The rest of July

Today is the perfect day for snuggling in and catching up on the blog!  I have a sniffly and throat achy kind of cold, and it's cold and rainy outside.  Farris actually had a skiff of snow on his windshield when he left early this morning.  First snow of the season, in September?  It was 90 degrees here just a week or two ago, what a weird weather year it has been this year.  Luckily, it hasn't quite froze, so our tomatoes aren't happy, but they're not dead yet.  We've had a great harvest this year of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, raspberries, apples, pears, and peaches, and the pumpkins are turning right now.  We also tried tomatillos for the first time, we've only picked one, but there are a bunch more getting close.  If the weather warms up for a little longer anyway!  But back to catching up.

After the reunion, we stayed in Idaho for about a week, some with Farris' family and then up to Richfield to see my family. We love our Idaho trips!  I do like where we live, but there is something about the space and beauty of Idaho.  This year while we were in Burley, we went to one of the most fascinating places in the area and a National Reserve:  The City of Rocks.  Funny times, it took the whole day to convince Joseph and Caleb that it was the City of Rocks and not Rock City.  The City of Rocks sounds more powerful and intimidating, doesn't it? 

City of Rocks is a small valley, typical of Idaho in that it's filled with sage brush and scrub trees, but there are these huge (some really huge) granite rocks dropped throughout.  It's famous in rock climbing circles and you can usually see license plates from all over the US and hear different languages being spoken.  We saw license plates from Illinois, California, and New Hampshire and heard a group of people speaking what we think was German, maybe Hungarian?  This picture is of Farris is on top of Bathtub Rock.  I wish I'd taken more shots from up there around the valley, you'll just have to believe me when I say it's incredible.

The rocks have also been carved from wind and rain, so we had a lot of fun climbing in all the pockets of rock. 

Not all of the rocks are so big you need a harness, there is plenty for little kids to play on, too.While Farris took the three older ones on top of a rock, Judy, Charitie, me and the littles stayed behind to play.

Can you see Caleb and Farris up on top?  Felicity is up there somewhere, too.

On their way down, we decided to climb up a little to meet them.  I don't remember the name of this rock, but it all kinds of weird pockets the kids played in.

We spent a while climbing in and out of all kinds of holes and niches.

Then we went to one of the arches.  This place is just a huge jungle gym for the kids and it could be kind of hard to keep up with all of them and keep them together.  Luckily we didn't see any snakes (yikes, there are rattlers around this area, you have to watch for them to be sunning themselves on the rocks).

On top of the arch.

Finding another fun crevice to squeeze into.

The last place we went was Bathtub.  It's quite a climb, but you don't need a harness, someone went through and put iron handholds in the toughest spots.  Farris and I both wanted to climb it and the three older ones wanted to, too.  Joseph got about half way up to where it got difficult and decided it wasn't a good idea.  Farris helped him back down to Grandma, and I sat with the kids.  The difficult part is scary, so I went first and helped from the top while Farris followed and helped from the bottom.  We got to the top and Caleb and Felicity played in the big hole that gave the rock it's name.  Supposedly, the natives in the area climbed to the top to take baths in the natural bathtub.  There hasn't been much rain this year, so the water was all evaporated out.

Caleb and Felicity "swimming" in the upper part of the tub.  There's a larger, deeper hole right in front of the picture, you can see some of the mineral deposits making the rings around it.  Just like at home when my kids are super dirty and take a bath.  Coming down was a challenge too, because you have to do everything backwards.  We took it in stages and sent only one kid down at a time with me above and Farris right below.  Yes, it scared me watching these kids looking for footholds.  But I'm proud of them being so brave and making it to the top when it seemed to hard and scary.  You can do hard things!  As long as you have long enough arms and legs, Joseph just couldn't have done it, and having one for each of us to watch out for on top of that thing was plenty.  And if you do go, make sure everyone is wearing sneakers, this just isn't a good place for flip flops!

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The next day we headed up to Richfield.  It was Fair Time!  The Lincoln County Fair has gotten smaller than when I used to show a calf and sew an outfit for 4-H, but it's still fun to go.  My niece Taylor showed a calf, named Cassidy (right, Tasha?) and Abigail was not too sure about sitting on her, but all the kids liked being able to pet her.  We also got to go to the parade, lots of fun, and I ran into a girl I graduated with and haven't seen for years.  When your graduating class has only 19 people, most of whom you knew since kindergarten, you get to know everyone pretty well.  It was great seeing Melanie and meeting her son.

Back at grandma's house, Abby likes to get into trouble.  She found my makeup bag, the little stinker.  You can't see very well in this picture, but she has foundation all over her face, neck and shirt, plus the eyeliner making half a mustache and she attempted to put some on her eyelids, too. I love Seth in this picture, you can tell just what he's thinking! Farris went with Dad to cut firewood, which is something he loves to do.  He likes helping out and the labor and spending time with Dad.  And then we get to do fun things back at home with Mom and Tasha and the kids!

