InstaFriday #19 ...a little vacation and when NOT to go on a hayride.

I'm really behind on my week updates. Sorry Mom!

Here's a couple weeks for you.

General conference weekend started with a little stowaway in my bed. I didn't mind. 

Everyone needed a little sleep in.

Can I tell you how excited I am for next year when church will start at 11 instead of 9? Heaven.

The kids worked on their conference packets. 

We had a special conference meal.

Penne with creamy pumpkin sauce, served with fried rosemary. I asked shane to make it while I did dessert and he did a great job. But my favorite part was him getting frustrated with the kids for eating nothing but bread. "after I spent so much time making all that food." It took everything I had in me not to yell "HA!!! Welcome to my world!" 

I focused on making the ultimate fall dessert.

Ina Garten's Warm Apple Crisp is Autumn perfection.

There's been a lot of Fall treats lately. Lydia and I had a shopping date that ending in Lydia getting 5 new sweaters and pumpkin doughnuts.

"Mom, that sweater looks like it was dyed in swamp poo". Okay, no olive green for Liddy-Bitty.

Chocolate chip cookies with cloves makes them nice and festive. 

I swear they weren't this big when I put them on the pan.

Matching fake smiles, or total sugar overdose? You be the judge.

There was school inservice, so we packed up the car to visit Grammy who was visiting SLC.

Spent a rainy Fall afternoon taking a solitary walk while Grammy hung with the kids. I love this house so much I was about to knock on this door to make an offer. 

Or at least to ask to see the floor plan.

Found some cool yarn graffiti.

And other awesome things.

Kids went leaf picking when the rain slowed.

And when it didn't, we turned on The Nutcracker and the cousins danced. 

"Aunt" Savannah made creepy snacks.

And Grammy gave out Christmas gifts since she won't be with everyone in December.

Under the guise of getting a red box movie, Shane and I managed a mini date to get gelato. 

We attempted a family photo. Fail.

At least I got one good smile.

We love Grammy.

(And my darling nephew Jonah of course.)

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We got home in time for Collin to go on his first field trip.

I called ahead since I saw really bad weather in the forecast, but they were going, rain or shine.

Collin decided he wanted to be a farmer.

We heard teachers yelling "let's get on the hayride and get our pumpkins before it starts to rain!"

Ok. I guess that's a plan.

Though the clouds were getting closer.

Really close.

Oh dear. (This is a no-filter shot people.)

Suddenly the sky BROKE. I have NEVER felt harder or more powerful rain in my life. Had I been in Tennessee I would have been in total tornado panic.

The wind was so strong, peoples umbrellas were being whipped away, and then the hail started. The kids were screaming all around us and Collin started to freak out. 

Somehow I held on to our umbrella and wrapped in around us so that we couldn't see anything. I told Collin what an adventure this was and even got him laughing a little. The wind was so strong, we weren't able to hear the people around anymore. "Let's take a photo for Daddy!"

My body was as wet as if I had jumped into the ocean fully dressed.

Finally the tractor got us to an awning and people started sprinting for their cars in the mud. By the time we made it to ours, we were covered in muck and hay, shaking from the cold.

My car heater was the most blessed thing.

Collin was laughing and crying simultaneously. It had been really scary.

We got home, put on warm clothes and spent a few hours in front of the fire, snuggling and drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows. 

I thought about my pioneer heritage all day long.