Hiking season is HERE

Ok last post for awhile...I think...

One of my favorite things to do in the Utah in the summer is hike on Saturday mornings. We typically get out of the house early, bribe the kids with donuts, and then set out on the trail. We've had some good adventures already.  Carter is definitely more of a "challenge" this year. Since she's three she needs to walk and not be in a carrier...we're working through that...


Belle Canyon Reservior

 Rocks are a highlight for her for sure. And hiking in a frozen nightgown.

 Grumpy but she made it!!!

Silver Lake

 More rocks to climb of course.

 Ferguson Canyon. This was a new one we went to because Little Cottonwood was packed and Cecret lake was not going to happen. It was amazing. Lots of places to rock climb (for future reference when I have older kids and have time for such hobbies...)

Farm Camp

For our six week summer break I decided to send Carter to four weeks of half day camp at her preschool (which she has LOVED) and Harrison to a week of all day camp at a local farm in Riverton.  He absolutely adored farm camp! Everyday he came home dirty and exhausted.  He got to play with animals, do crafts, plant, explore, and learn about the farm. He even got to see a baby goat a few hours after it was born.  Such a cool experience that we will definitely be repeating next year.

 The baby goat. So snuggly. After awhile he was like, "Ok mom, I'm done..."

 Carter wouldn't hold the goat but at least she would sit for a picture and touch it with one hand.

We walked all the way out to the pumpkin patch to see where Harrison's pumpkin was planted. We will definitely need to go find it in the fall.

Harrison's kindergarten program

On the day before the last day of school I got to visit Harrison's class for their kindergarten "zoo day." Each child was assigned a habitat and an animal from that habitat. They got to write a paragraph about the animal, dress up like the animal (with a totally home made costume) and then share the facts with everyone.  Harrison was a cheetah and did a great job.

With the other Savannah animals getting ready to tell me about Cheetahs 

With his teacher Miss Burdick. I can't believe kindergarten is done already and we start first grade in ELEVEN days. Seriously went by so fast.

Memorial day at the Getaway

We love going up to Cory's family's land near Preston, ID whenever we can. O'ma and O'pa bought a trailer and staying there is especially swanky.  We went up for Memorial day and had a great time.

  I got myself up early enough to go for a run in the morning. The scenery was breathtaking.

 We also had a fun little walk as a family.

 On the way home we hit up the Logan Temple.

 And got someone to take a picture with all of us. Notice the kids in jammies because all of their clothes got a bit muddy. Plus they're obsessed with jammies.

 Cemetary visit to visit great O'ma and O'pa and uncle Dusty.

He's thinking about whether or not he should eat that grass...

To Remember

That Day When: 

 Harrison started reading chapter books (his first was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Many many more since.)

 We went to the Payson temple open house

 We met (and tormented) our cousin Harvey

 Jefferson looked pretty cool

 I tried to get all the kids to take a good picture before church in their coordinated outfits

 I straightened Carter's hair

 Carter was a princess at cornbellys

 Harrison and I ran that Thanksgiving race

 Jefferson tried out the carousel

And Harrison took a zillion pictures of himself. Wearing fireman footie jammies

Everytime I think we never do anything fun I realize we actually do. Love these crazies and the life we share.

The Blanket

Carter has been obsessed with this blanket for a LONG time.  I bought it from Target when changing the colors in her room when she was about one.  She pushed her fingers through and broke little (and big) holes ALL over it.  It was dirty, and washed, and dirty again. I bought another of the same blanket that looks SO much less dingy in comparison and she just won't have it.  Only her "nuggly" blanket will do. It has to be with us when we leave the house, when we go to church, in her backpack at preschool (if I'm lucky), and of course with her when she is sleeping.

And then one day we lost the blanket.  We've looked all over and checked the places we went that day and it is nowhere to be found (it's been about a month now).

And she's been ok.  No major problems going to bed. A few random crying incidents but not bad. She sleeps with the imposter blanket. Maybe someday it will smell the same.