O, Idaho (yes, I love you too Canada)

I can't believe how busy this summer has turned out to be. It's like when you wake up early and so you mentally think you have all this time to get ready and get out the door, and then you are much later than you would have been if you had woken up late. My summer feels that way. I went in to it thinking we didn't have a lot on our plate except a couple road trips in July, but now every week we've been home has felt packed.

Last week was spent in Boise and Donnely ID for the Hambelton reunion. All 3 of my sisters and their families were there, 20 of us in all. It was a super great time together and I am looking forward to these reunions every other year for both sides of the family. I will admit this is important because I went to both reunions with that usual worry about family drama. My fears were for the most part unfounded and I also will admit I know a lot of the drama can start and end with me, myself and I- so I made a goal not to let that happen.

I loved to see the budding cousin friendships, I loved playing all day on the beach, I loved not feeling guilty eating all the good food my sisters and mom cooked, I loved taking pictures of 1 year old Finley and seeing the 150+ slides from the 70's and 80's my parents scanned. Good times. Between these 2 trips to Idaho in one month we had 2 sets of family photos taken in the same shirts, I got 2 Hawaiian shaced ices, 1 TCBY waffle cone. Some things must be done while you are in Idaho- shaved ices and TCBY being on the top of the list.
While staying in Donnely, we spent a good deal of time in McCall which is a family tradition. When we were growing up we spent part of every summer and winter there, either camping at Ponderosa or staying in our friend's condo which she graciously loaned to us at least twice a year. I LOVE MCCALL. Some of my best memories were made there.
We wrapped up our week in ID back in Boise with the Hunts at the Fife family reunion. We got to see lots of cousins, Aunts and Uncles on Stephen's mom side of the family.

Uncle Brian entertaining the kids with corporate team building exercises?

Stephen is the guy to wrestle, no matter which side of the family we're with

Tiny girls taking on giant Jeff!

No explanation needed, just "ahhhhhhhhh"

Just stay clean for pictures!

"there were never such devoted sisters"- don't we all look supremely happy with life? (Ok, I just look smug.)

Since being home I have started working for a research group putting together power point presentations. I have just started this enterprise, more to follow as I really get going. A family member works for them and introduced me . . . and I am really excited about the opportunity to use some skills and make some extra money.


We've also finally used our motorless, heaterless hot tub as a kid's pool and broken out the slip in slide. Now if only it would stay warm enough to use them more often! Stephen uses his spare minutes to work on the chick-Mc-Mansion which will house 3 very comfy chickens someday.

We went on our first fishing trip Saturday! No pictures because the battery died : ( Our friend Hermes who is much more experienced with fishing spots around here went with us to Lake Washington. The girls have been practicing with their poles for months, so they were pretty good at casting, but I forget how much of fishing is getting the darn lines straight and hooking worms or "glitter mallows" as they use now. Alas, no fish. We are determined to try again. Fishing in the sound is the next challenge although I think we would like to go camping and fish in a river or stream too . . . more our Idaho style. I am seriously thinking the neon yellow glitter mallows would look awesome in some Rice Krispie treats . . . .

Fourth of July reunion

This past weekend was the Hunt family reunion in Boise. It was great to have everyone together and we had fun playing volleyball at Eagle Island State Park, eating, swimming, sewing projects and hanging out. I think the stars were the 2 new babies, Edwin and Morgan. I am also looking forward to seeing our family pictures. Here are a few I took.

Uncle Bryan givin some love to Edwin, Nathan and Beth's baby


After the family game (a riot) the guys played a little more



Hunt Citadel, complete with two bridges- impressive



This captures the personality of happy Edwin well


"caught me!"


Some of the Hunt men after father Hunt BBQ 10lbs of Alaskan Halibut he caught (and after we devoured every bite of it)


Mom Julie with Morgan- can she get any cuter?



