Don't leaf me

 

I always look for some October day we can go have a picnic and see the pretty leaves. I used to think we had to have a whole unbroken peaceful day. But now that such days don't really exist anymore, I've learned that just a free few hours will do, and I've even learned to MAKE free few hours…by moving other things around…if we have to. It's worth it!

We decided on American Fork Canyon and packed our lunch and got ready to leave as soon as Malachi got home from his math class. Abe wasn't at work on this particular day, which meant I jumped at the chance to leave this little cherub…

…home napping! You can see how he felt about it. We tried to leave very quietly and secretly, but he sensed something afoot, and came up to me very sadly saying "Shoe? Shoe?" and trying to get me to put him in the car. I very nearly gave in and took him with us! But he really did need that nap. So, hardening our hearts, off we went without him!

We had a good picnic. Muffins and apples and clementines and egg salad on croissants.

We held baby Clementine until she got warm and sleepy from the sunshine.

And then everyone ran off to play! Daisy and Junie had a plan to find their good old "horsie" tree which they've played in for several years now. It's a tradition!

They found it! Here they are a prince and princess (riding sidesaddle, of course). Just like last year.

They found a rainbow of leaves for me, as I always like someone to do.

Clementine, meanwhile, just sweetly slept and slept, and got warmer and warmer (we peeled her out of her blanket like a…clementine) and leaves fell on top of her, and then finally she woke up.

And everyone wanted to play with her.

She's such a sweetie!

We lay her down on her blanket and took pictures of her and tried to get her to smile…

…which is embarrassingly easy to do!

And then I nursed her and talked to Malachi (who really is excellent company; I'm always so glad when he comes along on our little excursions!) while the other kids explored and played some more.

When we weren't talking, he read his book. At the time he was very diligently trying to finish that enormous Brandon Sanderson trilogy…or quadrilogy…or whatever it is, because Abe was bribing him with a trip to go out to lunch when he finished it.

My twins have become triplets!

The little boys ran hither and yon. So much running. So much falling. Mostly on soft leaves, luckily.

The girls wanted pictures of them throwing leaves in the air. Another tradition!

And then of course the little boys wanted in on it as well. I love this picture of Ziggy being…a little late for the leaf explosion. That's how he was during the Primary Program practice too. The last one to stand up, the last one to sit down. Dear little man.

Here Teddy was clearly a little early with his throw. Look at his joyful face!

And Junie's face here! Makes me laugh to see it. And Ziggy's little bare tum as he stretches his arms up. Such cuties!

I had a little time to just wander around looking at the leaves myself while Malachi held Clemmie. I could have kept taking pictures for hours on end. Light in leaves!

And light on water.

It was not ALL fun and games. I believe I heard someone saying, in all seriousness and annoyance, the title of this post: don't leaf me! But mostly they were too busy exploring to fight. 

I'm not sure why Goldie is holding up that one leaf. She seems to want us to take special note of it.

Darling, darling brown-eyed boy.

Two little giggling conspirators. Well…not SO little. But they look little by these big trees!

I have always heard about the Fall colors in the Eastern United States, but I've always thought that surely NOTHING could beat Fall in Utah. Then, a few weeks ago my friend that just moved to Maine sent me some pictures of the pond and trees on her property, and…it was pretty amazing, I must admit. So it's possible there are places in the world just as pretty as our canyons. But…not many of them!