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When we got home, the boys reminded me about the geodes my sister bought for each of them.  they wanted to smash them open to find the crystals.

Caleb smashed into a few pieces, but was excited to see the crystals inside. That's Hyrum behind Caleb, he's Joseph's friend and he was interested in it all, too.

Joseph was really enthusiastic with the hammer and got a dozen or so pieces, and Seth just knocked off a one side, just enough to expose the crystal.

And now we're done with July!  It was a good month!

Family Reunion

                               Every July Farris' family has a reunion, sometimes in Burley at his grandma's house, where we were this year.  We love going, his cousins are so much fun and it's nice to see everyone that we don't see often, except once a year at the reunion!  This year there were lots of activities, including a huge bounce house style slide.  I think our kids were on it about 90% of the time we were there.  And miraculously, even with about 20 kids on it, there were no broken bones or knocked out teeth.

 Of course, they did spend some time building these:

 Rocky and Stacey brought the making's for marshmallow guns and all the kids went to town! 

Abby would just grab whatever pvc pipe piece came close to her and stick it together in all kinds of wacky ways.  She's a builder.

After making the "basic" model, they started modifying it, we had long barreled shotguns, double barreled, pistols, crazy up and down models.  Not all of them worked very well, but much fun was had.  And guess which adult was right there in the middle of it all?

  Yep, Farris.  After a little while all the kids were ganging up on him and marshmallows were flying at full speed all over the yard.  We made a huge mess, but we had so much fun.

The next morning (after a yummy breakfast) we played minute to win it games.  We divided into family groups.  Kelan, on the end, was our representative.  He's finding a gummy worm in the middle of cool whip.  And he got a little covered.

We filled buckets by passing a soaked sponge down a line.  Now, let me tell you something.  I love Farris' cousins and aunts and uncles, we always have a ball at the reunions and any other time we all get together.  But they are cheaters.  I know, I know, Farris looks so innocent, it's not true.  I have heard it all started with Grandpa.  Regardless, they are all cheaters.  And we all laugh and then try to top each other.  Towards the end of this race there were sponges flying through the air, just bypassing the line.  It was all good, though, we were laughing pretty hard.

This race that Caleb volunteered for was something about an elephant.  We put a tennis ball in the toe of a pair of nylons and then tied it (we were promised that they had never been used) to heads.  Then they had to swing the ball back and forth to knock over the cans of pop that were lined up.  We learned quickly that the nylons stretch, so tie it closer to the head than your first instinct.

I think this was blowing bubbles through the hoop?  This is the problem with writing this a couple months after it happened, I forget.  But I do remember that all the little kids wanted to hold the hoop.  Look at Joseph beaming.

This one was fun.  Put a golf tee in your mouth, balance a ping pong ball on the tee, and hold it steady while your partner knocks it off with the blast from a squirt gun.  Poor Jaydon had a hard time keeping the tee straight.

Joseph, of course, loved the squirt gun.

And we had to do the cookie down your face into your mouth without touching it with your fingers game.  At any minute to win it party you have to play that game, it's classic.

This picture is of Farris freezing his stomach.  Joseph is demonstrating how he should try his armpit, and I did have another picture with Rocky holding his legs together like he had to go to the bathroom really, really bad.  This game made everyone do strange things.  Each group was given a t-shirt that have been frozen solid (like a week in the freezer) in a big, tight, very cold ice cube lump.  We had to warm it up enough that someone could put it on.  After thawing it enough, we had a tug of war to open it up, and then froze Caleb while we pulled, pushed and prodded it on him.

Felicity with two of her 2nd cousins.  She had a blast with them.

Our family came in third place and since Abigail is the youngest, she accepted the trophy for the family.  We purposely left at Farris' moms house because she's the head of the family, anyway.

Then there was a near indestructible pinata.  I seriously have never seen a pinata get so battered and still stay together.  It must have been the triple layers of duct tape.  Farris has some cousins who grew up on a farm, and let's just say I wouldn't want to be in a fight with them.  And that pinata gave them a run for their money.  But eventually it burst and the kids scooped up tons of candy.

Rocky and Stacey also brought a little sized motorcycle and four wheeler.  Luckily they brought the helmets to go with it.  I didn't get a picture of the aftermath, but Caleb had a little accident.  He decided he wanted to ride the motorcycle, so a few adult men crowded around him with many instructions.  His eyes got wider and wider, and he finally told Farris that he didn't want to go.  Farris encouraged him anyway.  As he started it was ok, Rocky and Farris  were able to keep up with him by running along side, but them he turned into a tighter place of the yard, got a little nervous and accelerated instead of braking straight toward the line of parked cars.  And he crashed into one of our cousins cars.  He was pretty shaken up and his ribs hurt where he hit the handle bars, but none the worse for wear.  Unfortunately, there was a nice sized dent in the car door. Our insurance was able to work with us to take care of it.  Poor Caleb, not a great beginning to his adventures on a motorcycle!