Yes, she can


Thanks to cousin Sarah's 4th of July bows she made for all the granddaughters


Don't forget the flag cake. One strawberry for the cake, one for my mouth- says Diana

Of course the weekend would not be complete if we hadn't given every small child a lit firework- even those in their PJs


And those using it as a sword


You would think since she talks of little else when at home, she would show some excitement here

And that's where our weekend had to come to an end! At my father's suggestion, I told the girls for every mile on the ride home that they did not complain, I would give them a penny- for any whining I took a nickel away. Well, they walked away with over 4$ a piece! At least the ride home was nicer to sit through.

No bad guys allowed

In case they didn't get the memo, this sign is on our back door

No bad guys allowed! (especially smiley ones)

Learning moment or let-it-go moment?

Ada talking to Mandy who is 8 months pregnant:

Ada: Your baby sure is getting big!

Mandy: Yes, it is!

Me: She's going to have a baby next month!

Ada: How does the baby get out of your tummy?

Mandy: Uhhh, I'm going to let your mom explain that later.

That's a let-it-go moment.

Odessa overheard me telling someone that the Man with the Yellow Hat and Dr Wiseman should just get married already:

Odessa: You know what would be crazy? If a woman and a woman got married! (laughing) Then they would have to wear the same clothes! Ha ha ha ha ha.

Me: Um, well actually sometimes a woman and another woman DO get married . . . .

This turned into a learning moment. Sigh. It's so hard to tell when to have which.

Ode to the Dad

2007

When Stephen walks in the door at 6pm he immediately becomes super dad. He jumps right into playing with the girls, usually still sweaty and in his biking gear. He plays soccer or tag with them if they're outside or becomes whatever villian or prince they demand of him when playing inside. Yesterday alone he was Dr. Calico, Balto, Phoebus, Hercules, and Prince Phillip- all within about 15 minutes. That's exhausting! Then he helps them set the table for dinner.

2010

He's always willing to play games with them and do things to help them learn things like reading. He has a new plan to leave Odessa a sentence every day with a secret message about something she gets to do that day. It's working pretty well, she enjoys sounding out the letters.

Stephen's also in charge of bedtime routine which we established so he would get some quiet time reading with the girls every day. He is so great at helping them pick up their room before bed. He never lets them go to bed in a messy room. It used to be a game of seeing who could get to a toy first to pick it up. Now they are all helping robots. If you have seen the Sesame Street episode where Telly and Elmo and one other (?) monster become the Alphabeta-bots, you will know what bed time is like at my house. It's hilarious to hear all 3 of them talking in "robotese". Odessa is Bot 1 and Ada is Bot 2. Sometimes the girls need "reprogramming" by tickling when they don't follow orders quite right.

Having Stephen take over for me in the evening is such a huge relief. I can do a night on my own ok if I have some notice ahead of time, but when a meeting or home teaching kind of springs up, I wonder how I can ever do it without him!

I have been trying to save money and not make many trips to the store lately, so Stephen got to pick from the things I had on hand for his Father's Day pie yesterday. Mixed berry from the freezer, sweet potato pie (I have never tried it!) or chocolate cream. He wisely chose mixed berry and it turned out I had blackberries, raspberries and blueberries- all picked last year locally and frozen. I have to tell you, this is the FIRST time I have made pie that it tasted as good as my moms!! The filling set up just right, not too runny or stiff. The crust was done, but not burnt and so flaky. I was SO HAPPY that our night could end with the perfect ode to the

When your kids threaten to not be your children anymore

Conversation in the car earlier today.

Ada: Mom, I want some gum
Mom: No
Ada: Please I want some gum?
Mom: No Ada, you already had a piece today.
Ada: Well . . . . I really want something to chew.
Silence
Ada: Well, if you aren't going to give me a piece of gum, I am not going to be your daughter anymore. I'll just walk away from you . . . . . . and my bike . . . . . and walk on the sidewalk . . . . and cross the street by MYSELF . . . . . . then I will go to the other sidewalk.

Odessa: Ada, I will miss you.
Ada: Yah.
Odessa: A car will hit you!
Ada: Well, I am very brave. If a car hits my elbow, I will be very brave.
Odessa: You might get flat.
Ada: I think I will be on top of the car.
Odessa: No, under the car.

