Last week of summer vacation

 There’s Halloween stuff at the stores, so I can finish my holiday table runner, right?  I made this like six months ago but never quilted it. Got it done last night. 

Genevieve made this cute treasure map and accessorized it on one of our computer desks. She is so talented. 

I lost a cute little calming bottle we bought at a kids market the other week and I was able to find her a new one. She’s pretty excited about it, facial expression notwithstanding. She had Genevieve label it Sleep Potion. 

I got a writing desk at Aldi a number of years ago and I liked it a lot but eventually it died. I decided to keep the frame so I could make a new desktop at some point. This is the desk I ended up making. If I can find some in the right shape, I’m going to put some baskets in that open space. 

We got some stools when we moved in for our kitchen island that were so cute and soft and comfy and didn’t wear at all. They got so grimy and stained and nothing worked to clean them. Those kids of mine and their greasy fingers! We bought a pair of new chairs this week. I like them! Especially since they wipe clean. 

Earlier this week Spencer got the chance to volunteer at the traveling tabernacle the LDS church is presenting around Utah. It was cool! I took Genevieve the night before to see her friend and then Tuesday morning Bill and I took the other two. It took about an hour and I really enjoyed the presentation. 

Parks and trips and tests

Gosh my kids are getting big. This is going to be the year Genevieve and Spencer pass me in height. Not a huge milestone I grant you, but where did the time go?? Parenthood feels shorter every year. 

This little message made my week! So many years of blood, sweat, and tears to get through this test Bill took. It was not as straightforward as we expected. I'm so, so glad to be past it and for the job security it will bring Bill and the increased salaries as time goes by. 

Our local park had its grand opening yesterday, and it was such a great party. Bill and Spencer and Genevieve went to Las Vegas for the weekend to visit Bill's grandpa particularly, but also his dad and sister. Aaron and Chloe and I stayed home and partied all day at the park. After I had run ten miles, of course. Ha! My legs were a bit tired on the four or five trips we took back and forth from our house over to the park for different activities.

             

 Bill and the kids had a great time. I love this four-generation photo.

Spencer has definitely hit the eat us out of house and home stage. They went out to sushi last night and apparently he just ate and ate and ate everything. I love it! I can't help but remember back over the last decade all the issues he struggled with eating. Not anymore! Time does amazing things. 

 

Girls Camp

 I went to girls camp this week. It was a really great week. I’ve been in young women’s several times before, but never had the flexibility to be there the whole time. I’ve come up just for a night or a day or so because of family or work obligations. It was really nice to be able to get away for the whole four days. 

One day we did a high ropes course. It was so fun. I love taking groups to these because it’s so team building. The girls learned so much. They faced some fears and cheered each other on and learned to work together. It was so good all around. We did this vertical jungle gym that was super fun. I crossed these hanging balls that took so much core and quad strength. I haven’t used my muscles like that in a long while and my quads are still sore. 

This is the girls celebrating when one of them made it through. Such good friends!

This is how camp looked most of the week. Stormy! It rained so hard every night, plus an hour or two in the evenings. We said a lot of prayers that we’d be able to do our activities, and we were able to! We did the ropes course, hiked Stewart Falls, and swam at Tibble Fork Reservoir. Our tents kept us dry. I did get soaked to the skin not once but twice putting up tents and the heavens opened up and dumped on us. It was an adventure. 

Stewart Falls. 

So many beautiful views. Utah is such a gorgeous place. While the rain was tricky, I loved it so much. We can never get enough rain. Although some of my neighbors’ basements flooded, which is awful. But it feels like Utah May really be moving towards getting out of the 20-year drought if this keeps up. I would love that.