October

In early October, Ryan took Evan to a Dodgers game.  The team was doing really well, and was expected to move to the world series, so it was pretty crowded.  Evan loved it!

 

After seventeen years of being on birth control (with breaks for being pregnant), I took my last pill!  I went in for surgery on a Friday, and was teaching Monday morning, which was not the greatest idea, but I managed it.  It's been really nice to be free of the side effects of the medication.
  

In order to be with my mom for the anniversary of Chuck's passing away, we took a trip to Utah.  We started by visiting Zion for a couple days with Kelli, Kyle and the cousins.  That park has changed so much since I was a kid.  You used to be able to drive around and have a lot of trails to yourself - now there are packed shuttle buses and long lines of people on the popular trails, but we still had fun.  Corinne and Lincoln just weren't big fans of the walking part (the part we all went there to do...)  The Murrays went home on Monday, so it was just the Browns for the Canyon Overlook and Weeping Rock.
     

Riverside Walk Trail (Gateway to the Narrows)

 

Canyon Overlook Trail

Evan in the Distance

Connor and Evan

Weeping Rock

Up at my mom's house, we spent an afternoon at a corn maze.  Once we were a little way in, the kids split off from Grandma, Celeste, and me, so I eventually had to go back to look for them.  Unfortunately, I got completely lost and didn't come out until long after they'd moved on to the corn box.  It was kind of fun walking around alone in the awesome October weather, though.
    

Glen Ray's Corn Maze

Lost in the Maze

  
We were able to spend a lot of quality time with my family, including listening to Grandma play her new cello, riding the rhino, and going to HuHot with everyone.  I'm glad we were able to be there to make that one-year mark a little less lonely.
  

New Doggie

Elise made lemon chicken.  Connor admitted it was good.

HuHot

Ryan took the older kids to a University of Utah / UCLA football game.  They had fun, but the stadium was a little empty, and many of the fans were also watching the Dodgers game on their phones.  I'm not sure how the U did that season, but the Dodgers narrowly lost the World Series - we stayed up until 1am one night watching one of their games on TV!
  

We attended the beloved Ward Halloween Party!  Celeste refused to wear her meow-meow hat.  Evan entered himself in the pumpkin carving contest, and the kids' friends from school were able to come for the trunk-or-treat.
  

On Halloween night we trick-or-treated with the Emmersons.  Everyone got ridiculous amounts of candy and then collapsed in front of that silly Garfield movie.
  

Grim Reaper, Spirit Warrior, Archer, and Kitty

Some great pictures:
  

Manners Moment at School

I think I would see . . . . dogs.

Evan got to dog-sit for his friend Makio - his first paid job!

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches