Clark Reunion 2019 - The City of Rocks National Reserve

We left for the Clark reunion during the last week of June.  We drove to the middle of nowhere Idaho.  It was a beautiful place even though we got a flat tire from "The City of Rocks National Reserve" and it's wicked dirt roads.  I also locked the keys in the van the first night.  We had to wait for our insurance to figure out where in the world we were and send someone to get the keys out of the van and put on our donut.  Jeff and uncle Jason drove the van to Burley, Idaho to get the tire repaired.

We arrived a few hours before everyone else.  The kids tried hard to entertain themselves.  We did end up getting pretty bored.

Caleb loves to wear this hat when we go camping.  It was quite warm in the morning but the hat still made an appearance.

 Here's the view of our site.  The rocks behind the fire pit provided plenty of entertainment.

First Camping Trip - June 2019

 We went camping with the Bonneys in early June.  We went to Whiting Campground in Mapleton Canyon.  It was secluded and beautiful.  

Here is the hammock forest the kids set up.  

 Card games and snacks.

Homemade Rootbeer and time to meditate.

Annoying Parents

Imagination

Time by the fire pit

Toys and more card games

Camping is always worth the effort!

Assorted Pictures

 Caleb got this Lego for his birthday.  When he finished building it, he let Blake hold it.  Blake dropped it and Caleb threw an epic fit.  He realized he would have to take it all apart to fix it.  He refused to so it sat in pieces in this cookie sheet for months.  (Thanks to Grandma Carlson for handling the situation while we were on a trip!)  

That was in February.  I would ask him regularly if he wanted me to help him put it together.  His response was always an emotional "No".  I started to put it together.  He kept saying he wouldn't help.  After I got 1/2 way through, he jumped right in and finished it.  He and Blake were so happy to finally play with it.

I have a few rose plants in the yard.  This is my all-time favorite.  As a bud, it is a deep orange/almost red.  When it is open, it is a gorgeous salmon .  As it starts to fade, it turns into a peach, or pink color.    It is so pretty.  I wish I knew the name so I could have one in every yard I move to.

Caleb got some glasses during the summer.  We sure hope it helps him read the far away posters and boards in school.

My neighbor friend has a huge dislike for holiday lawn blow-up decorations.  We have joked for a couple years about buying a huge, annoying decoration and sneak it onto people's yards while they sleep.  We always thought it was just an idea. 

  We woke to this 10 foot gem in early June.  What a crackup!

 Caleb made a tool box at day camp.  He couldn't wait to come home and paint it.

Here is Kyle's finished insect collection.  It was a group project so many of these were collected by other students.  Kyle was so obsessed with it so they let him take it home.  

I made him move it from his room to the garage while they dry out.  Barf!

Fort - Pinewood Derby - Tennis - End of School - Start of Summer

Mom helped Blake build a fort.  He was so happy and spent 2 whole days in there.  

 Caleb got to make and race his first Pinewood Derby car.  Dad helped him build and paint it.  Mom helped tweak the weights and the wheels.  We won a few heats which made Caleb's day. 

 Kyle has done very well on his tennis team.  His coach is impressed with his dedication.  We can't wait to see how he improves over his high school career.

 Blake and I got to go to Bonneville's Bronco Days with Caleb.  Plenty of fun with face painting, bouncy houses, and carnival games.

Fun kids!

Caleb did Utah history and his class did a square dance for their assembly.  He is such a good dancer!

Here is Kyle at his "end of year" tennis party.  He seems to be so happy in that group.

Dodge Ball?  I can't remember but they were having so much fun!

 I love this picture!

Dance, School Stuff, & Easter

I joined an orchestra in fall and have loved being back in a group.  We performed an original work about George Washington.  The conductor brought in this man from New Mexico who makes these Native American flutes.  It was so much fun to see and hear his work. 

More dance competitions.

We have loved talking to this joyful boy.  Here, he's joking with his companion who's in the room.  

Blake and I got to have lunch with Caleb for Bonneville's "Family Day".

No one eats food as cute as Caleb does!

As Room Mom, I got to make a poster for "Teacher Appreciation Week".  Caleb and I had a blast.  

Kyle had to make an insect collection for his science class.  We had so many bags of insect zombies in our freezer.

Kyle fashioned butterfly nets out of dowels, metal wire, and Ziploc bags.  Later, Mom helped out and replaced the bags with netting.  Blake was always happy to help.

 Just a friendly game of Caleb's favorite game, "Sleeping Queens."  Well, friendly until Mom takes out the camera.

Easter Basket Riddles

Kyle stepped over his basket twice, trying to find his.  See it on the floor, to the left of the van tire?