We Love Summer

We really do. During the past week alone we have been hiking, swimming twice, and golfing (Joe and the big kids). And we are just days away from our annual trip to Lake Powell--a place where we can soak up summer in every way possible. We are getting anxious to go.

Cares just came in the room (dolled up in her Cinderella dress-up and glass slippers no less) and told me "I love the world so much because...(short pause) there are so many kitties for me to love." She is such a piece of work...in an adoring, desperately cute kind of way...

see what I mean?

Bentley testing out his new driver. It's part of a very chic Spiderman set...

Pioneer Day swim party with the LeBarons

Nanny and Olivia

Cares and Grandpa Neil

crazies and their daddio

this photo cracks me up (snicker)...sorry for the half-flash folks

Now, do we think Bentley likes swimming??

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

LeBaron Reunion

July 10-12 at a luxury Park City house we rented for the weekend

I have been feeling overwhelmed by the enormous volume of photos generated that weekend. And now that I have thoroughly looked through them I am sad that I didn't take more! I really wanted at least one, good shot of everyone for my newest Family Book for my kids (one where every relative is pictured so Bentley and Cares can keep track of all their cousins). But being the mommy of 3 children keeps me BUSY! And then when I am not busy (meaning the babes are all sleeping) I end up chatting with my sisters in law until 12:30 am--which is definitely more fun than taking pictures :)

So, now I will be checking all the family blogs and stealing/copying your best pics. Just thought I'd warn you--and implore you to blog about the weekend yourselves...seeing as how I am the only one to do so thus far...

"Let me explain. No. There is no time. Let me sum up..." --from The Princess Bride

Favorite things:

1) Tween cousins doting on Caroline and Olivia
2) Yummy food
3) Games games games
4) Everyone there--all 35 of us
(I have pictures of the whole crew courtesy of Busath photography--but I don't think I have the rights to publish any on my blog. Boo--they turned out so well!)
5) Women's book club meeting. This was a hit for me. I think we need to make it a tradition. Those LeBaron/Christensen/Braun/Gardner women are just really amazing gals. It was so enlightening to see how each of them interpreted the book and connected to it. They are a smart bunch. And a group I can easily open up to (sorry for the tears girls--who knew I would relate to a dog so much? :)

Biggest drama:

The fateful encounter between Bentley's foot and a big old sliver/thorn. That thing was really embedded in there. Poor little guy--I have never heard him cry as hard as he did while I was desperately trying to yank it out. OK--enough said. Let's see some pics already:

Albion Basin

My very favorite thing about our hike last night was the cool, crisp mountain air. I love driving up the canyon and watching (and feeling) the temperature drop and drop and drop. It makes me feel lucky--like I am getting away with something :) Being up in the mountains, deep into Little Cottonwood Canyon made my day. I love it up there.



Now, I wish everything had gone smoothly for our FHE outing...but... 1) Olivia was determined to hold her head up in the hiking backpack and therefore wouldn't relax and fall asleep. Made for a very cranky baby whom I ended up holding in my arms most of the way. 2) Caroline slipped and fell a few times ("I hurt myself!") and it definitely soured her mood. 3) Bentley hiked like he was 10 instead of 5--which is actually pretty awesome and made me very proud of him. But, it meant that he was way ahead of us by the time we reached the wildflower meadow as he'd ventured on with Heidi and Ben up to Cecret Lake. My visions of photographing my darlings as they played amongst the flowers in the perfect light of evening were dashed. 4) All of us hiked on up to the lake with our "less than happy" girls. It ended up being too much of a hike for a Monday evening. Meaning--we got home at 9:30 last night and everyone's schedule was totally shot.

I sound like such a cry baby! It was definitely an adventure (as anything with 3 kids seems to be these days) and well worth the effort. I did get some pictures on our way back down. And because of Bentley's quick pace we trudged on to the lake--always a picturesque view.

Livies preferred method of travel. I think I am spoiling her...

Our family at Cecret Lake

Happy Anniversary! A hike with crazy grandchildren to celebrate their day :) 37 years and counting. I love that they are still so in love...

