Back to Ohio

We're back from a great vacation in California in time to get ready for school, harvest a little from our neglected garden, and enjoy the last couple weeks of summer break.

Climbing the rock walls at Beech Acres.

The boys trying to help Maggie get down. She psyched herself out and wouldn't take that first step of faith down.

One of James' knitting projects--not scout related. :)

First day of school. No quicker way to lose that tan!

...and they're off! Paul & I are off to play without them.

California Adventures Part IV: Newport Beach House

What's not to love about a week at the beach? We were so glad to spend this time with Brian's immediate and extended family. They came from all over to enjoy the sun and play Rook. :) It was decided that we needed to move to the beach, especially as we saw Paul's eczema clear up with the salt water and sun.

A few extra highlights:

• the park
• paddleboard "plank off"
• running the board walk
• sunset walks
• riding bikes
• eating dinner at G/G Hatch's house
• watching at all the gawking people--"did you see how many people are in there?!?"
• running across the hot sand
• digging for lost Rainbow sandals
• frisbee & paddle ball

California Adventures Part III: Grandma & Grandpa's House

What else could we possibly do in California?

How about shopping with Grandma for some sweet shades and new shoes? (It may have been a little overwhelming for Paul.)

Or how about hanging out with our cousins--swimming at the pool, playing at the beach, paddleboarding, taking advantage of their projects... :)

Whether we were relaxing, helping serve the homeless, making do' boy sticks & bags, shopping, making cookies, or replacing glasses and other items that were swallowed by the ocean, the days filled themselves up, and we loved every minute of it!

California Adventures Part II: Thornton Reunion

We loved hosting this year's Thornton Reunion in California! We knew not everyone would be able to make the trip, (it's usually us who can't come!) but those that braved the distance were rewarded with paddleboarding, sandcastles, a diner dinner, jumping waves (with and without the accompanying somersaults), a bonfire at the beach, a new campfire treat, a nearly-sunrise hike, family history, playing with cousins, crazy games with fun prizes, a trolley ride, a mexican fiesta, and a stroll at sunset. It was a wonderful time spent together! Here are some photo highlights:

California Adventures Part I: Mormon Battalion

The rest of July and first part of August were spent in California with both side of our families. We had so much fun playing with cousins and enjoying the beach. From paddleboarding to games like "I Spy," we did it all! A special highlight was a family reunion on Sara's side. Most everyone was able to come down from Utah to enjoy a long weekend with us. Here's a few photos from the first part of our adventure with them:

The kids & I enjoyed a fun day at the Mormon Battalion center and the sites of Old San Diego. We took my mom and met up with my brother and his family for lunch. I was really impressed with the things to do and see at the Mormon Battalion site. The kids had a lot of fun watching the moving pictures, digging for gold, & wielding swords. And it's always fun to find the names of our family members who were a part of it all.

 

Scout Camp

The marathon scout camping experience is finally over! Even James was gone most of the week participating in a trial 11-year-old day camp at Camp Friedlander. This was a great opportunity for the Redcat patrol; and since James was able to finish his First Class Rank before day camp, he was able to totally rock 8 merit badges! Way to go, James! :)

Scot, as the current Senior Patrol Leader, was busy putting his new NYLT leadership skills into action. He worked hard, helping his Unit & Troop earn two special awards, plus he received that Friedlander Award--the first scout this summer to earn all three!. He brought home some fun projects, and of course lots of dirty laundry. :) This usually doesn't bother me, but about 3 loads in I found a worm (if you added the two halves together that I found). At that point I needed to step back and take a few deep breaths. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't found it by stepping on it. Ha!

We are all grateful to have Brian and the boys back. It was really fun to head up to camp for Friday's family night. Here are a few more pictures from that evening.

 Scot with the cool camp gadget they made.

 Order of the Arrow dancers.  We girls were fascinated. :)

Maggie took our picture at the start of the scout camp tour led by Scot. We got to see "the blob" at the lake, all the different merit badge places, the campsite and tents, and the secret paths. We loved watching the final campfire program and seeing all the great scouts in our ward.

Red, (White), and Blue

The stash of red and blue shirts in this house just quadrupled thanks the NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training), that Scot attended and Brian staffed last week. You might ask, how did they survive??...but the real questions is, how did no one give Brian a hard time on his birthday?? He must be saving up for some real torture next year.

Oh yeah, this week we're adding another 5 or so red shirts from Scout Camp. :)

Here's how we celebrated our Fourth of July: the girls made their own confetti fireworks and set up shop in the house. Every 4 feet or so, you'd see signs like this:

Be forewarned: anything that doesn't sell becomes your birthday present this next year! (Please send donations...pleeease)

Hope you had a wonderful Independence Day!

Short Time

What could you do in four years?


You could earn a college degree, travel the entire world, remodel your house, serve 2 church missions, or finally harvest asparagus.

Or you could learn how to roll, sit, crawl, walk, talk, run. You could try hundreds of new foods, play dozens of new games. You could learn how to hold a bat, throw a ball, swing a racquet (and light saber), bounce a basketball. You could learn how use a computer, spell and write your name, say the alphabet, count to 20. You could watch hundreds of movies & cartoons (some of them educational, some of them the same one, over and over). You could learn to sing dozens of songs and rhymes, listen to and look at hundreds of books. You could learn how to pray, say "sorry", ask "please." You could give and receive thousands of hugs, thousands of smiles, hundreds of hand-holdings, hundreds of high-fives.

