Catching up...

I have finally found time to edit and post some of the last 2 months events and travelings. It has been a busy summer and I am grateful for the down time I have had this week to catch up on things I have been meaning to do. My car is grateful to be hiding out in the garage for some down time, too. I feel like we have been everywhere...

Bear Lake, North Shore

On August 17th Kourtney, Kendrie and I drove up to Bear Lake to meet up with Grandma and Grandpa Hale. Jim and Kortlan were at Pineview camping at the "Boys Camp" and met up with us later that afternoon. We roasted hot dogs and brats, played Frisbee, and just had so much fun in the water. It was a little chilly at first, but as the sun rose higher in the sky so did the temperature.

Kendrie introduced Grandpa to roasting Starbursts (he wasn't a big fan)

Kendrie also antagonized Grandma and Grandpa so much that they chased her out into the water and caught her. Followed by a swinging into the water, until the water got up her nose and she "pretended" that she was hurt so Grandma and Grandpa bent down to see if she was ok. Then she splashed them and got them on the run.
When she couldn't catch up with them, she came after me while I was taping the chase.

Turning the kids into Mer-people. (Kortlan did not like being called a mermaid)

After packing up and cleaning off, we stopped by the Bear Cave for a raspberry shake.
With sand in all their nooks and crannies, we said good by to Jim and Kourtney, who had to go back to SLC to work, and followed Grandma and Grandpa back to Pocatello to stay with them for a few days.

Diva Day Camp

The fabulous creator of Over the Tipsy Top held a glitterlicious diva day camp. At this camp they made cupcakes with tiaras and big "diamond" rings on them, served on a silver patter, wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbons and a lip gloss lollipop. They also created a diva mirror that they painted, stamped and glittered. Popcorn with strawberry and vanilla coating, mmm, so good. And that was just the first day. Day 2 they came home with a paper lantern that they painted and added a ribbon to hang it from and a glitterlicious drinking cup. (see their website for pictures of those ever popular drinking cups). Kendrie and Olivia had so much fun and are excited to do it again. (I am still finding glitter, everywhere)

Mesquite

After the last day of swimming lessons, we headed to Mesquite for a quick trip to stay with our friends, the Marchants. Friday we spent the morning in Klea's pool and then scrapbooked during the afternoon. Saturday we went to the Rec. Center pool and saw some old friends and let the kids get really tired and worn out. Saturday night we left the kids at with a babysitter (thank you Amy) and went to Los Lupe's for dinner and then saw Mama Mia, followed by an arousing chorus of Dancing Queen blaring from the car stereo on our way home.
This one is for Celeste:

Swimmers

I went a little crazy when I signed my kids up for swimming lessons. I had them in lessons almost everyday from the first week of June to the 2nd week in August. It worked though, both of them are independent swimmers now. I don't have to worry so much at the pools.

These are from their last day...

C is for Concert, O is for Osmonds

What's an Osmond?

This was Kortlan's question as we headed to the Conference Center for the Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert, July 25th. We just had to laugh, how do you answer that?

We also saw some familiar faces sitting close by our section. We were only 20 seats to the left and 5 rows back from where the First Presidency and some of the other leaders of the church were sitting.

It was an great concert. I am so proud to say that my kids now know what an Osmond is.

M is for Museum

July 25th - We went to SLC and went through the Church History Museum and walked around Temple Square for the afternoon. In the Museum there is a children's area where kids (of all ages) can dress up and pretend to be in Book of Mormon stories. There is a quilt to tie, blocks to build temples with, stencils to make CTR signs with, and a stained glass window they can take pieces out and make a different pattern. The kids had a great time. (Grandpa did, too)

Danielle

Back in July, our friend Danielle Wynn came to stay with us for a few days in between soccer camps. We went shopping in Park City one day and hung out at Lagoon the next. She is a wonderful big sister to Kendrie and Kort, who constantly fight over her. We really miss having her around. We love you, D!

Slipping through my fingers...

Another school year has begun again. This morning I dropped my two kids off to begin 4th grade, for Kendrie, and first grade, for Kortlan. I have mixed emotions about this because I am now home alone for the day. There are parts of me that has looked forward to this; being able to do what needs to be done without interruption. There are other parts, however, that miss them terribly.

Schoolbag in hand, they leave home in the early morning

Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile

I watch them go with a surge of that well-known sadness

And I have to sit down for a while

The feeling that I'm losing them forever

And without really entering their world

I'm glad whenever I can share their laughter

Those funny little kids

Slipping through my fingers all the time

I try to capture every minute

The feeling in it

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Do I really see what's in their mind

Each time I think I'm close to knowing

They keep on growing

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sleep in our eyes, them and me at the breakfast table

Barely awake, I let precious time go by

Then when they're gone there's that odd melancholy feeling

And a sense of guilt I can't deny

What happened to the wonderful adventures

The places I had planned for us to go

Well, some of that we did but most we didn't

And why I just don't know

Slipping through my fingers all the time

I try to capture every minute

The feeling in it

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Do I really see what's in their mind

Each time I think I'm close to knowing

They keep on growing

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture

And save it from the funny tricks of time

Slipping through my fingers...

Slipping through my fingers all the time

Schoolbag in hand they leave home in the early morning

Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile...

"Slipping Through My Fingers" - ABBA

August 2, 2008

T is for TRAVEL

Starting in Caldwell, Idaho at 9:30 in the morning we began our adventure through southern Idaho. We drove through Stanley to Red Fish Lake:

The Sawtooth Mountain Range

To the Fish Hatchery:

Can you count the fish? Can't hardly see them, can you? The kids loved throwing handfuls of fish food into the tanks to see this mass of young fish thrash around trying to get the food. It reminded me of schools of Parana in movies.

These are adult Salmon in the last tanks of the hatchery before they are set free into the Salmon river.

Kendrie and Kortlan with the Salmon River behind them.

To Alturas Lake:

After leaving Alturas Lake, we drove to Ketchum for some shopping. Drove around Sun Valley. Stopped in Hailey for Dinner. And then drove to Twin Falls. We were headed to Shoshone Falls and drove right past the new temple.

We could not have timed our arrival to Shoshone Falls any better. Right as the sun was setting. I found the scenery beautiful. We left Shoshone Falls and headed back to Pocatello, our only stop was at Conner's in Burley for pie....yum! The kids fell asleep shortly after getting back in the car and we arrived back in Pocatello around 11:30pm. Our trip ended up being 14 hours long. Fortunately, it didn't seem that long. We all enjoyed the scenery and visting places we had never been before. A great summer adventure.

Back at Grandma and Grandpa Jack's house before we headed home:

B is for Bug races: Kendrie and Kortlan made Grandma Jack fish out several "rollie pollies" out of her garden for them to have a bug race. Kortlan refused to touch the bugs, so Grandma gave him a plastic glove. The race was a close one, but by the proof of photo finishes, Kortlan's bug was the victorious one.