Thanks to Chuck's kids for being in charge this year, it was so much fun, they did a great job!

A Trip to the M...useum with (no Russ) Ellen

Ha.  Unless you've been to the Shoshone Showhouse (our local movie theater when I was a kid) you probably won't get the title, but I couldn't resist.

But for those who haven't seen the childhood classic, A Trip to the Movies With Russ and Ellen, I'll just get started.  We went to Thanksgiving Point's dinosaur museum with my Aunt Ellen, several cousins, and a lot of kids that I couldn't count because they were constantly moving.  My cousin Amy, who used to be called "me'n'amy" at my house because of how quickly I would tell of our latest adventures, was there with her cute kids.  Amy has lived in Washington state, then Washington DC area and was on her way to Italy because her husband is in the Navy.  Every time she moves I vow that I will go visit her, and then three years are up and I haven't.  So we don't get to see each other very often.  But I have a HUGE desire to go see her in Italy since I've wanted to get there from way back when I fell in love with the movie Roman Holiday and any little tidbits I ever heard, read, or saw about Venice. We've got three years to save some money and an invite to stay with them if we get can get there.  I can always dream, right?  Anyway, it was fun to see her again, even though we were chasing kids the whole time.

 We happened to go on the day that everything was themed with Harry Potter.  My kids were enthralled.  Now, my kids have always been a little sensitive when it comes to somewhat scary things, so I've only let Felicity and Caleb read the first three Harry Potters and I've told them they can't watch any of the movies until they've read the book that goes with it.  I love the series, I think JK Rowling did an amazing job inventing a world and her writing is wonderful, but I want my kids to be a little older before they get to scary Voldemort coming back to life.  But whether they have read any of the books at all, they still understand that Harry Potter is pretty cool, so they loved all the extra things that were around the museum.

 Before we even went in, they were able to be sorted into houses and meet Hedwig. 

 At the beginning of the museum, they have a special display called Tinkering, it's filled with all kinds of hands on experiments and things they can bang, throw, run and basically tinker with.  We could have spent a few hours in there easily.

 On that day, they also had Ollivander's Wand Shop and each of the kids got to make their own wand.  Most of which were promptly lost in the museum.  I think we made it home with two of the five.  But they enjoyed it anyway!

 One favorite part of the museum is where they can build sand bars and rivers, make islands for dinosaurs and then watch as the river erodes it all away.  I think they just like the excuse to get wet and dirty!

 And we always have to pose in front of the giant shark head.  It's a good thing they have their magic wands!

 And then at the end they all get to fill every crevice in their clothes with sand while they uncover the dinosaur bones.  They love this part, too, and they would have stayed longer if they weren't getting so hungry for lunch.

 Abby thought it was fantastic to dig in the sand until she got a face full of it.  Then she was pretty much done.

 A not great picture of our group, but it's hard to get everyone to sit still when they know they're about to get ICE CREAM! At Thanksgiving Point they have a little ice cream shop where you can get fifty cent ice cream cones, and our hungry kids were...really hungry.

  We ate them outside on the tables and Felicity took my camera to get a few fun pictures while all of us adults were still gabbing.  And when Joseph sees a camera, he has to jump in front of it.

 I think this is one of my favorite pictures ever of Abigail.

 Casting spells with the wands (before we lose them).

 My sweet, silly, happy boys.  After we finished at the museum, we headed over to Aunt Ellen's house to chat some more while the kids played, played, played. They love Aunt Ellen's house, and so do I.

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I'm going to throw in a few more pictures from the beginning of July.  

Can you see who is making the ruckus in this picture?

 Yes, that would be Daddy.  Because of our hard tile floors, any wrestling that goes on upstairs has to be on the couches.  And sometimes ends up with bumped heads or backsides.  But that doesn't stop the pile up when dad starts his tickling. 

 

Does it make you think of Andre the Giant in The Princess Bride when he talks about how he uses different moves for fighting lots of men than he does with just one?  Yeah, Farris isn't afraid to wrestle with five and, like Andre, he actually comes out on top most of the time.

 And then I have to share these pictures from Abigail and Big Brother Joseph.  I found them one day sitting on the couch, with Joseph reading to her.  Makes me smile.

 

 These two have a lot of their personalities in common.  Oh, it's going to be interesting to watch these two extroverts bursting out of our fairly introverted family.  They keep things exciting.