Loaded Question

"Are you sure garbage day is tomorrow?" He asked innocently enough as I pushed the big black receptacle past him toward the street. He was busily attempting to shoehorn camping supplies for seven into the back of a seemingly shrunken SUV. As the words left his mouth there was a jolt as the earth stopped spinning and I felt a disturbance in the time-space continuum. I stopped where I was and turned to stare at him. To the outside observer it was a silent moment except for the rustling of nylon sleeping bags being pushed against each other. But inside my head the storm of the century was raging.

Am I sure? Am I sure?! AM I SURE??!! Well, let's see, for the 307 Tuesdays that we have lived in this same house, on this same street, with this same garbage schedule, I have done a fairly perfect job getting the garbage can out on the right day all 307 times. I can see how this might cause you to doubt me. It's apparent now that I have a LOT of work to do. I am well behind in my preparations because I only have twenty-five more years to devise a strategy for dealing with what will no doubt be a monumental test of my patience. That is to say, YOUR RETIREMENT! I can hear it now. "Are you sure you know how to scramble those eggs?" "Are you sure this is the right setting on the washing machine?" "Are you sure you paid that bill on time?" "Are you sure we need to buy that much toilet paper?"

Pausing his activity, he looked at me.

I gave him my sweetest smile. "Yes, I'm sure." And away I went as the earth resumed her rotations and the crickets dared chirp again.

SHEESH!!!

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Because I love him more than I love sarcasm, which is to say--A LOT--I will try to be fair and add here that he did notice the expression on my face and had the decency to look sheepish....That's right, Mister!

Eight is Great!!! (and so is backpacking...)

Happy, happy birthday, Paigie-bug!! Our "Paige in the middle" turned eight this month and we celebrated from dawn 'til dusk! (Which is a lot of hours in August.) She was able to have a slumber party with two of her cousins to ring in the birthday. After she and Kinley fell asleep, her older sisters and Kaiya decorated the whole house with "eights". We breakfasted on aebleskivers, scrambled eggs and strawberries then loaded up and went to Grandma's house where more cousins were waiting. We spent an hour or so at the park and by late afternoon we were ready for the pool and pizza. It was so fun as the evening became a mini-reunion with ALL 26 of the cousins together for a rare moment! We capped off the day with another cousins sleep-over and Paige is officially eight!!

Although I try, I cannot be perfect all of the time, :) and this day my flaws came through in the form of very little camera action. What kind of a mother (and blogger) am I that I didn't record her every moment?! We were just too busy having fun, I guess. :) Hopefully these will give you a small idea of her joy!

In July Matt took Nicole and Corinne backpacking with friends, Troy and Rachel. They were excited when they left and happy when they returned so I think it was another successful adventure!
Corinne landing a fish with Nicole's fly rod:
It's hard to see, but it's there.
Nicole reeling one in:
Matt said that Nicole really wanted to catch, clean, cook and eat a fish all by herself this time, and she DID!
Around the campfire:
On the trail for home:

Pioneers & Pancakes

Here in Utah, in July, we celebrate Pioneer Day to commemorate the arrival of the Mormon Pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. Here in our little town we do it up right. Beginning with a flag ceremony and a pancake breakfast followed by a first class "bike parade". Complete with streamers and balloons and manure encrusted four-wheelers, we remembered the pioneers in high fashion!

Corinne, Claire and Spencer lined up for the parade: (Yes, someone brought their tractor to the breakfast because it was attached to their truck.)
Paige lined up to go. Check out the intensity of these girls, they mean business!
Nicole ready to lead the pack:
Corinne is such a good sister. She rode with Claire the whole way around the block!
Nicole coming to the "finish line".
Here is video of some of the parade--Paige is right in the middle and very happy about being filmed.

Here is video of Spencer and his friend in the home stretch:

And here are Corinne and Claire. Claire LOVED the parade. She pedaled like that the whole way just as happy as could be!