The Parkers: I love Utah in the Fall! October 2015

On the first weekend in October, we went to Seattle to visit the Snow family. They've lived in Seattle for almost a year, and now Steph and Teague live there too (Las Vegas didn't last long). Matt and Teague work for Amazon which is based there in Seattle. Elsie did a great job on the flights there and back. She is a good little traveler. Everything is new and exciting and I love seeing the world through her eyes.

Plank

Elsie wanted hugs from Adele right away - Adele was less sure.

Late nights up talking,

and early mornings with these little cuties.

They have the most beautiful flowers for sale at Pike Place Market and they are only $5-$10!

The famous GUM WALL...so gross, but so cool!

Daily walking practice...come on Elsie, you can do it!

These two always want to be doing the same thing, and playing with the same toy.

One day of our visit was spent at a beautiful pumpkin patch farm near Seattle:

We took them back to Mimi's and painted them and put them on the porch. Elsie loved making a mess with the paint while decorating her pumpkin.

We went on a Ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island. The view from the water was awesome!

Mimi and Steph got artsy and took that leaf photo (left).
The colors everywhere around Seattle were so pretty.

We got some really yummy ice cream on Bainbridge Island and then took the ferry back to the city afterward.

Little dare devil:

Long, fun and exhausting trip. Night flight home. She slept the whole flight home in Daddy's arms. So sweet.

While we were gone, my parents were staying at our house in Utah for General Conference with Steven and Julia. My mom stayed longer and was still there when we got back home, so we went to the Payson temple with Aunt Wendy and Sarafina who was about to leave on her mission the next week. The Payson temple is so beautiful! I love being in the temple, feeling the Spirit of the Lord, regaining an eternal perspective, and just getting the clarity I need to endure the trials that come one the wonderful journey of life on this earth.

Elsie loves her grandma!

Cutest duck-face selfie picture of the year:

We went to BYU spectacular one weekend on a date night, and David Archuleta was the main attraction. He's so good! Never misses a note.

On October 17th, Elsie decided it was time to start walking. At that was that - she just took off!

IKEA trip - Elsie loves exploring in that store

BYU game with Mike's parents and the Irwins using Josh James' (DOMO founder) luxery tickets. They served us dinner, snacks, ice cream, etc. And we sat fairly close too. It was great! Now I don't think I could every watch a game any other way.

Elsie and Baby Fiona (neighbor friends). Elsie always signs "baby" when she sees her or points to her house. She always holds out her arms to hold her too. Little mother

Another pumpkin patch with cousins Ivy and Abby. Jackal's in Springville has the biggest corn pit for kids to play in. It was a blast! And Elsie loved seeing all the animals too.

The Sunday before Halloween (Oct. 25th) was Elsie's 18 month birthday and she went to nursery at church for the 1st time. She only cried a little, and she had lots of fun with the toys, kids, coloring and snacks.

I tried on this hand-me-down lady bug costume and she wouldn't take it off. It's so cute how she just falls asleep anywhere when she's tired. and she loves the bum-in-air position.

Her hair is getting so long. It's fun to experiment with it when she'll let me.

I'm making her an "I spy" quilt. I just think they are so cute and good for the mind. I hope she loves it too.

The Museum of Curiosity with Grandma MarJean:

Elsie can't get enough of riding on the Razor with Grandpa Parker. Any time she sees it she signs "drive/car" = meaning, "I want to go for a ride." It's really hard to say "no" to.

HALLOWEEN

In Seattle, the Snow cousins dressed like Star Wars characters

and we celebrated at the church Trunk O' Treat the night before Halloween and then handed out some candy from our doorstep on Halloween. Elsie loved all the dum dum lollipops she got.