Wednesday, July 31, 2013

week 28

It feels like we are keeping the marshmallow people in business with all the s'mores we are making on the new fire pit.


Jessi and Hailey gave me quite the fright when I turned the corner and saw that they had done facials on each other.


Christian told me to sit on the patio in our favorite zero gravity chair (thanks Ross and Claudia) and relax.  Next thing I know he comes with heated wet fancily-rolled washcloths like they give people in first class.  He made one for each person in the family.


Every few days Mike and Bev go out to harvest the berries.  We are getting spoiled with having so many of them.


Christian helping Mike with the sprinklers.  Whenever Mike is in the yard, Christian is by his side.


Melanie and Natalie are still in town with their kids, so we took the annual trip to the Provo pool.  Camille made these darling cupcakes for Max's birthday.


Jessi made Max a homemade coloring book filled with pages she either drew herself or traced from another coloring book.


Drew and Mike getting him all packed for his big scout hike in the Uintahs.  Drew was not overly excited to go as there was to be lots of hiking, but he had a good attitude and had a great time.


Christian, who has scabs on his face from scratching it on the bottom of the pool, gave Rachel lessons on how to care for a hamster.  She wants one for her birthday, so he got his old cage from the basement to give her.  He also wrote down some care directions and gave her some samples of the food and litter he uses.


Mike ran up from work to be with Christian at Cub Scout camp.


After camp, Christian said he really wanted a steak.  The rest of us were gone, so Mike and Christian rode bikes to Sizzler to meet the needs of our most carnivorous child.


Our bishop took this picture of Drew at camp.  He went out in the lake in his skivvies and several other boys joined in.


I went with Christian to the second day of camp.  The boys always have a fun, dirty time.


His super hero name was Lightning Rod.





When my mom retired, she gathered up some things she had in her office to give to the grandkids.  They all sat in a circle and took turns picking new treasures.


After she did the trinkets, she had them all pick out books from her very large collection.  She gave each family a few books of poetry that she used as a principal.  Every morning when she did the announcements, she read a poem to the whole school.


How lucky are these kids?  Courtney called and asked if they could go to Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-a.  She made the posters and they all got dressed up for a free dinner.


Loving our blooms.



We have purple cone flowers popping up everywhere.


This one got mixed into a yellow daisy.


Mike really likes hibiscus, and is constantly bringing home new ones.


I went to a 4-hour lunch with my friends from graduate school.  Melissa and Rita are some pretty amazing women.  Thanks to Facebook, we are able to stay connected.


Three bowls of heaven.  Our peach trees aren't supplying yet, but the farm stands are, and we go through them like mad.


My boy finally got home from camp, and man, did I miss him.  It just wasn't the same around here with him gone.


I got quite a chuckle listening to this bunch play Taboo--lots of funny descriptions were given.


I bring the kids' journals to church--my goal is for them to write an entry a week.  I think it's a good activity for them to do during Sacrament Meeting.


Mike took these pics of Christian doing his yard job for Grandma and Grandpa's neighbor.



I hope we aren't creating a bunch of pyros with all the fire we are making these days.


Jessi and her questions.  The question this Sunday was "what color is Jesus--peach or brown?"  So, we googled images of Jesus.  There were some interesting ones.


Thursday, July 25, 2013

week 27

Bev got her newly painted drawers all lined.


Mike and Drew with "the ledger."  Mike and I revamped our kid's money system several months ago and it is so much easier keeping it all in one book instead of four different banks times four kids.


Christian had been talking about the 3rd grade kickball tournament they had been having at school. His team was playing in the championship game and he was so excited.  That morning he called me from school and asked me to come watch.  I ran over just in time to see him make some great plays.  He ended up catching the ball that ended the game and ensured his team the win.


Yard progress.


We had way too many games and missing pieces. We spent two hours and sorted through and purged them.


Last day of school and the 6th grade end-of-year party.  Bev with her friends.


Bev loved Ms. Reasor.


Christian with Ms. Chen.


and Mrs. Vaske.


Jessi adored her teacher, Mrs. McCurdy.


Tuesday was the last day of school. We let the kids go to their parties and then we headed out on vacation with my family to Pineview.  We spent the first day on the water and beach.


The cousins on the raft.


Sisters.


Bev has become so good at waterskiing.  She, Drew and Christian all got up.  Jessi didn't want to try as the water is too cold for her little African body.



Me trying to get up.



These kids had some pretty crazy rides. So did the adults.  I never laugh so hard as when I am out with my siblings on our crazy rides.


Camille and her boys.


This was their signal that Mike was taking it too easy on them.


My kids had such a wild ride that at one point they all fell out.



They all wanted to get pulled in.


We stayed at Moose Hollow and boy is it pretty there.




We watched fireworks in Eden.


Drew and Bev watched from on top of the van. Mike put on some patriotic tunes while we watched.


Drew checking out some kittens in Eden.


The girls love the time they get to spend together.


Grandma took the kids to Carver's Cove Petting Farm.  It was surprisingly fun.  They all got a horse ride.



And saw some pretty cool animals.


And got to hold baby goats.







I think Mike and I liked it as much as the kids did.







The kids got plenty of pool time with the cousins.


Lauren and Bev organized a family talent show.  The kids did such a good job.  There was singing and dancing and my sisters even planned a skit for me and my siblings to do.


My whole family was there and we had a great time together.  I miss them already.