Bean Jar Bowling

We have a canning jar that we put dried beans in for doing nice things for each other, and when it's full we get to do something fun. The kids wanted to go bowling when they filled their jar, and so we just went last week with Porter and Claire and their mommy. It was a busy and fun time, with Ammon and Shayla both getting strikes. Poor Dad had to work, so we had to party it up for him too.

For our next full bean jar excursion, the kids decided they want to go to Chuck E Cheese. We'll have to switch from a pint to a quart jar for that one! And we also added a good deed to do as well, so Shayla wants to make cookies for someone who doesn't have any cookies of their own (wouldn't that be a devastating situation? No cookies? Not a world I'd like to live in).

Hey I want one of these metal frames next time I go bowling!

Volcanoes and Pioneers

The kids were asking questions about Mt. Rainier so we took some time to check some books out at the library about volcanoes, and watched a few erupting on YouTube (who'd have thought that website could be educational?!), and then made our own exploding volcano on the deck. Ammon was the diehard, sticking with it to the end, building it out of dirt, and then mixing the magic ingredients together for a huge overflow of orangey-red "hot lava", which we got on video. *note to future volcano builders: making your volcano out of mud is awesome, because you toss the whole mess back into the dirt pile instead of having a wet and yecky paper mache mess to clean up* wink wink...

To celebrate Pioneer day on July 24th, we didn't do TOO much, but I did get the garden cart out and the oxen (Ammon or I) took turns pulling around the pioneers, singing songs and talking about what it would be like to live before toilet paper and gasoline engines. (I would've perished for sure) We also made wagons out of graham crackers and marshmallows, which looked good in the Friend magazine, but didn't exactly work out for us. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the wagon making, with Ammon and Shayla's wagons missing their cookie wheels somehow (both denied eating them), Ammon's wagon ending up transporting a marshmallow robot across the plains, and Liam's wagon didn't get past initial construction, but he heartily approved of the ingredients.

Can you see the marshmallow robot? How about Shayla's sleeping bags and pink bags on her wagon? My wagon kept all it's wheels on for the photo, but I think now it looks like it was left unattended on a shady corner in the middle of LA.

Camping is "So Awesome!"

That's what Ammon says at least. We went to Ensign Ranch for one night and camped our hearts out. Ammon and Shayla had their backpacks packed for about a week prior, they were so excited. It was hot and sunny, and of course we got there on the first day of the no campfire ban, so we roasted marshmallows over a camping stove flame instead of a crackly fire, but I have to say that the smores still tasted just as good.

Saturday we did the slip and slide (well, they did it, while I watched) and Ammon and Shayla rode horses (Liam was not a fan). One crazy coincidence..we ran into a couple of my old best buddies from college there with their families, so it was neat to catch up on things with them for a bit. All in all it was one night (thank goodness, me and a mummy bag are like oil and water) of camping bliss for our little family.

We had lunch at one of the A frame campgrounds and we're intelligent enough to figure out our camera timer for a family photo. Who is that woman taking up half the photo with that gigantic belly?!

This was "the awesomest" according to Ammon. Liam did NOT enjoy the slip and slide. Ammon said he wouldn't mind the cowboy life, minus the helmet...

Our little cowgirl (this was the highlight of her day)

The coveted camping chair, enjoying smores

Liam's favorite spot was on the picnic table, specifically by the food container.

Getting ready for that fancy campstove-y marshmallow roast

Ammon loved slipping and sliding with Dad

Fruits of Our Labors

The prophet said to plant a garden so that's what we'll do..we'll.....Ok so I don't know that primary song all too well, but I remembered the garden part right? We've been doing a community garden of sorts with our friend Colleen and we're just starting to reap the fruits of our labors (mostly her labor and a little of ours). We had stir fry the other night with all homegrown vegetables. All I need now is my own supply of butchering chickens and a rice patty and we're set. (I kid, I joke...rice patties don't work in this area do they?!)

It's SO neat doing this garden. In the past I have fizzled out of energy and end up growing weeds, green tomatoes, and sluggy filled zuchinnis in my own garden, so this garden is blessing me with a good experience to perhaps do my own again when the time is right. Thanks Colleen for letting us in on your green thumb talent and plentiful gardening space!!

A Career Woman

We have a new photographer in our family now. Shayla has decided she wants to be the picture taker for any family events. On the 4th of July she had a good ol time snapping pictures of anyone and everything. I was going through the photos on our digital editor program and thought, "Why did I take a picture of my skirt? Did I not know I was holding the camera, or that I snapped a photo?" But then I remembered I have Miss Photoshoot snapping shots too, and a picture of my skirt seems just about right for her height level.
So here you go, Shayla's start to her burgeoning photography portfolio:

Did I fail to mention her "pose off" with Dad?

4th of July

We'd been doing patriotic activities all week leading up to the 4th...painting patriotic rocks for the garden, learning about the Declaration of Independence, coloring our very own flags, telling stories about the Founding Fathers, making patriotic sugar cookies...we even learned the words to God Bless America and surprised Dad with a rousing rendition of it the morning of the 4th. We celebrated the 4th with gusto this year!

After a tasty ward pancake breakfast (with plenty of delicious food...always a plus!) and a quick morning cat nap (for some...ahem..) we went to a community parade and carnival where the kids got to jump in a bouncy house obstacle course and ride ponies. It was a fairly hot day (like a sauna, in my opinion) so after pony rides we headed home for more naps (again..for some..) and a good old fashioned BBQ in the backyard.

We even made homemade ice cream, a new tradition we want to start, and had the kids taking turns churning it by hand. Word to the wise, hand churn at the beginning of the ice cream making, not the end...I have all the grunts and scrunchy faces on video of the kids trying to turn that handle around when the ice cream was about ready.

Then on to our local fireworks show where we brought our own showstopping marvels to wow the crowds with: popits, sparklers, the friendship pagoda, a very disappointing chicken and eggs (again, no eggs came out this year!) the panda fountain, and our larger and flashier fountain purchases. We happen to see friends from church there and our kids were SO excited to do fireworks with them, it was a lot of fun, with smoke bombs leftover to pass around and extend the fun to another day.

At home we were all tired, except for Ammon and Liam, so we went outside and did more fireworks in the street. The whole time Shayla was begging me to go inside with her and watch from the window, but those that know me, know I have a neverending love for action so I couldn't go inside and miss something! So she relented and we stayed outside until we were all done.

We were having Josh light everything with matches...which didn't work out super well, so note to self...find or buy that little butane lighter before the 4th of July comes again. We all went to bed around 11:30pm, to the cacophony of fireworks being lit across the town. (like my big word in there? I subscribe to "the dictionary word of the day" email..hee heee)

It was a great day to celebrate the birth of our nation and I have much to be thankful for, from my family, to my Heavenly Father who allowed me to be born in this country into a great family, to those who give so much in the military (spouses and kids included!), to those who fought with courage to bring freedom and liberty to this land so long ago. God bless America, land that I love!

Isn't This the Cutest?

I somehow found this adorable free apron pattern while browsing for a car seat cover pattern. It's just the cutest, and I think I must make it. If you want to make it with me, let me know and we'll make a date of it. Bring fabric, chocolate, and scissors and we'll be done in no time. Done with the chocolate at least...