Yummy produce, fun hike, and good reading

One of the best features of our house, I feel is our backyard, and in our backyard, my favorite things are our fruit trees.  It is sooo divine to take just a few steps, and pick a lovely, delicious piece of fruit to eat.  I also love our garden which Mike so lovingly plants and tends.  Here are some pictures of what we're enjoying right now.  If you're worried that I won't remember you when it comes to giving away the pears and apples, don't be shy to let me know you want some!

Yesterday Jess, Brad, Ann and Trace joined Mike and I on a delightful hike to Temple Fork Saw Mill. The leaves are changing, and I dare say that you won't find a more beautiful sight in very many other places of the world than fall in Logan Canyon. . .

I just finished reading Pride & Prejudice for the first time.  I've loved the movie for years, but never attempted the book.  Now I'm wishing we all talked more like this. . . "we must stem the tide of malice, and pour into the wounded bosoms of each other the balm of sisterly consolation." or "and though she was not very sanguine in expecting it, the application was a something to look forward to." or "no arguments shall be wanting on my part, that can alleviate so severe a misfortune; or that may comfort you, under a circumstance that must be, of all others, most afflicting to a parent's mind." and lastly, the most eloquent way of putting someone in their place. . . "Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged.  You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such  persuasions as these.  How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine.  I must beg, therefore, to be importuned no further on the subject."  Go Elizabeth!!!  I love her!  And I love, love, love the love story between her and Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Labor Day weekend

We have had a really fun-filled Labor Day weekend.  I uploaded my pictures in the wrong order, so I'll start with today and go backwards.  This morning, we ate a delicious big breakfast at home, then went on a fun bike ride along the Logan river trail.  Jake missed out because he had to work on the last day the Aquatic center was open.  He felt really bad about it---- we then joined the Ericksons, Caspersons, Petes and Bundys at the Skeens for lunch and some games and visiting.  We dropped by the Griffin farm on the way home to show Brad around, and came away with some good produce from the garden.  We stopped for a Zeppe galata on their opening day.  We're so excited they're in Providence now.

We had a fun time going swimming to the Logan pool after a hot day of camping/hiking.  It was extra fun that Jake was working, especially when he got to catch the little kids coming down the twirly slide.We had a great time camping with everyone we were with today with the addition of Carol, Tanner and Taylor for a few hours.  Friday night we ate delicious tin foil dinners, and played ultimate frisbee in the pitch dark.  It was a little crazy, but fun.  On Saturday, we played more games, and went for a hike to Rosys mine.

We had a never-to-be-forgotten experience seeing a rattlesnake in real life.  After our hike on Saturday, we were driving back to our campground, and the kids could hear the snake in the rocks off to the side of the road.  We stopped to check it out and take pictures.  The camp host came before long with his shovel, and we got to watch while he wacked the snakes head off and buried it, (since the snake can still bite 24 hours after he's been decapitated!  Who knew?) then he cut his rattler off and gave it to Caleb.  The snake body was still moving for an hour afterwards.  It was quite the show!  The picture below the kids in the pickup is when we first saw the snake, and the one on top is after he'd been tortured.

After such a great weekend, it will be extra hard to get back in the swing of school and work tomorrow!

Week at a glance

We had the pleasure of having this little one come to stay for a day and night this week.  She is so good, funny, entertaining, and adorable that we all just adorel her.  We miss you Lydia and hope you'll come again soon!

Here's Cam playing in his first high school football game this past Wednesday.  He started at cornerback and did a great job.  His team killed Bear River 54-14. His number is 1.  In the two pictures below, he's the one tackling the guy with the ball.

