School is Finally Here

The first day of school. It brought me lots of anxiety thinking about how to get everyone to where they needed to be and home again, but things have settled down. Braelyn felt left out, so she got to wear her backpack along with her brother and sister. Kirsche is in all-day kindergarten and loves it. Ethan is a 3rd grader in Mrs. Wheeler's class and doing great. Part of me hopes this year will go by fast, and part of me wants it to stay this way forever.

A Day at Blacktail

Just before school started, the office had a BBQ at Blacktail boat dock on Ririe Reservoir. Everett was working, of course. (I promise, I really do have a husband!!) The kids and I waded in the water a bit after dinner. It was a great evening and a good chance to socialize with those I work with without the usual hustle and bustle of work.

Kirsche enjoying the water.

Water baby

Kirsche was the only one to take swimming lessons this summer due to travel arrangements, etc. The highlight of the lesson is all the kids jump off the diving board on the last day. Last year Kirsche jumped right in, but this year she knew what to expect and froze at the end of the board, so a lifeguard "assisted" her by tossing her in.

The Best Thing About the Dairy - Ice Cream!

We couldn't leave the dairy without sampling the wares! Huckleberry and vanilla were the hot choices. Notice Kirsche's face is a dead giveaway that she is very upset about the dairy's smell. When I asked her what she would do if we lived and worked on a farm, she grunted at me and rolled her eyes. I wonder if this is a sign of things to come...

Little Pig, Little Pig

Reed's Dairy has some pigs. This is about half of the litter!

This little guy was so cute! He would break away from the litter and come to the fence to chew on Ethan's fingers, then scurry back to the safety of his litter. He was definately more brave than his brothers and sisters who wouldn't venture too far from mom.

I thought Kirsche, who loves pigs, would be the first one to step up and pet the little runt the farmer caught for us, but she just couldn't get past the smell. Believe it or not, the pigs smelled a lot better than the cows!

Reed's Dairy Family Day

I took the kids to Reed's Dairy for Family Day August 9th. Braelyn immediately charged up to a large milk cow and attempted to pet her belly! No fear in the girl at all! It was such a fun afternoon.

The kids and I enjoyed the horse-drawn carriage tour of the dairy - all except the fragrance!

Jerry's in town

Everett's brother, Jerry was in town this weekend and stopped by with his daughter, Lauren, to spend Friday with us. We took Subway sandwiches up to Heise to check on the huckleberries. Needless to say, this year doesn't look very promising for huckleberry harvest. Afterward, Jerry and the kids had tickle wars. My kids absolutely love Uncle Jerry.

Pioneer Day

For those of you who have never happened to be in Utah or Idaho in late July, there is truly a holiday that occurs here that other parts of the country may not be aware of - Pioneer Day, July 24th. Our stake had a big dinner with hot dogs, scones (fry bread), snow cones and huge crowds. Not too many people dressed in period dress, but here we are enjoying the festivities, despite the look on everyone's face.