waterfall slide

My brother found this waterfall up in Alpine with a natural water slide.  The whole thing is made up of granite and the water has made it super smooth. The hike was an easy 20 minute hike but the air temperature was in the triple digits.  Once we got there the water felt really cold because 1. its snow melt, and 2. it was such a shock from the heat it felt exponentially colder.  It was a little scary at the top because of the unknown and the bump at the end can really make you fly.  But it was fun and refreshing.  we all went down, some with help from peer pressure.
Even my mom had to get in on the action.  One lady at the bottom asked "oh my gosh is that your mom? How old is she?  I want to be a cool grandma like that."  My mom is the coolest mom and grandma. Still doing crazy stuff at the age of 63 nothing can stop this lady.  I hope I can be like her when I grow up.

hummingbird eggs

She's back.  my little mama hummingbird has laid her eggs again.  She used her nest from last year only adding a little extra fluff.  These things are so tiny I had to put a quarter so we could see the scale of them.  She is very protective of her nest that happens to be on my front porch.  She hates it when people come to visit and we chat outside.  I feel a little bad when this happens but it's fun to watch her try to distract us to move us away from her nest.

This is a very cultured mama.  When I play the piano I often see her right outside the window listening to me.  Sometimes she just hovers other times she rests on the window ledge but she is always there staring at me through the window as I play.

summer activites

I have a love hate relationship with summer.  I love the sun and playing with my kids.  But I hate that I can't keep my house clean and sometimes the kids get on my nerves when we have spent too much time together.  One of our summer days I decided we were going to do all our errands via bicycle.  Brennen is still a  little new at riding a 2 wheeler in the street so we both were a little nervous about that.  I happened to pick a very hot day to do this and we didn't get started until noonish. The boys did pretty good, no complaining and they kept up okay.  Brennen was understandably slower at some parts but we made it.  We only got 3 errands done and went to lunch and it took up 3 hours but it was something to do and the boys were all tuckered out my the end of the day.  Even Peter went to bed that night at 6pm.  If it ever cools down a little we will do this again.

We have gone swimming multiple times at the Lehi Legacy Center because we have passes so it doesn't cost us any extra money.  Sometimes we meet cousins there and that makes it all the more fun.  This one particular time a boy was annoyingly flirting with Ellie and just wouldn't leave her alone.  Shane whom is usually her nemesis stepped right in to defend her honor  He wanted her to point this kid out to him so he could beat him up.  I told him that was not necessary but he could tell him to back off.  He did a little more than that, but I was so pleased that when it came time he had her back.  Now I just worry about Jenni's future admirers.

Summertime also means carnival time and for me that means face painting.  My mom's ward was having an auction and they were having carnival type activities.  She came over so I could teach her face painting.  It's funny that she is actually the one who first taught me to face paint when I was 9 or 10 and now that face painting has evolved we have come full circle.  She didn't need much help she is already and amazing artist.  We rounded up kids to practice on.  As it turned out my sister Stephanie and I did the actual painting at the party because my mom needed to work the cotton candy machine.

Headstone

I am so grateful for the love of my life who is a wonderful father. Even more grateful that he understood that This Father's Day need to be about my dad.  We did celebrate Scott and gave him gifts but my main focus was on my dad who had a job on the other side that he needed to get to. They finally laid his headstone so we traveled up to the cemetery to see it on Father's day.  It was nestled right next to others of his family that have passed before him.  

When we got there we noticed a can of V8 one of my dad's favorite drinks.  I was left by my brother Jeff and his family that came earlier.  My mom and sisters brought flowers and my nephew Shane brought bottle rockets.  So fitting for my dad. It was good to talk to the kids about their grandpa and about heaven.  I think our understanding has helped all of us to get through this a little easier.  I know we all miss him terribly but we will be okay.  There are times when I break down and cry when a simple memory comes to the surface, or when I think of the things that he will miss or just because I miss him.  At times like that I just put myself to work because I know that's what he would want.

Some have asked if I feel angry about his passing, but I can honestly say no.  I feel sad at times but not angry.  I think what has helped me is that I was able to spend so much time with him at the end.  To talk to him, sit with him, snuggle next to him, and serve him, but also I wrote him a letter with all the things I thought he needed to know.  I felt like I left nothing unsaid.  Those things have helped me come to terms with his death.

His headstone turned out very nice and very him.  While it's nice to have a place to visit and acknowledge his life here on earth, I'd like to think his legacy of his wife and children are more acknowledgement of his life.

