Old Homes and Ice Cream

We spent the other day picnicking, taking long walks and touring late-1800 homes at Heritage Days in Spring City. There are so many homes there that have been beautifully restored, a number made from limestone. This picture gives you a flavor of what some of the homes are like.



On our way home stopped at The Red Barn for some of THE BEST ICE CREAM.





The kids were enjoying (devouring) their ice cream cones and Jacob licked a little too hard and tipped his cone a little too far and….








The pictures tell the rest of the story. :)

Memorial Day

We were up at the crack of dawn, dressed and off to the “Fireman’s Breakfast”. A benefit breakfast our local Fire Department cooks up right in the Fire Station. This is a tradition we have been going to ever since Abby was a baby, it’s not only fun to have a big huge breakfast of ham, eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, chocolate milk and o.j., but to eat it in the Fire Station, amidst all the firemen’s paraphernalia and big shiny fire trucks just outside, we love it.

After breakfast it was still raining, so we went to the church with a couple of basketballs and a football and just played around for a little while. Following our own family church ball games, Geoff took the kids to a movie and then Smart Cookie for a treat.

It rained on and off pretty much all day. Everything was soggy-but led to great opportunity to jump on a wet, slippery trampoline; to use a favorite umbrella; to jump in waiting, quiet puddles, etc. Abby took to the indoors and made her first movie of various random pictures on the computer. She is becoming quite the photographer!! I might put her in charge of taking pictures for our blog, since I always forget the camera.

Later, around dinner time, the rain still drizzled. Grammy and Jenny came over and brought with them some yummy steaks and we BBQ-ed them up and had dinner and FHE together.

When it was time to get the kids ready for bed, Geoff and Farrell slipped out to ‘drop a line in’. (I protested because of the late hour, Geoff insisted.) Well, it paid off for them and they caught a couple of 12-14” german browns, and that night as Farrell was climbing into bed said: “today was the best day ever!” :)

There is something about hearing that phrase that just makes me smile. It makes me pause and think that the little things; like missing bedtime and doing a little fishing, meant the world to this 8 year old boy, and he went to sleep with a smile on his face and happiness in his heart. If only everyday, I could embrace the little things and let them make my day - the best day ever. So, with meaning and intent, I say the cliché: “it’s the little things that count”. :)

Running With Angels

Abby, Jenny and I ‘participated’ in the Running With Angels 5K at Thanksgiving Point. We had fun and enjoyed talking, walking and beautiful scenery!



We had to take off shortly after we finished the race to head for Farrell’s Piano Recital, and so we missed the part where they were handing out prizes. Jenny had a friend that heard our names called, and called, and called again. It turns out that both Jenny and I won something! Too bad we couldn’t stay to find out what it was!!

That was a lot of fun, Jenny!! Sign us up for next year!

Spittin' Image

To say that our children look like their Daddy is an understatement when it comes to Jacob. He looks so much like Geoff, it’s eerie. He has the personality to match, too.

Pigeons

Geoff is known to bring home peculiar things on occasion, ie: fuselage, ski lift chair, small motorcycle, etc. Sometimes he even likes to surprise us and has brought home live animals, ie: our dog Buzz, bunnies, chickens, etc.

Well, last week he went with Farrell and picked up some pigeons. We had some pigeons years ago, (see two black specks in picture above) but it was time to have some again. :) They are fun to watch fly around and then come home again. Our new pigeons are young and have not flown yet, you have to keep them in their pen for a number of weeks first. So, these three; Shiver, Speckle, and Theadore, will get to use their wings around the second week in June.

Wolf & Rain Gutter Regatta

What an exciting day today was for Farrell. First, at pack meeting tonight, he earned his WOLF badge and FIVE arrow points! Hurray for you Farrell! He was so proud – as are we, his family. Then, Farrell got to participate in the Rain Gutter Regatta and “sail” the sailboat he and his Dad made together. He had a nice smooth sail, one that Grandpa on the Island would really be able to appreciate!

It's A Party

We always say that ‘it’s a party’ whenever we get to play with Seth because all our kids LOVE HIM SOO MUCH!! We were extra lucky to have Seth stay with us for a few days last week while his parents were out of town. It was a 3-night slumber party – full of games, crafts, pizza, popcorn, movies, cookouts, home-made donuts, exploring, jumping, sprinklers, picnics, parks – I’m tellin’ ya, non-stop fun!

Seth brought a fun bead craft with him and everyone (even my sister Kathy) enjoyed making creative bead creations over and over and over and over. Even Grandma stopped in for a visit and brought the kids lunch and piggy-banks with a few quarters to get a jingle in their new banks. Farrell said that was Seth’s “treat sack” from the party.

So, with all the fun they had, I am now wishing I would have taken more pictures. I need to think of that during events – not after. Sometimes I’ll take a bunch of pictures, with the thought, ‘for our blog’ and then never get around to posting them. This time, however, the thought is too late. Anyway.…. Sether, WE LOVE YOU!! And can’t wait for you come and see us again soon!! Just now as I am blogging, Jacob asked me, “where’s Seth?” :)

We All Live Downstream

The river behind our house started running today and along with it came more trash than one could imagine. Really. We thought we were surprised when we saw a wicker patio chair with cushion, and then came a couple of buckets, along with a ton of debris and about six cords of wood. Shortly after followed two kitchen chairs and to top off our astonishment, a LA-Z-BOY recliner came a floating down the river. Yea, you read right, a LA-Z-BOY recliner. Can you believe it?! This was one of those times I wished I had my camera.

Update: Only a couple of hours after the runoff started, I was in our back yard cutting the boys hair and we heard this loud rumble, we looked in the river and saw a.....COUCH. This is ridiculous. I can't imagine water skiing in the lake downstream, it would be a obstacle course of sorts around furniture.

Jakes the Rakes

My brother sent me a funny picture of my nephew and their dog in sunglasses - so cute!! But, not as cute as this little guy!

So, here is a challenge to all you bloggers.....post cute pictures of your kiddos in sunglasses! I can't wait to see all the fun pictures. :)

No Need For Toys

Jacob loves to be outside and it doesn't take long before he is covered from head to toe in sand or dirt. Why not play on the grass you may wonder? Well, he stays clean that way.

Who needs toys when you have dirt, rocks, and sticks?

Get Comfortable

I was putting David down the other night and he was kicking his legs and acting really restless and bothered. So I rubbed his legs a little as I held him close and that helped for a short moment, but then came the kicking and restlessness again. I had just fed and changed him and knew that something was bothering him.

Now, Geoff has always said how he thinks the ‘footed’ jamies look so uncomfortable for the kids. And, as David is growing super fast and his jamies were a little snug.… I finally followed Geoff’s recommendation and slipped David’s feet out of his jammies, held him close and…. like magic, he fell right asleep.





Kids seem to come with their own unique ways of how they feel comfortable – and it’s not just jeans or sweats. Abs is very particular about her socks and the stitching area in the toes. Anna needs her clothes and shoes to be considerably snug to feel like they ‘fit’. Emeron likes his pants rolled above his ankles and his shirt sleeves rolled above his wrists. Jacob likes, well, nothing on. And Farrell is probably my most easy going as far as comfort goes. Of course, they all like their feet bare!!

Violin Spring Recital

The girls had their Spring Recital up at the Salt Lake Recital Hall last weekend. They both did a fabulous job and we couldn’t be more proud! I wanted to insert a sound-bite but have yet to figure that one out…. Here they are with their WONDERFUL teacher, Ms. Libby.