City of Rocks

Last weekend, we went on a camping trip with seven other families from our neighborhood to celebrate the close of summer and back to school.
All told, we had 16 adults and 17 children (16 of which were under the age of 8!) We went up to City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho, which was about 2 hours from Logan. It was very scenic, and there were rock formations all around our campsites.

The kids loved to climb and explore. Friday evening, we spent some time socializing around the campfire, and eating desserts, and having fun. Saturday morning, after breakfast and breaking camp, we went on a hike. It was lots of fun. The hike was pretty long, but the kids did great!




On the drive home, we stopped at a little diner with one other family and had lunch. It was quite the place... old style dining at its best.
We had a good time, and have to thank the families that put it all together... you know who you are! Thanks!

Ciera and Chloe started back to school today. Ciera is starting 4th grade and Chloe is starting 2nd grade. They got new courier bags for school... they didn't want backpacks. They are growing up so fast! This morning they got right out of bed and got ready for school (without much yelling on my part), and then rode their bikes to school! We are so very proud of them and know they will have a great year.

Cabbage anyone?

The third graders all brought home a cabbage sprout at the end of the school year in May. It was part of a scholarship contest. All the students were to bring it home, plant it, and care for it all summer. At the end of summer, they were to take a picture with their cabbage to see how big it had become. They bring the photo with them to 4th grade, and then each 4th grade teacher picks a winner from their class to submit to the state level. One winner is picked from each participating state to receive a $1,000 scholarship. Ciera's cabbage grew and GREW all summer, and today we picked it and weighed it. It weighed 63 lbs! Anyone want some cabbage? (Not really... after we picked it, all sorts of critters started crawling out. There were slugs, roly-poly bugs, catterpillars, and wasps! Too bad... we could have had enough cole-slaw to last a lifetime!)

Grandmother Fairy's Visit

On Saturday, Grandma Tanner came to visit. Aunt Suzanna, Chadley and Dallin drove her up in the morning and stayed for a little while before heading back home. It was a fun visit. We walked to the park at the girls' school and played for a little while. (I was a bad picture taker, and only took one picture of Dave and Ciera having a swinging contest!)
On the way home, Ciera and I found an abandoned kitten that was 2-3 weeks old. It was so sad and hungry. After asking some neighbors for help, and not getting any, we called animal control and they came and got it. (Again, I didn't take a picture... but it was so cute!) Ciera was so sad to let it go, but it was for the best!
We went out to dinner with Grandma Saturday night, and then spent Sunday reading and relaxing. We drove out to a cemetary where Martin Harris, an original LDS church member and influential man, was buried. We walked around looking at all the old headstones... it was kind of neat, and the girls liked it. We had thunder showers and rain all day and night Sunday...

All in all, we had a great weekend with Grandmother Fairy, and were so grateful that she could come up and spend the weekend with us!

Don't Come In!

My girls were being grumpy the other day, and made signs for their bedroom doors. (Ciera and Chloe made one for Brooke & Autumn too.) They were too cute... I had to take pictures!

Do you love the skull and crossbones on Brooke and Autumn's sign? If you don't knock... this is what you will become! HA! HA! HA! (laughing evilly)!
Ciera and Chloe's sign is very creative! If you can't read the smaller writing, it says, "Don't come in! (unless you knock!) (we might say come in.) No Trespassing! Consequences are serious!" I loved it... and they actually let me in!

Livin' in the wild, wild west

Yesterday, my girls were playing "wild west" while they were playing with play-dough. Chloe said that they were in the "wild west in the 1970's". Then she asked me if we had any relatives back in the 1970's. She thought that was SO long ago. I thought it was pretty funny. I told her that her Dad and I were both born in the 1970's... and that it wasn't really THAT long ago. Kids.

I mean, some days I feel pretty old, but really? The wild west? I guess to a child, adults seem pretty ancient... and maybe we are. It does seem pretty long ago... WAY back in the 1970's.

Are they really big enough?

Brooke and Autumn are officially big girls. Their bunk beds are complete, and they have slept in them for three nights now. I can hardly believe it. When Dave completed the beds, and they climbed in, they looked so small compared to the size of the beds. I guess my babies are not babies anymore. (sigh, sniff.)