Gator and I went to Josh & Rachelle's for Halloween evening again this year. Their yard is always fun and lots of people come and hang out. The fire felt good tonight because it was a cold night. Gator is spending the night so her and Blake can go to the temple tomorrow, but we still went for a ride together to listen to Christmas music before I took her back to their house.
It finally feels like fall as far as the weather goes. We had a busy day today trying to get more fall activites in before we start on The Christmas Season! I don't have TikTok, but there is a pumpkin craft that is apparently the "thing" to do according to TikTok. I like flowers and I like pumpkins so I was game. They actually turned out really cute. Carrie came over to do the pumpkins with us, and Kin's mom and sisters. We had tickets for a Halloween ski lift ride so we made a fun fall lunch and headed to Sundance to that. Gator babysat all day, but she was able to join us for the ski lift ride. It was actually pretty creepy just being on the lift ride in the dark, although they did have decorations, and actors trying to scare along the ride too.
Like I said earlier, Gator is trying new things this year. She missed being part of a team, but she didn't necessarily miss competitive sports. A couple of her friends have talked her into trying swim this year. She was stressed because she wouldn't be able to work during swim season, but her awesome boss told her to go have fun and come back to work when the season is over. She is learning a lot, and loving the team. I am proud of her for everything she is doing this year. They had their first swim meet this afternoon. It was just a intersquad meet, but she got a taste of what it will be like and I also tried something new. I was a lane timer for the meet. Go me! The toughest part was taking pictures while remembering I had a job to do.
Days off from school are my favorite. I like my job, but it is just really nice to have a paid day off once in a while. We went down to my dads. The drive was actually crazy. We drove through winter, and it was pretty scary. But we made it safe and sound, all we had to deal with in Toquerville was not being blown away. The wind was awful. We visited with dad and Dianne for a bit, then Gator, Blake, and I went into St George to go to the temple. We stopped for a yummy treat then went back to Toquerville. Josh & Rachelle had gotten in town and we all just went to bed. Saturday we dressed up for Halloween, and had a family lunch. The "carnival" isn't as big as it used to be, but it's still fun to get together and see everyone that comes. I was over ambitious and tried to make cake pops, never again though. And I bought body spray for Gators hair, so she was scared it was going to still be green for picture day at school Monday, but she doesn't hate me because it did wash out. Washing my hair was the best thing I did all day. I may look fantastic with blue hair, but my hair feels like straw even now. After the carnival Gator and Blake went to St George again for a haunted house. They are crazy and like those things. All my kids do. I gladly stayed back and watched Eli, while Josh & Rachelle went to dinner. Today we just drove home, the weather was much better today and for that I was glad. I am not ready for winter driving just yet.
Willow turned 3. I am not a huge pet fan, but if I have to have a dog around, Willow is a pretty good pet. She plays, but she likes her naps too. She loves to cuddle, I push her off my lap most of the time though. I think I dare say her chewing everything phase has come to an end, although I still don't trust her. The couch, the clothes, her kennel, the blankets, the carpet and everything else reminds me to not trust her just yet.
I watched Hank, Kin's mom's dog, a couple of times during the summer. In exchange, she took new family pictures. I scheduled the photo shoot for Sunday afternoon. That's what the fall weekend on the biggest college football rivalry day was planned around. I'm so lucky that Owen and Davis were cooperative! I love how they turned out, and I love my family....very much.