Cares enjoys a tiny blossom

Bentley in a field of bluebells

My darlings surrounded by indian paintbrush

Next time I need an earlier start, the baby Bjorn for Olivia, and a leash for speedy Bentley...

Jordanelle

We love summer boating! We joined my family at Jordanelle yesterday and it was the big kids first time swimming in that pretty lake--and it was hard to get them out of it even though their little bodies were shivering like crazy. We also introduced our Olivia to the fabulous world of boating. She wasn't sure about the cold mountain water but she loved cruising around the lake. In fact, she fell right to sleep in her grandma's arms.

First Swim

Olivia joined us in the pool today! She and Cares wore matching swimsuits... I need to be careful because I am falling seriously in love with dressing these sweet sisters.

Livs loved the water and it wore her right out.
She took a nice 40 minute nap in her stroller to recover.
We love her.

**sorry for the shoddy camera phone pics...

Working at the Temple

Tuesday night date night--working at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. Joseph and I were assigned to work in "Physical Facilities"--a glamorous title for garbage duty :) We actually had a great time together and got to drive a golf cart around the temple grounds in order to gather all sorts of trash and refill water and ice in all 5 of the movie tents. Another part of our assignment included resupplying 2 bathrooms in the temple as well as the port-a-potties outside of it. And at one point we had an "emergency" and were required to use a haz-mat kit to clean up a soiled chair from one of the sealing rooms (a little one hadn't quite yet conquered potty-training...)


So yes--we were on garbage and bathroom duty all dressed up in our Sunday clothes. But it honestly was a really cool experience. Joe and I were the only ones to show up for our shift so we were very busy and had a lot to do--made us feel needed and very helpful. We also saw a lot of familiar faces from our ward and stake as they ushered, guided traffic in the parking lot, did security detail and so on. It takes about 600 volunteers a day to run an open house and just like everything with the church, it was all very organized and ran seamlessly. We also caught a quick visit with my in-laws and Flori and Rob's family in the hospitality tent once they were done with their tour. And they snuck us some cookies :)

I love to see the temple. I love to be in the temple. It sounds cliche but it's true. At one point we were being shown the bathrooms we would need to restock and check up on inside the temple and the Physical Facilities director let us sneak a peak into the children's waiting rooms tucked away in a corner near the sealing rooms. They were so lovely and practical with two child-sized tables already stocked with some toys and then a complete nursery with a changing table and beautiful wooden crib. We also saw all sizes of crisp, white shirts and pants and dresses for the children--all hung up and perfectly pressed, ready to be worn. Oh, it filled my heart with so much joy to think of all those families who will be sealed together in the temple. All of it made me so excited for "our" temple to be dedicated and up and running. I am eager to be there again and again. And now I know where all the bathrooms are so that is just an added bonus for me!

And thank you so so much Mom for coming out to our house to babysit while we worked. That little miss Olivia and her naughty stunts of refusing a bottle and causing so much drama...I thought we were in the clear after our Lagoon Day, but no--that Livies certainly likes to do things her own way...Oh boy--she sounds like such a rascal baby but she really is the sweetest, happiest little thing. For her mommy anyway :)

Lyric of the Day

Listening to Rites of Passage (Indigo Girls) for at least the one thousandth time today I discovered new depth to the song "Love Will Come to You." It must have had something to do with my mood today and everything to do with the worries I carry around for those I love. How have I sung these lyrics so many times and then suddenly today they brought me to tears?

...And my words are paper tigers
No match for the predators of pain inside her.

And I wish her insight to battle love's blindness
Strength from the milk of human kindness
A safe place for all the pieces that scattered
Learn to pretend there's more than love that matters.

Summer Nights

They are finally here. And we are loving them.

Monday night--mini-golf:

Tuesday night--Indigo Girls concert at Red Butte Gardens:

Just thought I'd add this picture of our Olivia. Have I mentioned that I am completely in love with her? Those cheeks alone--too much for me...

Oh, what would we do without Joe's iPhone?

Independence Day

Naturally, there were fireworks:

But there were also darling babies,

a wildflower girl,

hard workers emptying and cleaning the hot tub,

a cuddly Max,

and a 4th of July family (sweet Olivia was already in bed for the night)