County Fair

It is officially a tradition.
We hit the petting zoo, science tent, insect encounter, play yard, and of course enjoyed a slushie.

Bub faced his fears....

Miriam didn't seem to have any.
She pet the snakes, asked to hold the birds, would have spent all her money on animal feed, and begged to get her picture on this Brama Bull. This has been a brave Miriam summer.


Ris came with us this year. We accidentally arrived 2 hours before the fair officially opened (my fault, I didn't read the brochure) but it happened to work out just the way Ris and I prefer it. We small town girls don't love the crowds. We got plenty of animal petting, and playing before things got busy. One slushie machine was up and running, and we got to avoid the rickety carnival since it wasn't set up. We were all played out just as 3 buses of blue t-shirted children headed our way.

The End

Rascals

Don't turn your back on them even for a second!

Luckily for me, Miriam likes to document mischief.

Saltimbanco

Last month the kids and I spent a week away from Darin. We were playing with cousins, while he worked and came home to an empty house. This may sound harsh, but I was happy when he would call and say how much he missed us. I was a bit worried that he would like coming home to peace and quiet better than what can be a chaotic household. It's nice to be missed, but the best part was how those lonely feelings caused Darin to want some quality family time.
He surprised us all with cirque du soleil tickets!

It was breathtaking. Really funny too. We knew Miriam would love it, since she watched a DVD of a different performance over and over, but even Bub was captivated. That is my kind of circus...complete with kettle corn.

Conversations on the way to Saltimbanco:

Bub whining as I pulled out of our drive way: "oeshs...oeshs...mama, mama oeshs"
I finally got it and put the car in reverse to go get shoes for little B. How could I forget to put his shoes on??

Miriam: "Mom, I have decided that when I grow up I want to be on So You Think You Can Dance because....you know how in Cirque du soleil they have painted faces? That would make me itch like crazy, because remember when I was a butterfly? Oh no, I couldn't do that. So I will be on So You Think You Can Dance but Mom, if I am, you'd better get a TV or you will miss the whole thing and if the judges don't like my dance it is probably like, the choreographers fault."

Oh, and guess what?

We rolled kayaks last night.
I have never been so sore.

Girls Camp.....

is over, and like Youth Conference all the worry and fretting was for not.

It was wonderful!
and so much fun!

and because a nice man lent us this fabulous cowboy cauldron I thought I had better blog about it. My blog probably doesn't have a huge readership from the cowboy or the cauldron crowd but I feel I owe him something.

(have you had these? I forget the name but you roast biscuits around a stick and then pour honey butter inside)

I also owe a big Thank You and I LOVE you to my sisters and my parents. Miriam and Bub had the time of their lives. They love staying at Grandma's house.



Miriam was in her third parade of the summer (Encore Dance) and then....

Sarah gave her the best day of her life. Fish pond, cotton candy snowie, train ride, air brushed t-shirt with her NAME on it. Apparently, she has wanted a dream catcher FOREVER, and she remembers that Madison had an air brushed shirt with a unicorn on it years ago.

All kids need an Aunt like Sarah.

One single shard

The glass shard that has been wedged between Miriam's toes (a pickle jar accident) for 4 years is finally out. Such a relief since we have been trying to get someone...anyone to cut it out for awhile. It was right on the surface, you could feel it. We were concerned it might cause her problems later, build up too much scar tissue or keep her from wearing shoes or something. Her pediatrician (despite 7 + years of medical school) wouldn't touch it, but agreed it needed to come out. He said we needed a podiatrist. So I called a few and they won't see anyone under the age of 12, they said we need a pediatric podiatrist, and gave me a referral a practice in Salt Lake. I called the said practice, which had just closed a month earlier they said the only pediatric podiatrist would now be a Primary children's. So I called them, but you can't just make an appointment willy nilly at Primary's, it has to be a referral through your doctor. I called my doctor back so that he could call, so that I could call again. I called again and the Primary's doctor was very very busy, and very very expensive...and then there was a question about insurance.

All this and it seemed so simple, just get out that scalpel thingy and slice. Voila.

Every time Darin would see Miriam barefoot you could tell he was bugged. Miriam would hide her foot, and he would say "it's got to come out Miriam". One night it became too much for him, he stared poking around at it with a toy magnifying glass tool (the long poky one). I need to add that it was MY idea to put orajel on her toe so she wouldn't feel as much (brilliant no?). The glass wouldn't pull free so he did what any superhero technical geek would do. He skipped 7 years of medical school, and jumped on the internet to buy some scalpels.

They came a week ago and we all, including Miriam, knew the surgery was looming. She was oddly brave about it, I think Darin had won her trust with the poky toy.

But yesterday Miriam scratched me with the top of her foot and said "The glass is coming out". Sure enough, when we met Darin at the bus stop he just popped it right out in time for the Girls Night Out Fiesta she and I were attending.

So if anyone needs a scalpel, we have a box of 25.

Bawsten Sistas

So happy I was a Bawsten Sista.
So happy Archibalds makes such great fried green tomatoes.
So happy I served with these amazing sistas

wouldn't it be fun to see my other mission companions...Stull, Wright, Terry, Milly, Clark, Wilken, Williamson, Dalton, Jensen, Harris....are you out there? Do you hear me?

Pioneer Day 2009

Darin, my father-in-law, and I are taking a kayaking class.
Strange right?.... but kind of cool of us too I think.
It wasn't my idea, no cool ideas ever are, but I am glad I was talked into it (mainly with the promise of 2 hours free babysitting...thank you G'ma C).

