Stone Mountain

Last week for FHE we went to Stone Mountain to watch the laser show. The Starks went with us. Nothing compared to the Wasatch Front, but the massive boulder which is Stone mountain is pretty impressive. It is the largest exposed granite dome in North America (it rises out of the hills with no other mountainous terrain around). They have carved on it three Confederate military leaders: Lee, Jackson and Davis. There are hiking trails, a tram ride to the top, and other activities. We had time for a picnic dinner and to play some games while we waited for the laser show to start. Jake had just checked out a book from the library on lasers and was excited to see them in action. He also knew the fireworks would be loud and we had our plan for his ears to always be covered by someone's hands. The laser show lasted about 40 min. and was really cool. Logan liked it until it a firework surprised him and then he started getting nervous, by the end was clinging to Robert. Next time we go we'll go early enough to hike to the top (Alyssa was upset we didn't have time).

Father's Day

The kids spent days down in the basement making a mess . . . oh, I mean, making a poster for Robert for Father's Day. It turned out perfect. The blue fingers, blobs of glue and the excitement and effort they put into their poster showed how much they love their Dad - Hallmark couldn't do better. A slice of his favorite kind of pie and a Father's Day nap rounded out his day.
It was great to have my dad here for Father's Day as well, down for Natalie's baptism the day before.
So, a little late in posting, but to Robert, my dad, my father-in-law and all the other great dads out there, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.

Natalie's Baptism

Natalie was baptized last Saturday (June 14th). It was a wonderful day. She decided to wait a few weeks after her birthday (in our church we baptize children at age 8) so Grandma and Grandpa Lehnardt could come. It was great having them here. Alyssa sang a special musical number and Grandpa Lehnardt spoke at the baptism. We had many friends there as well and loved having so many people we care about join us in Natalie's special day.

Hair Transformation

After almost a year of growing out my hair, I cut it all off. The hot temperatures prompted me to see if I could cut it now instead of waiting until the end of the summer. I've been waiting almost a year because I've been growing out my hair to donate it to a program that makes wigs for cancer patients. Pantene has a hair donation program called "Beautiful Lengths". My friend, Rachel, works at a salon and cut my hair.
Here it goes:

The last picture with long hair.

cutting the ponytail

Rachel, my stylist

Natalie came with me to document the hair cut. Rachel asked if I'd be ok with such a dramatic change, she has had people cry before. It was Natalie who got teary eyed and later jumped every time she came into the room where I was and saw me. I had planned on an even shorter cut, not knowing exactly what cutting off 8 inches would do, so when I could keep it a bit longer I was even more excited.
I love my new hair style. It is light and cool in this warm summer weather. Robert made multiple comments on how much he liked it - a plus as well.

Summer Field Trip to Athens

Now that the girls are out of school, we are taking a few "field trips". This first one was to two local historical items in Athens. Here is a bit of history from wikipedia - The double barreled cannon: In 1862 John Gilleland, dentist, builder and mechanic, designed the only known double-barreled cannon in existence. Gilleland's invention was a failure. On 22 April 1862 the cannon was tested for the first time. The cannon was aimed at a target of two upright poles, but uneven detonation of the powder and casting imperfections in the barrels gave the connected balls a spinning movement in an off-center direction, destroying a cornfield and damaging some trees before the chain broke and one ball damaged a chimney and the other one killed a cow. It was reported that "the observers scattered as though the entire Yankee Army had been turned loose in that vicinity". "The tree that owns itself": The "tree that owns itself" is widely assumed to have legal ownership of itself and of all land within eight feet of its base. The original tree fell in 1942; a new tree was grown from one of its acorns and planted in the same location. The current tree is sometimes referred to as the "son of the tree that owns itself".

We have now enjoyed these bits of local history (it only took us a year!).
Alyssa loves things like this and was thrilled. Natalie and Jake thought they were pretty cool too. Logan . . . he would have enjoyed being elsewhere and didn't like getting in and out of the car for a few minutes of looking at something he didn't realize was really interesting.

More Strawberries!

We went strawberry picking one last time. This time the girls came with us and the Stark family (they are visiting from UT while Robert and Mike write a grant). The strawberries were smaller but still delicious! The strawberry field smelled like jam! Natalie found a mutant berry that looked more like a bunch of grapes stuck together. After the buckets were filled, the kids played at the playground before we left.
One last batch of jam has been made, waffles with strawberries and whipped cream have been eaten, and many have just been popped in mouths.
We can't wait for the blueberries and blackberries to be ready in a week or so!

Ward Cookout

Our ward (church congregation) had a cookout last Saturday. Robert taught Alyssa, Natalie and other kids there how to throw a frisbee. They had a blast. Later there was a 3-legged race. Jake and his friend, Porter, were a team. They did great practicing. They were so excited for a race they made a major false start (not everyone even had their ties on yet). After being brought back to the starting line they had to wait. Once the race started they forgot everything they had practiced and fell within taking a couple of steps! There was a lot of good food, good fun, and good friends.