Jessica returned last Thursday from her 2 months stay in Deleware and NY as a nanny.  We're so happy she's home!  She had a wonderful experience, but is glad to be home (I think mostly to see Brad, her cute boyfriend)

I've had an excuse to lay around and read, read, read these past few days.  I had oral surgery on Thursday to get an implant on a tooth that had to be pulled, and also had a blood blister looking thing removed from my  bottom lip.  Between getting to go to sleep during the procedure, and the stitches in my mouth and lip, I've been kinda out of it, and in a bit of pain.  It's a good thing I haven't had much going on, and I had the latest in the Hunger Game book series to read- Mockingjay.  Although I had to reread the previous book, Catching Fire first since it had been 6 months and I'd forgotten much of it.  So, two 390 page books read in the past three days makes for some lazy days!  It's been great, but I"m ready to get back to normal life now!

Last week with the Hatch's

Yesterday we all went to lava hot springs for the afternoon and had a lot of fun.  Here are Cam and Jake plunging off the 33' platform.  There are pictures of the rest of us doing the same, but I can't figure out how to get the pictures all together (sorry Ky, I know you showed me but it isn't working. . .)

 We four had a good time attending the Bountiful temple Thursday night.  We're wanting to attend as many different temples as we can (especially the ones in Utah) so we thought we'd try and squeeze this one in before they left.  I'm so glad we did.  What a beautiful place!  We loved it.  We enjoyed visiting with the newly engaged Teresa and Brad afterwards in their awesome home.

We had a fun last week with Kylee and Brody.  The four of us (plus Salomon the dog) went on a great hike from Green Canyon ending at the Wind Caves in Logan Canyon.  It was a beautiful hike, and a good workout, and fun to spend that time together.

I want credit for jumping off this scary high jump.  It wasn't easy, and I only did it to impress the kids. . . I don't think I'd do it again.  I was impressed with Ky for doing it

because she was very scared too.

. Today Kylee and Brody loaded up and headed back to Arizona for Brody's last year at Thunderbird.  It was so hard for me to see them go after the fun three months we had together.  I will miss so many things, I don't think I can name themn all- but I'll name a few.  I'll miss Kylee making yummy new recipes for us.  I'll miss seeing them both in the living room on their computers.  I'll miss being followed around everywhere I go by Salomon (OK- maybe I won't miss that, but I will miss being greeted by him at the door everytime I came home).  I'll miss rook games.  I'll miss watching TV together.  I"ll miss badminton, croquet and beach volleyball.  I'll miss hikes and bike rides.  I'll miss going for mornings walks with Ky and Sal.  I'll miss them being there for extended family fun.  I'll miss our good conversations.  I'll miss laughing together.  I'll miss going out to dinner.  I'll miss them doing chores around the house. I'll miss seeing the guest room with all their things in it.  I'll miss them coming to church with us. I'll miss their excitement and enthusiasm over everything we did.   OK- that's all I can do without making myself even sadder than I already am.  Luckily we have Jessica's return to look forward to on Thursday, so we won't be too sad for long.  Thanks Ky and Brody for adding so much fun to our summer.  It would have been very lonely and boring without you!!!  I love you both. 

Notice Cam and Jake running after their car.  A tradition we copied from the Romneys!

The great outdoors

Warning:  I've got a new format for blogging, and I haven't figured it out entirely.  It's a work in progress.  Don't judge me!

This past week I was able to go on two great hikes.  One with my friend Nan, and the other with Kylee.  Nan and I went on the most beautiful hike from Blind Hollow to Tony Grove.  It was amazing.  The scenery was so beautiful.  We just couldn't get over it.  It was a hike neither of us had ever done, and for part of it we weren't sure if we were on the right path, so when we saw the sign that said Tony Grove, we were pretty stoked.  I loved talking with Nan for a solid 4 hours as we hiked in the beauty of Logan Canyon. 

Mike and Cam had a grand adventure this past weekend with the young men in our ward.  They went to Park City Friday night and camped, then on Saturday they spent most of the day at Deer Valley Ski resort riding mountain bikes.  Mike went on a treacherous Black Diamond trail with one of the boys and took a nasty spill landing on his head, shoulder and left hand.  Without a helmet it would have been soooo much worse.  That ended his fun for the day, and even though his hand is very bruised, he thinks it will be OK.  Of course he wasn't wanting to rush right in to the doctor and double check.  That night they all attended a REAL soccer game.

