Sunday, July 15, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
To the Beach!
We stole away for a day and headed north to my folks' little island beach bungalow.
I love it there.
We didn't get on the road till about 10:30, and stopped for lunch before we caught a ferry across the channel. Oops. HUGE line- we ended up with a bunch of time to kill before there was a ferry with enough room for us, but the kids didn't mind one single bit.
(I have a ton of pictures to share- this story will take a few days!)
We didn't arrive till about 1:30, which actually got us there just after the morning fog burned off. That water there is very deep, and very fast. We see big tankers coming through sometimes.
Mom made this little path through an arbor of wild roses- at first, she thought to keep the deer out of the yard, and there was a gate attached to the metal arbor. If I remember the story right, a deer ran straight through it, and took the gate along for the ride! Strong deer.
The cabin is next to a large wildlife preserve- this is part of the boggy part. It's a complete soup under all those reeds!
Thanks for letting us visit, Mom and Dad!!
I love it there.
We didn't get on the road till about 10:30, and stopped for lunch before we caught a ferry across the channel. Oops. HUGE line- we ended up with a bunch of time to kill before there was a ferry with enough room for us, but the kids didn't mind one single bit.
(I have a ton of pictures to share- this story will take a few days!)
We didn't arrive till about 1:30, which actually got us there just after the morning fog burned off. That water there is very deep, and very fast. We see big tankers coming through sometimes.
Mom made this little path through an arbor of wild roses- at first, she thought to keep the deer out of the yard, and there was a gate attached to the metal arbor. If I remember the story right, a deer ran straight through it, and took the gate along for the ride! Strong deer.
The cabin is next to a large wildlife preserve- this is part of the boggy part. It's a complete soup under all those reeds!
Thanks for letting us visit, Mom and Dad!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Farewell to Friends
When we found out that our good friends are moving to North Carolina in, like, TWO DAYS, Ernie and I kind of panicked. She supplied enough tears for the both of us though, and managed to call them on the phone.
"Can you play before you leave?"
I talked to my friend, the mom, and managed to get all of them to our house in the next 15 minutes. Winning!
Man alive, I am going to miss these folks. T. is one of my very best friends, and we're both horrible introverts, with more kettles in the fire than we have arms to juggle them with. (Translation: We don't see each other as often as we'd like, during the school year.)
We gabbed for 3 solid hours, cackled over how much MORE we adore our children once they're sleeping, traded stories of all the crazy people we've come across since we last saw each other, and bragged shamelessly on our husbands and all the neat things they're doing at work. Sigh. She's promised that we can be pen-pals, and that this move to North Carolina is at MOST four years, but...but....!!!!
(I had no idea the kids brought all their band gear into this photo! Shows how much I pay attention while I'm setting up a tripod and timer and aperture and white balance and ISO and timer... while holding a baby :) And really, WHAT on earth is Mimi doing with her poor face??
"Can you play before you leave?"
I talked to my friend, the mom, and managed to get all of them to our house in the next 15 minutes. Winning!
Man alive, I am going to miss these folks. T. is one of my very best friends, and we're both horrible introverts, with more kettles in the fire than we have arms to juggle them with. (Translation: We don't see each other as often as we'd like, during the school year.)
We gabbed for 3 solid hours, cackled over how much MORE we adore our children once they're sleeping, traded stories of all the crazy people we've come across since we last saw each other, and bragged shamelessly on our husbands and all the neat things they're doing at work. Sigh. She's promised that we can be pen-pals, and that this move to North Carolina is at MOST four years, but...but....!!!!
(I had no idea the kids brought all their band gear into this photo! Shows how much I pay attention while I'm setting up a tripod and timer and aperture and white balance and ISO and timer... while holding a baby :) And really, WHAT on earth is Mimi doing with her poor face??
Monday, July 9, 2012
Party Time!
Ernie was over the moon excited to have her "friend" birthday party. A forecast of lightning (?!?!) moved our party from the beach to our home, but that didn't dampen the birthday girl's spirits!
