Is it October already?

We had a very exciting summer!! I can’t believe that it is already October and we are already making a beeline towards Christmas and 2013!!!

Some highlights from the summer:

 

It was an extremely hot summer and the only thing we really wanted to do was be somewhere in water or air conditioning.  But we decided to brave the weather, hope for the best and take a family vacation.   We packed out bags and went to Nauvoo and attended the Nauvoo pageant.  Luckily, the weather was AWESOME!  It was actually breezy and cool.  We were able to spend the day outside and thoroughly enjoy ourselves. There were even some people from our ward in the pageant so it was fun to watch.

The boys really enjoyed trying on the pioneer style clothes and playing traditional pioneer games.

 

Here are some of the pictures.

		Nauvoo, Illinois Family Vacation. July 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Our next big adventure was a road trip to spend 2 weeks in Colorado.  It was a looooong drive, but well worth it.   We broke the trip up into two days with an overnight in a somewhat middle location.  On our second day of the journey we went to church in the town we were in and then headed out around 10:30.  Our GPS said we would arrive at Mom and Dad Fairchild’s house at 6:00.  7 1/2 hours – not so bad.  Then when we were at the CO border we realized we had forgotten to adjust for the 1 hour time difference!!!  UGH.  When another hour was added to the journey it started to feel really long.  But, fortunately, it ended and we made it safe and sound and very happy to see family.

 

The highlight of the trip was a weekend in beautiful Crested Butte.  We couldn’t stop exclaiming over how incredibly beautiful this part of CO is.  I can’t even fully describe it, but it was lush, green, huge mountains, cool mountain air, crisp green lakes.  Oh my.  It was a lot of fun to be holed up with family and to let the children get reacquainted.  Ben was fully enamored by his adorable little cousin Ella.  He loved trying to make her laugh.

Here are some of the pictures.

		Crested Butte, CO VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

While in Colorado we went to Waterworld (awesome), the zoo (a family favorite), the Museum of Natural History, the boys went tubing on the lake, and a fun bike ride with Grandma and Grandpa.  I can’t forget to mention several trips to the Urgent Care for ear infections and eye infections, and other fun issues.  I guess that it’s par for the course.  With the awesome comes some yuckiness – fortunately it’s more awesome than yucky.

Here are more pictures.

		Fun Stuff in Colorado VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios

 

On Thursday morning we went to Animal Kingdom and managed to go on the rides we wanted to  - I subscribed to this awesome website called Tour Guide Mike. It was invaluable. Mike gives recommendations on what park to go to on which day, and what rides to hit first, and what to get fast passes for.  It worked out really well for us. Sidebar – Ben and I rode the “Everest” ride – definitely an adventuresome ride.  Ben was a little anxious about this because at one point during the ride we encounter the “abominable  snowman”.  However, with some encouragement, he got on.  Needless to say after the ride was over – he exclaimed loudly so everyone could hear that he “hated that ride!”.  I loved it.  By the time 1:00 rolled around we had been on every ride we wanted to go on and some we had done twice. 

Since we had a reservation for an EARLY dinner (3:45 sheesh) in Hollywood studios (combined with reservations to the “stunning spectacular show Fantasmic”) we wanted to get there early enough to ride some rides, and not be in a rush.  It was a nice leisurely afternoon – except for the allergic reaction Ben had – to who knows what.  He broke out in itchy hives all over his face.  Luckily, Hollywood Studios had an emergency clinic with Benadryl on hand.  Freaked me out a little.  We had an awesome dinner at “Hollywood and Vine”.  It was a buffet and it was AWESOME food.  I know that BUFFET and AWESOME don’t really go together very well, but the food was fresh, flavorful, and something for everyone!  Waaaaay better than Country Buffet.  That is like comparing a Frog to a Prince.  After dinner we did a couple rides and then headed to our reserved seats at the show.  The show was fun – lots of lights and fire.  The story line was a little weird – that is to say there really wasn’t a story line.  Mike kept saying – “I don’t get it, what is going on?”  Mike thinks in a linear fashion.  Nothing wrong with that.

The next day we went back to Hollywood Studios and I think my favorite ride was the Toy Story ride.  It is a virtual shooting gallery where you go from screen to screen and shoot at the different carnival games.  It was really fun.  I held Sam on my lap and Gabe had his gun next to me.  Sam didn’t get a chance to shoot because I was too busy trying to do my own shooting – Mike always kicks my butt so I had to give it my full attention.  Luckily Sam is barely two and he won’t remember that Mommy didn’t let him play.

 

The Kilamanjaro Raft ride is Ben’s favorite.  I managed to get Gabe to ride it with me – Gabe and I both wore rain jackets. Not getting wet was good.

Sam is such a cute little monkey.

Ben is expressing his anxiety on the African Safari ride.

 

 

 

Post muppet show – a tired and hungry crew.

In Hollywood Studios there is a fabulous playground based on “A Bug’s Life”.  We spent a lot of time there.

 

At one point we found Winnie the Pooh and Sam was so excited to see a Giant Bear that could cuddle him instead of the other way around.

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Just some cute pics of the boys while killing time.