Autumn at Alta

Beautiful Autumn Colors

The boys loved the hike up to Alta

The boys make sure we get photographed too!

McKay wanted to make his first snowball of the season!

The Colors of the Canyon are a visual gift from God!

The plan had originally been to hike up to Secret Lake, above the Albion Basin Campground. It is a pretty easy 1 mile hike up to the Lake. However, as we drove up there, we discovered that they had already locked the gate right past Alta Ski Resort. So, we decided to park there, and just hike up from there. Since it was still another 4-5 miles from the Lake, we knew we weren't going to make it all the way there that day. Instead, we had a blast hiking up under the ski lift chairs, and seeing the sights from above Alta. We probably only hiked 3 miles that day, but we all had fun, laughing, and chasing one another. There were a few snowballs flying too! Lots of mud to slip and slide in as well. Afterward, we enjoyed a picnic lunch amid the beautiful foilage in the canyon! It was a perfect way to spend a day off for Fall Break!

Fall Break can't get here soon enough!

I don't know why it is, but I am so looking forward to Fall Break this year. Maybe it is having 3 kids in school this year, that makes it feel so overwhelming! Maybe it is because I've been working so much more, and leaving the Chief in charge of checking the boys' school work, and then they want me to go over it again, when I get home! They get a whole week off! Yippee!

We're going to spend a night in St. George...just a quick trip, as the Chief has an interview down there. Yup...an interview! Crazy, huh? We haven't thought past the interview...trying not to get the cart before the horse!

I'm going to take a couple days off from work, and hopefully come up with some fun ideas to do with the boys! Maybe we'll just hang out...I don't know yet!

So, just one more day...and then a week break from HOMEWORK!

Footloose

The Chief and I got some free screening passes to see the new Footloose Movie that opens in October. We got to go this past Friday! It was such a blast! Seeing a movie in the theatre, and NOT having to pay...right there it is a great date, but then to see such a fun movie, that takes us back to our teenage years, it was definitely a great night out! For a grand total of $3 for drinks and parking!


There was inappropriate language and too much of it, which was the one negative. The music was awesome...many of my favorites songs from the first movie made it in this one, with updates, of course!

I hope you will get to enjoy it too!

Everybody cut footloose!

Julianne Hough kickin' it up in her awesome red boots!

Cinnamon Rolls and President Monson

It has been a glorious weekend in some many respects! The weather was absolutely stunning this weekend. Warm, with a nice, gentle breeze. I'm loving that the windows are still open, and we are enjoying the fresh air of autumn. It is also General Conference weekend for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. So, that means lots of things for me...first, my office is closed in honor of the conference, so I didn't have to work on Saturday, and didn't have to have guilt about taking a Saturday off. Yippee! Then, it meant from my family room, I could listen to a Prophet of the Lord, and his apostles too!

President Monson

Their messages were inspiring, and helped me feel hope. So many of their words led to reflection on the trials we are facing, and not losing faith. Their words are a buoy to me. I'm excited about the announcement that the Provo Tabernacle will be rebuilt and dedicated as a temple! Such exciting news!


Also, having no specific responsibilities pulling me out of my home, I usually feel an overwhelming desire to bake. I typically love to bake, however, I have so little time to do it, and honestly, I have no need of the baked goods, and little willpower to resist their temptation if they are in the house. I put that aside this weekend, and set my heart to work baking. Let's see, I started with crepes for Saturday morning breakfast. Then I baked banana bread and zucchini bread on Saturday evening. Today, I woke up early and started cinnamon rolls, and then between the two sessions today, I made a peach cobbler with the delicious peaches my neighbor and friend, April, shared with us. My house smells amazing.

Because the batch of cinnamon rolls makes so many rolls(its my mom's recipe, so you know that it makes like 5 dozen rolls), the boys and I took yummy, warm rolls to a few neighbors and friends. Share the love and the calories, right?!

It has been a fabulous weekend! Gonna go close it with some quality time with my boys before another very busy week begins!

October already?

I didn't mean to let September get away like that. I so love September and she gave us beautiful weather this year too! I wanted to blog this past week and gush about the love of my life, in honor of our 14th wedding anniversary, but when I had a minute to sit, the computer was occupied. That's basically how its been for months now as the Chief continues his job search. Its okay, I'm fully supportive of his continued searching for that right job that we know is out there somewhere. We know that Heavenly Father will send us that blessing soon. I just don't know what soon means to Heavenly Father. 

The reason the computer was free tonight is because the Chief took McKay downtown to the conference center for his first Priesthood Session. McKay was nervous, and didn't feel "ready" to go. He just called me shortly, and told me that he was so glad he went. He discovered that the Prophet likes to make jokes, and the men all laughed a great deal. The Chief is taking him to get some ice cream, and make the evening special. 

In the meantime, back at the ranch, I was Holly Homemaker and baked some banana bread and zucchini bread. I took some to a few neighbors. I think it turned out yummy. It was a busy day. Being General Conference, I didn't have to work, so I started the morning making crepes for the boys. This is their favorite breakfast. And it ranks pretty high up there for me too! After that, the Chief left to go take an assessment for a job. The boys and I did yardwork...weeding, pruning, and mowing. I also put away the summer furniture and got ourselves ready for winter.We went to 3 soccer games this afternoon (one for Seth and 2 for Noah)which were all victorious! We also pulled out our Halloween decorations. The boys love to help me, and they braved their fear of heights and climbed the ladder to put stuff up on our ledge. So, we are spookified here at the Skelly abode. And we're ready to welcome October in, despite not really wanting to say good-bye to September yet!