She requested a menu of donuts, strawberries, grapes, and cucumbers. YUM. Pinterest supplied a last-minute idea of punching the cucumbers in little flower shapes- they were the first snack bowl to empty!
(She really, really, really likes her new "Sid the Science Kid" video. Really.)
I meant to teach the girls how to finger-knit bracelets, but a quick lesson with my two girls before the party showed me that I'd rather throw all the children out the window that attempt to teach them what it means to take some yarn BEHIND a finger. No, behind. No, the other side. Yes, like...no, not like that. Let me show you again.
Whatever. It took me ten minutes to make enough bracelets for everyone to take home (anyone here want a bracelet? Seriously. They're coming out my ears. And I think they're pretty cute :)
The kids also took home little lollipop flowers in their goody bags (along with some trinkets my husband picked up at the store, because he's darling, and did my errands for me that morning.)
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Family Reunion, Part Four
We're reading through the e-mail updates I've sent my family over the last little bit, while taking a week-long car trip through Idaho and Utah.
Jun 26
 | | |||
Monday was checkout day from the Beaver Creek Lodge in Logan Canyon, Utah. Check out time was 11:00- we knew Grandpa would want to leave earlier, probably at 10:00. We under-estimated him- he was vacuuming the deck at 7:30, and chomping at the bit at 9:00. Time to go!
(Yes, he vacuumed the deck- he REALLY wanted to get that cleaning deposit back!!)
I stayed in the room until it was time to go, hopping around and packing the totes. Wonder Daddy brought my breakfast up, and his parents helped him load the car. We hit the road, heading south in a caravan through the Logan Canyon, at 9:30. Not bad at all!
The Logan Canyon is beautiful- lots of green trees, cliffs, and caves. Rich recommended we drive it- he was right! I kept my foot wrapped and elevated most of the trip, it was hurting a lot.
We spent the afternoon with my MIL's parents and sister's family in South Weber, Utah.
As the afternoon progressed, I was able to hobble and limp more. By the time we left at 5:30 for photos in the park, I could walk perfectly, with no pain. Perhaps God had mercy for a busy mom who wasn't careful enough on some uneven stairs?
We took family pictures in the park. The photographer was great at posing the groups, very patient with the amount of finagling it took to work through all the various permutations of family groupings we could think up, with all the kids it entailed. And, we weren't too close together :). I'm excited to get the files from that shoot!!
We rented hotel rooms in town- I was so grateful! After the park, Wonder Daddy stayed with his cousins and siblings to play board games and I caravaned to the hotel. My FIL helped me get kids and pajamas inside. I got everyone into the tub and into bed by 10:30. Hooray! They slept great, the bed was super comfortable, the AC was efficient, my foot was healed, and a good night in the hotel!
Love-
Myrnie
(Yes, he vacuumed the deck- he REALLY wanted to get that cleaning deposit back!!)
I stayed in the room until it was time to go, hopping around and packing the totes. Wonder Daddy brought my breakfast up, and his parents helped him load the car. We hit the road, heading south in a caravan through the Logan Canyon, at 9:30. Not bad at all!
The Logan Canyon is beautiful- lots of green trees, cliffs, and caves. Rich recommended we drive it- he was right! I kept my foot wrapped and elevated most of the trip, it was hurting a lot.
We spent the afternoon with my MIL's parents and sister's family in South Weber, Utah.
As the afternoon progressed, I was able to hobble and limp more. By the time we left at 5:30 for photos in the park, I could walk perfectly, with no pain. Perhaps God had mercy for a busy mom who wasn't careful enough on some uneven stairs?
We took family pictures in the park. The photographer was great at posing the groups, very patient with the amount of finagling it took to work through all the various permutations of family groupings we could think up, with all the kids it entailed. And, we weren't too close together :). I'm excited to get the files from that shoot!!
We rented hotel rooms in town- I was so grateful! After the park, Wonder Daddy stayed with his cousins and siblings to play board games and I caravaned to the hotel. My FIL helped me get kids and pajamas inside. I got everyone into the tub and into bed by 10:30. Hooray! They slept great, the bed was super comfortable, the AC was efficient, my foot was healed, and a good night in the hotel!
