Summer fun and school clothes shopping....

Like this photo of strawberries from our garden? We have quite the patch now and this is the 4th or 5th batch we've gotten! Yummy! So Monday I went and stayed with my dad so my mom could do some errands. I couldn't go until Timo got back with the van. The guy who is fixing the kid van is waiting for a part! We hope it's done before school starts! It was nice to visit with my dad. I also read while he was sleeping which I rarely get to do at my house these days! Taran ordered his All Sports Pass for BYU! One step closer to the college experience! That night we splurged and went out to dinner for family night at the local pizza buffet. The older kids have been but not the rest of us--we don't have the same disposable income as them! Tim had won a $25 gift card from Discover so it paid for half of our bill--that is why we don't eat out much! Afterward we went on a walk through the path that lines the neighborhood--we picked up trash and settled our overstuffed tummies!

Tuesday Timo drove again so I was without a car again until noon. Then I went to the temple which was practically empty. I did run into a friend Brenda Warren whose son was going through the temple for his first time before he goes on his mission. He just graduated like Taran but has a late birthday so he is going into the MTC in September. I came home for a little bit and went grocery shopping after then I picked up Micah and his friend from soccer practice after. Tim had softball that night and Gwen and I had a good-bye party for her Primary teacher and her daughter who was in my Primary class (and the rest of the family). It was a milkshake bar--yummy!

Wednesday I still did not have a car until noon again. I had scouts that night so I did some prep for that. The three oldest had a combined young women and young mens which was a lot of fun. Tim held down the fort while I did scouts: Tenderfoot fitness test at the REC Center. I let the boys swim after for fun since we paid to get in anyway. Izak and some friends who are also in my scouts had the Photography merit badge class at the rec center before so I met them there. He's had a lot of fun taking pictures of friends and things!

Thursday



we did a Pass of All Passes Day! Our 7 Peaks Pass in the morning, Trafalga after lunch go karts, mini-golf and motion ride! Then an Orem Owlz game after dinner. Emily volunteered at the Ashford--Alzheimer's place near our home in the morning so she missed 7 Peaks. Taran joined us for the Owlz game since he worked until dinner.
The Owlz were winning until the 9th inning when the Chuckers tied it up and then won in the 10th!
Bummer but we still had a really fun day. Tim's plan panned out--we weren't sure it was going to work! (the black and white photo Izak took--he learned this at his Photography Merit Badge Class, too bad I wasn't paying attention).

Friday I was up checking my emails in the morning and I saw that Old Navy sent me an email that they had $10 jeans for kids Fri-Sun. So I got the kids up and going so we could be there by 10 AM. Timo stayed home and slept but I did let him know I was leaving. I let them each pick a shirt, jeans and shoes. We didn't get everything at Old Navy but a bit. Then we had time to go to Target and Emily, Izak and Micah got their shoes there. Then we headed out to Aunt Shellie's for Cousin Camp. The kids have enjoyed this time with their cousins. I ran around checking school clothes for Timo and Taran. I actually had bought some things for Taran earlier in the summer so he is almost done. I did get some dishes for him to take to college, I found a great deal at Ross less than buying each piece at the dollar store. And Timo can use them if Taran and his roommates don't break them! I also visited my parents for about an hour after running around and getting gas at Costco. When we got home Timo and I ordered his school shoes--he is the most picky of my kids about his clothes yet he won't go shopping so it's usually all online or me buying stuff and him saying yeah or nay! That night we got the kids to do their Saturday chores before watching a movie.

Saturday we had planned to go on the hike we had postponed twice! After looking over the info we found about it Tim and I decided that we should go ourselves and survey the hike as well as find it! So we were trying for Stewart Falls from Sundance which we had heard was super easy. So we headed there. Tim asked the guy at the lift if the trail we saw went to Stewart Falls and he said that they encourage people to take the lift up and hike over and then hike down. So we decided that hike was out as well, until we can go with someone who has gone that way. So we went to Big Springs up South Fork.

We actually didn't make it all the way up to the Springs because we had wasted soooo much time. Plus having a four year old who is a great hiker but not fast slowed us down. So we turned around at noon and started back--maybe next time! I knew about this hike because I had gone snowshoeing there with my scouts--one of the dads told us about it.


It was nice despite all that we went through to get there! Tim dropped me off at my mom's on his way home because she was taking me out to lunch for my birthday--I know almost a month late but like I mind! We went to a sandwich place which was really yummy. Then we drove out to my sister's and got her some supplies and dropped them off at her house since she was returning from her big trip to Switzerland that night. THat night Micah had friends over for games and a movie: Three Amigos. One dad dropped off pizza for the party and we provided floats and candy. They had a lot of fun. I couldn't take any pictures because Timo had the van and my camera was in it. Timo went to the Highland City Fling/Celebration with friends and had a lot of fun. Taran had gone to the WARP Tour with his cousin Erika in Salt Lake, they also had a lot of fun.

One thing about summer is that my kids think everyday is Saturday and every night is Friday night--we always need to be doing something fun and staying up late! It has been challenging to get them to bed at decent hours! We have had a lot of fun though playing games and watching movies along with all the other stuff!

Today was a great Sabbath. Church was uplifting as usual and people had some nice things to say about Taran and Timo that made me feel like Tim and I have done alright in raising them. We went to my parents after dinner and Taran's awesome devotional--I think he will be a great missionary. Teresa showed us a slide show of the photos of her trip. It seems like a dream, it has been her dream for over 20 years. It was fun to be with family and enjoy yummy dessert too!

Really there things going on around us that can make us discouraged. Lots of unfortunate things and terrible things. When you realize that there is a supreme being, a Father in Heaven and He is allowing others to make their own choices and will compensate those who are victims of these difficult things and that through His son, Jesus Christ, we can find peace and healing if we want to. What a great blessing this is in my life. I can enjoy the blessings of health and a happy family for one more day and if it changes He can help me through it. I would be sacred to death of life without this understanding. I hope you know that you are loved and that He and His Son are there for you. It's just that you need to ask for their help, they are waiting to bless and help but we need to turn to them. Have a wonderful week!