From October 12th to November 1st this year Cooper and I were in Utah visiting family and hanging out. We arrived a week before the wedding of my youngest sister, Cassady, so I could attend her temple endowment. I am so lucky to be a stay-at-home mom right now with a preschool-age child, and can go for long visits. Plane fare is the same regardless of how long we stay, so at this point in our lives, I try to take advantage of long visits. We have been so fortunate this year to visit our family in Utah three times (twice for weddings, and once just because)! A big thank you to Dad for letting us use Skymiles for all those visits, which would otherwise be impossible.
The first few days in Utah, we had lots of fun seeing family. Aunt Chelsey came over to play with Cooper one day during a break from college. They had so much fun playing together!
We've been able to visit my family so much this year, that Cooper is starting to really get to know my side of our family, and develop relationships with them, which makes me so happy. He now knows the names of all his aunts/uncles (10 of them!), and his 7 cousins, and what parents go with what kids. It helps that besides just a face in a picture, he now has experiences to relate to each person. So grateful for this.
The first week or so in Utah we had some beautiful fall weather, and we were able to enjoy Grammie and Papa's backyard. Cooper loves to swing in the big hammock in the backyard.
Fall in my parents' backyard means lots of harvest. We had fresh apples the entire duration of our visit, and picked a big bowl full of raspberries like this twice. Cooper enjoyed learning where some of these foods come from, and picking his own to eat. The boy loves him some raspberries!
One day Cooper found some work crew safety clothes lying around from Papa's company. He was excited to dress up as "a worker guy, " and told us that someday he was going to grow up big and be a worker guy and drive the excavators and backhoes. Grammie told him that someday when he's a teenager/college age, he can come work on one of Papa's crews. He thought that was the best idea ever.
My brother-in-law, Stettsen, took this panoramic photo of my parents' side yard, showing the fall foliage (the bright red tree is a Japanese maple), with me playing with my niece, Jaisie. That part of the backyard is breathtaking just about any time of year.
On Oct. 25th, we experienced Utah's first snow of the season. It was just a skiff, but enough to make things even more beautiful...
...and enough for Cooper to play in for a minute, make and throw a snowball, and learn what snow is. This was his first time in snow that he remembers (even though the last two winters he's seen snow), so he was ecstatic.
Before Halloween, the Halloween costume bin made its way down from the attic, and it took no time at all for Coop to have fun with the costumes. I couldn't resist snapping this shot for future blackmail purposes.
The Saturday before Halloween Anna (sis-in-law), Stettsen (bro-in-law), Chelsey (sister), and Liz (sis-in-law) all ran in the Provo Halloween half marathon. I think this may have been a first for everyone, except our veteran, Liz. All the runners dressed in Halloween costumes, as is customary for that race. Anna was a bunny, Stett was The Flash, Chelsey was Super Woman, and Liz was...I dunno, but cute with her pink boa and rainbow skirt! Congrats to these racers for running 13.1 miles down Provo Canyon and ending in Provo! Cooper and I were there with my parents at mile marker 13 to cheer them to the end.
[I think all my other photos from our trip are more "event" oriented, so the rest to come are more in chronological order.]
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