what's going on here?

We have been enjoying some seriously beautiful fall weather here lately. I know it will turn soon, but until it does, we're trying to take full advantage. On Friday we went down to Santaquin's South Ridge Farms pumpkin patch. It was the perfect fall outing. You take a wagon ride out to the field and then we all searched hard to find our perfect pumpkin. We brought them home and put them out on the front porch, and in the morning learned that deer like pumpkins too.


Saturday night was the ward halloween party (we'll post halloween pics later) and the young men were in charge of putting on a haunted house for the older kids. Scott got really into it and ended up putting together an amazing maze made out of cardboard boxes that you crawl through (and some parts shimmy on your tummy). There were strobe lights and fog machines (that may or may not have been responsible for the smoke alarm going off) and scary music. There were turns and dead ends and a secret room in the middle where you get candy if you can find it. There were black lights and orange lights and glow sticks and it was a complete hit with all the kids and many adults went through too.


On Tuesday Oliver had a friend over and they took the tent out back and rolled around on the grass. I was so grateful to have them doing this activity NOT in the middle of the living room. June still loves her Noah's arc bench and now that she's starting to reject her high chair and we're trying to teach her boundaries on where food is allowed in the house, wants to eat every meal on it.





Every afternoon/evening we end up with a whole crew of neighborhood kids playing in the sandbox. I feel so vindicated when I think about how hard I had to work to convince our landscaper that it needed to be bigger and bigger. He just didn't get it.


Oliver upped his game and started going off the black ramp (which is taller and steeper than the wooden one). Check out the look of surprise and terror on his face. Brenden was a little more timid to try it, but now he's fully on board. Amazingly no one has gotten hurt yet. I know that's coming soon.


When we're not outside, we are still in crafting mode. The other day we were at a fabric store (amid much protest I assure you) and Oliver spotted this cool guitar fabric. He picked it up so excitedly and asked if we could get it. We brought it home and he started brainstorming what he could do with it. Could we make a blanket, a pillowcase, an apron...? Then the perfect idea struck him. He would make a paper guy and make him a shirt out of it. Before I knew it he'd started cutting and gluing and then his guy needed a friend. He even made them hats (Brett -- can you read what it says on the yellow hat?!) and named one Oliver and the other Super Ammon. This kid has a mind of his own.

I'm not sure if this makes us the best or worst parents on the street, but we let the boys use their allowance money to buy airsoft bb guns today. They've been given strict safety instructions and lessons and warnings and consequences. I feel quite conflicted about it, and taking them to the "Weapon Blender" store filled with weird aingst-ridden teenagers dressed in camo who like to shoot stuff didn't help. To be honest I just kept thinking about how my nice brother Steve had a paint-ball gun and he turned out to be a good guy, so it'll probably be ok. Thanks for paving the way, Steve. I guess this is what it means to have boys.