Cave Falls

We had a fun Labor Day driving to Cave Falls with the Hansens.  We love them!

Ella sporting her awesome outfit with swimsuit and Christmas jammies.

     

The picture of Lincoln and I was soon after we had floated together down the river on our bums.  We were having fun in the ice-cold water in the beautiful scene of a waterfall and forest trees with so many people we love.  As we were playing I looked down and saw a white rock.  I said a silent little prayer that I could find a rock to take home and help me remember this perfect day.  As we continued to play I was watching the ground for rocks.  I reached down and grabbed what looked like a skipping rock and it was THE PERFECT rock to summarize our day.  It was a perfect heart.  My heart started to beat quickly as I felt an overwhelming amount of love for Heavenly Father who allowed me to pick up that rock soon after my silent prayer to help me know He is here.  He loves me.  I'm thankful to know that he cares about simple things like giving me a perfect heart rock, as my Father he is always aware, always sending me tender mercies to share his love for me.  So, so blessed.

We ended with a trip to Horseshoe lake where Lincoln was ever so thrilled to catch a fish and we relaxed on the beach in lawn chairs and hammocks.

 

 

Iron Bog Camping

After weeks of trying to get away we finally pushed aside all excuses and took the family to Iron Bog Lake.  It was amazing.  So nice to just sit and relax with our little family and be away from all else including phone reception.  The kids got along great, stayed entertained by themselves and made some great memories.

Gracie fell out of the trailer door and got a bonk.  Poor baby!

Molly was practicing carving a stick and took a nice slice down the top of her thumb.  She is like her mom and doesn't handle blood so she about passed out and let her dad bandage her up.  

The girls caught another fun caterpillar who instantly turned into a cocoon when we got home.

A cute chipmunk who stuffed his cheeks with peanuts we fed him, went and hid them and came back for more and more and more.

Some relaxing in the hammock.

The kids found a big rock near our trailer and of course need to climb it.

I have learned that Molly LOVES marshmallows!  She can eat like 100 of them!  She is also pretty good at starting a fire if you let her.

The girls painted rocks and hid them around our campground for the next campers to find.

And Saturday we hiked to Iron Bog Lake.  It was only about 1.5 mile in but mostly uphill on the way there so with the kids it took us a little while to get there.  The weather was perfect and all was well until about 15 minutes after arriving at the lake and then it rained, hailed, blew and lightening and thundered.  We used our trusty hammocks to shelter us from the weather and Dustin built us a fire to keep warm while we waited a while for it to pass.  We had a family prayer and decided it was time to head out.  We walked in the rain and thankfully not too freezing weather and were down the hill before we knew it.

                       

These were some fun places for photos.  The kids all did their special poses on the rock.

And seriously.. this is what it's all about.  I love these kids with all my heart!  Dustin was ahead of us with Grace, but I wish she had been in this close to perfect picture so it could have been just perfect.

When we got there some people were there with llamas.  They let us feed them some treats and pet them and that was so much fun!  They had rented them to go up the hill and carry their stuff.  I thought that was pretty fun idea.

I got everybody to stop for a wet picture before we made it off the mountain.

And of course a picture of my little dude's feet.  He got into the creek that morning before we even did anything so his feet were nice and wet.  He had to hike all day in his plastic bags but it didn't seem to bother him.  He's such a good kid!  We love our boy.

Truly these are the absolute best days of my life.  I could only have dreamed to have such a beautiful family and a good husband who provides so well for us to do these kinds of things.  I pray the Lord continues to bless us and we continue to try and serve Him and bless others.  Life is so good.

First day of School 2020-2021

 Time is absolutely flying by.  It seems I am caught up and then another 3 months have passed since I have updated my family's journal.   With COVID-19 causing such commotion right now it's all I can do to just guard and protect my family.  We are trying to keep everybody feeling safe and happy and productive.

About a month and half ago District 93 put our school's plan out.  It was basically this:

Stage 1 - Everybody goes to school Tuesday-Friday except the elementary who also goes every 2nd and 4th Monday.  Jr High and High School will do online instruction on Monday.

Stage 2 - Depending on your last name (A-M) you will go 3 days a week.

Stage 3 - Depending on your last name (even smaller margin A-D)  you will go 2 days a week.

Stage 4 - Everybody stays home.

Not to mention when somebody gets COVID from the school we shut down for 48-72 hours while we notify all who were around that person so they can quarantine for 2 weeks as well as sanitize the school.  If somebody from their family gets COVID they quarantine for 2 weeks PLUS 2 more weeks to make sure they don't show symptoms after their family member is better.  If they get any illness of any kind they must stay home 48 hours after their last symptom is gone.

Thankfully they pretty much merged Stage 1 and 2 now that school is actually is session which is good and the margin for Stage 3 is bigger.  They also increased the amount of cases they will allow for each stage.

It felt so overwhelming to me, not trying to avoid Corona, but the inconsistent schedule for my poor little kids.  I was driving down the street one day listening to a Come Follow Me program about faith and the story went like this:  A guy was looking over a 100 ft cliff.  He fell and as he fell he prayed to be saved.  He was caught on a branch 50 ft down.  He was thankful but now could fall 50 feet to the jagged rocks or try to climb the 50 ft cliff back up.  He was pretty much doomed.  So he prayed again and heard God say, "Do you believe

I can save you?"  Of course, he says, "Yes!"  So God says do you believe I can send a wind so strong it will blow you to the top of this cliff?"  Again, desperate to be saved he says, "yes!"  So God says, "Then let go."  Oddly the message to me was clear.  I needed to trust the Lord would help provide a way and I needed to homeschool my kids.  I needed to let go of all my insecurities and lacking and let the Lord carry me.  So I researched and visited with people and called teachers and principals and homeschool moms and friends and fasted and prayed and had a blessing and still, my answer was yes you can do this.

So here we are 3 weeks into homeschool and I am happy about my decision.  I am happy not because I feel like it's so easy and peachy every day or any day for that matter but it feels good to follow the promptings of the Spirit and guess what.. the Lord has provided a way.  We are doing it and we are doing just fine.  My kids are amazing and I feel so incredibly blessed to be home with them.

Ella is at the high school.  She goes each day because I didn't feel any promptings to keep her home and neither did she.  I let her choose.  She is involved in the advanced choir, student council and honors classes and I didn't want to take that amazing opportunity from her.  She does well doing her work online when she is asked to do it.  We are so blessed for that.  It made my heart sad to think I would be meeting with these kids but not her, but I try to focus on the growth she is getting from all the opportunities at school.

So here we are.. 2020-2021 first day of school.  Feeling happy and blessed by Heavenly Father for our bounteous blessings but most especially for our knowledge and testimony of the gospel that helps to guide and direct us through this crazy world AND for FAMILY!! ♥ ♥

Rigby Lake Camping

I have been wanting to do a camping trip to Rigby lake since we got our camper so we were finally able to go with our friends the Elders and Christensens.  

We stayed two nights and had so much fun.  I just absolutely love how much my kids love and get along with their kids.  It's the absolute best!

Ella & Bree

Not to mention we always have the BEST meals!

The little girls and their sandcastle building competition...

Molly, Hollis, Kherrington, Acadia, Mauri, Alissa, Tinley & Grace

The Hawaii temple castle..

And these two buddies are just about my favorite because they play pretend from sun up to sun down and generally have one quick tiff in the day and they are off.  They are the best of friends and I sure love that!

Friendship bracelets with Kherrington & Alissa ♥