Family Day Spa

Ummm, Day Spa?
Looks like Bear Lake actually.
N. was a little reluctant to go on another lake outing on account of last time, coming home to the pain of Izzys death.
We all felt a little that way, but with a whole month passing the homecoming wasn't nearly as bad as we thought it would be.
We still looked for her at the gate pulling in, and still missed her excited greeting (like everytime when we return home now).
Somehow we go on and somehow can still have fun at the lake, although it would have been the best to see her waiting for us after a long day in the sun.

We all got Mud Baths and talk about exfoliating!
Mom pretends she is at the coast, listening to the waves crash while S. scrubs her legs.

No sitting around for T. Jump, Run, Swim Splash. Those are more like it.

Artists cannot be bothered with cleanliness while working.


Cute little siblings making mud pies on each others backs. Watch out though the eye packs kind of sting!

Quiz time: Whose shadows are these?

clue: Afro:) and a side hug(cuz what kind of silhouette do you get with a real hug?Odd.)

clue: hands and feet outgrowing everything
clue: sparkly toenail polish
clue: wide open arms
clue: wont hold still long enough to get a good farmer- tan- with- the- swim -diaper picture

I would Hate to miss the 2yr old stage

Okay, that was sarcastic.
Truth is, for as awful as the screaming "I do it!" and the potty training attempts and the ruined Lego creations seem, it really is a lot of laughs.
All those scraped knees and bumped noggins also come with a free snuggle, which is a wonderful reward.


Painting stuffs.


Can you tell who got a hold of the hose?



T. is such a good sport with her, a good example to all of us for what our faces should look like around a 2yr old terror.


There has been some complaining about not having a sprayer at the kitchen sink, not because it would be difficult or expensive but, because this house has been so perfect for our family that, when we move out, the next house will only be able to top it by having a sprayer.
This day it was an advantage, not having a sprayer.
If the windowsill was full of water and the 6 feet of cabinet top next to her was flooded,without one, can you just imagine how much worse it could have been?!

Romans 5:3–5

"We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

The crack of dawn and other times I miss while sleeping

N. has always been an early riser. Z. and I, well, not so much.
Fortunately I have N. to wake us up now that school is back in session, and moseying to class at 9am just doesn't cut it when the breakfast line starts at 7:30.
He was dressed down to shoes and backpack before moms alarm even went off.
First day pictures just don't do justice to the excitement and nervousness the kids were feeling.

T. and S. though, are very much enjoying having the morning to themselves.
I do mean themselves.
Mom went back to bed after the Elementary drop off (for good reason, Dave Matthews Band and the ride home from Salt Lake till 2am caused some sleep loss) and found these two serving their own picnic style breakfast out back.
Sleeping in normally results in 1/2 gallon of milk on the floor, a wet diaper deposited randomly, a movie turned up way too loud, and some arguing.
I'll take the cute happy smiles any morning.
Quiet and clean also are nice but not required.

How many times can you ride the Gravitron...

.. in a row, before you throw up?

We had a long fun day together at the county fair and carnival to end our summer days.

"Just one more ride?"



They all came home so tired they crashed (which is what mom always hopes for after a fun day).

Except for lil" T. He only made it as far as his booster seat before crashing.

Any corn growing tips?

S. loves the idea of tiny little tomatoes but tiny little corn wasn't really my idea.
We planted it thinking how we could decorate the front door with the stalks but it also would be nice if some juicy corn would actually "spring forth" too.
T's suggestion, after seeing the sad corn cobs, was that we should ask God to bless it for us.
A giant area to plant in, easy access to inexpensive water and plenty of sunshine already.
No swarms of bugs have come through and no wild animals have dug it up.
Quite blessed already, I think.
I told him we just need to study up on corn, he was unconvinced as usual.
Ah, the faith of a Child.

1. Isa. 61: 11
   For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

When you can wiggle your tooth with your tongue....

....it will fall out soon.
That would seem like a good answer to the repetitive question "When will my tooth fall out?" Unless your tongue is really strong.
In that case its useless and just causes a worse repetitive problem that has to do with "Look, I can wiggle it with my tongue." " When will it fall out?""See?!" "Mom, LOOK." "You said when my tooth can wiggle with my tongue it will fall out, Huh?!"

Here is my new statement:
"When you can spin your tooth all of the way around in a complete spin, it will fall out soon."

Do not feed your fingers to the horses, or the day we visited the farm

So, I think I know what Heaven will be like.
I spent a morning with my beautiful, energetic kids, My sister and her sweet baby, and two of my favorite Aunts and their kids(Maryman if you would have come it would have been all of my favorite aunts!) at a farm.
Sounds hot and smelly.
Yes it was, but I hardly noticed.
To be outside with some of those people I treasure, enjoying some of the animals God created, just too good for words.
I laughed.
I cried (just to myself).
Yes, I do that most days just thinking about the laundry, but that day really was special.
I am so blessed.

Laughing at N. as he pretends to be gored by this cow, steer, what ever you call it(no idea what the correct bovine terms are). Not sure the cutiepie in the background finds it as funny.



Another good snicker: "It says "Do not drink"!!!" This was the pig cage, the pigs water, to cool off in. Not a pretty sight. I wondered if they had problems in the past with thirsty kids climbing the fence and actually drinking it. Gross.


Another funny one was T. copying big brother. Gored in the neck. Gored or Bored?

Because of the smile and lack of much blood, Z.'s trouble with a horse still makes me smile. Reason being that she has been able to read since she was in preschool. Has it been helpful? Normally. This day though she was so busy collecting things on the ground to feed the horses that she didnt read the Big Red Sign."Please Do Not Feed Your Fingers to the Horses". There is a reason its a big sign and that its red and that it is kid level. These are not normal horses. These are the giant finger eating types. As you can guess, she got bit. And it surprised her. We couldn't help but tease that she would end up with half of a finger like her Grandpa. He was also bitten by an animal. Hers fortunately didn't get infected, just bruised and swollen. Lesson learned.

And now for the crying part. We met the worlds most friendly cow. No kidding. She took a liking and nearly a licking to N. The part that got to my heart first was her eyes. Big Brown Izzy eyes. Same feel to her hair too. Friendly like her, and looking like her, and feeling like her, made me miss that little dog so much. *sigh* Then I remembered Heaven, just a feeling of a memory. That's enough though, I don't need any real memories of what its like, I am living it right now.

With our Earth being like 3/4 water(or something like that)

.....it's no wonder that our summer fun has mostly had to do with water.
A lake,a reservoir, a few rivers, several pools, backyard sprinklers, wading pools, you name it. Okay, sadly an ocean was not in the plans for this summer.
But, even the dinosaur museum includes a water exhibit!

Our visiting California beach bum of a nephew was quick to point out that the reason this nasty sand pool was fun for kids was that we are in Utah and there isnt a beach around. Whatever, its totally the plastic dinos drowning that make it fun!

Z. before her official release of freedom from a life preserver. Swim lessons passed though,check!

S. thinks she is bigtime now with her water skills. Mom doesnt agree that voluntarily dunking yourself in water counts as the ability to "swim".


That may seem like clean water, being a water bottle and all, but its been used to transport reservoir water up the hill for a kid-made waterfall. Do Not Drink.


Best thing about docks are that they are great platforms to throw your siblings and cousins from, hence the huge smile.




Daddy even got to join in on the waves one day (and like half of Idaho too).


And, one of our very favorites, Watermelon! Splash!