4H Summer Kick Off Party

We had a family picnic for our 4H club. Jared and Daphne came with us. I am sure Jared came because there was food. The kids spent almost an hour playing Red Rover. It was a little low key at first until Jared and Kaleb decided to play to liven it up.

 Which is why Jared is up side down in this picture.

 And why Kaleb is hanging on Victoria and Katie's arms with his feet up trying to break through their arm hold! It was so funny to watch. 

 And then they had a water balloon toss. Jared's partner was this teeny little 5 year old little girl.

It was so cute.

 This is only a sample of the kids in the Dog Program.

It has grown to about 35 kids and dogs each week.

 The kids love the program. Usually after they practice with their dogs doing agility, the leaders will let them do human agility. I think they live for that, taking turns going through the tunnels and seeing how high they can jump. Most of these kids have been together for the past 

three years so they are getting to know each other. 

Victoria is the longest Dog Program Member in the State of Utah at 4 years.

 There was a lot of goofing around and laughter. 

It was nice sitting and talking with some of the other parents and the leaders.

We have awesome leaders, devoting their time each week to all of our kids and dogs.

We have learned so much from them.

Dog Agility Practice

 It's great that we can use the fairgrounds to practice dog agility.

We have so many new kids this year, we really need the space.

A few years ago Victoria got Kaleb to bring Sammy to join the 4H Dog Program.

Sam will do anything for a jar of peanut butter. Kaleb works so well with Sam. It is so funny to watch Sammy do all the jumps and equipment. And Kaleb really gets him excited to be there so he really enjoys it. We have had to retire Henry. He has been having problems with his joints and the older he gets the grumpier he is. Not fun some times. Poor Henry. He is such a spaz still for being 12.

 Victoria working on her loose leash....

 Katie and Maggie. 

Bear Lake

 I decided that this year for my birthday, I wanted to hang out at Bear Lake for the day.

So my mom and I took Daphne, Kaleb and Victoria with us.

It was cold for a little while. Victoria and Kaleb decided to do a polar plunge.

I did go in the water later in the day when it was a little warmer.

I can't remember the last time I sat in one place and just read a book.
It was the greatest Birthday!

 Kaleb showing off his Farmer Tan.

Kaleb is always making us laugh. I'm glad that we were the only ones 

there at the time. Most people showed up around lunch.

It was a quiet and perfect day!

Jasper and Rio

We Dogsat....that's babysitting a dog...Victoria's ice skating coach's goldendoodle Rio.

Jasper and Rio had a blast together as you can see.

They played non stop!

 At times we had to separate them just so they could rest.

Jasper was falling asleep standing up he was so tired at times.

 Rio is such a good dog.

I think we have a friend for life!

Hiking Jardine Juniper Trail

We played hookey from church to hike the Jardine Juniper Trail.

We met God on his turf.

 Daphne is always cold so she was dressed for rain...just in case.

 Victoria is always right between her brothers.

 We could see a huge thunder cloud approaching. 

We all brought rain gear....except Victoria. 

She still needs a rain jacket. 

 Kirk and I decided that the only way we were going to get any time alone and 

for me to not push my knee too hard since it is still healing from last 

summer's backpacking trip with the boys, was for us to

let the kids go on ahead for a while and we would hang out on a log and 

talk until they came back. It was nice just catching up especially because the next 

day he was to be on the plane to Arizona for work.

 We had to make them promise that they wouldn't leave 

Daphne on the trail somewhere, to keep her with them.

 It was quite warm until the clouds rolled in along with the thunder.

Either way it was a great way for Kirk and I to celebrate our birthdays,

spending time as a family and quiet time alone in the woods.

Biking around Mantua

Kaleb, Victoria and I love to bike around Mantua. It is just so peaceful when you get around the back side of the lake, listening to the water lap against the shore and hear the birds chirping.

This time Daphne and Kirk came with us.

 Kirk rode his bike for the first time in about 10 years! He has a cruiser bike so this was a good place to ride without having to worry about shifting gears due to hills.

I didn't want to kill myself biking around the lake in a certain amount of time. 

Victoria and Kaleb took off and rode two times around in the amount of time that 

Kirk, Daphne and I meandered around the lake. 

 I enjoyed myself. I think everyone else did too.

Daphne took a billion pictures...of course.

 All of the cows could care less that we were riding by except for that one little 

cow right in the middle of the picture. He was a little concerned.

 This starling is purply-blue because it is mating season.

Victoria and Kaleb caught up with us.....

It was great for some of us to meander our way around the lake and great 

for others to ride as fast as they could. I'm glad I meandered!

Poppies and a Kitty

This isn't a poppy but isn't this the most beautiful peony?

All of the flowers that  I have planted the past two summers as transplants 

from a friend's house or bare roots have finally blossomed abundantly.

This is the year that all of our flowering bushes are filling in out front.

It looks absolutely gorgeous!

I LOVE IT!

 Lightening surfaces from out of no where. I really wonder 

where he hangs out during the day. He disappears and then appears 

from who knows where. I love that he likes to hang out with me while I water.

We have kitty chats back and forth.

I love this color poppy. 

My friend Terri gave me this little tiny cutting out of her enormous bush. 

It has finally filled out with about 15 buds. Our front yard looks beautiful 

with all the flowers. The little white flowers are called "Snow in Summer". 

I can easily get lost in our yard with all the flowers. The bees are busy at work 

collecting pollen and nectar. I feel like we are contributing to their honey storage.