Love-
Myrnie
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Family Reunion, Part Three
Jun 26
| |
Church day in a Mormon vacation spot is no joke!!! The building in Garden City (the town at the end of Logan Canyon, on Bear Lake) is a big one. Not so many classrooms, but the sacrament hall and gym looked regulation sized. The congregation filled the sacrament hall, overflow, gym, stage, relief society room, primary room, Sunday school room, and the scout room. I counted twenty five empty water trays in the kitchen, that held 36 cups each.
When the bishop announced the choir special musical number, he invited anyone who would like to join them! We got four of us up on the stand, to sing with about 30 other folks- we heard later that the ward choir has six people in it :). We did a hymnplicity and it was fun :)
After Sacrament Meeting, all those vacationing folks went home!! Of our group, 12 of us stayed. Perhaps 50 people in Sunday School, Ernie had class with two other kids (both residents.). We were surprised to see that, but someone pointed out that the classes were incredible- for the most part they were just led discussions, and the room was full of ONLY people who made a choice to make attending a priority. All three hours were incredible- what a great Sunday!!
After church we stopped at a bluff in the canyon, overlooking the lake to snap some photos. We went back for lunch, and had a family meeting. Grandpa spoke about some experiences and miracles in his life. He gave advice, and told everyone he loved them. Grandma spoke a bit, just to say how proud she was of everyone.
After that, we broke into families, my father-in-law spoke to us all. We had a little birthday party for Ernie- Nana bought Twinkies and Ding Dongs, jazzed them up with sparkly glitter gel and sugar paste flowers, and made up a little tower on a plate- it was sweet :). Ernie got Arietty, an anatomy book, and a Kids National Geographic book with pages about everything you could possibly imagine from us. Nana and Grandpa gave her a pack of Magic Treehouse books and an "Explorer" Polly Pocket set. What a fun day for her! (Nana covered our room entry in streamers and a banner this morning before we got up :)
Later, we all got together for pictures on the back lawn- I was carrying my big camera down the concrete steps and slipped my footing, and my foot landed sideways on the next step. I limped around taking and posing the family shots, but later I couldn't put any weight on it at all! It swelled up a bit, and I spent the rest of the day hopping on one foot.
It was hot and long- after the group shots, my in-law's group trooped out into the scrub for some self timer shots- Ernie started fussing, she wanted to be done. When we were done, she was white as a ghost and sobbing- Wonder Daddy carried her to the kitchen, and all the kids had some cookies and juice. Poor thing :(
Everyone stayed up late playing games in the common room- we all went to bed around 11:00 again.
So that's Sunday! Incredible church, a completed photo session (that was by no means artistic, but it got the job done), a birthday, and a suspected sprain or fracture. Whee! It was a pretty good day :)
Love-
Myrnie
When the bishop announced the choir special musical number, he invited anyone who would like to join them! We got four of us up on the stand, to sing with about 30 other folks- we heard later that the ward choir has six people in it :). We did a hymnplicity and it was fun :)
After Sacrament Meeting, all those vacationing folks went home!! Of our group, 12 of us stayed. Perhaps 50 people in Sunday School, Ernie had class with two other kids (both residents.). We were surprised to see that, but someone pointed out that the classes were incredible- for the most part they were just led discussions, and the room was full of ONLY people who made a choice to make attending a priority. All three hours were incredible- what a great Sunday!!
After church we stopped at a bluff in the canyon, overlooking the lake to snap some photos. We went back for lunch, and had a family meeting. Grandpa spoke about some experiences and miracles in his life. He gave advice, and told everyone he loved them. Grandma spoke a bit, just to say how proud she was of everyone.
