Harvest

Harvest Time

We came home from San Diego (pictures to come) to find a barrel full of apples on our tree. Who says you can't grow apples in Arizona.

And they are seriously so yummy! Crisp, not too sweet, not tart at all. Wouldn't it be awesome if I remembered what kind of apple tree I bought... no idea.

And we have way more on our tree still!

Then this is Dallin's harvest.

When we planted our garden, Dallin on his own planted a potatoe from our kitchen. I didn't really think it would do anything... but it grew 13 new little tiny potatoes! They were so cute.

So while the lazy kids slept in... Dallin cut up his potatoes and I fried them for the early risers to have a yummy breakfast!


This was one of my favorite breakfast's as a kid.... fried potatoes, and scrambled eggs wrapped in corn tortillas cooked on the stove. We were out of Ranch style beans, or we would have had that with it.

(when I went to Mexico with mi abuela for summers as a kid, standard breakfast there: potatoes fried in lard, eggs, corn tortillas, refried beans)

Oh yes, Dallin's potatoes were yummy.

Dance Time

Emma had her FIRST Dance Recital!

I don't know how moms survive these. We were there SOOO many hours. I guess it didn't have to be as stressful but Bruce had to work, and I had my 12 year old boy watching my baby, and Ashlin arriving home from girls camp. So the waiting time draaaaaaaged on.

But Emma looked so cute!

There was lots of prep time and watching other dances...

then finally Emma's turn in the spotlight...

You were sure cute!!

the cabin

At the cabin for Memorial Day...

Dallin could live at the creek catching crawdads:

Lots of coloring...

But the BEST is dropping the kids off at the REC CENTER at the Country Club:

... they make crafts there:

play games...

Poor Logan threw up while we were there

and missed a day at the Rec center...

but you can't feel too bad for him, when this is where he can rest:

And it was such a sweet time that I spent alone with him reading Treasure Island on the hammock.

I was making a sad face because poor Logan was sick.

Loved the long walks and Bruce and I staying up until 1am talking to Carrie and Geoff.

My parents came, and my mom ofcourse brought her birds.... kinda wierd that she always has a bird on her head, but what can you do. She was in the kitchen making salsa with a bird on her head the whole time. sigh. Do you think I am going to get even wierder as I get older too?

Summer Fun

Oh yes my friends... plans are made.

This last monday night, the last monday before summer, is ALWAYS exciting. WHY? That's when the kids and us make the SUMMER TO-DO LIST!

This year I've had ALL KINDS of crazy ideas in my head for weeks that I was so excited to do this summer. Here are a few of my faves:

-Sound of Music Night Lily has been really in to the soundtrack lately. And who even knows what "Schnitzel with noodles" is... so we decided to have a night where we watch the movie and make "schnitzel with noodle" and "crisp apple streudel" YUM!

(words from the song "These are a few of my Favorite Things")
-Sunrise hike with breakfast at top (oh yes, waking the kids up at 4:30... HOW FUN!)
-Make a model CASTLE. We are NOT buying a kit. We are going to make little furniture from stuff around house, a moat, drawbridge.... HOW COOL!! (Like the size of a little doll house)
-Ride the Lightrail to phoenix to go out to eat as a family
-Make homemade icecream (Emma's request)

-Write and illustrate a BOOK! This is the one we are MOST excited about. We are writing the story, creating all the miniature scenes, and making a REAL book like on shutterfly.

I do not sign my kids up for a ton of stuff in the summer... because we love doing tons of crazy stuff all together!

I LOVE no schedules. I LOVE summer.

(but don't worry, my kids do tons of daily chores to earn the fun stuff)

Canyon Lake

JET SKIING AT CANYON LAKE!

This is my AWESOME dad above and below.... always with a grandchild! He planned the day,
rented the jet skiis and brought his kayaks.

Here he is with the 4 year olds in the kayak... I LOVE my dad!!


The cute little Sophie above made the day a little HARD! She was fussy to go ALL day with no nap...
napping was not a problem for El Jefe though:

Good time. I love Arizona. The Canyon Lake was so pretty!

Rockstars

TALENT SHOW TIME!

Dallin has been taking guitar for a while now. For the primary talent show this year (a few weeks ago) Dallin played the guitar and Emma sang the song "Who Knew" by Pink.

They did a good job... however... for as spunky as Emma is in person... she sure doesn't ham it up on the stage! Before the show at home I sang with Dallin to try and show Emma how to ham it up a little more and really put emotion in to the song... but what happend was I scared her in to thinking she would look as retarded as me if she tried that.... so in an effort to look cooler then what her mom demonstrated to her at home.... she just stands there. ha ha

(the music you hear is all Dallin and Emma,

no background music this time)

Girls Trip

What is this you see in the background??

The Gila Valley Temple

Ashlin and Vanessa came home from school tuesday BEGGING me to take them to the Gila Valley Temple open house the next day, wednesday. I figure if that's what my kids are begging for, how could I resist? We rearranged our schedule and I took just my 2 biggest girls Emma and Ashlin, and ofcourse, Vanessa...

Oh yah baby, that's right: NO BABY, NO PRESCHOOLER, NO BOYS.
Twas SUCH a break to go on a roadtrip with just us girls. LOVED IT!! The temple was beautiful, and peaceful, and I ofcourse cried being inside it with my girls. So Special.

Another bonus of the trip was checking out downtown Safford... yee-haw.

But the one SPECIAL SURPRISE that I had NO idea was even there... was this Gila Valley courthouse with 3 war memorials out front.

I knew my grandpa served in ww2,

and grew up in the Pima area,

and sure enough...

his name was on the memorial.

What a neat thing for my girls and I to see.

(Had to crop myself out of the above picture, twas painful on the eye)

I love all of my children, but wow, it is SO EASY to just hang out with the older ones!!!

ps- This temple was just recently built. Before a temple is dedicated as a House of the Lord, anyone in the public is invited to come and take a tour inside. After dedication, you can only go inside a temple as an adult with a temple recommend.