Is Summer Finally Over Yet??

When summer started I had such hopes.  We were going to go camping and hiking, on picnics and bike rides - all the while maintaining a regular schedule of piano practice and housework.  Everyone would pitch in to help and everyone would enjoy our little family outings.  Ha!!!  Our summer started off innocently enough - Andrew turned 12 and we had a lovely evening with family to celebrate.  A week later, on Father's Day, he was ordained a Deacon and we had another round of celebrations, this time including Tyler's family as well.  Then, everything fell apart...

Grandpa Staples suddenly went downhill and we made two last minute trips to Montana.  The first to say goodbye - and the second to attend his funeral.  He had been sick for a long time and didn't always recognize family members when he saw them, so in a way we had already lost him.  But I will miss him all the same.  It was nice to see some of our extended family that I haven't seen in years - aunts and uncles, and my cousin, David and his family.  He and I were good friends growing up - it's sad that we never see each other now.



Grandma looks so alone there in the front, even flanked by Shawn and Obern.





Caroline, Lida and Xela at the cemetery after the dedication of the grave.  Aren't they beautiful girls?



Our next big event was Lida's birthday.  She turned four this year and thinks she is so grown up!!  She wanted a Winnie the Pooh cake so she could have the little figurines to play with.  I think I did a pretty good job with the decorating considering I had only just gotten home from my first trip to Montana.  Grandpa died on Lida's birthday - that should make the date easy to remember...

 In July went drove up to Moscow to visit James and Aimee and pick up Andrew, who had been spending a few weeks with them.  We so enjoyed visiting with them!  I wish we could see them more often...As part of our trip we went camping near the Giant Cedar for a couple of days.  James was able to wrangle his schedule so they could go one night.  We had a lovely time hiking and the kids loved playing in the dirt.

Here we are at the Giant Cedar.  All of the kids except Alvin and Spencer are holding hands and they didn't even get halfway around the tree.  Pretty cool...



Andrew, Katherine, Alvin and Lida on the tree.  They loved being able to climb all over it

 A couple weeks after our trip to Moscow we celebrated dad's 60th birthday at Freeman Park.  Nearly everyone was there - even Mark and Julie who had to drive straight through from Vancouver to make it.  (I'm not sure there wasn't some speeding involved...)  We had pulled pork sandwiches and ice cream cake, and played and visited until the sun went down.  It was a nice evening, but I don't mind saying that I was glad when it was finally over and I didn't have to stress about it any more.


Happy Birthday Dad!!  We needed all the grandkids to hold the sign!






 Two days after the birthday party was the best part of all.  Dajae, Monique and Jada were sealed to Mom and Dad in the temple.  Now it finally feels official - I have three new sisters.  I have to say it has been a little wierd getting new sisters at my age...William drove all night to be able to attend the temple with us.  The only black cloud -- Natasha and Maria weren't there.  I hope someday we will all be together in the temple.

 Late in August, Alvin had his second birthday.  It's a little sad seeing my baby grow up - I suppose it has to happen some time.  On the other hand, the thought of another pregnancy paralizes me, so I'll just be grateful for the time we have while he is still little and not wish for another baby! 

 Around the middle of August, Tyler's parents and youngest brother, Isaac, drove out from Denver to help us paint our house.  This was the one project that absolutely HAD to get down over the summer and there just never seemed to be time to get it done.  We couldn't have done it without their help.  Rob did the work of ten men!  With their help and expertise we were able to get the house completely finished in 3 days!  I wasn't sure, when it was finished if I really liked it - it was so different from what I was used to.  Now, I love it.  I think the red shutters are a nice accent with the yellow and the brick.  Last week we had the big tree (on the right of the photo) removed.  It was dying and we were planning to have it taken down next Spring, but we had such a good offer from a small business in the area that we went ahead and did it before winter.

So, I ask again - is summer finally over yet?  I'm ready for life to slow down...