Pumpkin Carving

In the spirit of Halloween we got a pumpkin and carved it with fancy toy carving tools!

4-Wheeling at Soapstone Basin

Today was yet another fun Saturday activity with the Smalley's: 4-Wheeling up at 8500 feet at Soapstone Basin (couple hours east of Provo). Despite a temperature of only 37 degrees, and even some snow in some areas, we had an AWESOME time roaming around the dirt roads.

Renae (who owns the 4-wheelers), Jadyn, Lindsay, KC, Brooke, Roger

Gettin ready for our first ride

We drove across the top of the pass and down to the other highway

On top of the pass, looking back out across the basin

Fun times in the VERY rough rode and snow! :)

Roger, near "camp roger" below the basin

We went to the zoo!

Last weekend we went to the Hogle Zoo up in Salt Lake! Earlier in September, Brooke also got a job as a Nanny, and the family who hired her invited us up there with them for Jadyn's 4th birthday. It was a beautiful, warm fall day, and we had a fun, full day seeing all the animals!

The two of us in front of the elephants

Roger and a giraffe

Hello penguins!

Baby Zuri with her mom

We love to bike!

Since arriving back in Provo we have gone on some beautiful fall bike rides. Hobble Creek is probably our favorite, but another one is out by West Mountain on the south end of Utah Lake. We had a wonderful Labor Day ride out there with our friends Dane and Bridget. It was a beautiful day for a 32 mile ride, and we had to stop part way through to get a picture!

Dane, Bridget, Brooke, Roger

*Summer Hiking*

We managed to do two huge hikes over the summer! One as soon as we got home to WA, and the other right before coming back to Provo. We hiked the 15.5 miles into Stehekin to surprise Roger's mom for her birthday in June (and then hiked back out a few days later!). In August, when Owen (Roger's brother) and his girlfriend Suzie came up from California, we did our second annual McGregor Mt. hike. This year though, we made it an overnight trip, and suffered the whole way up to camp. But the next morning the view at the top was well worth the pain and scary ascent. We definitely had a great, adventurous summer with family.

Near Rainy Pass at the trail head of Bridge Creek (into Stehekin)

Brooke, lookin good as we rest

Water anyone?

We made it! (Back at the car after another long day)

Roger, Brooke, Owen, Suzie - finally made it to camp at sunset - time for bed!

Sunrise as we crested the cliffs below the top of McGregor Mt

Bundled up at the top cause it was freezing!! (8122 feet)

Finally warming up as we headed back down to camp

This was our tent!

"out-house" with the best view ever