Bookmarks For the Library

When I saw these bookmarks I knew that Emma would love them.  She did so we decided it would be fun to make a bunch and donate them to the library to use as they wished.

We had such a good time crafting our bookmarks together.   We came up with some cute versions.

The monsters were our favorites.

Emma loves the children’s librarian at our library so she was excited to give our finished bookmarks to her.  The librarian loved them and said she could definitely use them.  A few weeks later we got a phone call from the librarian.  She asked if we would be willing to teach how to make the bookmarks at a family craft night at the library in December.  Sure, we can do that!  Of course Emma kept a few of her favorites for herself.  She’s already put them to good use!

Workers

As I’ve said before, one of Isaac’s greatest desires is to be a “worker”.  He loves to work with us, especially if it is outside work.  So, when Grandma Dorothy came over for the yearly cleaning of my windows Isaac was more than thrilled to be a “worker” right alongside her.  He got his squirt bottle and went right to work.

Grace totally got into the spirit of work also and proved to be a very good worker herself.  She liked watching Grandma wash the outside of the kitchen windows, so she decided it would be a good time to clean the sink for me. 

Then Isaac put on his tool belt.  Whenever that comes out he means serious worker business.  In fact, we can’t call him Isaac when he is wearing it.  We must call him Worker. 

Isaac looks more like he is supervising in these pictures, but he did do some real work.

Gracie really worked hard and actually washed some windows for us.

Oh how I love my little workers.  And how grateful I am for my sweet Grandma who sets an amazing example of hard work for me and for my kids.  She was the perfect person for them to work with!

Blueberries for Isaac and Grace

Blueberry picking time again!  I look forward to filling our freezer with blueberries every year at this time since I am usually out or almost out from the year before.  Isaac, Grace and I hit my good friend Miriam’s blueberry farm again this year.  The pickings are easy there, and the conversation is even better!  Too bad I would rather talk with Miriam than pick…

Isaac and Grace immediately got into picking the blueberries and they were such good little helpers.  Much better than their first experience with blueberry picking.  I had told them over and over on the way there that they shouldn’t eat the berries until we weighed them.  They were really good about not eating them for quite awhile, but towards the end that changed.  I couldn’t blame them, they were really good!

Knowing that blueberry season was coming, I had put this book on hold at the library.

It couldn’t have been more perfect that it came in the day we went picking!  So on the way home we stopped by the library to pick it up.  Isaac and Grace loved the book and we ready it many times over the next few days. 

We also made fresh blueberry muffins that night.  They were delicious!

A few days later we went back to Miriam’s to pick some more.  Both Isaac and Grace said they were “just like Sal” picking blueberries, and they liked to make the “kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk” noises that are in the book when their berries hit the bottom of the bucket.  This time Emma was with us so we picked a lot more a lot faster, but it was still nice to have our two little helpers.  At one point Grace insisted on using her purse to put her blueberries in.  She looked so cute handing her purse of berries to Miriam to be weighed!  Hurray for blueberries!

Papa Smurf

Lee’s Stake High Council responsibility is over the Young Women.  He has really loved getting to know the YW of our stake over the last year+.  He was definitely looking forward to going to YW Camp this summer.  This year they gave the Priesthood leaders gnome hats.  Lee chose the blue one and was immediately dubbed Papa Smurf. 

What a week Papa Smurf, aka Lee, had!  He came home with lots of stories and has managed to get Emma extremely excited for her first year at camp next summer.  He told us tales of animal noises and elk calls (those tricky Priesthood leaders…), hula dancing, camp songs, Priesthood leader bonding, being nominated for being “cute”, and of course the skits.

Most of all he came home talking about the high level of spirituality that was at camp.  He was very impressed with the caliber of YW in our Stake and with their leaders.  He loved the spiritual element that was at YW camp that isn’t the same at Scout camps.  I got to participate a little bit in camp this year myself when I taught Destiny one day.  What an experience that was for me.  It took me way out of my comfort zone to teach in that setting, but the topic I had of faith and hope is near and dear to my heart.  I also had fun with the handouts I made for the girls.

And I was especially glad to see my very own Papa Smurf for a day at camp (although I didn’t get called Mama Smurf more than once while I was there…).  He spent our anniversary at camp and I missed him, we all missed him for the whole week and we were sure happy to have him back home!

Weekend in Pacific City

We spent another beautiful weekend at the coast, this time at Pacific City and with my family.  David and Lesli were already gone unfortunately, but we had fun with Kristin and Darcy.  The first day we were there was sunny and warm, but very windy.  We ended up staying high on a dune and away from the water.  The kids had fun playing in the sand.

We stayed at a great house that was a short walk to the beach.

We found lots of ways to stay entertained at the house.  Not pictured: playing oink piggy oink, spoons and psychiatrist.  Fun times!

Lee even joined Emma and Tenley in making friendship bracelets.  He made me a really cool bracelet as an early anniversary present!

Of course, we ate really well while we were there.  Yummy crepes for breakfast, hamburgers, chicken salad, overpriced pizza…you name it.

Excuse Lee’s sweatiness, he and Darcy had just come in from a run.

The second day on the beach wasn’t nearly as windy.  It was a beautiful day and we had fun playing.  Gracie had a scary fall in the ocean, but thankfully Uncle Darcy jumped right in to “save” her (as Gracie put it).  She wouldn’t go near the water again after that.  (Isaac didn’t even try in the first place!)

Emma and Tenley hit the skim boards.

One of our favorite things about Pacific City is going up the big sand dune.  Parker and Darcy went to the top, and so did Emma and Tenley.  They tried to go down on sleds and snowboards, but those never work as well as you think!

Lee and I took the babies up the “little” dune.

Unfortunately the top is fenced off now.  The most beautiful views are just beyond that fence.

Grace is trying to go under the fence in this picture.  Sneaky little girl!

This view was pretty good too, though.  I couldn’t resist these posing pictures!

Going down was funny.  Gracie went down standing up, Isaac slid the whole way down.

That evening we had to hit the salt water taffy store, as well as Mo’s for our traditional dinner at the beach.

The quiet table:

The noisy table:

We spent a little more time on the beach and on the pier.

What a good weekend it was.  Thank you Kristin & Darcy!

The best part was definitely being with family.

The worst part…Lee’s car totally died on the way home.  Like, it’s dead for good.  Sigh.  Good thing we were coming off a great weekend!