Going to football games together

 Hard to believe, but Jamesy-boy had not yet been to a college football game! For a few years he wasn't interested or I didn't have tickets or pandemic nonsense was happening or whatever reason kept him from experiencing LaVell Edwards Stadium and watching his mom "Rise and Shout." Or going to Rice-Eccles and singing "Utah Man" with his dad.

I was given two tickets from the BYU communications office in a great section on Oct. 28 against East Carolina. It was a little chilly but not bad at all. The only rough part was that we had to keep climbing over people to go to the bathroom, to get a snack, to go get a refill after his drink spilled, etc. People were really nice around us.

Cosmo the Cougar came out of a coffin for a Halloween dance and I made sure to show James some of my own dance moves to the music. He's not old enough to be embarrassed by me like his older brothers.

The older brothers had let him know all about Cougar Tails, the long maple donut only available at BYU sporting events. 

He was a big fan.

We left in the 4th quarter to beat the traffic. The long drive there and back was not ideal, and neither was BYU's loss, but I was really impressed by James's patience and good naturedness. Max kept asking me how James did, as in, "Explain again how he was so good!"

Meanwhile, Ben was invited to a a couple BYU games with his friend Jackson, including this overtime win against Baylor on Sept. 26.

Ben babysits for our bishop, who gave him his two tickets to a Utah home game against Stanford on Nov. 12. Ben brought his friend Tommy (who must be cold here? haha) and they saw a big win. JB and Papa have season tickets together and the boys were able to sit near them. Ben borrowed that Utah hat. I claim him as my one child who is a true-blue BYU fan.

My brother Peter won two Utah tickets from his work and was so kind to gift them to us for the Nov. 5 game against Arizona. Andrew and Max went and moved closer to JB and Papa in empty seats by them. 

Rainy weather is almost as bad as cold, snowy weather for a football game but it is all about the gear. And you feel warm and cozy inside when your team is winning, like they were.

On Sept. 10 Papa was out of town, so Max went with JB and saw a big win against SUU. 

That was back in the sunny days in Salt Lake City -- it's cold now!

Cabin and canyon

In October, while I was in Europe, JB took the kids to the cabin in Escalante for school fall break. I missed being there with them but I was grateful they had that time with family and something fun to do while I was gone.

Millie loved her new doll from Aunt Kim, who had Barbies for each neice.

Taking a drive in the Can-Am ATV

The fall colors looked gorgeous

Millie always wants her hair back in a pony tail or buns or pig tails. She looks a little different with her hair down and long, like here before bed at the cabin. 

Ben and Max played a lot of ping pong. When I called I heard it in the background.

The kids loved the new slack line with cousin Carver.

Roasting marshmallows 

Max and Ben helped Papa with a sanding project for these stairs.

JB and kids and Kim and Jeff and kids and Papa took a hike through Willis Creek Slot Canyon.

 JB always looks so good with a baby on his shoulders or in his arms. Though I guess Conrad is now a toddler, not a baby!

Max had a Millie backpack by the end. She probably needs to hike more so her legs don't get tired.

Then on the last Sunday night of my trip, Oct. 16, the Richards went up Mueller Park Canyon for dinner. Max brought a football to toss.

And Suzanne and Seth brought hammocks for the kids to enjoy.

Roasting hot dogs around the fire with aunts, uncles, cousins and Nona and Papa

The young girl cousins and their feast

One day while I was away, I was on a video call with the kids when Millie's loose tooth came out!

Here she is heading to her first upper toothless day of First Grade

And going to church with dad with her new smile.

Halloween 2022

Max and Ben hung out with friends, but Andrew, James and Millie stayed with us for trick-or-treating! 

They also wore their costumes to school for the parade and their parties. James was set on being a werewolf again, but Andrew and Millie changed their minds when we went to Walmart to look for certain supplies and they saw OTHER supplies they liked better -- namely this pig mask and that rainbow wig.

 

Andrew was a pig butcher and Millie a Rainbow Ranger (from the Netflix show)

Millie wore her wig on the daily and it got quite snarled. If anyone commented on it, like say, "I like your hair!" she'd always respond, "I didn't dye my real hair, this is a wig."

A neighbor had this prop for pictures.

And another neighbor had this blow up dino that James LOVED.

We made it through quite a lot of streets. James likes to line up his Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in a row and count them. Millie likes to eat anything and everything from her bag. I've found wrappers in the house and in pockets but they are trying to put SOME in the trash, haha.