Back to School!

First Day! Rainy and exciting.

 S. started a Chinese Immersion program this year. At another nearby school. It was hard to leave the old school friends behind but she already had a group of new ones before class even started!

 The first week didn't actually cause any permanent damage to any of the kids somehow. S. was always excited to tell the neighbors after school that she was learning Chinese. Of course she couldn't say anything more than hello and goodbye!

 T. and his friends weren't worn out enough by the new school schedule so they decided to open a business. Selling paper airplanes. When that didn't get them instantly rich they changed to cookies and brownies. (Thanks to mommy). 

 S. had a few warts that grew back, on her fingers, after her last traumatic burn off session. The first week of school was the time she bargained with mom for. She didn't want to ruin a single day of summer. It was awful of course, but she only cried for an hour this time.

 This is N.'s 9th Grade face. King of Jr. High. First Year of Seminary, and loving it. The rest of the school day though, he can't wait to get out of there and on to better things!

And how do I feel about this new school year? Love it! Time to myself! Clean house by noon! Checking off small projects left and right! Awwww! This is the life.

These kids keep me entertained to no end

S. and Cousin S., so excited to show me their "Pouffy" princess dresses.Lucky for them there is a vent for each princess on each side of the piano. I remember loving the air vents in our floor as a kid too.

N. is only entertaining for mom now when his video game time is over. He is now fully enthralled in his Xbox. He spent many hot afternoons mowing lawns to earn enough for a real game system. He only had enough $ left over for one extra controller and 2 games. Which is just enough mom thinks.

 Also, a celebration was in order. Xbox=Party.

 Candy & Soda and all is well.

Pie, Peach Pie specifically isn't necessarily entertaining. Its necessary. For breakfast!

 The Monte L.Bean Museum reopened and a few of us went to check it out. Dead animals are so easy to pose with. Z. loves zebras. Alive or not.

Hair Goal for S.

From Buzz to Bun. 16 months and a few "even-ing out" trims.

Before.

After.

 Finally! A Bun! Also she took this hair selfie. Good job. 

Now she feels like she looks like her dollie instead of her brother. 

Does every other post include Cousins?

Pretty much. We adore them! 

 Its great to have a cousin just your age to practice sharing with and one a little younger to get even more practice in. Now days they prefer barbies, trampoline, and babies.

This little guy is just the best! Even big grown up serious teenagers can't help but play with him. Especially when he is running full speed with a baby stroller into the computer chair. 

This blessing of knowing we get to share relationships with these little souls forever is just wonderful. 

Romans 8:11, 16&17

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

Battle Creek

"Our" trail. I'm pretty sure that most mountain lovers in this neighborhood feel that its theirs. Not true. It feels like its a part of us, so its OURS. Its close( 2 minutes to trail head from the house), its easy, its beautiful. 

 N. is a stud and walked the dog up the trail and around the waterfall. She's not always easy to keep under control when she's excited. Hiking is exciting!

 T. under the falls, of course. They love the roar and power of the wind blowing freezing water drops at their faces.

 Photo bridge. Its tradition. Love Z.'s "hold on a second" sneeze face and N.'s "are we done yet" teenager face.

 Harley Dog only wishes she could run across the tree trunk to her boy. N. apparently is fearless or doesn't understand the injuries he could get falling 20 feet into a boulder bed. Fortunately for all of us he survived the crossing back and forth several times (for moms sake, I'm sure) and pretending to slip more than once.

 T. and buddy throwing rock after rock. The entire trail. I love Mt. Timp in the background. So magestic!

Z. and her little wishing plant. She calls it "old mans beard". She wants me to plant some in the yard to wish on. Pretty sure we have enough weeds out back already!

Payson Lakes Porcaro Family Reunion 2014

Grandparents reserve a fun group site for all of us camping folk. As the years go by there are less of us available to attend. We try to have fun anyways, while we miss the Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

 Its a little tough to tell from the shadowed picture but the first sure sign that we are camping are the feet. Muddy, injured, insect bitten.

 The Teen, Tweens and little people head to the nearest lake to try out inflatables. Sadly Z. cut her foot on a piece of broken glass. She hobbled back to camp bloody but not complaining!

 N. wanted to find out how deep the lake was. He hardly had to get wet past his knees.

 N. and Donny later at the bigger lake. Watching the crowds and venturing not too far in the water.

 Grandma always brings a myriad of inflatables for the kids to play with. Even in chilly water they have a blast!

 Around camp with the cousins. Thats the best part. And it didn't rain again much this year. And we saw a moose and somehow keep safe from the bears!

 Z. scolds the dog for not letting her finish the pedicure she started with blue polish. Who doesn't like blue polish?! Dogs apparently.

 T. got a surprise around the campfire. He never thought something as tasty as melted Starburst candy could be so painful and cause so much concern from the adults. Quarter sized 3rd*burn! yikes!

 Rotated, but you get the idea. Fishing! Happy day! T. looked forward to it since the moment we got to camp.

 S. trying out T.'s lucky pole. She didn't catch anything but she didn't give up easily and didn't mind sitting waiting in the muddy grass on the bank. Way to go.

 Beginning of a family hike. Beginning also of a new family tradition that we hope to keep up for all the years we can. All the kids are now old enough and strong enough to hike for an hour or two without being carried. Yay. To break them in we took this short 15 minute wooded trail to a waterfall. So did half of the mountainside of campers! Crowded trail of little people and dogs. Although the kids were highly skeptical of the difficulty and time involvement, once we arrived they were hooked!

 T. hasn't found a waterfall he didn't want to feel, yet! This was about 10 minutes after arriving and waiting our "turn" for a photo.

I love that S. even carries her own water bottle now. Im pretty sure that the best way to enjoy the beauties of this earth are with my whole family! These local mountains and desert are so easily accessed and so beautiful. What a blessing to live here.