A Brothers's Love

When Savana was born, we feared for her safety . . . her big brother Canon was not too thrilled with her arrival. She has endured many smacks on the face, head butts and bites on the hands. She will be a tough little girl.

But we are finally see evidence that Canon likes having a little sister. I think he has figured out that people like her. The first thing he says to people when he meets them is "Baby sister - tute (cute)". Last month I found her buried under a mound of Canon's toys - he is now always trying to share with her - whether she likes it or not. And that white powdery mess on her face in the picture at the top? - kisses from her big brother who had just enjoyed a powdered donut.

Fall was made for Michigan

I've decided that no matter how cold the winter might get, the fall here just might make up for it. It seems that the Fall season was made for Michigan. Apple orchards, cider mills, hay rides and pumpkin patches. Today Canon, Savana, Jessica (our new friend in Michigan) and I went to an apple orchard and cider mill. There are a hundred of them around here. Some of them let you go and pick your own apples, others just have all the yummy results for sale. Apple slush, apple cider, apple butter, apple bread, caramel apples and fresh donuts to go with it all. You can even watch them making the apples into cider. This orchard also had a little zoo farm. Canon's favorite animals, or birds, of all things were the chickens. We went on a trailer ride behind a tractor and of course had donuts and apple cider. Seth spent his Saturday at the Michigan vs Toledo game in Ann Arbor with the Elder Quorum.

Hay Day

It was Hay Day last night at the city park. They had a hay ride, marshmallow & hot dog roast and pumpkin decorating. Canon had his first roasted marshmallow. I think he was slightly disappointed - only because his first bite was a little overcooked, but he still wanted more, so it couldn't have been too bad. The next surprise was the sticky mess the marshmallows created on his fingers. That became an even bigger mess when mixed with grass and dirt. Oh well. It was apparently someone else's first experience with roasting marshmallows as well. We had a couple come up to us with their plate of graham crackers and chocolate and ask what they were supposed to do with it. I thought they mean't that they didn't know what to do with their extra, but Seth caught on and we explained to them how to make a s'more. Imagine just being handed a paper plate with graham crakers, chocolate and marshmallows on it - not ever having had a s'more before. Kind of funny.

Next stop was the "pumpkin patch". Canon picked out his little pumpkin and held it on his lap the whole way home. When we got home he wanted me to peel it so he could eat it like an orange. I told him that you don't peel them, so he decided he would take it into the bath tub with him. He still likes his pumpkin, but I'm sure he is still wondering what he should do with it. When it gets closer to Halloween, maybe we'll make a Jack'O'Lantern.

It was sisters weekend in Chicago last week. Kelli flew from Salt Lake, Carla from Phoenix and Seth and I drove over from Michigan. We missed you Robyn. We went to the Chicago Museum of Art and saw this great painting. I loved it just because I feel like this is what I am doing so often. I also thought that maybe it meant moms were appreciated, and somebody maybe realized what it was like to be a mom of babies and toddlers, back when this was painted - until I realized that this painting was meant to be an allegory. I personally feel like this is literally what I am doing all day long - oh well. Allegory or not - I still like the painting. (If anyone wants to read about the painting, you can click on the picture and it will make it big enough to read the explanation that was next to the painting.)