Hannah is 14!!

Hannah has been waiting a looonnng time to turn 14 like the rest of her friends and the day finally arrived. We are not big on fancy birthdays, just cake, ice cream and presents with family. This year she got a certificate for $ to use when we go school shopping.

A few days after the actual day, she and McKenzie went to Blanding to bowl in the new bowling alley. We had lunch provided by A&W while we bowled and it was a really fun time. Funny too. Remember McKenzie's ball slipping off her fingers and rolling backwards through the seating area almost to the wheelchair ramp? Haha. And the craziness of pinball bowling, strategizing how to ricochet the ball off the bumpers at the right place to get it to knock down the pins left standing? Good times.

So many supervisors to light a few candles!

James helping blow them out!

Someone is excited about fire!

Don't burn your fingers lighting all those candles

Nice! Hannah and McKenzie

Bowling buds1

You're supposed to throw it the other way! 

looking for a strike!

after one game, Hannah is in the lead...

someone got a strike!

final score-McKenzie 181, Hannah 176. :)

Skating the day away..

One hot windy summer day we decided to get out of the house and put our street gliderz back to use. We bought them a few years ago at the UT State Fair and they were fun on our hilly road in Provo.

However they've been gathering cobwebs since we moved here. Having a gravel driveway just doesn't encourage skating.

So we dug them out, took ourselves down to the snow shack for a shaved ice, and hit the pavilion at the ballpark for some skating.

Scooters were put to use as well. It was fun to have such a large flat surface to ride on.

Cambria

Hannah

Nice red slushie tongue!

Hannah-L, Soren-R

July 4TH!!

We took a different approach to Independence Day this year. Rather than join all the crowds at the parade in Blanding we decided to head up the mountain. We took a picnic lunch and drove up to the saddle. We hiked up the trail (Cooley Pass Trailhead) a ways til it got really steep and the boys declared they were hungry. After lunch we played a bit of football, looked at wild flowers, and just enjoyed the peace and quiet. I thought we might have to search to find  a place where no one else was, but we didn't see anyone else. We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful place where God's handiwork is so evident and we can easily get away from 'civilization' to enjoy nature. Happy Birthday, America!

(Edited to add some shots of fireworks from Blanding's show)

Heading south on the Cooley Pass Trailhead

It was so nice to get up in the cool pines...TALL pines.

Trail got really steep so we turned around and went back.

James posing for pictures...

Having a cool drink in the shade. James stole my chair.

Cambria and James enjoying the peace and quiet and Shasta and CapriSun.

A drink is much needed after hiking.

Playing a little football on the top of the mountain. Careful not to let it go over the hill!
You'll have to chase it a long ways.

North Creek Pass, aka 'the Saddle' (what Grandpa B called it)

BOOM!!

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!!

Employee of the Year!

RT Neilson (L) and Curtis (R)

This year Curtis was selected as the classified employee of the year for Monticello High School. (There is also a Teacher of the Year)

Curtis and I were invited to attend a dinner in honor of the district's Employees of the year. It was held in Blanding at USU-CEU. We drove down with Mr. Shakespeare (MHS principal) and his wife. 

We had a nice dinner-choice of steak or chicken and shrimp-some after dinner entertainment, and then the awards were presented. 

I am so thankful for Curtis's job and that he gives 110% in all he does there. It's nice to see that other people appreciate him and all that he gives as well. 

We are proud of you!!!!

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Girls camp 2013-Stand Firm

This was a special year for us at girls camp. It was the first time that I and all my girls were there together. It may also be the last, since I've been in YW for almost 3 years now. I almost talked myself out of going but decided I couldn't pass up this opportunity.

I was a level leader with the 1st levels, which included Sadie this year. We had a huge level, 25 girls, and 5 adult leaders. Huge tent!!

Camp began with us pulling handcarts 4 1/2 miles into camp. We had a devotional and lunch and a workshop from our stake leaders along the way. It took from 9 am to 3 pm. The girls were wondering if we were ever going to get to camp. At the devotional each handcart company got a treasure chest and inside it were small copies of the Book of Mormon with custom sewn fabric covers. They were sweet!

That night we had a delicious dinner, dud our lip syncs, and had game night/dance party.

I was hoping that the hiking and dancing would have worn the girls out and they'd go to sleep but no such luck! Some of them stayed up til 5. I don't know what there was to stay up for.........

The next day we did devotional, service projects and certification. We had Book of Mormon games, then the mystery dinner. The dinner was a murder mystery and the people at each table were the suspects. Between courses of dinner clues were read and discussed. We had to say who we thought it was and why. Then Bishop Duke from 3rd ward stood up to reveal the answer. When he asked, 'have any of you heard a story like thus before?' It clicked in my brain that I had. It was the story if the murder of Pahoran the chief judge in the Book of Mormon. It was such an awesome way to relate the BoM to our day!! Loved it!

Then we had our commitment hike and s'mores. The girls actually went to bed good that night. Guess their late night caught up with them.

The last day we had devotional, a testimony meeting and did some fun crafts to remind us of standing firm. Then we loaded up our stuff, cleaned camp, took down tents and came home. 

Although we were so happy to shower and sleep in our own beds, we loved camp and will remember it as a wonderful learning experience and a LOT of fun!!

Book Of Mormon Games-all painted for the Epic Battle

Happy Sadie at the rear corner of her company's handcart

Devotional on our hike in (Sadie in upper center with camelback and white headband.)

Workshop from Stake Leaders on Family (Cambria-3rd from left in blue shirt with sunglasses on)

Sadie pushing as she walks and walks and walks.

Happy Hannah at the amphitheater. (in white sunglasses)

show us those moves Hannah!

We "heart" you too, Hannah!

Sadie (with fuzzy pink ears) during the lip sync. Stand out from the Goofy movie.

Hey, is that a smile??

Nina and her comfy hammock. She often had visitors.

Game Night/Dance Party 

Ninja moves?

Not sure what Hannah's doing here. :)

Sadie busting a move!

Hannah's moves are getting better all the time.

Caught her mid jump!

Cotton-Eyed Joe! This one is FUN

Even Sadie tried it.

Service project-cleaning up the firepits in preparation for S'mores.

The 1st levels went above and beyond, raking up all sorts of leaves.

Sisterly Love on the Commitment Hike.

Sweet summer

There are just some things that go with summer;

-BBQ

-fireworks

-swimming/running thorough sprinklers

-icy cold beverages(I used to love soda pop but my favorite now is good old water)

-s'mores/toasting marshmallows

-camping

-family vacations

-gardens

-county fair

-night games

-watermelon

One thing that also belongs to summer is the juicy sweet flavor of a ripe strawberry. We love freezer strawberry jam here and we have not had any for at least five years. I know it's been that long because I haven't made any since we moved here! 

So when strawberries went on sale a week or two ago we snagged some for jam making. The kids and I ended making 8 batches of jam. 

Oh! How we missed it! And oh! How we have pigged out on it! We've probably already eaten through 2 batches. 

It truly is summer in a jar!