This is the hike to White Pine Lake that Kylee and I did on Saturday.  That 7 1/2 miles was the longest she's ever hiked, and she did great.  We took Salomon the dog along, and we're pretty sure that was the best day of his life.  A car ride, running through the wilderness, seeing about 20 horses, a deer, and many other dogs and people, and playing in water along the trail and in a lake at the end.  How could a day be any better than that?

Recent activities

It is too sad for words to think the boys will be back at school and I'll be back at work in less than three weeks! This summer has gone by way too fast- as always. Here are some highlights of the past few weeks.

This sunset was so beautiful I just had to pull off the side of the road to take a picture a few nights ago.
Jake has had a great summer job working at the Logan Aquatic Center as a lifeguard and swim teacher. It's been great for him to be busy and earning money. He likes it pretty well, but wasn't amused when I was there one day discreetly taking a few pictures. . .
A lot of Cam's summer has been full of baseball. He started on a new super league team that plalyed April-June, played city Pony league May-July, played on the high school legion team June & July, and played on an all-star team in July. Whew! That was a lot of hours of watching for Mom and Dad, but we loved every minute of it.





Kylee turned 23 today, so on Sunday we had a little get-together with the Skeens, Bundys and Petersons to celebrate. We ate grilled salmon (yum), played beach volleyball, heard Emma sing "God bless America" dedicated to Kylee, and played ultimate frisbee in the dark at Lundstrom park. It was a very fun evening.
Kylee and I joined Ann, Jamie, Sara and Lindsey and their kids at Bear Lake one Friday. It was so much fun that we went back a week later with. . . all the same people plus a few males-Trace, Ryan, Cody, Jake and Cam. It wasn't quite as fun as the week before, but only because it was very windy.

Every activity we do just isn't quite as fun as it could be because I miss Jessica so much and wish she were there. But she's having a great time in New York, and will be home in 20 days! Not that I'm counting. . .

Birthday, Anniversary and 4th of July

We've been keeping busy since getting home from our vacation having more fun. We got to attend the 1st birthday party of Miss Lydia, and it was a delight. Lindsey went all out to plan a fun filled evening. The games and food were great, but nothing compared to the DECORATIONS! To die for! So, so cute. I want to redo all my kids first birthdays. What a great memory (on video) that will be for the sweet one.
Mike and I celebrated our 25th anniversary on the 29th. I can't believe it's been that long! It makes me feel old to say we've been married 25 years! We had a fun get-away to the Homestead in Midway. We had such a fun time. We enjoyed relaxing, talking, eating, bike riding, walking around, and sitting in the mineral hot tub. I'm so glad we were able to spend that time together.
On the 4th, we invited the Bundy's and Peterson's over for dinner and games. We ate, played scum, had a tasty chocolate fondue dessert- which everyone went wild for (thanks Jordan for the idea/recipe) and went to Hillcrest Elementary School to play four square and ultimate frisbee in the dark. We came home and did fireworks in the street in front of our house for 1/2 hour. This is the first time ever that we've spent money on fireworks! It was a lot of fun, and we'll probably do it again in the future-much to Cam and Jake's delight.
On Monday the 5th, we spent a fun day together with the Searles, Skeens, Peterson's, Ericksons, Bundy's and Hatch's. We started off the day at the Searles with breakfast, America jepordy, sidewalk chalk masterpieces, and volleyball at a nearby park.
We next journeyed to our neck of the woods to play four square (again), kickball and eat little ceasars pizza.
Our last stop was dinner and games at the Skeens. Trace (as always) had some fun activities planned: skeet shooting, a killer relay race, frisbee golf, and fear factor. It was fun to be all together to celebrate Ann's birthday as well.
I adore that we live close to family and can have fun times together often. The only sad thing about any activity is missing Jessica. She's having a grand time however on her adventure in New York as a nanny. It's a real chore for her having to look at this view everyday from where the family beach home is. . .