After that, we broke into families, my father-in-law spoke to us all. We had a little birthday party for Ernie- Nana bought Twinkies and Ding Dongs, jazzed them up with sparkly glitter gel and sugar paste flowers, and made up a little tower on a plate- it was sweet :). Ernie got Arietty, an anatomy book, and a Kids National Geographic book with pages about everything you could possibly imagine from us. Nana and Grandpa gave her a pack of Magic Treehouse books and an "Explorer" Polly Pocket set. What a fun day for her! (Nana covered our room entry in streamers and a banner this morning before we got up :)
Later, we all got together for pictures on the back lawn- I was carrying my big camera down the concrete steps and slipped my footing, and my foot landed sideways on the next step. I limped around taking and posing the family shots, but later I couldn't put any weight on it at all! It swelled up a bit, and I spent the rest of the day hopping on one foot.
It was hot and long- after the group shots, my in-law's group trooped out into the scrub for some self timer shots- Ernie started fussing, she wanted to be done. When we were done, she was white as a ghost and sobbing- Wonder Daddy carried her to the kitchen, and all the kids had some cookies and juice. Poor thing :(
Everyone stayed up late playing games in the common room- we all went to bed around 11:00 again.
So that's Sunday! Incredible church, a completed photo session (that was by no means artistic, but it got the job done), a birthday, and a suspected sprain or fracture. Whee! It was a pretty good day :)
Love-
Myrnie
Monday, July 2, 2012
Family Reunion, Part Two
We're walking through my archives as my family takes a road trip through Idaho and Utah to visit family. We have finished camping, and arrived at a large lodge in Logan Canyon, Utah. We'll stay here for the weekend for the big Family Reunion.
Jun 24
| | |||
Saturday! Everyone but Ernie woke up around 7:00- she slept in till after 8:00! The girls spent the morning running around with cousins. I went into town to do a load of laundry. You know me- I drove 15 miles the wrong way up the canyon, figured out that south was NOT what I wanted, and turned around. Good thing it's a beautiful canyon! Almost got in three more accidents, in town. People here are SO nice and SUCH bad drivers! I did our laundry, and drove around town attempting to follow the directions ( go a little ways THAT way, and go behind a shop called Whimsy's) of a nice shop keeper to a shop she thought might sell a particular natural remedy I wanted. Well, I finally found the shop behind the laundromat, and the shopkeeper had never heard of arnica. She'd be happy to sell me a healing crystal though, or a $30 bottle of lavender oil. ($7 in my local shop.). Oh well!
We spent the afternoon at the beach- what a beautiful day!! We took a turn around the lake on cousin Rich's boat with the girls and some cousins. The lake is SO blue- I've been told it's because of minerals in the water. The towns all get their water from mountain springs, and the water commission controls the Bear River to send water down the Wasatch front.
I bathed all the kids when we got home- you could not see through the water by the time we were done! Wonder Daddy helped his family with their kitchen duty assignment while I took care of cleaning up the kids. Uncle Don and Grandpa built a fire for s'mores in the evening, and Aunt Debby introduced us to pieces of milky way bars, wrapped in crescent roll dough, skewered, and roasted over the coals. Veryyyy rich!
The kids and I went to bed at 11, Wonder Daddy stayed up checking on work mail and chatting with family.
Saturday done! SPF 50 sunblock, hats, SPF shirts, and shade for the baby at the beach= no burns. Woot!
Love-
Myrnie
We spent the afternoon at the beach- what a beautiful day!! We took a turn around the lake on cousin Rich's boat with the girls and some cousins. The lake is SO blue- I've been told it's because of minerals in the water. The towns all get their water from mountain springs, and the water commission controls the Bear River to send water down the Wasatch front.
I bathed all the kids when we got home- you could not see through the water by the time we were done! Wonder Daddy helped his family with their kitchen duty assignment while I took care of cleaning up the kids. Uncle Don and Grandpa built a fire for s'mores in the evening, and Aunt Debby introduced us to pieces of milky way bars, wrapped in crescent roll dough, skewered, and roasted over the coals. Veryyyy rich!
The kids and I went to bed at 11, Wonder Daddy stayed up checking on work mail and chatting with family.
Saturday done! SPF 50 sunblock, hats, SPF shirts, and shade for the baby at the beach= no burns. Woot!
Love-
Myrnie
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