Rebekah's YW Hike up Timp

I love that Rebekah's Young Women leaders aren't afraid of challenges- they do some pretty awesome things!  The latest was the Timp Challenge- they had a variety of spiritual and physical goals to work on, and it culminated with a hike up Timpanogos.  Rebekah's group made it to the lake- not all the way, but it was still a major hike, and it was good for her!  

I am grateful for good youth leaders for my kids- we need all the help we can get!

Apple Pie Filling?

Yep- I've made and frozen several batches of this... but it's not apple.  It's zucchini.  Really good, actually- it fooled my kids, anyway.  You can use it in crisp, cobbler, pie, etc.  Since I tend to go several days between picking my zucchini, this is a good solution!  For the record, you just peel, seed and slice the zucchini, simmer in 2/3 c. lemon juice for 15 minutes, and add 1 c. sugar and some cinnamon and nutmeg.  

Back to School 2011

Every year, especially around the time that school starts, I start having issues- the kind where I love to see the progress my children are making, and think it's exciting to see them grow up, but at the same time feel like I've missed something- that they've grown up too fast.  But, regardless of how I feel about it, it happens.  We have three different schools this year:

Rebekah is in 10th grade at the high school.

 Price is in 8th grade at the junior high,

along with Josh,

 Emma is a 3rd grader,

 Annie is a 1st grader,

 and Ethan is a 5th grader.  Seriously- how did that happen?

I have been enjoying the quiet days, while everyone is at school- but I'm kind of relieved that they will be ending soon with the arrival of our new baby.  I'm not sure how much alone time I can take! :)

New Cousin and one last outing!

In some of the most exciting news of the summer, we got a new cousin!  And he lives close!  Especially considering the impending arrival of our new baby, the kids were very excited to meet Grafton.  He has made a big splash in our family, but I have apparently not taken any pictures of him yet. :)  Trust me- he's a cutie!

In other, slightly less exciting news, we spent the Saturday before school started at Currant Creek with Grandma and Grandpa Walker.  Grandpa rotated kids in the boat to fish, and the rest of us set up some shade and sat by the water.  Not as exciting as last year when we camped for a couple days, but better than nothing.  Maybe next year, when I'm not eight months pregnant....

More summer

Ugh- I hate to even put this picture in here, but I have to preserve the memory for posterity.  This is the rattlesnake we found in our front yard one evening.  It wasn't very big- and we weren't sure it was a rattlesnake until it slithered away, but it made us VERY cautious around the house for a couple of weeks! 

By the way, the day we saw it, Rebekah and I had been out practicing her driving!  Yes, she got her driver's permit, and she's doing great.  I am starting to see that I will be happy when she can drive by herself.

These are some cute portraits that Rebekah took while we were at a Concert in the Park one Sunday evening.  Love free summer concerts!

Yes, apparently she had to take a belly picture, too.

The older kids were all busy one night, so we took the younger ones up to Bridal Veil Falls and then to the BYU Creamery for ice cream.  

Other than the events that my few photos document, we have spent lots of time at the pool and the library, we went to see "The Emperor's New Clothes" at Hale Center, we've had scouts, young women, and activity days, and the younger kids finished a session of swimming lessons. We've seen some movies, mowed a lot of lawn, and done chores EVERY SINGLE DAY (at least that's what the kids say).  Also, over the summer, Tim and I got called to be Sunday school teachers together- the 13 year olds.  That has been very fun- we get to do it together, and we only teach every other week.  Talk about a cushy calling!  

Cousin's Camp 2011

I was a little worried about cousin's camp this year- it was at Katy's house in Colorado, Tim absolutely couldn't come (it was "Vision Week" at work), and I was 30 weeks pregnant.  I was especially worried about the drive.  Everything turned out great, though, even when we hit this storm just west of Cheyenne.  I have never driven in a rain storm quite that scary before.  You know it's bad when EVERYONE on the freeway has their hazard lights on and is driving 15-20 mph.  Seriously. 

Cousins' Camp was great- the first day, I stayed home with Lucy while everyone else went to Rocky Mountain National Park and hiked.  Thankfully, Rebekah took the camera, so we ended up with some photographic evidence of the day!

Those cousins are all a lot bigger than the last time we did this!

The second day was pretty low-key- swimming, a cousin's recital, and Chuck E. Cheese.

On the last day, we all drove to Denver.  There, we split up.  The older kids went to the Aquarium, while the younger kids visited the Children's Museum.  Both were great (we got done at the aquarium early, and got to go to both!).

Thanks to Amy for the planning, Mom and Dad for more planning and paying for everything, and Katy for letting us invade her house- I think it is an amazing thing to get all these cousins together every couple of years when we all live so far apart.  They love each other because of this!

Cherries!

Our new house came with some well-established fruit trees.  The one I was most excited about is our cherry tree.  I was really hoping for sweet cherries, and that they'd be good tasting.  Well, they are!  Unfortunately, although we did spray the tree for bugs, we apparently didn't do it very well, because we ended up with worms in lots of them.  Of course, we figured that out after eating a bunch.  *shudder*  I still froze a ton- very carefully cutting each cherry in half, pitting it, and washing the worms out.  I know the worms are just extra protein, but really, I'm know myself.  Those cherries would never have been eaten.  So now we just need to figure out the spraying part.  And then we can invite everyone over to pick cherries!