Tin foil tradition

Happy birthday Gerogia

Cousins showing cousins how to pee in the woods.  Its a learned skill

I am coming to realize there are going to be a lot of significant 1st's this year.  This was the first tin foil dinner up in the canyon without my dad.  He loved to take the family up to do tin foil dinners, and we hesitated in going wondering if it was too soon.  So we set it up for Father's day weekend.  Now none of us really enjoy the actual tin foil dinner part.  We usually find a way around it by cooking hot dogs or just bringing something else.  This time in honor of my dad who loved the traditional meat and potatoes  a lot us cooked them up.  It was pretty crowded up in the canyon this Saturday we were lucky to get a table in are usual area.  I'd like to think "Lucky" had a hand in it because we got the biggest camp ground and we never get that one. 

Paul eating a hot dog with whipped cream

Dirtiest kid

Scott enjoying fatherhood with his sweet Georgia peach

Jenni

Hyrum, William, Brennen, Peter

Some were a little more subdued this time around but once we all got there and started chatting and telling stories it felt good.  I am so glad for this tradition my dad started so many years ago that we can now share with our children.  We celebrated Georgia's birthday and the kids got dirty dirty dirty.  I think Lizzy won the dirtiest kid award but she couldn't have been happier.  Even TK who is usually pristine was dirty.

Filthy Brennen

Matt, Scott, Shane

TK

Peter

Father's Day craft

I thought I should add some of the scout stuff I do for other people to get ideas or so I can use them again later.  My calling in my church is Bear leader in the cub scouts.  This could not be a more perfect calling for me.  It's a lot of work but I really enjoy it. I love teaching these kids and joking with them, helping them grow and learning from them.  

I feel a little like these boys need to be able to do real things so I have them do a lot of hands on stuff. I thank my parents for teaching me all this stuff, and more importantly to not be afraid to try new things, even if its work.  When it came time to come up with a Father's day craft I came up with this idea. 

It's a remote caddy.  (They had no idea what it was until I put the picture in.  They just thought it was a box) The only money I spent on this project was the rope $3 and the nails $3.  For 15 boys I thought that was pretty good.  The wood and stain were salvaged from a job site.  So when your looking don't be afraid to get to a site and ask for their garbage.  I have done many a projects like this.  Think of it as upcycling or going green.  If I was smarter I would have had all the sides cut before the scouts got there, but I didn't want to waste if I was only going to have 5 scouts show up. Just my luck all 15 showed up.

Because the boys aren't allowed to use real tools I had them sand, stain, and glue their boxes then I went around and nailed them with my nail gun and drilled the holes for the rope handles.  I think they turned out pretty good considering they were made by 8 and 9 year olds.  They boys had a great time and even more important they learned they CAN do things like this.  It's also cool when they think I am amazing because I am a girl and can use tools the way I do.  (Thanks Dad).

To help the dad's understand what it was for I made up this little poem.

You work hard every day

So I can go and run and play

And so I thought what I could do

To make a less stress day for you

Of all the things that drive you crazy

I know it's when I'm super lazy

And don't put things where they belong

Even when I know its wrong

So when you come home, all tuckered out

And you want to relax upon the couch

I made this box so you can find

That pesky remote that has its own mind

As is wanders form hand to hand 

It needed a final place to stand

Thanks for being such a great dad

Your the best a boy ever had.

summer recitals

I thought summer recitals would be easier than winter ones near Christmas time.  I was seriously mistaken.  Not only do we have to juggle 10 schedules but the kids have summer on the brain and do not want to work on their music.

Our first summer recital was Ellie's violin recital. I have to say she is getting much better.  It helps when she got to pick the song she wanted to do.  She had the idea for this song a while back so she worked with her teacher to learn it.  When the other girls heard it they just had to get in on the action.  She was a little miffed about having to share her favorite song be she got over it and performed wonderfully.

Next came my piano recital.  I had this great idea to do a "Night at the Oscars". I wanted all the kids to do music from their favorite movies.  I let each kid pick what song they wanted to learn.  I didn't realize how much work this was going to be for me.  I had a hard time finding each piece in my students different levels so I ended up writing a lot of the songs.  Luckily I learned that somewhere along the way. If I didn't write them I changed up a piece that was already written to match it to the student.

For the recital I had everyone come dresses for the Red Carpet. I put up a red curtain behind the piano so it looked like it was on a stage then I added the red carpet.  For snacks I made chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting with a chocolate treble clef or music note on top.  I also had rice krispies and popcorn, because movies and popcorn go hand in hand.  My students did wonderful I was so proud.  After all the music was played I had them each come up and receive their awards. They had a great time and so did I.  I love moments like this where you can see all the hard work pay off.