She'll be coming around the mountain...

 

My mom came to visit earlier this month and then left to go stay with my grandma for a few weeks. My dad flew into Utah to help her drive home when her trip was over and they both came to stay with us for the weekend before they made the long drive home.

 I was fairly tired and sick when my mom came the first time. The only thing we accomplished pretty much was canning salsa, which brought delicious results. :) She canned a TON more with her sister when she went to visit my grandma and brought back boxes and boxes of fresh bottled produce and even some beef from the cows that my aunt raises and slaughters herself.

When my dad was here I was further along and felt much more myself, so we ventured out for a day trip to a reservoir for some kayaking. 

We got to see the Autumn colors popping up on our drive and all around the reservoir.

 Jared was having a writing slump this summer, so we bought a used kayak as motivation for him to get it done, with the condition that he couldn't use it until he was done writing his thesis {minus the edits} and had set a general date for his defense. I am so happy to say he did it - even with having to help me a lot more at home due to me being sick and pregnant for the last few months. 

The boys each got a turn...

and so did I. 

 My parents were happy to just watch. I really thought my dad was going to go for it. Tsk tsk. Oh well. :)

Before we made it to the reservoir we stopped by an apple orchard that the boys and I go to every year. 

They have new owners now so there was no pumpkin patch there this year :( but the plus side is that they do organic apples now. 

We did some apple picking, and bunny petting. 

  Owen was smart, he got the rabbits to come by feeding them some weeds.

The orchard owners raise angora wool rabbits and spin their fur. They were a really fascinating couple. 

 After the orchard, we stopped for a picnic, took the kayak for a spin, and then rounded out our trip with a short hike to see the Kokanee salmon spawn.

Here was our view on the way home. It was lovely.

My mom and dad treated us to a fun dinner at the Copper Mill that night.

Thanks for coming Mom and Dad.