dutch oven night

Our Relief Society made a challenge this summer for all of us to walk the same number of miles as the pioneers did (our combined total) to get to Zion (or you could do any exercise and 15 minutes=1 mile). We made it!

We celebrated by sharing pioneer stories.

And also by eating a lot of sweet, dutch oven desserts.

We figured we'd burned enough calories collectively that we owed it to ourselves to load up on stuff that tastes really good.

Apples are healthy, right?

And pie filling is good for you too.

We wanted to be rustic just like the pioneers, so we used dutch ovens...

...and refrigerated croissants and Sprite and stuff.

It was good. Just call us rustic.

1st day of school...

When Drake was three years old, anticipating his approaching birthday, he would say, "I'm going to turn four, and then I'll turn five, and then I can go to Kindergarten."

Needless to say, he's been counting down to school for a long time now...

...and in several different ways, too. Here, he taped a piece of paper to the inside of our front door, on which he'd written "19", because there were 19 days until school.

So I decided to help him make a chain to countdown with, so we wouldn't have little papers taped all over our door.

Eventually, the big day came.

Drake woke up extra early, extra excited. And yes, that's a band-aid wrapper. Drake insisted we finish the chain with that.

He hardly ate any breakfast because he wanted to get his stuff together and go.

I can't believe I already have a child in school.

I still remember the day he was born.

We finally made it to his school.

He goes in the morning.

And comes home in time for lunch.

I walk to the bus stop with this sweet girl

and this happy boy to pick up Drake when the bus drops him off.

These two love watching for the bus.

And Drake loves riding the bus.

His friend gets off with him some days, and we walk back to the house.

Drake really enjoys school.

To be a kid again...

chubbuck days parade

We dragged our kids to the Chubbuck Days Parade this year.

It was wet.

It was cold.

But it's a parade.

Sixty years for Chubbuck.

"Aladdin" at the local theatre.

The pet store.

Bluegrass Festival.

And in case you didn't know, there's a Home Depot mascot... sort of.

And, of course, the medieval folk.

Even with the rain, my kids had fun.

They just like collecting the candy.

Avery mostly sat on our laps, trying to stay warm.

By the end of it, though, we were ready to go home.

Especially Graham.

Avery didn't quite make it.

We have enough candy to last us to Halloween now.

ross park

After having a good experience the last time we went swimming, Avery couldn't wait to go again.

We went to our local outdoor aquatic center this time.

We had no problem getting the kids in the water.

They loved it.

Shad took a turn with each of them around the lazy river.

I'm glad they enjoy playing in the water... now that summer is nearly over.

Next goal: swimming lessons.