school starts & back to life...

ruby-duby the night before school started
getting ice cream with some friends...
had to add the pic with my eyes closed just for ruby's facial sake

had to get her in front of school and in her class!
she loves to smile with her Dracula teeth now...(note pic on left)

because she is in SECOND grade!-whoa-
i had to get her in action on her SECOND day of school too! :)

this is the highlight of her life right now-
her new shoes that she picked out and ADORES.

our dear OLD friend turned 40...
and we graced him with our presence and this yummy litter of a cake.!
the 4 letter word is for CRAP, btw...
it was hard to eat this cake-
just the thought and the premise made it nearly impossible to 'gag' down.

{honest to goodness church goers}



we had our ward camp out this last weekend in pine valley}
a beautiful and close-ish place to camp...
we did a training run up there  {side note=marathon in only 41 days!}
we were supposed to run 18 this weekend but only did 10 cuz we all got barely a wink of sleep the night before:( 
but it was a fabulous run
clear, cool air and beautiful wooded surroundings...



lots of marshmellows
followed by vigorous brushing...

it really was a pretty place, a great reservoir to fish at...
and twin boys to smile for the camera...

its hard to get back in the swing of things after such a great summer break!
gotta crack down the whip! on myself and my kids:)

Brian Head

not sure if i ever posted this pic. but we found this incredible snake a month or so back.
we were at the river and liam comes running over, "i found a snake!" 
we didn't really believe he did or thought it was probably a tiny garden snake or something
but he was so excited we ran over to see -and here it was :
big, fat, black and white striped- a california king snake.  pretty cool! 
our friend picked it up for the kids to hold...we wouldn't have dared between marty and i or known it wasn't poisonous!



We went to Brian Head with the Chambers for 2 nights...my first time! 
It was our last sha-bang before the school year starts!  ah!
The kids were in heaven eating popcorn, playing games, "stayin up late".  
Ricki and I are trying to pull a really tired face
because we'd just ran 15 miles that morning!
gag. This training thing really is a joke.

the highlight of the 2 days for the boys was Daxton's Cadillac. 
The trio rode non-stop in this thing when they had the chance.

we rode the {long} gondola up the hill of the ski resort to hike back down and look for treasures...
part of the 'hunt' you pay for in the beginning.
the kids got a treasure map and prizes at the end for what they found and saw.
they loved it, it kept them going for the most part.

i've never been more scared ...well i have.  but i decided i hate heights and having my children spread out on different lifts was causing me anxiety, just to think about them leaning forward and falling off! ugh.
it didn't even phase these suckers in the red...

i kept focusing on the beautiful scenery and my new 'KEEN's- Karlin had a pair too. 
i love them and I love her for being my riding buddy, she was scared too and we just sang a song to charlie and looked at the beauty around us to take our minds off it:)  ha!

nice little lake to skip rocks on about midway through our hike.

Charlie got lugged around most the hike.  we forgot his backpack carrier and poor Kenzie had to haul him on her tiny body...cuz he loves her.
 that little boy needs to take care of his own! 
 although i have to say, he did walk a good portion and the hike was at least 4 miles on rocky terrain.  and he had sandals on that weren't good for hiking- cuz i forgot his shoes
...i know, i am such a good parent.

part of the trail, lasso-ing fake cattle...??

and then lasso-ing real, um not cattle, but ya know...
for him thats a good catch! (don't forget it TONY)

 found this beautiful broken butterfly.  the kids got a kick out of holding it...as did i. 
 it was interesting to see up close and feel it's sticky little tentacles crawl around on my hand. 

we spent some time in the game room, in the jacuzzi and in the outdoor pool. 
again, kids were in heaven. 

this poor boy was tuckered out!
the shiner on his forehead is from 1 week prior when he jumped out of our van and caught himself head first
it was a huge goose ache! and black and purple and bleeding. 
 i am surprised to see it healing like it is. 
this will be my daring, 'invinsible' child for eternity i'm afraid.

{ 2 weeks } ...

...and this is what i have to show for  it!!  a whole lot of fun!
my kids exploded with excitement and then i had to piece them back together again
for another week of cousin fest...
Casa De Fruta with Lee and Merry near Gilroy CA. 

riding on trains, and searching for GOLD.

searching and searching for that gold...

we had a lovely dinner and overnight stay with Merry and Lee
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
{we love you tons}

the next day after our 8.5 hour drive to Gilroy, we had another 5 hour drive to
Lake ALMANOR. gag!!!
this was of some excitement though:)
i saw him/her on the side of the road on our travel thru the woods and made marty flip around for a closer encounter...
it was scary to even get near him for a pic
even though we knew he was dead i was just waiting for him to jump up and eat me!
ruby wanted one of his teeth for a souvenir but i just couldn't get myself to yank it.

Charlie became his own version of a bear and to fight the boredom
 {for the second day in a row}
 he began doing tricks like this...
eating animal crackers with his toes.  very impressive.

finally we made it. anthony was instantly charlie's best bud cuz he built him this model car
and ruby jumped right out on the lake to canoe with grams.

we played outdoor, organized games, thanks to bec and ryan
it was a blast. and hilarious.
and exhausting.  we are old apparently.

charlie still attached to anthony...AND his dukes, teddy, car.

oh luci, i love your red hair! will you trade me one day.?

i let liam drive. oh my. but i am still alive.

what beach bums!

they liked it for a minute!
ruby is totally pulling the teenager face in this bottom one! scary!
she was riding with a teenager{Caroline}, ryan and bec's exchange student from germany...
maybe that's why the attitude:)

bec and lydie sporting the aprons i made -for the lake-
and charlie eating the cupcakes they made -in the aprons-
it's all a circle of life

liam and lydia playing in the dirt...good thing there is water near by!
raquel and i not planning our outfits. but coming close to being twin sistas.

while out on the boat, grams pulls up on the jet ski!  you go girl!
marty catching some air. not really. but a little.
 him and ryan kill each other out there.



exfoliation facial is what he was going for i think.

eating shakes in Chester CA
ruby's best friend (aunt) kimby. 
they still love each other.

now we are at a cabin (just 5 days later) in Heber Utah with MY family.
oh joy. :) 
we did an olympic parade

olympic games...

oh yeah, bring it on ya'all utah hunter boys,
 my daughter can take down any buck now.

the kids played an array of olympic competitions
but the final was a water fight. encouraged by my dad
see exhibit on the left and then see exhibit on the right.
apparantely charlie can dish but he can't take... poor baby.

tug of war- all cousins against the all mighty Jared Palmer- michelles' hubs-
guess what, THEY won.
poor baby.
and ruby getting ready for the 2022 olympic gymnastics

lots of cousin bonding.
they were timed to do this puzzle and their braided little heads were working hard.
only because there was a treat involved in the end.

weird dance moves made weirder by the facials. nice charles. nice.

award ceremony and family pics with their handmade family flags.
all courtesy of my mom's over-eager and bless her heart, cute ideas...
she and my dad do SO much for these family get togethers. 
we all truly appreciate and love them.

then some down time for a couple days at my parents in Morgan while i worked.
thanks mom for watching my kids!
there was NO shortage of cousin time
at least my dad sat down for a while in the middle of the day
. so proud of him! this never happens.

face pancakes...made by my father .
i need to re-evaluate my 'fun' factor...

and last but not least, holding baby chicks at the Morgan County Fair.
then it was back to ST GEORGE-home sweet home
2 weeks. wow. no dead plants though miraculously!