Great to be Eight

Autumn had a fun birthday even though we had to postpone her trip to the aquarium until Tues. (We had congunctivitus or pink eye all week) I snapped this picture one day when she was off to school awhile ago. She is so full of life and sweet goodness!

'tis the season! I like this sweet recipe that my sister Kami gave to me. It's yummy! Lots more work ahead of me. The Apple tree is full of apples to be dried and the peaches are spoiling fast. Not to mention my 3 little helpers need cared for.

Speaking of helpers how do you teach your kids how to work? Here's a few tips that I found work for my kids:

*Music
*Face card game (they pick up what the card says to pick up example: 5 is 5 things. Jokers are a treat and I put one King and one Queen in there when they get to tell me what to do and be King for the day)
*Job charts (only sometimes work)
*Routine (which I am terrible at)
*Tape recorder (mother-in-law's idea...you record on a tape player what jobs to complete and then when the kids perform the job they can push play again)
*Drill Sargent-I am the sarg. and they are the kaddets and I give orders and reward the good and discipline the bad-5 push ups.
*Bribes (candy, movie, surprise, etc.)
*Just ask...is it really that easy? Not in my family. I need some new ideas!

They are good little toopers when they want to be. That is why they spent 3 hours cleaning their rooms today...how exhausting can that be? (sarcastic of course)

Froggy Fun

"Daddy, did you bring us home a surprise?" I can hear the sounds of Dad's footsteps coming through the front door and wonder myself...what's the surprise this time? Oh, what fun things Jared brings home! Jared is such a wonderful dad for our kids. We've had some fun animals in our house!

One of my favorite was in Arizona I came home from a walk and hear a scratching noise in my cupboard. Couldn't figure out where the noise was coming from and decided I didn't want to know. (mostly fear of a scorpion, snake, or trianchula.) When he came home he announced that he was collecting lizards for lizard races at the Branch activity coming up.

I had about 12 lizards and a horned toad all shapes and sizes in bottles for a few days. Kids loved them. This is a cute frog.

family pictures

Went for a hike with Jared's twin sister and family. Fun stuff!

Timpanogos Cave

Aunt Jessica had lived in Utah her whole life and had never hiked to Timpanogos Caves...so off we went on the trail one Saturday before she headed off to college. I was so glad that we had an adult for every kid. The hike was 1.5 miles and a steady climb uphill and cliffy at times. Dillon loved to be carried by Jessica, practically the whole way there and back. I took my turn but didn't last long.

Beautiful Autumn and the beautiful American Fork Canyon

Hunter and Dillon taking their turn smiling for the camera

Grandma Angeli and Autumn on the hike down
(I know my pictures are all mixed up and I'm not sure how to edit them in order.)

In the caves, the kids were asking the tour guide all kinds of questions. Dillon wanted to know if everything was the Heart of Timp. When we finally arrived at the Heart, he jumped up and down as if he had found a great treasure. Almost near the end, he asked the tour guide, "excuse me, How did you make all of this?" the whole group laughed and she said she didn't make it water and the mountains made it. He was okay with that answer and kept going.



The kids became Jr. Rangers and had to complete certain tasks to get their badges. We had a lot of fun in the activity books. If you ever get lucky enough to hike the caves, be prepared for a big hike, a fun tour, and becoming a Jr. Ranger and watch out for snakes (there are signs for rattlesnakes all over the trail and Autumn was on guard!)

Salt Flats

A picture is worth a thousand words...just a little advice...Don't eat the salt off of the Bonneville Salt Flats.

New Hard Drive

Well, I got a new external hard drive and put all my pictures on it for my computer to run faster...sure runs faster, but I have to figure it out to post my pictures from it. I will get it someday. The kids have sure missed their dad this week. I am what you'd call a Hunter's Widow in the fall (well, most of the year) but especially in the fall. Sheep hunting is what has him entrapped now and he is loving it.

Dillon has a hunting box full of toy bullets and a toy dog and his hunter's orange. Hunter is practicing his bow every now and then. Autumn just misses JOAD terribly. (Closed for hunting season) I think they have a little of their dad in them. I try to "craft" why he is away and the kids can only grasp that concept a little...so I guess they have a little of me in them, too!

Rain, Rain

Don't you just love umbrella's? My boys sure do! They ran in and out of the driveway while it was first a sprinkle, then a drizzle, then really raining. They loved it until it was truly a downpour and then it just scared them with the intense thunder and flashes of lighting. Sometimes it would get so close it was enough to scare me! Nature is truly amazing!