Summer So Far

Occasionally people will ask me what we have been doing this summer. That's the moment I usually have brain freeze and think, "I know we have been doing things, fun things. What have we been doing?" I guess I needed pictures to help me remember.

Hiking to a waterfall

It was a hot day. And a good day to stick your head in the waterfall.

Camping with cousins- very fun and very adventurous. We had a lot of good food, which I hardly helped with, which made it even better, and lots of fun with cousins, aunts, uncles and/or brothers and sisters, depending who you are. There were a lot of people in our campsite but it was big and we all still like each other.

We started eating dinner at the table. Then it started raining, then it really started raining so we gathered under the tarps and awnings to finish dinner and dessert.

Posing by a painted horse.

33

It was a good day, especially with some of my favorite people to celebrate with me.

I decided that our stuffed animal collection was exceeding the amount of space we had for the stuffed animals so we made a fancy display and decided which ones we couldn't possibly live without and which ones could go to another home to make someone else happy. It took two or three tries, but we finally narrowed it down so they could all fit in one box.

I think we will keep this one, even though he fits in the box.

What's summer without Popsicles?

Or funny faces while eating Popsicles?

Loves to wear sunglasses.

Loves it even more if they are not hers.

Swimming lessons. Need I say more? Swimming is fun.

Finding a friend at the park is fun. Finding a friend at the park wearing the same thing as you, is the same age as you and has curly brown hair like you is extra fun. Having to share the wagon with that friend, not so fun.

Views from our campsite (going back to camping).

All fourteen cousins in one spot, looking at the camera at the same time, and no one crying. Miracles do happen.

The only picture of birthday number 35. It was a good birthday. And a good birthday card. 

Turning Ten

Pizza and friends made a fun birthday party. It was also an easy party. They can entertain themselves when they are ten.

Fun in the backyard

The shared birthday cake with Uncle Mathematician who has a birthday two days later. We told him he had to figure out an equation to equal his age. He did.
Side Note: My mom keeps birthday candles until they are small stubs or someone else throws them away. So these were the candles we had to work with. I'm certain these are some of the candles I had on my birthday cakes growing up.

A very Happy Birthday!

Sometimes it's Hard to Wait And Old Things

While waiting for a turn to get in the swimming pool, our then three year old asked, 

"When is pretty soon going to end?"

After I said his turn would be "pretty soon".

A few minutes later:

"Is it soon yet?"

He really was being patient, considering all things. 

While cleaning out a kitchen cupboard I took out some very old cereal and decided to toss it. The same three year old asked, " should we give it to the DI?" 

I said no. Then he asked, "should we give it to the yard sale?" Probably  not. 

Yesterday we visited a farm not far from home with some friends.

 It was fun. 

Favorite part, sitting on the tractors

Holding baby goats, ten days old

Wagon rides (without the horse)

Buggy rides (with the rooster)

Second favorite part, buggy rides. She's not quite into the animal petting thing.

Horse rides

Giving the horse an apple

Tractors don't bite, nibble or make sudden loud noises

Favorite animal, pigs. One of them was fondly named Wilbur

Comments from the back seat on the way home:

Can we go there again tomorrow?

It would be fun to live on a farm! (yeah, until you had to clean up after all those cute animals)

My favorite animals were the pigs, I named one of them Wilbur!

Spring Break

Goblin Valley. Life-sized maze and Hide-and-go-Seek Haven.

Bored, waiting for something to happen.

Something didn't happen so laying down on the
 dusty red rock seemed like a nice option.

Goblin Valley was a fun place to explore,
especially with three cousins who came on the trip.

This is a really neat slot canyon that was easy to hike.
We made it without much incident  and seven children! Amazing.
Well, until the cut finger and the emergency bathroom incident.
 But we made due with an old receipt, an empty cheese stick wrapper
(thanks, Aunt H, for having them in your pocket)
 and a fast hike to the outhouse and/or bushes.

An old and neat looking tree.

Hiking, rocks and cousins. Great combination.

Capitol Reef National Park

Standing in front of an old school

The old rock by the old school that bears the name of the town
and people's names who once lived there.

We hiked some neat trails. Lots of rocks made it especially neat.

Manti Temple

The school my grandpa went to in Fairview.

The house where he grew up.


I
We drove home through a lot of small towns and on roads I've never seen. I'm always amazed how many places I've never seen, just driven past. It took longer to drive but was more interesting than the interstate.

Three Year Old Thinking

Driving past a park last week I had the following conversation with our three year old:
"We saw a train there yesterday!"

"We did see a train there, it was a long time ago."

"It was yesterday, or tomorrow."

"Tomorrow hasn't happened yet."

"Yesterday is tomorrow."
I stopped talking after that.
Maybe there is something to this theory.