Back to School 2013

Summer flew by this year. It probably didn't help that it was indeed 2 weeks shorter than usual. But really, I don't know where the last 2 1/2 months went! It seems like they just got out of school and here we are starting all over again.

Lucky for me, they were super excited to go back to school. Berlin couldn't wait to be in first grade and stay in school all day like the big kids. She has been wanting to bring lunch to school and eat in the cafeteria and finally she can. Here she is all gussied up for the first day of 1st Grade. When she grows up she wants to be a veterinarian, an artist, and a scientist.

Finley was excited because he finally has neighborhood friends in his class - this hasn't been the case the last 2 years. Here he is all decked out for his first day of 3rd Grade. When he grows up he wants to be an explorer.

I bought him some TOMS for his school shoes this year. He wasn't too happy about it because he said they looked like girl shoes. But, after wearing them that first day, he was hooked. He loves them and are now his go-to shoe. So cute. 

The first day was a success. To celebrate, we went out for frozen yogurt at our favorite place ... Menchies! This tradition is one of our favorite. Finley was so excited to come home and give me my homework. Yep, that's right, I had homework on the first day of school. Darn all those school forms!

Lost Creek Campground

This Summer I really wanted to make sure we took the kids camping a couple times. Earlier in the Summer we went camping up at Tanner Flats for one night and had a blast. This last weekend we met some friends up in the Uintas for a two-night camping trip. We stayed at Lost Creek campground sites #26/27. There was lots of laughter coming from our site. Sorry camping neighbors!

Berlin & I with the Timmerman's. I watched baby Millie for a few months when she was little and she is the baby sister Berlin will never have :)  We just love Millie!

Berlin, and another one of her many photoshoot poses by the pine tree.

The kids got to try their hand at fishing for the first time. There are Brook and Rainbow Trout in the lake. They loved it and can't wait to go again. Finley caught the most fish, though they were too small to keep so they tossed them back. But on his second trip he caught a bigger one and was able to bring that one back. Berlin caught the biggest, fattest fish. The other kids also caught some fish so there were about 5 in all that night that were cooked over the fire. I have to say, nothing beats fresh Rainbow Trout! It was delicious.

Finley was funny though. He couldn't wait to go fishing and get out on the raft, but he wouldn't touch the fish at all. When one of the ones he caught flopped off the hook and onto the raft he panicked (freaked out). But he loved fishing and hasn't stopped asking when we can go again.

His face in this picture says it all.

A huge thanks to our friend Brian for taking our kids out on his raft along with his own kids. He took the boys out first, then the girls.

Finn's buddy Alex and his fish. Fishing with friends is always the best!

Berlin also couldn't wait to fish. But she was adamant that no matter how many fish she caught, she would NOT eat them for dinner. So when she caught the biggest fish, I was surprised when she said she was going to eat it. And eat it she did! She wasn't grossed out after watching the fish get gutted, cleaned, and prepped for dinner. She ate it and loved it.

So proud of my kiddos for trying something new. I think it's time I dust off my fishing rod and get the tackle-box restocked.

While the girls were fishing we took the boys on a little hike around Lost Lake. When the boys went out we took the girls on a hike around Lilly Lake and Teapot Lake. Teapot Lake was so pretty. Next Summer we are going to try and camp there. It was so pretty surrounded by all the pines.

Ryan, Berlin, and I at Lilly  Lake.

Berlin and Ellie at Teapot Lake. Berlin loved the lilly pads and their bright yellow flowers floating all along the banks. The mountain in the background is Bald Mountain.

Berlin getting her pose on in front of Teapot Lake. 

 

There was a ton of wildlife at this campground, more than the usual birds and squirrels. We had a momma dear and her baby walk through our campsite every night right around 7 pm. It was so fun to see them, especially the spotted baby. Ryan was ambushed by a couple woodpeckers with sharp beaks. And the kids got to see an Osprey diving for fish on the lake. Berlin loved seeing their nests in the tippy-top of the trees (below).

This is our last camping trip of the Summer, but I can't wait to go again next year.

Friends, Family, and Bear Lake

Ryan's family and step-family all got together for a short reunion up at Bear Lake last week. I took the kids up a few days early to hang out with some friends that were staying at their timeshare. We met up Thursday for lunch and a hike.

 

Then on Friday they joined us at the beach.

Ryan met up with us on Friday afternoon for the family festivities. We spent Saturday at North Beach. The cold rainy weather couldn't keep us from having fun and he was able to take the kids out on the wave-runners. 

  

On Sunday we took the kids on a hike up Tony Grove. The White Alpine Lake trail was 7.6 miles round-trip. By far the longest hike we've ever taken the kids on. They were awesome and survived it surprisingly well. The kids got a kick out of the couple moose who kept responding to Ryan's moose-call.

  

 

They did so great, we treated them to their own raspberry shake - No sharing this time!

Ryan had to get back to work on Monday, but I stayed up for a few more days. Ryan's sister and I took the kids to Bloomington Lake and the kids waded in and watched the fish swim by. There were tons of butterflies and the girls tried to get them onto their fingers. This huge one loved my nieces shirt and kept landing on her. It was cool.

 

Though it was a long and crazy week, the kids had so much fun playing with their friends and cousins, staying up late, eating way too much junk food, and hanging out at the beach.