First fruits.

It may only be the last days of August, but here in southeastern Idaho, it's definitely starting to feel like fall.  (The high temp today was only 58!)  The other day, Chris brought in these sweet, little pie pumpkins from our garden.  I roasted them and made (a ton of) puree.  I made some pumpkin-banana-peanut butter chocolate chip muffins that were so yummy, they didn't last in the house for 24 hours!  It's really nice to have a garden, small as it is.  We planted a lot of the pie pumpkins, which are doing really great and we should get about 20+ more of them over the next few weeks.  Chris also planted several rows of sweet corn, which also have done well.  Unfortunately, the beans, carrots, butternut squash and tomatoes have not done well and we won't be getting too much from them.  It is disappointing, but we'll take what we can get.  We're also getting about 5-7 eggs a day from our hens.  It's been so nice not to have to buy eggs, and we eat them everyday.

A wind of change.

Today the high temperature is only reaching the low 70's, and it kind of feels like fall has come already!  I'm sure we'll still have some warm days, but jeez, this summer has gone by so fast!  Over the weekend we took the kids and went to Salt Lake City to visit some friends who were having a get-together at their home as a sort of mini-reunion of missionaries that served in the San Bernardino Mission.

Chris and I, both having served in the same mission in California, are lucky to know and be close with the same mission president and some of the same missionaries.  Our kids LOVE going to their home.  Every day we are there it is "The Best Day EVER!"  The Blanch family is so kind, generous and fun, so it is always a nice visit.  It had been a few years since we'd been to their house, so it was a special treat.  The kids swam in their pool for about 8+ hours straight, and we had to pull them out to eat dinner.  It was a fun way to end the kids' summer vacation.

Then yesterday we returned home in the early afternoon so we could make it to our church meetings.  Chris is currently teaching a 12 week Sunday School course called: "Teaching: No greater calling."  So basically he's teaching about teaching!  He is a wonderful teacher and I love going to his classes.  I always feel so close to him as he speaks and shares stories and relates experiences, especially when he talks about his childhood.  Noah also had to give a talk in Primary, and he did a wonderful job as well.

After church, Chris gave each of the kids a father's blessing as he does at the start of each new school year.  This morning the kids were all up and ready for school by 6:30am.  I walked them to the school before heading out on my morning run, and they were excited.  Noah took off running, actually, and didn't walk with the rest of us.  Sophie just kept saying how much she was going to miss me, and that she put some pictures of us that she had drawn on the fridge for me to remember her by.  What a cutie.  They will be home in a few minutes and I am anxious to hear how their first day went.

The annual (going broke) back-to-school ritual.

Here we are again, at the beginning of another school year.  With three school-aged children and school budget cuts, the required supply list is getting quite lengthy!  Add into that the need for new shoes, jeans, lunch boxes and backpacks...aye carumba!!  It feels good to have the shopping done and be getting organized and ready, but my checkbook isn't feeling quite as relieved as I am. :(  I was pleased with the shoe purchase, though.  Payless is having their Buy One, Get One Half Off Sale, and we got a coupon in the mail for an additional 20% our total purchase, so were able to get a pair of dress shoes, and a pair of tennis shoes for each of the 3 older kids (6 pairs of shoes in all) for $50!  Not too bad.

The last, remaining days...

It's hard to believe, but our kids will be going back to school in just a week and a half, ending what seems like the shortest summer break ever!  With the remaining days, we've been trying to fit in some fun activities, including, of course...camping.  Chris took some much needed and deserved, days off from work, and we spent a few days at Bear Lake.  We spent the first night at a camping area on the way, then headed to the lake the next morning.  Day one at the beach, the kids were super excited to get into the water.  We spent several hours there, after we set up camp, before a thunder/windstorm passed through the area.  The wind made for some awesome waves, and Chris and the kids had a blast "floating" them, but once I saw a flash of lightening on the horizon, we quickly threw all our stuff into the truck and headed back to camp to wait it out.  After the storm passed, we went back to the beach area until dinner time, and then again the next day, spent most of our time enjoying the water and sun.  All the kids said this was one of the most fun camping trips of the summer, so I guess that makes it a success.  We would have stayed another night, but I needed to be home to be able to do my long run tomorrow morning ~ 13 miles.  The Pocatello 1/2 Marathon is right around the corner...

It's a date!

To celebrate our anniversary, Chris and I decided to have a "date" with the kids.  We started out at one of our favorite places to eat - Chili's!  After lunch, we went to the cheap theaters to see "Shrek 4", followed by ice cream at the Tastee Freeze.  We made one final stop at The Dollar Store, where the kids each picked an item, which then kept them occupied at home for the next couple of hours.  As Chris said at lunch, it seemed appropriate to share our anniversary celebration with them, since they are what give our marriage it's main purpose.  By that, I mean, as we are united in parenting and loving them, our marriage and partnership is nourished and strengthened.  We both feel grateful and blessed to have such a great family!

11 years and counting!

Happy anniversary!!