Celebrate

We had the family over for a lunch to celebrate Samantha's birthday. It's always a load and exceptionally fun time. I think I love how all the cousins are growing up together and really beginning to enjoy each others company. It should be fun to watch them over the next ten years.

 Not in the pictures...Jacob! He was at a tournament in Flagstaff. It was hard for this sports lovin mama to miss but he had a great time thanks to my in laws taking him in our place.

It is hard to believe this precious girl is 8. She is as much a delight as the day she was born, and has the most compassionate heart of anyone I know. I can see Jesus in her every day!! Love you Samantha Baby!!!

Happy 8th Birthday Samantha

First Day of Pre-K

These two have watched the older ones have their first day and now theirs has finally come. We start the day off with our traditional breakfast out and then off to school. This year, their class is filled with friends from church and that is extra special!

How cute are they...Amore is their bestest bud and our carpool buddy!!!

Fall is in the air...

My new "toy" arrived!!!! I did some basic canning last fall but did not have the proper equipment nor did I want to pay for it back then either. So, earlier in the summer I was searching Amazon and put these delightful treasures in Shane's "save for later" cart. To my surprise this afternoon they arrived!!! He finally ordered them last week and I couldn't be more excited to try some canning. I think I will start with peaches or an easy jam first...yippy, time to start playing!

Weekend in the woods

We left early afternoon on Fri to break free from the grip of this heat and enjoy the cabin for the first time this summer. It was glorious. Honestly, I am having a hard time finding to words to describe the whole weekend because to be frank Shane and I both feel like this was the best weekend our family has ever had up there. (The snow trips are the exception) We did a big hike, which we have been waiting for many, many years to do with the kids on Saturday. After our summer vacation to Yosemite and Sequioa we knew we had some tough kids and that they can actually go a lot further than we ever no thought so we decided to give it a try. It was a joy to see them do something hard and finish strong...we cannot wait to go back again...maybe in Oct.

Once we got up there and settled a little bit we just wanted to be outside and at 75 degrees who could not!!! My In-laws have a swing tied to a tree that the kids get many thrills on so that was where we spent a good part of the late afternoon.

I even took a turn...it was a bit more scary because the rope was not in the best condition so Shane decided to pass on his turn...we found out Mon morning that was a good idea...more to come about that.

Can't go up there without the campfire...our favorite part for sure!!

Also, why not a game of hide and seek too...

First Shane explains the rules and boundaries much to the chagrin of our 10yr old. I think he figures he has an edge up on everyone, but with rules it makes it a little more even.

Look at the face...yup, rules are sooooo unfair!!! (wink, wink)

Samantha's turn to count....1, 2, 3....ready or not....here I come!

And this is what happens when you get tagged and know you have to count...oh the horror!!!

I think I enjoyed just standing watching them all have fun while I took some pics. Their laughter echoed throughout the mountains, and well so did the screams...but in a good ol fashioned fun way!

I cooked a roasted chicken and Nathan and Hannah got the pleasure of pulling the wishbone...although the winner I am sure will not be granted his wish to become spider-man.

It was harder than it looked...

SO Saturday come along and we ate a great big breakfast, made sandwiches and packed up the rest of our lunch to head out on our BIG hike to what the Self's call the "bathtub".

We left at 8:30am

The 'meadow'...half way point at 10am!

A quick 10min water and rest break...then we were off again!

 This is the bathtub...it is a large, deep spot where a spring bubbles up. We arrived at 11am. I was not a full as normal since the area hasn't had much rain in the past couple weeks, but the kids of course found a way to have fun.

Then we ate, played, someone fell in the water and was 'saved', fought off bugs and more bugs then packed up for the long two hours back. We left at 12pm.

God sent some angels to help us in the last little bit...my In-laws!!! George and Cindy had come up for a community potluck and met us in the last 15min of the 2hrs it took to hike back. The kids were really struggling and it was a great boost of enthusiasm we needed to push through the last bit....AND the best part of all they offered to walk back the rest of the way themselves and offered their closely parked car for us to drive back...it was a blessing!!! 

The rest of the weekend we relaxed outside almost all day, read books and more books and more book and took naps and enjoyed God's nature. We of course thought we were going to get off injury free this trip, but we are the Self's so 20min before we left Samantha was swinging on the swing and the poor rope finally broke. She fell on the back of her head about 3 ft to the ground. We quickly finished packing the truck and drove about 6miles to Christopher Creek for the local fire dept to look her over and see if we needed further evaluation or if we could get home. She was given and ok assessment, an ice pack and we just watched her. By the time we got home she was fine...so crisis averted. Now begins the laundry washing and clean up since taking 7 people to the mountains is no small feet....but we are already thinking about out next trip...Oct break we hope!

Blessing to you all on this Labor Day Weekend...we hope it was as good for you as it was for us.

All I can say is it is been too long...

We haven't been to the cabin since the awesome winter of snow and sledding in January. Oh my...how can that be? Well, soccer, kids, soccer, birthdays, adoptions, vacation...etc! I am so excited to be going where it will be quiet...no cell phones or internet! I hope I can sleep out on the screened porch and have nature sing me a lullaby. Oh and in case you haven't guess...no excessive heat either! So long dear ones...may your Labor Day Weekend be filled with rest.

Reservations have been made

We have surgery date...Sept 12th! It will be a very, very early morning since they let the babies go first thing. So far, all the details are falling into place with the other kids and their school schedules. We will be at Cardon's Children Medical Center for a minimum of 24hrs and then hopefully home to our own beds by the 13th. She has a good pain tolerance so hopefully she will do great...not to mention I need to stock up on Popsicle and ice cream for her.