Ram Mall

Today was Sawyer's turn for 4th grade Ram Mall at school.  He and his business partner decided to sell homemade popcorn.  They made a lot of fake money and he came home with a lot of fun stuff from the other businesses. 
The next day they sold pretty rocks, but they discovered there is not much of a market for that product.  Live and learn.

Baptism day

Hayden chose to be baptized this month.  He had a beautiful day.  He looked so handsome in his little man suit.  He was calm and mellow.  He even chose to stay in his suit for most of the day, until I made him change.  After the baptism we had family over for a crepe bar.  It was a balmy 100 degrees outside so we mostly stayed in the house. He got a few presents for his baptism: a tie, scriptures, money, and a little book filled with well wishes and baptism memories.  I'm happy and proud that he chose this first and very important step on this path.  We love him!

Josh is hiding behind McKinley.

Father's Day Camping

Camping was...dirty.  There was a lot of dirt.  Sawyer was covered from head to toes within the first hour.  We need showers in the wilderness.

We went to the spot past Wallsburg again.  Our usual spot was blocked by a lovely beaver-chopped tree.  So Kent axed part of it away, then we pushed and pulled and levered the rest until it was off the road.

As we were sitting around the fire that night we were surprised by a big Bull Moose coming through for a visit.  That put us on edge.

That night the sky was clear and the stars were beautiful.

We did archery, BB guns, reading, kids messing around, and most importantly, no electronics!

I only got 2 stinkin pictures, both blurry.  One of the moose's backside after I felt safe.  The other of the night sky, without a tripod so the blur of the camera shutter is evident.  Oh well.  It will spark a visual memory of our trip anyway!

'The Mountains are calling and I must go'

Our FHE activity was a picnic in the mountains.  Our first destination, Albion Basin, doesn't open up until July 1.  So we headed over to Snowbird and ate out of the back of the truck while we watched 4-5 deer feed on the side of the mountain.  We took a little hike up the trail, played in some snow, and enjoyed a lovely, cool, mountain evening.  Josh wants to go back again today.

Josh liked collecting rocks.  At the end of the evening he found a rock named Dewey that he told he "missed him so much!"  Dewey came home with us and is now resting safely in Josh's room.

The older boys were enthralled with the tiny trickling stream.  They would have been soaking wet if they had their way.

Hayden's 8th birthday

Hayden turned 8!  I can't believe it.  We started the day with church, despite his request to not go on his birthday. He asked for French Toast for his breakfast.  He ate 4 pieces. For lunch he asked for hamburgers, and hot dogs for dinner.  Despite the fact that he doesn't really eat cake, he wanted me to make one anyway.  So I made a nice tall cake for him.  He ate 1/2 piece.  

He asked for and received some Jurassic World Lego sets.  McKinley helped him put them together and then the kids all played dinosaurs with him.  They really want to see the new movie that comes out on Friday.  In the evening, Grandma and Grandpa Korth came over to see the birthday boy and visit.  

He wants to have his friend party at the rec center swimming pool, so we are trying to work out a good weekend to do that.

He is excited to be 8 and getting excited to be baptized!

12 years old!

McKinley's birthday means McKinley's orders.  First up, a veerrrry early wake-up call so she could do her first baptisms for the dead before the craziness of the day was in full swing.  

Next, a quick wardrobe change for Sawyer's soccer game and football game.  On the way out, our neighbor delivered his customary birthday donuts.  Thanks donut man!

After Sawyer's games, we hurriedly took our shower (post font water) for McKinley's make-up consultation at the mall.  The lady helped her do some tasteful 12-year old make-up that she can start practicing with now that she is a young lady.  We then had a lovely lunch at Kneaders, just us girls.

Then it was present time at our house.  Besides some make-up at the mall, she got a cruiser bike she had asked for (pictures later).  We played around with the bike and some basketball before I made her go take her birthday pictures.  It was raining so there was only a few minutes of picture perfect hair, but we kept going :)  

We also picked up her cake of choice.  She has been begging for Costco cake for weeks now, so she finally got to get it.  After pictures and shopping we picked up Kent for the parent/child birthday dinner.  She likes to go to Red Robin, so we did.  

After dinner, back home to the rest of the family for a little Costco b-day cake.  

Now, without further ado, here is her birthday interview:

What's your favorite color?  blue
What's your favorite food?  eclairs
What's your least favorite food?  milk
What is your favorite breakfast food?  pancakes or crepes
What is your favorite animal?  giraffes
What's your favorite thing to do?  go shopping
What's your favorite thing to play?  soccer
What's your favorite toy?  Moped
What's your favorite book?  Fantasy genre
What's your favorite tv show?  The Thundermans and Full House
What's your favorite subject in school?  reading
What do you want to be when you grow up?  a marine biologist
Where is your favorite place to go?  to the beach
Where do you want to go on vacation?  to a beach
What makes you happy?  People being nice to me, and animals
What was the funnest thing about being 11?  Starting 6th grade
What will be the best thing about being 11?  Doing more baptisms for the dead
What do you really like about yourself right now? My intelligence

Tulip Festival 2015

It is the last week of the Tulip Festival.  We were lucky to be able to go while we are off track.

Grandma is still recovering from her bout of Pneumonia, so we went the soft way and rented two golf carts.  The kids loved it!

There is also a new exhibit called the Light of the World which was beautifully done!

Here's most of the kids.  Josh refused pictures today, grrr.