Cupless

Conference Sunday

Raise your hand if your house looked like this today.

Girl Cousins

Not sure how much Ellis appreciates all the attention Sally gives her.

But she's kind of impossible to resist.

Scootering at the Skate Park

We're annoying like that.

Show & Tell

This Week in School Art Projects:
Sally went abstract with some seeds.

And Drew came home with this family picture:

Top Row: Ellis
Bottom Row: Justin, Me, Drew, Owen, Jones, Sally

I love a lot of things about this picture, but mostly the 2 bonus family members.

Speaking of them (well, one of them),
Sally loves to create things for Jones and tape them to either side of our front door.
Usually its a list she has dictated to me of things she wants to do
(everything from getting a gumball at the mall to holding a butterfly).

But today it was:

a piece of string, an unfinished bracelet, and a Temple picture.

2 for 1 Special

Those carts are fun for the first 5 minutes of every shopping trip.

This was within that time frame.

Made me happy to look over and see this.

Crime Scene

I'm sorry, Plum Pudding.

Her only explanation was, "she wanted it short."

Unwinding

By, "unwinding" I mean, "using up the extra energy that was stored during 3 hours of church."

And then

Ward Campout
- was at William Heise County Park near Julian
- had good food (all prepped & served by a generous ward family)
- Brent & Errin came along last minute when there were still sites available
- actually slept decent
- realized my family is made up mostly of pyromaniacs who think the best way to put out a fire is to urinate on it (sorry anyone downwind)

- apples were picked on the way home

- and pie was eaten
(lots of it...tried both Mom's and Julian Pie company, both were good but we didn't order the same thing from either, so couldn't truly compare)

(also a grasshopper was inspected)

AND THEN

Jay & Tam(i) + 10 were waiting for us on the beach.
They had gotten in late the night before.
Spent a fun afternoon getting buried, riding in their new van, eating Cessy's, meeting/holding babies, and making s'mores.

AND THEN

My Aunt Sherri and Uncle Clel spent Sunday afternoon with us.
(church, puzzles, dinner, and singing an early happy birthday to Sherri)

My kids have never been so quiet after church...it was lovely.

Fun...busy weekend!

An Ear Piercing Story

The end.

Blackout Day

We got crazy during the unexpected school holiday and had a utensil-less spaghetti eating contest.

I'm pretty sure there was less mess than when they do use silverware.

The Blackout

7 hours later...just when I was about to take a bite out of Justin's calf...power came back!
Phew.

I joke now, but it was unsettling not knowing how long we'd be without.

Only had 1/3 tank of gas.
Cell was almost dead.
The little wake-up call was probably good.

Glad we were at the beach for the first part.
And had already planned on grilling for dinner.

Now we will go enjoy our day off of school....seeing as they were all canceled!

Labor Day Weekend

Family came to visit for Ellis's blessing.
Little sleep from excitement = falling asleep during pre-beach story time.

It was both Candace and Ellis's first beach bonfire.
One was a little more excited than the other.

Blessing day!

Labor Day at the beach

And lots in-between.
Family weekends are the best.