September is almost over

 Since school has been back in session, time really is flying by.  This past week was no exception.  Last Sunday we got all the kids together to celebrate my dad's birthday.  We were able to surprise him because most of us had been out on Saturday.  Well my family was a little late to the party but it was still fun.  Hollee and I had put together a video for him and he really seemed to enjoy it.  Hollee also got him a few grinch masks as early Christmas presents.

Then Zac and I needed to head to St. George again (don't remember why) on Tuesday but we made a stop at PetSmart to get some food for our reptiles.  However, they had a long-tailed lizard and a few more geckos.  Colten has been wanting a long-tailed lizard for a couple of months but there haven't been any in the stores so we got him the one they had.  Then Zac really loved one of the geckos so we got it for him and decided to let Aspen have his old one.  So now everyone has a reptile to take care of.  Zac gave the anoles to Annika and Channing.

This past week was Hurricane High School's homecoming and Aspen wanted to participate in as many days of dress up as she could.  While we were at the grandparents she picked up the poodle skirt outfit from Grandma.  She was so cute!

Then Zac took all four girls over to the booth where Doug had his mustang and el camino (the decade of the poodle skirt) and took some pictures.

Saturday brought Colten's football versus Canyon View.  His Grandpa Higgins and Sheila were able to make it down for this game and thoroughly enjoyed watching Colten play.  Colten even scored a touchdown :).  He also had quite a few tackles.  Hurricane was playing against the refs too, not calling late hits on Canyon View, or when they threw some punches.  But Hurricane prevailed and are now 5-0.  Grandma Chris, Hollee, Oaklee and Aspen were also there supporting Colten.  It was fun to have support.  I took Colten to get a large blizzard for his touchdown.  Zac and his girls were holding down fort back at the house.

After lunch and naps (Zac and I both took like a 2 hour nap lol) we headed to St. George to again grab food for the reptiles and swing by the grandparents real quick.  When we got back we headed to the park to play some football and soccer.

Oh and Zac let his gecko, Steel, climb up his arm and onto his head.  Said it felt weird and sent chills through him lol.

Yay...two weeks in a row :)

This week has been a little better and more on routine.  Colten got a much needed hair cut.  And he got a H shaved into the back of his head.  He thought it was for Higgins until Zac pointed out that it could stand for Hurricane.  Almost a week later, it has started to fill in with hair but still cool.

Aspen had her art class on Tuesday. She is learning how to do portraits, she doesn't like doing this type of art but is trying to learn it.  We went to a meeting about a trip to Spain that Aspen really wants to go on.  So we have had a brain storming session to think of ways that she can earn money to go.  So hopefully she will get to go :)

We got Zac's girls on Wednesday night.  We had some little homework sessions to get the girls caught up.  Then Annika and Channing came with me to pick up Colten from football practice.  We went for a little walk around the high school.  The girls loved doing cartwheels on the grass.

On Friday, I took the day off to go to St. George and get my yearly MRI done.  Man, I don't love laying on a straight board for 90 mins lol.  But while I waited for Zac to come get me, I walked over to The Habit and tried one of their burgers.  I think it was the Teriyaki Burger and it was delish.  Then I spent the rest of Friday making cheesecakes, one for my dad and one for Zac.  They weren't the best looking cheesecakes but I think they'll still taste good.

On Saturday, Zac got a buffering and detailing job so he asked Aspen if she wanted to earn some money.  It was a tough decision but she decided to stay and earn money.  Colten and I headed to St. George for his game against Virgin Valley.  Well this team is not the same team he played the last two years in the championship game.  VV came in 1-2.  Hurricane did an onside kick to start the game and got the ball back.  One play had the running back run to the outside and got a touchdown...penalty on Hurricane.  The next play was a nice throw to Colten who ran it in for a touchdown....penalty.  Hurricane ended up not scoring on that drive.  But Colten was like 4 of 5 on catches and ran the ball a few times.  The team had a lot of mistakes but were able to pull off a win, 20-0.  The guy who broke his collarbone will be back next week so Colten may not get to play as much but he definitely let the coaches know what he is capable of.  We had grandma and grandpa Chris, Darcee, Jay, Jeramiah and Alijah there to support.  It was so great having the support and Colten didn't disappoint.

