A Pile of Pictures (with a few words)

Abe and three of his buddies went backpacking in the Uintas again this year. They had never been on the trail and it turned out to be about a million times longer and harder than they had anticipated. So I think it was somewhat miserable for some of them. Hahah. But Abe appreciates a good, miserable experience just about as well as a non-miserable one, so it was still a good adventure!

This is kind of a fun thing--and gives you a good feel for the area we've moved to. Our old ward has typically sold potatoes or hosted an auction for their yearly youth fundraiser. But do you know what our ward up here always does? They ask people from the ward to bring their ponies to the Cache County fair, and then they have the youth sign up for shifts to come walk kids around on five-dollar pony rides. (I let the little kids each go for a ride during Penny, Jesse and Anders' shift.)

Hi, Rental.

Apparently some of the nation's best-known climbing routes actually reside in Logan Canyon! Now that we are up here, Abe figured it was time to try some out. So he and one of his best-climbing buddies from BYU came up and tried some routes.

My mom often tells about making the plans for our Polk's End house--how she wanted the kitchen to be situated in such a way that she could see people coming and going from the front or back door, and how she wanted her sink to look over the back yard to keep an eye on the kids while doing dishes, etc. Whenever my kids happen to be outside while I am doing dishes, I think of that.

Someone taking a picture of me while I work on Starling's hair (when clearly I should have been working on my own.)

Hansie with his blankie and his Ellie. (He needed this photo for an "about me" poster he was making for school.)

Little friend sleeping on me. She has been particularly clingy lately. I don't know if it is the move or what, but it's hard for me to ever even leave her behind for an errand without her slipping into panic.

Here she is asleep on me again. :)

I don't know what they are watching. It just was a sight that made me happy. 

The house with carpet freshly torn out. (Getting worse before it gets better.)

And with all the carpet and the last bits of furniture (that we had left for Abe and Dais when we moved) being hauled off. 

And this made us laugh. Mike and Daisy came back up to the rental after that last big haul of furniture and carpet. But Abe had a reception to go to and wanted to stick around for one last time at his ward in Pleasant View before BYU. He sent us this lonesome picture late at night with him on the one plastic chair left in the house (with the caption: "A fun and relaxing evening at home".)

Then Daisy sent it back like this. (Which is funny if you've ever watched the survival show Alone.)

A few pictures by ... I forget the name of the place, but you can load canoes here and then go forever in twists and turns of the Logan river.)

Mette got sick just a day or two after school started (she still is, actually) which is a shame when she should be figuring out new routines and friends. But what can you do? (And here Starling has also fallen asleep on me again.)

One of my crummiest lenses gets the best crazy flares. (Good lenses probably try to stop that from happening so much, but I think it's magical.)

I used to do a lot more black and white. I love the color of things so much that I rarely think to anymore, but I ought, because black and white does feel timeless. 

The school bus is so different out in the county. The bus picks everyone up right in front of their house! Except ... it's pretty near impossible to turn around on our road, so our kids walk down to the end of the street and pick the bus up there. I talked to the bus driver about how my kids would be driving to the high school a fair amount, but how I hoped he would still keep an eye out for them in case it was a snowy morning and I didn't want Penny driving, or the car was not available, etc. And he immediately gave me his number to text or call any time I need to let him know they will be there, etc. Haha. It's kind of dear having even the bus driver's looking after your kids. Here was the view walking back after walking down with them to the end of the street for the bus this morning. I think this place just feels more and more beautiful to me every day.

Mette, who, as I mentioned is spending her third and fourth days of a new school ... sick on the couch at home. :(

And this. For no particular reason. Abe, Daisy and Goldie as little people. For a very brief time we had some variety in our family. Blonde, red, and brown little heads of hair! When I see pictures from those years of just these first few kids, I always feel a bit of nostalgia over how sweet and simple our little lives were then!