MMHS Homecoming 2014

This is what my kitchen looks like when I make corsages for dances.

Also, I raid my neighbors' yards for supplies.

Summer kept telling me to make hers bigger, so I did!!

Summer went with Trevor.  They had a friend take pictures of them in Provo.

They told her to make them look like engagement photos!! What??

Trevor & Summer are best friends. But, not kissing friends. 

We ordered her dress online and she found her shoes at a thrift store.

They had a lot if fun taking pictures.

Trevor was distracted during dinner.

Trevor is in the SASH band with Summer. He's the drummer.  They played a show earlier in the day.  It was the Food Expo in Provo.  Thousands of people were there to sample the tastes of Provo.  The SASH got free tickets for playing music.  Trevor said, "don't eat too much, we're going to dinner later"

Summer said, "No, eat a bunch, then dinner won't cost you so much tonight!!"

That girl is a thinker!!  And kinda cheap.  Way to look out for Trev!

Heber Creeper

When I was a kid, my parents took us on our annual Summer vacation on the Heber Creeper.

We looked forward to it every year.

But I had completely forgotten about the train robber scene...

Put your hands up!!

Cole quickly obeyed!

Summer enjoyed a nice nap.  Or 2

We drove to Heber.  Rode the train to Vivian Park.  Rode the train back to Heber.

(A one-way trip would have been enough for this ADHD family.)

I'm sure this is a reproduction, but I loved these old signs.

I love timp.  From every angle.

Sierra enjoyed some rest, too.

Summer:  nap #2

Rick was antsy the whole time wondering if the train could go faster, 

and how much it would cost to fully restore the train cars to their original state.

Waiting for the afternoon train the cross the tracks in Midway.

The term "Heber Creeper" makes much more sense to everyone now.

What a beautiful Autumn.  Beautiful Weekend.  And beautiful state we live in!

Cole & Cough Drops

Cole is just a fun kid.

The pictures don't match the story, but I just wanted to record this story about Cole from last week.

Cole came home from school and told me that his teacher was sick.  She had a cold and he wanted to do something for her.  I told Cole that we could make some bread and take her a loaf of bread to school the next day.  That suggestion didn't click with him.  So, I told him to think about it and we'd come up with an idea.  Cole was worried for Mrs. Foote.  She had used her last cough drops up during the school day.  So, after Scouts we went to the store.  I had to pick up a few things for lunches for the following day.  I told Cole that he could pick one thing--anything he wanted--to take to school for his sick teacher.  He picked a bag of cough drops.  And not just any bag.  He took special care to choose the bag that had the flavors that Mrs. Foote likes.  What kid even pays attention to what flavor cough drops his teacher likes?  And that she used the last cough drop?

Well Cole sure did.  We took the cough drops and a package of tissues and wrapped them in a clear bag with pretty ribbon and he took the package to school the next day.

A few days later I was volunteering in the class.  Mrs. Foote pulled me aside and told me how thoughtful it was for Cole to think of her and to notice that she wasn't feeling well and that she was out of cough drops.  She started to cry.  And, of course, so did I.

So proud of my little blonde tender hearted boy.  He really is thoughtful and generous.  And messy.

Harvesting Honey

Time to harvest.  Rick has a friend from work that is a bee keeper.

However, this year his bees disappeared.  So he loaned Rick his honey extracting equipment in exchange for some honey.

We only got honey from our front yard hive.  

The hive in the back only produced enough honey to keep them alive this winter.  

No extra for us humans!!

I think bees are fascinating.  

We basically ended up with a full 5 gallon bucket of honey.

It was a 2 day process.  But I'm sure we could do it in half the time next year now that we have done it once.  

Rick ended up with a sting on his leg and I got stung in my armpit while trying to take pictures.

Tomorrow we will return the honey extracting equipment with some honey and homemade bread.

Happy Halloween

I had such sweat friends in Mississippi that introduced me to the "Halloween Party"

I met the Joyners at Flowood Elementary, the twins--Noah & Graham--were in the same class as Summer.  Being new to the area, we had no friends and yet they were considerate enough to invite us to their party.  We knew no one.  But, it was the beginning of a great tradition that we have carried on ever since Summer was in 1st grade.  (except last year when I took a leave of abcense) 

Amara, Audrey and I have taken turns hosting now for the last 7 years.  We usually do it inside and send out invites.  Usually about 1/2 of the people come that we invite.  It's easy to estimate the numbers. But this year we decided to have our party early because of conflicts between the first of October and Halloween.  So, October 11 was the week that worked out.  We gambled that the weather would be good and planned an outdoor party...with an open invitation on our neighborhood Facebook page.  (we told everyone to spread the word)

The weather was fantastic.  It was actually perfect all week.  What a beautiful Fall season we have had.

Lots of people showed up.  We asked folks to RSVP so we would know how many hotdogs/buns to purchase.  A few more people showed up than we had on our list, but we planned for that.  We did pretty good--2 hot dogs left over.  Hooee was happy with that.

Amara told people that if they didn't dress up that they would be singing Karaoke.  The threat must have worked...lots of costumes.  Rick was serious about it, too.  He had the sound system set up and was rocking the neighborhood long before the party started.  I thought for sure that someone would call the police before we ever had anyone show up.

It was too hot for the fire pit until the sun went down. 

Rick had a work party at the very same time.  Conveniently it was in Mapleton, so he took Cole and Summer.  Summer was happy to go because we told her that some of Rick's work partners had boys her age.

Sierra created this cute skeleton for our "pin the bowtie on the skeleton" game for the Littles.

I am going to have Sierra paint one on canvas so I can hang it up all year round.

Oh yeah! Another neighborhood witch.  Glad I was not the only one.

This is actually one of my favorite neighbors...she waves every time she drives down the street.

Another favorite.  Favorite costume.  Favorite RM.  Favorite craft buddy.

Favorite horse.

Favorite Friend.

And it wouldn't be a Halloween Party without the traditional Mummy Wrap.  

We did Youth vs. Bishop.  Not really sure who won.

Suddenly every kid in the yard had a roll of TP and it was everywhere.  That game ended quite abruptly.

I guess that's a wrap.  Until next year.