This went on and on about the logistics of "the hit". I was just busting up in front. Finally, it was decided.

Ada: Ok, I will stay.
Odessa: Good.

Whew, that was close.

Yard work- ughh

Our computer has had a complete over haul. Better last another 6 years . . .

Things are warming up in Seattle, it's wonderful. Some of the plants in our garden are popping up. The girls are taking swim lessons in Magnolia and doing really well. Odessa is in the 4 yr old class, and Ada follows in the 3 yr old class and they both have the only male teacher- Owen. Ada tells her dad over and over about what she did at swim lessons and that "you know what dad? He's a BOY TEACHER!" She loves Owen. I was thrilled to find that 4 of my friends from my old ward have their 3 yr olds in the same class as Ada. Good times chatting by the pool.

Stephen's parents, Nancy and Steve were here last week/weekend. They helped us haul all the brushes and trees Stephen has cut down since moving here. There were 3 truck loads to the dump! Then there were 3 truck loads to the dump of fencing materials. Stephen is now pulling out the ivy between our backyard and the neighbors and that will go to the dump too . . . the square footage of this yard relative to the amount of plants that need to be constantly removed from it seems impossible.
Stephen, Steve and Brian (neighbor) built the side fence. We still have to finish the back although the posts are in, so technically the hard work is done. I can't believe all the yard work that was done last week! I had no idea . . . . even the old fence had to be cut into pieces to be hauled away . . . . so much work. Thank goodness Steve and Nancy were here. They helped so much. The girls are pretty independent and so they will work and play by themselves, so I don't have much excuse not to join the fray outside. I thought I would love yard work once I had my own place. I think it is a learned love.
While my computer was down, I read some books. I recommend the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Hunger Games. I re-read Sense and Sensibility for various reasons.
I got called (or asked) to be the chorister in my ward (congregation). This is how the conversation went:
Bishop: We'd like to extend the call to you to be ward chorister of the West Seattle Ward.
Me: You're joking, right?
Bishop: No
Me: This is a joke, right?
Bishop: "laughing" No
Me: You realize I have no musical training whatsoever, right?
Bishop: It doesn't matter, I feel very impressed that this is the calling you should have.
Me: Well, ok then. . . .
Turns out I am ok at this calling and even though my knees actually, physically, knocked together during my first time conducting (another "literary" moment), I think I will enjoy it. The organist I work with is the coolest, I couldn't ask for a better partner. She made "bok-bokking" noises at me Wednesday night when we practiced "The Day Dawn is Breaking" and I decided against it for this Sunday. Too chicken. I think it's hilarious that she is already teasing me. I would not even flinch being up in front of my friends in my old ward, I know they would love me no matter how much I messed up. But I hardly know anyone yet in this ward, and that makes it more nerve wracking. Oh well. I am always practicing at odd moments throughout the week, so you might catch a glimpse of me conducting to my dashboard at a stop light or while I am doing the dishes with one hand at the kitchen sink. If my neighbors didn't think I was crazy before, they do now.
Forgive the following LONG series of pictures and captions- I am making blurb books out of my blog, and so it's become more important to me document things I really want to remember.

The grassy patch where we put our garden- after Stephen cleared a ton of holly, a bush and some other tree. The girls were most likely digging for worms- see below. She LOVES worms. Gross.



The grassy patch after digging up all the sod. Now it's a garden and little things are popping up.

Side fence that needed replacing, the huge pile of stuff Stephen dug out of the yard, the back fence with debris also in front. All the debris and old fence is gone now, it's amazing the difference.


The house with the rhododendrons finally in bloom, and azaleas in the back yard, bushes on the side- whoops, double photo. Oh well, I am not doing the collages again.

Afterward: Bushes are gone, side fence is done!

Sidewalk chalk is the new favorite thing. Odessa has got her first and last name, working on her middle name. lol

They are both really into dancing, see Odie's pouty face? She was mad Ada has a tutu


Grandpa dancing with the girls, they love having a prince to dance with!