Picking Berries on a perfect September day...

We did a little berry/grape picking with the Ma's and Pa's. Grandpa's and Grandma's, that is. Okay, the Grandpa didn't pick any, but he cooked the chicken and ate all of Lucy's spoils, so he still gets credit.

There was a HUGE dragonfly caught in the blackberry net...it didn't even look real. And Sophie was freaking out about all the little gnats that flew around when we dove into the grapevines, but eventually she toughened up and proved her worth as a bonafied grape picker.

And from the look on Lu Lu's face, she ate quite a few blackberries (so sweet and juicy). So this bowl should be at least 3 times bigger. And all this produce picking made we want to plant some grapevines of my own, or least a strawberry plant or two. But, we haven't had such great luck with our previous gardens.

My recent gardening experience is as follows: I can grow really big, GREEN, tomatoes that never turn red. And Basil that withers and turns to dust. And onions that forget to grow. Yes. I am a fabulous gardener.

Remember Lazy River Days?

I remember the days soaking in the sun at what my family called "The River". AKA Lake Havasu. When I was a kid we went at least 4 times a year. But it's been a long time since we've done "the river" as a family, and I miss it. So--

Last week we took our little family to Utah Lake, and I had the same feelings creep up from when I was a kid. Here are some of the great things about boating:
1. You have to do something as a family...and you can't get away from one another. The only way to get away, is to get out on the wake board. :)
2. You resign yourself to a bad hair day, and that's not always a bad thing.
3. You figure out how brave you are. (Or who the daredevil children are...which can be extremely good to know for the teenage years. Sometimes parents need to know what they're getting into.)
4. No DS's, DSi's, cell phones allowed.
5. You get to laugh, talk people into doing things they don't want to (like wake boarding for the first time(bring along a lot of Twix bars, they work wonders for incentive)).
6. You get to plan your next trip...So. When is our next trip?

A Little Jaunt to California

Our trip to CA was just what Adam and I needed...a little getaway in a fun place, with great friends, and some much needed "alone time". :) And Adam's 20 year high school reunion wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. He had some really nice friends, and of course he has kept his boyish good looks and charm. :)




We also had a really fun date up Provo Canyon at Sundance. We went to the "Bluebird Cafe" (a place in Nashville well known for Country song writers to peform.) Sundance put on their version of the Bluebird and invited Country song writers to come and perform. We enjoyed great music and a lot of laughter.

Fourth of July Frenzie...and Grace's 10th

Tinkerbell---Total Rock Star

So I know I've complained up and down about losing our camera at Disneyland. But we did find our flip camera. So here's a choice little morsel of the kids meeting Tinkerbell. BTW, we only had to wait in line for an hour to meet her. Totally worth it (do you sense the sarcasm in my voice?) Well it was worth it for them. :)

Summer Bucket List

So here's a peek at our summer "to do" list. I just realized that we'd have to do 1.5 things a week to get everything done. Hmmmm. We'll see. :)

1. Tubing down Provo River
2. Steel Days
3. Hike to Y
4. Timpanogos Caves
5. Springville Museum of Art
6. Scera Theatre: Willy Wonka
7. Raging Waters
8. Color Me Mine
9. Sundance
10. Boondocks
11. Real Salt Lake Soccer Game
12. Fishing
13. Water Skiing
14. Camp Grand Canyon
15. The Beach
16. Bear Lake
17. Bowling
18. Rodeo

Happy Summer!

Gardiner Village

Rodeo-ee-oo-eee-o!

So Spence and I had this nice little discussion about him square dancing with me--- before the big night. And he was like, "No way I'm dancing with you, Mom." And I was like, "Come on, dance with your mother." And he was like, "No way Mom." And I was like, "I'll give you five bucks..." He was like, "Uhm. No." And I was like, "I'll get you a new Wii game." And he was like, "MOOOOOM."

So, no go.

But then...

Grace invited her friend Megan. And before I knew it, there he was doci-doeing. And sashaying all over the place. After the dance I was like, "How come you danced with Megan and you didn't dance with me." And he gave me an "aw shucks" kind of face and said, "Well, she asked me to dance. And how often does that happen? So I decided to dance with her since that may never happen again."

You know. He's got a point.

Our Trippy VAY-CAY

So we're back from our vacation to California...which should have been fabulous...BUT it was more like THIS: Sometimes it was like THIS:
But mostly it was like THIS:

First: The Good Points:
1. We ate at IN-N-OUT three times, yes count them, 3 times!
2. We saw our lovely family (wait that should be number one)
3. We visited Mark and Tree in their new beautiful home 6.8 miles from the beach...I know, I'm so coveting that situation! :) Actually, the two days we spent with them was the HIGHLIGHT of the whole trip.
4. The cousins loved each other.
5. UHM....I think that's it.
6. Wait...I went to Trader Joe's and bought some beautiful flowers and delish chocolate covered fruit.
7. San Diego is from Heaven...non-windy beaches, warm water, perfectness all around.

Now: The BAD Points:
1. Leo Carillo campground bathrooms are DISGUSTING.
2. Leo Carillo was full of WIND...cold, sandblasting windy-wind which made us build a shelter out of beach umbrellas and coated our sunscreened lips in gritty sand. Lucy WOULD NOT get off my lap...she would hardly venture out into the wind tunnel/formerly known as THE BEACH.
3. While I love Malibu, they certainly need to get a little more shopping/eating establishments/movie theaters.
4. Our tent trailer was perloined out of the church parking lot (with the intent not to return)...and then happily found by the inspired Mark and the awed Adam.
5. Flat Tire outside of Victorville (105 degrees).
6. Air conditioner blows out right outside of Baker (115 degrees).
7. Family chaos: crying, sweating, complaining, hysteria for an hour and a half until Las Vegas. (how did the pioneers do it, really...HOW?)
8. Stay in Las Vegas. (people REALLY go there for vacation? Puleeez. No thank you.)
9. Car late and not fixed properly. Phone dies. Can't find AW. Asked to use some woman's cell phone and dismissed like a homeless street person, haranged and followed by homeless addicts, accosted by bare booby photos (do women keep their clothes on in Las Vegas?), can't use hotel shuttle because car seat is in suburban being repaired, walk a mile in 115 degree heat with "happy" family.
10. Seriously.
11. Arrive home 5am...
12. I need a vacation from my vacation.

Saturday Night GLITTER

Well, with Adam at the BYU volleyball game with Spence and Grace, I got to spend some quality glitter time with Sophie. Lucy was in bed...and we thought, WHAT can we do? Of course...get out THE GLITTER.

Actually, glitter makes everything better. Just ask Libarachi. So...here are our masterpieces:

Before fabulousness.

After fabulousness.

Sophie made up this whole story about how the other un-glittered birds were very sad AND lonely AND jealous AND saying not very nice things about one another.

Huh?

Okay. It's her story. So we had to put a few birds in "time-out" while they awaited their glittering.

And now...every bird is happy with their new sparkly self.


But really? Aren't they cute? Almost all ready for the Christmas tree.



And then we got in a little reading. So...this is how it feels to have one child!

Sophie just knows Grace and Spence will be very jealous when they come home from the game and find out about all the fun we had. Perhaps we should just sprinkle a little glitter on them and all will be well.

xoxo