After the game, Colten and I headed over to the parental units house.  Hollee and Oaklee were there.  We watch all the videos I took during his game and reviewed his touchdown play a lot.  I gave dad his cheesecake and he enjoyed that.  Then we all took off for Snow Canyon to watch Jeramiah play in his game.  It is his first year playing tackle football so he wasn't out there a lot but Colten definitely picked up on some things that he could teach him.  All in all, it was a great Saturday.  Sunday we got to go to church again and we will resume weekly church next week.  We'll either attend Sunday services or watch via zoom and then have our second hour in zoom.  It's been a long time coming but definitely needed.

Middle of September already

 2020 may not be one of my favorite years but at least now the days are moving unlike during the quarantine.  September has brought hot temperatures :( as well as low temperatures (too low for September right now) but we are surviving.  Zac is still loving his terrariums and got a pretty big one a few weeks back.  His plan was to use it as an aquarium but when he saw a bearded dragon available for free, he changed his mind.  So now we have 4 green anoles in one tank, 2 leopard geckos in another, 1 leopard gecko by himself (due to the unfortunate losing of his tail), and 1 bearded dragon in the big tank.  Oh but there is still an aquarium full of fish in the master bedroom.  

Last weekend had us at football on Saturday.  Hurricane played Dixie and won 41-6.  The game temperature was like 105 degrees plus turf and you could see it in the boys.  Colten was exhausted by the end of the game and even said he kind of ran out of gas.  Hollee and Jonah were supposed to head up to Provo early Saturday morning but the car died on the side of the road not even 2 miles on the freeway.  So Zac changed the alternator in the pilot in the morning and missed half of the game.  Oaklee came to the game with me to keep her out of the hair of working on the car.  Aspen and Grandma Chris were also there.  I love watching Colten grow in his football life and that on Hurricane he has been able to bloom.

Zac did help Jonah get the Kia loaded up and delivered to St. George after we had to have it towed to their house.  

I have gotten more brave at trying new things in the instant pot and really just trying things for food in general.  Last week I did a banana bread in the instant pot....so good and so moist even a day or two after I cooked it.  I also made a chicken bacon ranch pizza with some french bread that came out fantastic.  Zac keeps telling me add "this" to the weekly rotation.  Haha, I, one don't remember everything he has said that on and two, have way more recipes for the weekly rotation lol.

Zac has been so good the past two weeks at remembering that we need a date night.  So on both occasions we left Aspen and Colten at home, picked up crickets and mealworms and had a quiet much needed time to ourselves.  We ate at Waffle Love and Apollo Burger...such good food.

Last Sunday we wanted to get out of the house so Zac suggested going to the Mountain Meadow Massacre in Central.  I have been there once a long time ago and it was in the dark so I knew nothing about it.  We watched a short YouTube video stating what it was, listened to a podcast on the way and then all the information posts at the monuments.  It was very insightful and I had no clue that this massacre happened.

Since we were so close, we stopped by my parents to visit and have dinner.  Mom is becoming quite the pro with her instant pot.  She did spaghetti and it tasted amazing.

On Tuesday I went in for my medication.  Instead of taking 4 hours like I thought I was there for almost 6 hours.  Guess when you get the full dose of medication it takes a lot longer lol.  So I didn't leave there until 7pm but we learned to schedule all Ocrevus full doses in the AM.  I also had to get observed for an hour to make sure I didn't have a reaction so the nurses paid for me to get something from the cafeteria.  It was a long day.  But I was able to get work completed and watch a movie AND best of all, the lorna doone cookies I love.

   

Also this past week we had a day where there was so much smoke from the fires in California that the sun was orange.  The picture doesn't do it justice but this was at like 5 in the afternoon.

   

Yesterday was a full day for us.  Colten had football in Parowan so we packed everyone in the suburban and headed out.  Of course, we made sandwiches for lunch which we forgot on the table...derp.  But we all suffered through the hunger with Colten.  The game was surprisingly a close one.  Hurricane scored a touchdown in the first quarter as well as Crimson Cliffs.  But Hurricane stopped the extra point so the score was 7-6 Hurricane and it remained that way the rest of the game.  It was definitely a defense battle.  Interceptions, fumbles you name it and it happened.  Colten had one interception and many many tackles.  His dad, Hunter and Lindsey were able to make it down for the game.  The entire fourth quarter was a battle to keep each team out of the end zone.  But Hurricane did it.  Afterwards, Aspen and Colten went with their dad for lunch/dinner while Zac and I took the girls to iHop.  Then when we got all the kids back together we headed west to visit Zac's dad.  We just stayed outside (due to the COVID scare thing going on) but the kids had a blast exploring their yard.  Then when we got home and after showers, we had a karaoke/just dance party.  It was just the day I needed.