I will take pictures as soon as I get over the feeling of being a nerd-face taking pictures in class. Well, the nerd-face thing AND after I get my cool new rash guard shirt. The kayak skirt kind of acts like a corset, and although I am no Dolly P, I feel a bit uncomfortable.

So because of the class we were up north for the big Utah 24th.

We visited the famous Blue Bird Cafe and then attended an American West Heritage Center concert at the tabernacle. This included songs from their Wild West Shakespeare performance of Romeo and Juliet.

SPARKLERS!

Bub didn't enjoy them...

but we did!

The next day a pioneer day miracle occurred. Miss wake up early, never take a nap, and beg to go to bed late fell asleep while watching the food network.

So Sweet

Celebrate!

We received a package from CP & Co that will help us CELEBRATE all year long (and for many years to come). We especially loved the princess picture Anna!

Thank You!

My favorite!

I love that my in-laws have a raspberry bush!

We made it!

Thanks to Sarah and her kids (and a trip up to see Harry Potter) we made time to go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house.

Bub liked it.
There was a very sweet moment when one of the temple volunteers picked him up to show him how a painting of Christ refected through etchings on a glass doorway to create tons of tiny pictures of Christ. "Who is that?" she asked, and I was happy Bub said "Sheesuss"

I remember way back when I was uninhibited enough to dance around in public on a happy whim. Gone are the days.....

The cookie tent!

KUER: 7/14/09: Cheap - The High Cost of Discount Culture (2009-07-13)

KUER: 7/14/09: Cheap - The High Cost of Discount Culture (2009-07-13)

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Amen.

Produce Update

We have been eating cherry tomatoes as they ripen...one at a time. We are going to have to get some self control if we want a full salad!

We have been picking lettuce for a few weeks, and enjoyed a dinner that included beets. They were so good I immediately planted some more. I guess I don't like radishes. We had some but I wasn't impressed.

The peas died, but our green thumb neighbor said the quails ate his so we probably wouldn't have had any anyway. I love the quails though...I would try to grow them again next year just to feed them.

Still waiting for cucumbers, carrots, basil, cilantro, and of course the tomatoes to ripen.
Anticipation!

Miriam's Talk

The Primary theme for July is 'I Will Strengthen My Family'.

M's talk:
(holding picture of Sermon on the Mount) "This is Jesus saying the Sermon on the Mount. He said Blessed are the Peacemakers for they will become the Children of God. I can strengthen my family by being a peacemaker. (shows above picture) I can get things for Bub that he needs, I can help him do things, and I can entertain him so he doesn't bug my mom. Amen."

We had a long list of ways she could be a peacemaker: not whining, doing chores, not complaining etc but, I guess entertaining Bub is what it comes down to...I'll take it.

Serenity

As you can imagine, with 10 adults and 8 children under the age of 11 under one roof, the cabin can be a loud rowdy place. There is a constant bustle of activity, which is wonderful, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

But, sometimes you want peace and quiet.
The great thing about the cabin is that if you wake up early enough, walk, ride, or paddle far enough, you will find it. Since Bub is an early riser, and I don't want to disturb the others lucky enough to sleep in, he and I would go on quiet nature walks every morning.

One morning, when Darin had joined us, we traded our walking for paddling.

Can't you just hear the dragonflies buzzing, see the fish jumping??

As much as I complain, I have to admit there are benefits to having kids who refuse to sleep in.

Happy Birthday Dad and America!

For my sista'

Some Adventure

Miriam conquered some fears on the zipline and bungee tramp.

The boys hiked from Zion Ponderosa to Observation Point down into Zion Canyon ending at Weeping Rock. The girls and little boys drove through the canyon and then a few of us took the shuttle back through to Weeping Rock to meet them.

There was perfect hiking conditions....overcast with a cooling breeze, and the Weeping Rock was positively waling from all the rain.

On to Annie at Tuachan and then a midnight thrill ride back through Zion Park (have you been on that road?) where Sarah singlehandedly kept my parents truck on the road by squeezing her thighs together in terror.

Lisa and Craig...we can't thank you enough for yet another wonderful visit to your home.

Hey Cuz

Two straight weeks 24 hours a day with cousins.

Miriam heaven.....

especially all the time she got to spend with Madison. Adoration is the perfect word to describe Miriam's feelings for her older cousin.

Just In Case....

Just in case something goes wrong, I wanted to document how beautifully the garden is growing.

We have 4 more tomato plants and 6 giant sunflowers flourishing as well {thanks Diedre}! If things continue, we should have tomatoes to share with everyone come August!

The one thorn in my side is the miniature rose bush. I don't love roses enough to put up with it's constant care schedule {special concoctions dusk and dawn, never ending dead heading, the blasted thorns}....as Anne of Green Gables would say "Give me flowers I can live with".

It's a W. D. Miracle

Cute Wyler Dean was blessed last Saturday. Although it was forecast to be a pleasant day for a BBQ there was rain all day. It rained and rained right up until the blessing was completed and the BBQ began. For 2 hours there was sunshine while we ate, talked, laughed, and little girls gathered worms.

Then the rains began again, I think it was Heaven's way of telling us we had eaten more than enough.

I haven't seen a rainbow in forever it seems, but this double, extra vivid, beauty popped out right before we headed back home.