Happy trail

The boys are on a five-day weekend for the annual Utah teachers' convention, and though I love the fact we get a few days off with them, it's been a less-than-perfect couple days. I've been swamped with freelance projects the last week (now finished), and the boys and dog have been a little stir-crazy. Yesterday was an errand day: Kohl's, flu shots, Costa Vida, Costco, soccer practice and puppy kindergarten. They were driving me crazy this morning, but one good fall hike put us all in a better mood. Popcorn has been able to do some longer hikes with us, and though our trek today was no more than three miles, we enjoyed our adventure on a sunny, warm autumn day.

Our evening adventure was Garden After Dark, a Halloween event at Red Butte Garden. Unlike other Halloween doings (like Boo at the Zoo, which I don't recommend), this one gave out no candy, instead giving kids the chance to do some fun, glow-in the dark crafts. The boys colored owl masks, made shooting stars that glowed in the black light, designed their own paper-bag mushrooms, painted a pumpkin, traveled through an enchanted forest and created fake roses that also glowed. We got there before the sun went down, did all the crafts, then did another lap around the gardens to see everything lit up.

After getting home, I pulled out the binoculars so the boys could get a better look at Jupiter in the eastern sky. We let the boys watch the ninth inning of tonight's World Series game (go Rangers! -- I really just don't want the Cardinals to win) and got them to bed after a long day.

Tomorrow is another day off, another day to find some adventures. We are going to the Real Salt Lake game Saturday, I work Sunday, and then the boys are back in school. Did I complain about this break? It's going too fast.

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