Where did the summer go?

Mike mentioned that I never posted pictures from our campouts this summer. I forgot! Our first much anticipated campout was to Redfish Lake. We had major storms and a tent failure but we had fun anyways!

I think I am done camping with a crawler though, he just got way too dirty.

We had the best campsite with awesome climbing right next to the site. And of course, just a walk down to the freezing lake. 

 Our next campout out was with cousins in the City of Rocks. Talk about crazy weather! I have never seen wind blow that hard. The tents were practically sideways. There were actually tornado warnings in the area. We put the older kids to bed in the car and then "slept" with the baby in the tent. We were wet, wet wet!

 I can't keep this kid from climbing EVERYTHING! Windows, bookshelves, tables. Pretty much on 24/7 suicide watch.

Finn has been helping the kids with all their art projects they are getting ready for the North Bannock County Fair. He loved the paper mache! 

The kids have been begging us to sign them up for a race, any race. They were dying to get into the racer's tent with all the treats! I found an inexpensive 2.5K for us to run together. They loved it! Ian pushed hard and was 3 in his age group and 10th overall. Eliza could have run 3 times the race route, she had so much energy when it was over! She was first in her age group and 20th overall. And they stuffed themselves silly afterwards. 

Our latest trip was the Kammerman Family reunion at Mount Hood in Oregon! It was beautiful. I have so many good memories of growing up in Oregon. We went on a lot of  hikes with my family, played at Trillium lake, relaxed in the rental house.  

On Sunday we drove into Gladstone to attend the our home ward. We also drove by the house we grew up in to show the kids and then headed down to the Willamette River to do some black berry picking! It was just as painful as I remembered but so worth it. 

For Ian's Birthday we went to Powell's bookstore, Ice skating in the mall and then back to our lovely hostess's house where they had decorated for a wonderful party! It included hamburgers and an ice cream cake per Ian's request. I can't believe he's 9! Next year for his birthday he requests that we don't go on vacation. I don't know why he would say that when we had such an awesome time! 

The kids LOVED snow bowl in government camp. It had so many fun activities for the kids and grown ups and a great view of Mt Hood. 

 

Growing up, our favorite family activity was rafting in Eagle Creek. My kids loved it as much as I
did as a kid.

When we got home, we had a nice surprise! The apples were ready to be picked and our garden has really taken off. We having been eating apples, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, raspberries, peas. We have huge pumkins and one little canteloupe!

Wow that was really too long. We have been having too much fun!

Cast Your Vote!

Weed or Watermelon?

I say it is a watermelon plant although all my google searches do not comfirm this! This first picture is what it looks like when it is small. It starts with two smooth leaves.

And then it grows bigger with spikier leaves. 

Mike thinks it is a stickery weed. Any help? Grandma Stubbs do you know?? 

Maybe I need to stay home more....

Ian got a similar video sent to his email address after he went shopping with me. I thought I could trust Finn to keep an eye on those guys but he went along with everything.

AKA Wendy Stubbs

So there is another Wendy Stubbs that lives in the South. She is a very Christian woman, a wife, a mother, a volunteer. How do I know all this about her? I frequently get her emails. Her email address must be really close to mine. I have unsubscribed to her weekly church newsletter multiple times. I have received hotel room confirmations. Today I received a flight confirmation email.  (Anybody want to take a trip? I've got boarding passes!) She was a volunteer at a large religious revival in Atlanta in January. It took many emails to get them to stop sending me the hourly updates! And now unfortunately I have found out that she needs some marital counseling. The counselor emailed me a questionnaire to fill out before the appointment on Monday. My heart goes out to her, struggling in her marriage, her kids getting bad grades (yes, I got an email from the school teacher). Every time I get these emails I send polite responses that they have the WRONG email address. I wish that I knew the right address! Am I the only one that this happens too? Does this other Wendy get MY emails?

Any who. It's summer vacation! Eliza graduated from Kindergarten. Me and the kids spent a few hours in the Wilderness waiting for Mike to finish the BIG RACE.I am so glad it is done! He did great and is walking almost normally. Now maybe when I go the the dentist, the dentist will actually talk to me about something other than my husbands running habits. Like maybe my teeth or something.