)  I find I want to soak her up; celebrate her robust personality and joy for life.

Geoff is in Hong Kong and missed her birthday.  He strongly dislikes when he misses a birthday, and he tried to make it up to Ceci.  They went on their special outing to Best Friends; before he left we had a birthday movie night out, and he has promised special birthday surprises from the streets of Asia.

She came out yesterday morning like this...

We had to watch a few of the FAT videos, which inspired her roundness.

The girls borrowed a dog from a neighbor...Ceci's dream come true.

We had stake conference in the tabernacle.  Two hours on a hard bench on her birthday (not a dream-come-true).

Nikki, and her work colleague from out-of-town, and Erica, joined us for dinner.  (Davey and their twins stayed outside since Kate threw up just as they were pulling up...)

We played games until bed.  A good day.  WE LOVE YOU CECI!

Geoff's Hong Kong Birthday

Geoff was in Hong Kong for his birthday this year.  The time change threw his birthday off by a day, but luckily he was their with friends/colleagues who celebrated him at dinner on his birthday Hong Kong time.

We always love Geoff's selfies when he travels.

He made his way to the Hong Kong temple.

His friends treated him right at dinner.

And even the Marriott had a birthday surprise for him when he got back to his room.

We missed celebrating with him here.  We'll do it when he gets back...