Fun October so far and it is only the 11th

We have been having a really great October so far and the best parts are yet to come.

Jade eating

I ran in a 10K on October 1st.  The race was very close to our house and the proceeds went to AIDS orphans in South Africa.  The race was a 5k or 10k depending on what you wanted to run.  I ran the 10k and ran the whole time.  I came in at 67 minutes.  I didn't think that was too bad.  It was about 11 minute miles.  Unfortunately, I was the 5th to last to come in.  I guess all the slower people came in for the 5k.

Layla playing in the jump house at the race.

Cara coming into the end of the race.

For General Conference I set up an activity for every Apostle that spoke.  So Layla got a little prize or a new activity.  It turned out to be a great weekend.  Our intention was to just ask her to listen to the Apostles speak and she didn't have to sit through the rest of General Conference.  But she sat there and worked through all 4 sessions. 

Pre Halloween trying on the costumes.

Last weekend we took a family trip to Louisburg, KS.  We visited a cider mill where we saw cider being made.  There was also a little family planning blue grass, and a shop to buy yummy goodies.  After the cider mill we went to the Powell Observatory.  This has the largest telescope that is open for public viewing.  We listened to a talk on the moon and then got to look through several telescopes.  It was a really fun evening,

We planted a garden in early August.  Even though it was really late in the season we wanted to see if we could get anything to grow.  Our pumpkin and bean plants have gone bonkers!  They have definetly grown.  Yesterday, I harvested about 20 yellow wax beans with lots more on the stalks growing.  We also trimmed down our pumpkin plants from this picture.  I don't think the pumpkins will be ready for Halloween.  But may be I can make pumpkin pie filling out of them for Thanksgiving.

We made this fort for the girls today.  They are having a great time playing in it.

Here are a few other updates on what everyone is up to:
Dave- Currently working the anesthesiology rotation.  This is a very easy schedule.  With his extra time he is catching up on sleep, giving me a break from the girls, exercising, and writing an article that will probably be published on brown recluse spider bites.
Cara - I got my little job with Mad Science.  I teach after school science programs about 2-4 times a week.  I am only gone for 2 hours each time.  It is a great job for me.  I am enjoying Dave being home too.  I recently finished compiling my grandparents history.  This was a three year project that turned out to be a very sweet experience in my life.  I learned a lot and have been changed by their example.
Layla - Playdates, playdates, playdates!  Layla has lots of friends here in KC.  She has a playdate 1-3 times a week.  She also loves going to parks, working on writing her letters and being a great big sister.  She helps take care of Jade all the time.  Recently, she has started a job chart that focuses on some areas she needs a little improvement in.  She is doing awesome!  She gets a sticker each time she is successful and is building sticker towers.  She now is an expert at going potty by herself, staying in bed all night, eating her vegetables and cleaning her room.
Jade - Walking, talking, and interacting.  This little girl has finally decided to try walking out.  She will take 1-6 steps at a time!  It is fun to see how excited she gets.  She also says a lot of words: doggie, banana, let's go, hot, mama, dada, Layla, more, bottle and she growls too.  She is very vocal and is making some sort of noise all the time.  She has started to color and gets very upset if she thinks she is being left out of something.

We still have a lot of fun in October to go.  This weekend we are going to Nauvoo.  The next week Celeste, Travis and the boys are coming to visit.  Then, it is Halloween.  What a great month!