Brownie Bites: August 2017

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Hiking Timp (and mom hikes)

Ster took Syd, Park and Camille to the top of Timp. and Lexi went with them. Sounds like it was a little crazy trying to get to the glacier and sliding down it. Glad I wasn't there.

ALSO

I began my weekly Friday hikes with my friends.

So Ster took my kids up to the top of Timp and the day before I hiked behind Timp.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

First day of school

And just like that, all my kids are in school again.

Syd went to pick up her friend too early for me to remember to get a picture. Thank heaven Lexi's mom got a cute one!

SYDNEY

High school Junior

Middle School

Parker

9th grade Freshman

Camille

7th grade

Elementary

Rachel

4th grade

BRYCE

2nd grade

7th grade day at the bus stop. On Monday, only 7th graders went to school to get familiar with middle school.

In this picture:

A bunch of 12-year-olds spread out across the sidewalk, all too nervous to actually interact with each other. Camille is the only girl. Her arrival forced the boys to clump together for reinforcements. She walked right up to one group, no problem, and started talking.

7th grade is going to be awesome for her!

I'm Ready ...

Seems like this was the constant state of my kitchen all summer long.

I'm ready for school to start so I can reclaim my kitchen!

Monday, August 21, 2017

Eclipse

Solar Eclipse!

We got 92% or something. It was pretty awesome. We sat out in the yard with the Parrishs and Schusters with our special eclipse glasses.

The air got cooler and the sky grew dim. Sort of like a late fall evening before sunset. Only it was 12:30 in the afternoon on a hot August day.

Pretty awesome.

We also noticed how all the shadows reflected the eclipse.

I was pretty impressed with our own experience. The change in temp and light. When only 7-8% of the sun providing light and it was LIGHT! The power of light is amazing.

A lot of people traveled to Idaho to be in the path of totality. They were warning the residents of Idaho to stock up on food and gas. It seemed like they were being told to be prepared for the end of the world. But it was just for the influx of visitors to see the eclipse.

I have to admit, I wondered why? Why travel all that way and be pressed by the all the crowds?

Then I saw all the pictures and videos from people who had traveled to be in the path of totality where the sun is covered 100%. What an experience. I didn't think it would be That much of a difference but it totally was. Next time there is a solar eclipse and I can feasibly make it to the path of totality, I will!

Another funny thing is that people were not really prepared for all the hype despite all the hype. There were lots of news articles and posts about getting eclipse glasses but the day before, every one was scrambling. I got mine on Amazon a couple weeks before but even then, they were almost all sold out and I had to pay more than I wanted to. Kind of interesting to see how, despite the warnings, people were not prepared. hmmmmm

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Carter Creek - day 2

Hiking around Carter Creek.

To the Beaver Dam that isn't a dam anymore but still a destination for our family.

Look at the cute little beaver!

Stuck in the quick sand.

Rachel perfected Sterling's sitting stance.

She called it the Farmer Pose

Playing games in the camper.

We left a nice little zen garden.

On the way home, we stopped by Provo Falls for lunch, a family favorite.

Friday, August 18, 2017

Carter Creek - day 1

I'm not sure how many more years we will go to Carter Creek with my parents. So each year we go, we make the most of it. This trip had a really special feel because it really might be the last.

New to camp this year were man-made teepees.

Syd. Enough said.

Sitting around the campfire eating S'mores!

Packed into the camper.

LILY LAKE

Bryce enjoyed collecting fish carcasses. It was actually pretty gross and I'm glad it doesn't show up very well in this picture.

Hiking around the lake.

Relaxing at the lake

Playing Go Fish while fishing. hahaha

Fishing

Look at Parker helping Bryce learn how to fish.

So cute!

Nice hair!

On Being a Mom

"We all know that the early years of our children's lives are precious. It is when they are most teachable, impressionable and open to true and erroneous teaching. Our society in a rush to success encourages us as mothers to send our children from the home earlier and earlier, to involve them in more and more activities. Too often we forget that the most impotant preparation for success is in the home under the nurturing care of the mother. That preparation takes time, long stretches of time filled with the consistent, everyday activity of home life. The time we have with our little ones is short and should be guarded carefully."

Kimberli Robison

Kids Say The Darnest Things

Syd: All I hear when guys talk about cars: "G7XLT 1500 YLQ4XP."

And all I say back is, "I like the grey one."

(Apr 2020)

Sydney's roommates when she was moving out to come home because of covid-19:

"Coronavirus needs to catch itself and die so we can get our Sydney back."

(Mar 2020)

Syd: "I need to get the heck back good again."

(Jan 2020)

Syd (excited about a boy): "They should have a hotline for girls to call and talk about boys when their friends and family are tired of listening."

(Jan 2017)

Bryce (saying a prayer): "Thank you for our bones, so that our bodies, won't melt."
(Aug 2014)

Parker: "What happened to the rest of the cake?"
Mom: "I ate it."
Parker: "Oh, so you can just eat whenever you feel hungry?"
Mom: "Yep."
Parker: "I can't wait until I'm a Dad. Then I can have my cake and eat it too."
(May 2013)

Bryce: "I do undersault." (somersault)
(May 2013)

At a Jazz basketball game:
Parker: "How many people are in this building?"
Dad: "Probably around 20,000."
Parker: "I think Mom's written more words than that."
(referring to my NaNoWriMo word count, which was at 23,000 at that point)
(Nov 2012)

Parker: "Why can't we watch the movies I picked tonight?"
Dad: "Well, it's Sunday, so I would like to watch a church movie."
Parker: "Why? So, like, Three Amigos isn't a church movie?"
(Nov 2012)

Rachel: "When you said clean the room, I didn't know you meant to clean up all the toys on the floor."
(Oct 2012)

Regarding Sunday General Conference:
Parker: "This morning was just the 1st quarter?" (like a basketball game.)
Mom: "Yes, and now we're watching the 4th quarter."
(Oct 2012)

Rachel: "I don't think we should eat that bread."
Mom: "Why?"
Rachel: "Because it has a bad word in it."
Mom: "What?"
Rachel: (slowly and very ennunciated) "Bi-ki-ni bread."
Mom: "No, it's Zucchini bread. It's ok to eat."
(July '12)

Rachel: "My arm ankle hurts." (wrist)
(Jan. '12)

Camille: (whispering to mom) "Dad just said we are having 6 hot brains for breakfast." (he actually said 6-grain hot cereal)
(Jan. '12)

Parker: (after taking a gulp of super hot chocolate)
"Oh..oh..oh. That just boiled my apple." (adam's apple)
(Oct. '11)

Parker: " Man, Mom. You have a big job. Taking care of the kids. That's like the hardest job. Well, except being an Avatar." (Sept. '11)

Rach: (laughing) "What if one of our 5 senses was our pajamas? That would be soooo funny." (Sept. '11)

Rach: "Mom, can I have some strange cheese?" (string cheese) (Aug. '11)

Parker: "Dad, when I grow up, I really want to be a professional basketball player. But more than that, I really want to be a Farm Bureau Man." (May '11)

Syd's "Hug List" (the list of people she wants to hug when she gets to heaven. Sydney: "Jesus, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young..." Dad: "Hannah Montana?" Sydney: "I'm not sure she'll be in the kingdom I'M going to." (Mar. '11)

Camille: "Pop! goes the wiggle." (Feb. '11)

Sydney: "Parents are supposed to be my example. But the only thing I learned from you today is to come home in the middle of church and eat the donuts." (Jan. '11)

Pages