We kicked-off the week with a camp-out, Dad's idea.
And what fun! The kids are hiking
in the above picture.

They loved it all. Well, until Donovan got blisters
and the boys headed back to the parking lot with Dad
and.....
Ivy lead the way up the mountain.
"I just want to see what is at the end of the trail, Mom."
What a sport!
We enjoyed everybit of this overnighter
and hike.

Donovan now suffers from "pyromania!" He tried to light every stick on fire. Harrison just took lots of pictures, mainly of nature. He wants to get the photography merit badge now.

I love to cook while camping. I'm best at the propane stove thing, but we got breakfast down this time: Make sure the flames on the fire are high and set the griddle right in. Fun! Good thing everything tastes great when you're camping:)


Let's hike!




My little happy campers.

We're definitely going to do this
activity more often.







Below: The kids' invention- "Door of Doom" ride. We do crazy things when we're camping and deprived of electronics. We have video, but we'll spare you:)

No more teachers, no more books!

Back to the books.
It is time. Time to go to school, time to go to work.
I suppose I'm ready.
I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now,
in fact, getting excited about my new post at the school.
I'm only worried about doing homework with kids,
making dinner,reading,
getting people to bed on-time and all of this nonsense.
It's what we do though, right? We can do this again.
Wishing YOU luck and feel-goods.

*Be sure to check the bottom of the screen for favorite video clips*

Today is about art-journaling.
Catching up with thoughts and feelings in a way that only
needs to be understood by an artist.

This is how I get out of my head
and get it onto paper where I can sort it all out.

Look at Maxfield Parrish's work up there:
It needs no explanation, just one look and you feel it.
Wow!

Who is your favorite artist?

H with 2 awesome grandmas

Fillmore on the 4th!
We live for the celebration with family:
From the parade down main at 10 am
to the fireworks on grandma's lawn at 10 pm.
Here are a few of the things that happened this year...

The Bonds- Where are Megan and Tyson?

Donovan and Connor on the a.t.v. Buddies!

Here's Grandma, Beth and Suzie- 3 stand-up-comedians.
They're hilarious together!

Cousins Shelby and Morgan- and new puppy, Daisy.

So, thanks, Shelby for providing so much entertainment for the kids.
Mine were in 7th heaven.

Girls, girls, girls! They had a blast. They even pose for the mommies:)
Macy, Ivy, Campbell and Azi

What would the 4th be like without the sideyard scrimmage?
Football game-
quote of the day when Satasha got knocked down by her
boy cousin: "Sissy!"- brother, Chase

Yummy Dutch oven chicken and fixin's, laughs, stories and more stories,
games and Deano's pizza at the Carnival. Main street USA, pretty much.

So many I didn't get pictures of, but we had a blast and we love you all!

Updated family photo:

My huge, extended and obnoxious family
got together for family photos a couple of weeks ago.
We have a riot together.
Here was my little fam--happy as can be!
Thanks, cousin Maddie for hiding behind
the photographer and snapping photos
for me. She was so cute and manipulative:)

I wish I could post the whole fam damily,
but I signed an agreement.
Love 'em and miss Wad's and Jody's families already!

Fame! I'm Gonna Live Forevah...

*Childhood Flashbacks*

Ivy's eating her apricot fruit leather today
and I remember my mom making
us fruit leather from our own apricot tree.
I loved the stuff.

Then out of the blue, I'm seeing this very
picture: Me, Rod Decker and an annoying fly.
I'm not swatting it away, it's some girl in front of me. I'm to his right
looking just like Ivy in my claim-to-fame
blooper reel. Minutes :58-1:05.

Even cookier is my swing dancing with Rod's brother
at Rob's work banquet a couple of months ago.
I know! Astounding.

And hey, let's hear it for the fly anchor dancers!

Christina's Tag

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:

*NOT going to work this summer
*Anniversary getaway to Park City this month
*Bear Lake with Rob's family next month
*Me finishing my bachelors and teaching h.s. English
*Paris with Rob-Next summer??
*High speed internet;)
*Reading every classic out there
*Grandkids

8 Things I did Yesterday:

*slept in
*Prayed and read my scriptures first thing-goal met
*redid my glitter toes
*Cleaned the Church
*Rob and I took the kids to see Treasure Island at Hale
*Sat and read at Murray Park while the kids and Rob played
*Ate at Noodles. Yum!
*Ate a Twix

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

*Continue on to get a doctorate
*Publish a book
*Be an avid skiier
*Finish our own basement and have a game room
*Hang out with all my favorite rock bands, sing and fall in-love- ok, that was a high school dream
*Live in Europe
*Help my kids understand how important their education is
*Do it all and do it well

8 Shows I Watch:

*Masterpiece Classic
*Masterpiece Mystery
*Monarch of the Glen
*Loved THE MOLE when it ran for two seasons. (Years ago!)
*Wheel of Fortune
*Jeopardy
*I could watch reruns of Northern Exposure everyday (Yep, Years ago!)
*I watched about 10 episodes of Jackass-laughed so hard and then stopped and repented.
OK, so t.v. isn't my thing, but I enjoy movies.

8 Favorite Fruits:

This would honestly be easier if they were veggies:
*Bananas with:
*Strawberries
*Apple
*Grapes smothered in yogurt with nuts. Why did I have to tell you all that?
Then I like:
*Watermelon
*Is Avocado a fruit?
*Oranges
*Tomato

8 Places I'd Like to Travel To:

*France, by bicycle, subway, taxi, foot. I want it all.
*India.
*All over England and Scotland.
*Boston-Before Fenway is torn down
*Nauvoo and all Church History sites
*Anywhere in Asia
*The Holy Land
*Argentina with Rob

8 Places I've Lived (even if only on holiday):

*Millcreek Canyon. Loved this home.
*Yep, Provo for 4 long months as a Newlywed.
*Moab, spent summer weekedends on my bike with Rachel being crazy.
*In a charming cottage house in the avenues next to Weber State.
*For a week in Puerto Rico at a resort I dream about.
*Utah- As a permanant residence- all my years.
*For two weeks in Germany with a dear friend, Judith and her amazingly daring hubby, Burkehart.
*I lied, there was Italian Alps in there for a few days.
*NYC for a week.


There you go. Now you know more of me than you did. Perhaps more than you ever wanted to know, but that's what blogging is all about. It's my journal, my radiohead, for all to peer into, disect and see how I tick.

You can amuse yourself and do this too. Thanks for the inspiration, Christina T.