I must really love somebody

I must really love a little 7 year old boy to spend 2 days at cub scout camp with him.  Millions of 7-10 year old boys running all day long.  Sooooooooo tired!

Building a catapult

Archery (definitely a favorite)

My favorite cub!  He even sat by me at lunch!

Summer Fun Thus Far

The weekend school got out, Tim and Carter headed off to the Father and Son's campout.  Our little boy was in heaven.  Fires, s'mores, hot dogs, other dirty little boys, water and sleeping under the stars.  Yahoooo!!!

While the boys were away, we held our annual Quilting Bee.  Yep - at the risk of being the neighborhood dork, we invited our neighbors and tied quilts all night.  Between yummy salads, chocolate cake, chatting and tying quilts, I didn't get any pictures.  After all the ladies had gone home, my dear friend and I sat on our front porch and talked all night.  The kids played night games and it was a picture perfect night.  We didn't even think about going in until 10:00pm (an hour after my bedtime!!!). 

Delivering the baby quilts to the humanitarian center
 

Cooking lessons - can't go wrong with chocolate chip banana bread

The cute gal below was our designated "Carter holder" during church after the triplets were born and we were living in Arizona.  She got married and we attended her reception last weekend.  They had a live concert at their reception.  Many of my favorite local singers were there.  It was beautiful evening!

Cori Conners, Nancy Hansen, Peter Brienhold and some other dude

 Annie has become my ironing helper.  I've been making a new quilt (Spools by Thimble Blossoms....she is such a great designer) and Annie has been ironing all my blocks.  Bless her heart!!!!

While Tim was running the Ragnar Relay (Go Tim!!!), the kids and I headed up to the mountains!  They were a bit freaked out by the "wild life" warning signs but I was more freaked out by the potential belly achin'. 

 But everyone did a superb job!  We packed breakfast burritos that everyone carried in their own backpacks.  We chomped on our breakfast after 400 yards.  We sure had worked up an appetite!!!

Carter attended the high school basketball camp with a school friend.  Lots of fun!  We've been doing lots of house jobs, working in the house garden and the ward garden.  My basil is struggling this year....what is a girl to do without basil!!!  We've been going to the dollar movies and start swim lessons soon.  Best of all....cub scout camp is next week.  And I am the lucky one who gets to be a parent helper...yeah (catch the cheekiness!!!).

End of school happenings

There are always so many activities the last few weeks of school.  Whewwww....just thinking about them makes me tired!

Abby and Carter's Book Bonaza

Carter dedicated his book to Grandpa

Annie and Georgia "soooooo tired" from running through the sprinklers at Carter's baseball game

Georgia's preschool graduation

Georgia attending cousin Kaylee's dance recital

Lots of remote control jeep racing

Dance parties

Eating ice cream at This is the Place Park

Georgia's dance recital

Annie's dance recital

Abby at the dance festival

Annie at the dance festival

Carter at the dance festival (somebody LOVES to dance)

Country Kids

This past weekend, we headed up to Cache Valley to visit Grandpa Barlow's childhood dairy farm.  We spent the night in a hotel.  The kids had fun swimming in the pool and enjoyed the breakfast buffet.

We went to Grandpa's brother "Grandpa's Hide-a-way".  It was a few acres of land full of toys - 4 wheelers and racing track, BB guns, bow and arrows, sling shots with paint balls, zip lines, rope swings and hiking trails.

Everyone had a wonderful day!  I was especially proud of my Abby-girl!  She tried the zip line and 4 wheelers.  She would have never tried those a year ago and she went on them by her own doing.  It was a big day in the book of life for Abby!

Tim and Georgia in the tree house

Georgia on the zip line (see the 4 wheeler track...sweet)

Shooting BB Guns

Tim and Abby on the 4-wheeler

Abby just finishing the zip-line

Carter shooting bow and arrows

Toby and Abby relaxing

Watching the cows being milked

Tim and Mandy

No trips to the hospital were made, but we had a few major crashes.  Everyone was sad to come home!  Hooray for a great weekend!

Where the Red Fern Grows

We recently read the classic novel Where the Red Fern Grows together as a family.  Every night before bed, we would read a few pages (sometimes chapters) aloud on the couch.  Everyone loved reading the story of Old Dan and Little Ann.

 During the last chapter, we wept as a family as we concluded the story of our two favorite dogs.   I'm so grateful for those few weeks we spent together reading the classic novel.   

Y

Nothing brings on a good holiday like a morning hike and hot dogs!  And that is just what we did!

At the trail head...still smiling!

Success!  (We are all making "Y"'s since we are sitting on the Y.  

Going down was much faster than going up!  Everyone had a great time!