What an amazing time we have on this earth to learn, grow, succeed, fail. And this little guy is just getting started!

Pushing Daisies

 I mentioned earlier this week that our daisies were beginning to explode. They are amazing, and quite their own little ecosystem.  Strong, resilient, beautiful, simple, sometimes overpowering :), there are lots of lessons to be learned from them. If I had to complete the Environmental Science merit badge, I'd sit and watch all the bugs & bees that explore our daisy forest.  And when they get too proud and haughty, they are properly humbled by a good cutting. I especially love that they came from grandpa's garden in California. They remind me of family, heritage, and a pioneer spirit. I love 'em!

 I asked Scot if he would help me get a picture of the daisies. He's usually running or working, so the littler kids get in the pictures. Notice what happens below when he finally gets that spotlight:

Very telling, don't ya think? Mmm...I've sure there's a subconscious message I should be getting from this.

We are going to miss him the next couple weeks--he'll be at a couple different scout camps. He thinks we're just going to miss him doing his chores, but that's only partly true. :)

Hard Day

Some days are just harder than others, and for Maggie, today was hard. Here's a few things I observed today from her point of view. I'm sure she would add 5 additional items related to sibling torture.

1. The pool was freezing, and rain was falling during swim lessons.
2. My back was itchy and burning all day because someone missed a few places with the sunscreen a couple days ago.
3. I fainted when Mom was doing my hair. "Mom, my forehead hurts"...[slump].

She spent the afternoon reading a book on the couch, feeling much better. I am grateful that I can't take credit for making the pool cold.

I do love this picture I took for her grandma today. Doesn't she have a sweet profile?

Here's to a better day for all the Maggie's in the world...and especially those in this house. :)

Rice Paddy

 

Scot has asked that we revisit his past request of growing rice. If we continue to receive rain like we are today, I may seriously consider it. It's hard to believe that just hours earlier we were swimming in the hot sun. Now all the flower beds are overflowing with water; thunder is crashing on top of thunder, rain is still pouring.

Can you see where we should be planting rice? Unfortunately that's where my zinnia seeds and asparagus are supposed to be growing. (Although I can't blame the neighbor kids walking through it on the rain!) Today (and every day it rains) I'm grateful that we have a good sump pump and a dry basement.

Moving Up the Ranks

Congratulations to James for working his way up to 1st Class in scouts. This week at the court of honor he was awarded his badges for both 2nd and 1st Class.
This week we are looking forward to swimming lessons, scout camp packing, and finishing up some serious projects (both mine and the kids').
The daisies have exploded...I'll post some pictures this week. :)

On a different note...
Have you ever been to an opera? Last night was our first opportunity, and it was amazing. I loved the scenery. The singers were incredible. I thought it was fun to dress up and sit inside the beautiful Music Hall, with its great acoustics. Brian may never go back again, but I'd love to go again--perhaps something not quite as tragic as Rigoletto, but are there any non-tragic operas? :)

Free Time

Brian and I have done our best to make sure the kids have no free time this summer. Chores, extra projects (like pulling nails and hacking weeds), merit badge pre-work can really suck up a lot of time. Almost makes me feel sorry for these kids...until I realize they have plenty of free time. This is what I find them doing at strange intervals through the day:

Waiting for the Perfect Day

The perfect day has been a long time in the waiting. Like all the crazy heat/cold/tornados/rain that have been around the country, we've all but skipped any perfect days. Today was well worth the wait. :) We were finally able to work in the yard without breaking a sweat (by just stepping out the door) and hike a bit at Woodland Mound.

Our first choice was the Nature Center, since we don't go very often. However, upon arrival, we learned that Modays are not longer free (an obvious result of not going very often). I wouldn't pay the fee. Not really sure what my moral delimma was...but I wouldn't pay it. I probably spent the same amount in gas driving to Woodland Mound!

These pictures are from a different hike, early in May, but along the same Seasongood Trail. Today Scot ran the trails, meeting us at different spots, Maggie was the "leader" (her own designation and not received well by anyone else), and the rest of us ran in spurts. It was definitely completed in record time, but the cool, calm beautiful just kind of lifted us over the hills and through the prairie.

We also explored the Seasongood nature center a little more. They have some fun (and educational) things. And, of course, we finished up with the playground.

So excited for this perfect day. I'm going to use the rest of it baking bread and making cookies.

Primary Talk by Amy

Today Amy gave a very special talk in Primary. I, of course, had it going a whole different direction, but she was insistent in what she wanted to say. As I wrote what she said, I knew that her version was much better. :)

"Jesus is our Savior.
He died for us.
I love him.
In this picture, He is holding a lamb.
He is taking care of it and making sure it is safe.
We are like His lamb.
When we follow His commandments and do what He asks, He takes care of us.
In the picture, it looks like He really loves the lamb.
I know that He love me, too. He loves all of us.
Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Hope you have a wonderful Sabbath Day!

Cherry Blossom Festival

~Spring Break in D.C.~

 

The Lincoln Memorial

 

Down the steps of the Jefferson Memorial

 

The amazing cherry blossoms. Who wouldn't want to hug a cherry tree?

 Joggers are too cool.

Movie star? Celebrity?

Late nights talking and drawing crazy pictures--cheese cake anyone? never mind, just dead panning. Lots of good-night hugs. Cousins finally getting to hang out and just play--mushroom soup & hot chocolate are on the menu.. Shopping--thanks Grandma & Lauren! Was Lincoln's coat really that big? Silk screening really cool District Clothing t-shirts. Carl's, of course.