whats up with that?

Why can't I grow big strawberries?? Does anyone out there have a green thumb? What are we doing wrong? We've had the plants for about 4 or 5 years now, they produce 2-3 times a year, but they are teeny and we don't get that many.

At least we have a few yummy ones for our cereal in the mornings.

So at Girls camp we made these darling pillows--thanks Zalia--again! They are made out of fleece and tied together and stuffed with batting. Ever since I brought mine home--it has been a wanted item--even though it is pink and flowery all over. Kam thinks she needs it, but the boys--including Russell always want it cuz it's soooo soft and fuzzy. So after I had broken up a fight between the 2 boys--yet again--I vowed to make them one--to make life easier for all of us. I just finished them.....

The fleece is on sale 40% off at Joanns. Huge selection. Huge! Kaden's is the softest and fluffiest--I guess it's better quality fleece-his cost 6$ instead of the 4$ for the other two. Karson's is the skull/camo one. They are sooooo cute and only took about an hour and a half for all 3. They will be great for our labor day weekend get-away. We are heading up to Washington--near Spokane for a family reunion. It will be tons of fun--but I am soooo dreading the 10 1/2 hour drive all night long....

Send us good Karma vibes for cheap gas and safe travel--and I'll see ya'll when we return :)

Girls Camp Rocks!!

So I finally got the girls camp photos up. You can see it here.

It was sooooo fun! We had lots of good times getting to know the girls and each other. You see--the leaders always have way more fun.

Not too many wild animal encounters--a night-time visitor clomping around the last night, and some bathroom critters--but that's about it. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, and the company was lovely.

Now I think I'm totally recovered. Whew!

So school started today. sometimes its good to get back into a routine....ask me this in a month--when all of us are sick of homework.

Oh -- my cute boys are growing up!! Kaden is in 6th grade and Karson is in 2nd. Kamryn starts preschool next week--I think.....I better check on that one :)

And yes......I finally added some new music to this little blog. I was sooooo getting sick of so you had a bad day cuz Kam sings it all the time and wants to listen to it all the time and then whenever I check my blog it alwasy comes up but I haven't had time to change it for a while.....so you'll have to deal with this until I revamp again. Happy Day!

in the mean time...

So--I haven't quite had time to blog about girls camp yet--actually there's way too much to condense it down to a post--so You'll just get to see the photos when that happens---if that happens. Apparently I have a lot of photos to download to picasaweb--I haven't even done the reunion yet......

so in the mean time--this is my sanity here at work......yes I am blogging at work again....don't tell my boss.

http://www.pandora.com

You can create your own radio station --I have like 18 of them. I like so many different kinds of music---guster, feist, jack johnson, ray lamontaigne, david gray, colbie callait, ho jo, erasure, u2, the alarm, jon schmidt, blackhawk, kenny chesney, etc..... I have so many moods---i actually listen to all of these during the long days I wish i wasn't here. Way cool!

Girls Camp Preparations

So the fun and excitement has already begun----for us leaders that is.

Last night we (Suzanne, Zalia, Martha & I) went to the storage closet to get the coolers, tents, stoves, etc and we encountered a few obstacles. Envision with me if you will --in a parking lot behind the Sandy institute building overlooking the lovely Bear Park and the summertime football inhabitants-- the four of us clad in flip flops, capri’s and/or shorts walking purposefully toward the Bellview ward YW camp storage facility. This charming little closet is quietly nestled in between the 2 filled-to-capacity-and-overflowing dumptsers that were emitting a not so pleasant aroma and the 7 stacks of busy honeybees conveniently located adjacent to the Stake farm.

With noses upturned to the stench and heads bobbing and ducking the in-flight bomber bees we arrive at the closet ready to embark on the dreaded task to find not one but 2 hornet’s nests snuggly set back in the upper eaves of the storage building—right above our door. We gingerly open the door to find a magnificently spun web with a recently deceased spider hanging in the middle. At least that is the spider I saw at first. Then I looked up alongside the bin and saw the mother of all spiders—an enormous black widow!! I took a photo with my phone—but I do not yet have a micro SD card to download to show you yet. (you really need to see this thing!) After crushing the spider multiple times we started pulling out assorted bins and coolers when ouch! I got stung on my hand and Ouch! Zalia got stung on her leg! So now we are all jumping around moving every appendage to ward off the angry bees—wait—they’re not bees—they are wasps!! Oh yes they are! After a few more bins, Marti says—what’s that on the bottom of that bin?!……….You’re not going to believe this…..a snakes shedded skin!

OK! We will draw the line here!! We need either to change into a beekeepers outfit with leather boots, long pants, shirts, and gloves—or get some men to help us. Our rescuers included our local fireman Gerald (see, he’s used to rescuing people) and our YM president, Richard Ashby. (Greg was at scout camp, Russ was having scouts, and the bishopric were unable to be reached) They came to our aid and pulled out the big tent bag and quickly dropped it and ran out waving arms and shouting!! Yup—they uncovered the mothership—or mothernest if you will. While Gerald went to get some wasp/hornet killer, Richard gently pulled the bag over to the side so the hornets could settle down a bit—every now and then the breeze would pick up and we would remember the dumpster. EEEWWW!

Hornets are now dead. Work can be done. Wait—what’s that?—Oh—don’t you worry our heros have found yet another discovery—the owner of the snake’s skin. Yup the SNAKE! A nice little feller, just a little garter snake, but still a snake! Out he goes! I guess we should be thankful for the snake—it ate the mice so they didn’t destroy the tents. We only found mice poo not the actual mouse-thank goodness. That was definately enough for one evening.

Wow! What an adventure. And to believe this all happened before girls camp! What will happen when we actually leave our cozy little neighborhood???

reunion reminiscence....

The reunion was a huge success! Thanks to all the hard work of Betty & Milton. Everything was well thought out, planned and executed!! We had between 63-70 people during the reunion--it was great to be together. The only thing we needed was more time for grown ups to spend together---and oh yes--no puking would have been nice too :)!

We had fun playing games, learning about relatives, swimming, hiking, playing ping pong ('round the world style), eating, crafting, jelewry making, laughing, talking, and just enjoying each other's company. We took so many photos--it's taking a bit of time to sort them all out--but they'll be on picassa soon...The cabin was fabulous--what a great place to have. I even got some great book ideas for both Kaden and myself...thanks Corinne, Cynthia, Marni, Shauna, Judy, and Elena! You all need a shelf here so I can see all of your books.

Unfortunately there was a bit of illness that spread like wildfire--the dreaded gastro-enteritis. 21 people so far have gotten sick. I'm sooooo glad most of us got sick after we got home... Hopefully this won't go down in history as the "Barfing Baker Reunion".

All in all it was so good to be together -- I'm so very sad it will be another year or two until we'll all be together again.

Now to get ready for Girls Camp......