Temple Trip

Alyssa went on her first youth temple trip today.
Robert went with her.
As a personal progress goal, she made the dress she is wearing
(well, I helped, but she did a lot of it and I talked her through sewing technique for the parts I did).
With the Atlanta Temple closed for renovations, they went to the Columbia South Carolina Temple.
Robert's mom gave him family names when he was out in Utah, so Alyssa did baptisms for her ancestors.
She loved it. It was a great.

Pioneer Day!

Happy Pioneer Day!!

Pioneer Day celebrates the early members of our church entering into the Salt Lake Valley after traveling west.
In Utah there are parades and fireworks around the state, outside of Utah the celebration isn't as wide spread.
This year our primary planned a Pioneer Day activity - and Pioneer Day ended up being on a Saturday, so we could celebrate on the actual day of commemoration.
The youth went on Trek for youth conference and we used some of the handcarts they made as part of our activity.

After singing some pioneer songs and hearing some stories, the children made an edible "covered wagon."

Natalie, and the other girls her age, wrote journal entries as if they were pioneer girls traveling across the plains. They read these entries as they trekked across the gym.
Earlier in the week I made her a bonnet and apron for her costume - from an old sheet. I think they turned out pretty well.

After the girls play, the children divided up into groups and went to different activities.
They learned about games the pioneer children played and what toys they might have had.

They went outside and learned about handcarts and got to try pushing and pulling them.

Then they talked about what was packed in the handcart and used some of the children to add "items" and the rest tried to pull them again.

Then they had races.

And then everyone was piled in and Cameron pulled the whole load.
Here Alyssa is helping with one group.

But he was usually pulling on his own.

After being out in the heat they went in to help make homemade ice cream, color pictures, play pioneer memory.

The ice cream was very good and the perfect way to cool off after being outside.

The activity went very well and all the children had a wonderful time.
Afterward, the rest of the ward came and enjoyed a Pioneer Day picnic (inside because it was hitting 100 outside!).
Good food and good times.
Happy 24th!

Finally A Friend Party

It took quite a while to find a day that we could plan a friend birthday party for Jake.
We knew it would be hot and it ended up being on a day of near 100.
We had planned a bunch of "stations" around the back yard, mostly involving water, and after doing the station they got to pick a treat for their treat bag (they could play at a station as often as they wanted). Starting later in the evening, the main heat of the day had past.
Knocking down the cup tower with water shooters was a favorite.

So was the slip-n-slide.

We had a target to throw water balloons on, painting a wooden race car, and dropping pennies in a jar.
Everyone was so wet, we had the cake and ice cream outside.

As well as opening gifts.

Then we got out the rest of the water balloons and had a free for all!

Once everything was use up, Robert had a quick pick-up of balloon pieces and everyone got freezer pops.
It was a great evening and we kept cool.

Robert is Back!

Robert has been traveling a bit this summer, and last week returned from his trip to CO and UT.
His plane was coming in at 5pm and since we didn't really want to be sitting in traffic on the way home, I packed a dinner and we stopped by the botanical gardens to walk around while we let the traffic leave.He hadn't been before, here we're taking a break on the canopy walk.

A century plant was in bloom!

When the kids and I had gone earlier, this part of the gardens was blocked off because of construction. It was so cool to see this plant that takes 100 years to bloom.

We needed to visit the children's garden and try out the singing stone.
You stick your head in and hum different notes in it until it resonates and you feel vibrations in your whole body.We almost didn't go, a storm was moving through the city right as his plane was coming in, but it blew over quickly. It was fun walking through the gardens and showing Robert our favorite spots.
By the time the gardens closed (at 7pm) the traffic worst part of traffic had moved on and we went home.

Helen

Here are the pictures from tubing down the Chattahoochee in Helen, GA.

I used a leftover disposable, from Alyssa's girls camp, and didn't realize that in broad daylight I should have had the flash on. Automatic quickly spoils you.
So, the pictures aren't the best, but I had it in a plastic ziplock and would take it out to take a picture and put it back in. I'm just glad it stayed as dry as it did.

We got there right after they opened and took the longer tubing run. At 9:30 in the morning, there weren't a lot of people on the river yet. It was nice.
After getting our tubes and hopping on the bus that would take us to the top of the run, we were ready to go.You could strap tubes together, so I put Logan on a tub with me and strapped to Jake and the girls went together.
The water was cold. We loved it!

The river was also shallow for most of the run. We could run our hands along the bottom and pick up rocks that had been smoothed by the river.

Any time we came to bumpy water Logan would call out, "a freaky ride!"

Half way down we moved Logan over to ride with the girls for a while and a bit later Natalie and Jake switch.

We were in the river about 2 hours.
Only Logan was done before we were actually finished.
It was a beautiful day and we ate lunch right next to the river, before heading up to Anna Ruby Falls (see next post after this).

We all had so much fun.
Jake's favorite part was "all of it!"
Logan said it was scary, but he wanted to do it again.
When we were walking back from the waterfall, following the creek, Logan kept talking the whole way back about how he wanted to tube down from the water fall and how he would go here or there over the different rapids and rock. It was funny.

Anna Ruby

We have two new favorite names, Helen and Anna Ruby.
This past Tuesday, as our special day trip while Robert was gone, we went to Helen, GA to go tubing on the Chattahoochee. I'll post those pictures later.
After tubing we had lunch and drove another couple of miles up to Anna Ruby Falls.

It was a short (just 1/2 mile) hike to the falls,and beautiful.

They had an observation spot lower down, which had a great view of the falls.

The girls took turns with the camera.

It had rained earlier and was overcast while we were there.
Being up in the north Georgia mountains also made it a bit cooler than the heat we were having at home.

We loved tubing and hiking, but were worn out by our day and had to get back for church activities that evening.

We loved the whole area. We wish we had had time to go on the other hiking trails. The falls are in a state park with a lake that has a beach area and camping.
We are already planning when we can go again.

Restaurant Nite

Last week, Alyssa and her friend wanted to go to Mirko for lunch (a pasta place here in town). I laughed loudly, but then suggested that we make noodles and good sauce (from scratch with heavy cream, etc.) and a crusty french bread.
SO GOOD!

So started Restaurant Nite, every Thursday.
Tonight was Arby's night. I got some roast beef and buns, curly fries and rootbeer.
Alyssa found a recipe for Arby's sauce and made that as well.Another success! Everyone loved it!
Now plans are in the works for Logan's Roadhouse - including throwing our peanut shells on the floor (Alyssa has promised to sweep after), homemade mac and cheese and soft buttery rolls. Also on the list is Wendy's (who can pass up a chocolate shake with dinner), Barberitos, and Macaroni Grill (I love their penne rustica which I have a great recipe for).
Any other suggestions?

The 4th Revisited

After a bit of a stormy day, we watched some really cool evening clouds give way to darkness.Why were we waiting for darkness (which comes way past bedtime this time of year!)?

Sparklers!!

Equestrians

Although we missed Robert while he was in Costa Rica, he made some connections with the other members of the group. One having access to horses!
She said that the girls should come riding.
Yesterday they took her up on the offer.

Robert went with them.

They got to brush the horses and get them ready.
They rode outside and also inside the arena.

There was also a trainer there, so they got a really great riding lesson.

After they were done they got to clean and brush down the horses again.

Thanks! They loved the whole evening - and will definitely be going again.
Maybe they'll have boots by then.