The miscalculation with our carpet.

I really like(d?) the carpet I chose for our house. I knew it was a risk from the beginning--it's lightish and doesn't have a lot of flecks and speckles in it for camouflaging dirt; but I determined that I would have a hard and fast "no shoes upstairs ever" rule and we would do all right. 

Well, no one does wear shoes upstairs ever. 

That hasn't been the slightest issue. 

They are happy to take them off (judging from how scattered they generally are across our porches I might even say throw them off) before even entering the house. 

What I had not taken into full consideration was that, unlike the mouse in this charming and odd little book:

... they cannot take their feet off!

Starling wanders the entire farm--through weed, dirt, mud and more--with never a thought of shoes. (She even peddles her bike, like a mad woman through bumps and dust and three-foot-high weeds, totally shoeless.) And the other kids wander about on our porches and patio (which, absent a connecting lawn, are wind-blown with dirt at all times) with bare feet. 

And then they all bring those feet into the house, and up and down the stairs, and across the front room rug.

I do not know what to tell you. I try to encourage shoes, but it never takes. And I do not think a "wash your feet every time you enter the house" is particularly practical--especially for Starling who is in and out of the doors at least thirty times a day. 

I was recently chatting with a friend who put wood floors throughout her house. When I asked her about how she decided to forego carpet, she looked at me like I was born yesterday (which, perhaps I was) and said, "We live on farms". 

Well. And so we do. 

Poor, dear carpet. 

Poor, dear me.

In other news:

Goldie turned 22. She and Wyatt had their own plans that evening, but she did join us for Starling's swimming lessons that afternoon. 

And we did celebrate her with strawberry shortcake after Sunday dinner a few days later. (We also did our typical asking questions about Goldie's favorite things and then sharing our favorite things about her. In our family group text on her birthday, Abe called Goldie "the very best of us all". And I think we all agree that she just might be.)

And here Goldie and Wyatt are at the Loveland Aquarium on the 4th of July:

And with us at our house after for hamburgers:

And here some of the kids are at the Hyrum parade. (Mike took everyone while I took advantage of a quiet house to work on my Sunday School lesson.)

(Hans and Starling waiting for the parade ... with candy-collecting Ziploc bags for pillows.)

(We must get cups from this orthodontist at every parade because there are always many of these kicking about our house.)

And here Abe and Kenya are enjoying the 4th away from us. (Though certainly not as well as they might have enjoyed it with us, I am sure.)

And here is a glimpse, through the window, of the flag Jesse put up in our front yard:

And those plants in my windowsill make me think of this:

A friend (Whitney--who you will all know from this blog as my most wonderful ever camp food duty volunteer) told me she'd been looking for a pea-themed house-warming gift for months with no luck until someone told her about the string-of-pearls plant. It does look just like bunches of peas, doesn't it? What a charming gift!

Me--braving the bold, new, no-sleeves look. (Recently there was a slight change in the latter-day-saint temple garment [making sleeves no longer necessary to cover them]. If any friends reading here have any questions about the garment--which I love and wear daily--feel free to ask me.)

Outside a tiny snow-cone shack in Wellsville one day.

A picture Megan sent me from her son Will's wedding reception at Bear Lake (where Megan's family has permanently moved). It's Hans and Starling looking for shells.

Penny was my "ministering companion" (another thing any non-latter-day-saint friends here are welcome to ask me about) in Young Ward. Janet was one of the sisters we ministered to. We developed a great friendship and still stay in touch. She recently brought Penny a lucky penny from her trip to Ireland.

Goofballs.

Jesse's first High Adventure in College Ward. They hiked King's Peak. (Sadly, an insane windstorm stopped them from getting to the very top.)

And, to end, I leave you with this most delightful drawing from Starling. ...

(Nell, everyone. It's Queen Nell.)