Jason's Birthday and our Hikes of the Summer

Jason's b-day was in June--about 2 weeks after Father's Day.  In some ways it makes it easy--I can shop for both all in one trip, but then I have to decide what to give him and when. 

This year I went with the shirt theme since it has been about 5 years since the last time I updated his work wardrobe for his birthday.  :) 







He was thrilled as you can see here in the picture.






I also made a cake.  He wanted a lemon cake with chocolate frosting and he wanted it to be round.  I can make a cake without problems and I have a good frosting recipe, but the frosting was a little thin and this is what it did to the cake.

It slowly started to slide apart. 

There was nothing I did that would stop it.  Oh well, it tasted good. 


We also have been on a couple of hikes.  One was to Cecret Lake.

The other hike was to Rocky Mouth...it is a short hike up off of Wasatch Blvd.

There is a really pretty waterfall at the top and water you can wade around it.  Nice and cool!!

Girl's Weekend

It has taken me forever to get back to posting!  By evening, when I usually have some time, I am hot and tired! 

Back in April Jason went on his annual trip, with college friends, down to Moab.  I like the fact that he gets to go and do something like that, but I hate that I am here by myself.  I am not one of those wives who love it when their husband leaves so they can do their own thing....never understood that one. 

Anyway, when he was planning his trip he suggested that I plan a trip in the summer with some friends and go down to Tuachan. 

Jason and I like to go there, but with Jacob it doesn't work out yet.  I thought about it and wanted to go, but I needed to pick friends, with whom I could go and be comfortable.  Be able to do our own thing, hang out together and not have to "entertain" someone.  So I chose my college roommates Lisa and Inez.  I have known these girls nearly 30 years (since our freshman year) and they are sooo easy to be with.

We drove down on a Friday in June and arrived in St. George around 5 p.m.  We checked in to our hotel, had dinner and then headed out to Tuachan to see Aladdin.

 It was a very well done play and the weather was hot, but not unbearable. 



The next morning I got up, exercised, had breakfast and then went back to the room and the 3 of us went down to the pool.  You know you're getting old when "laying out by the pool" means, keep your chair in the shade so you don't get burned or further leatherize your (once what you thought was invincible) skin.  We talked,

read books,

put our feet in the water.

So nice!!!

We showered and then headed out to see the Brigham Young summer home and the tabernacle.  It is fun to see the history behind the buildings!  Later, after dinner, we stopped at the Osh Kosh outlet and bought a few things.  Or I should say that Inez and I bought a few things and Lisa stocked her granddaughter's closet for the rest of the summer!  :)

Before heading back to our room we decided to try and find the church we would go to before heading home on Sunday.  The next day we went to the church and arrived a little before 9 a.m.  As we were walking towards the door, an older sister, who was getting out of her car, said, "Sing pretty."  We thought that was a little strange, but when we got into the building the chapel was not filled and Sacrament meeting was not starting, but the choir was practicing...it then dawned on us that this was Stake Conf.  Luckily we were in Utah and could drive a few miles (we couldn't go to the surrounding buildings since they are in the same Stake) to another building and attend Sacrament meeting. 

Going home, if you stop at the south most Beaver exit, there is a Chevron where they pump the gas for you!!  It was great.  We took these pictures there.

We were ready to head home to see our families, but not quite ready to head back to our lives.  We would have preferred having them come down to meet us for a few more days.  But it was so nice to get away and not have to take care of anyone but us!!   So great to spend time with Lisa and Inez!!

Our Mini Vacation

A few weeks ago Jacob said he wanted to go on vacation.  He continued to mention it for several days and finally Jason asked him where he wanted to go.  Jacob said, "Salt Lake City."  We figured that would be possible so we set off that following Friday night on vacation to Salt Lake City. 

We began our trip with snacks in the car.

We filled up with gas.

Jacob was so good on the trip and slept the whole way (all 20 minutes)! (Which meant he didn't really want to go to bed that night.)

We arrived at City Creek and took in the sights, had dinner and walked around.

One of the favorite things to see was the water fountain, which we considered our swimming pool experience on our vacation.

Because he was so wet we took off his shirt as we walked back to the car.

We then headed home...and fun was had by all.  He still talks about our vacation to Salt Lake City...so we're thinking of doing another one like this soon!

A Garden

Last year we had this tree cut down from the corner of our backyard.  It then looked like this.

I had visions of a garden in that corner. It gets sun most of the day so it should work.

Jason and I set to work to build a box for our plants. What should have been simple turned into a 2 Saturday project. Our orignial measurements didn't quite work because of the curve of the curbing.

Then my Dad gave us some lumber (which saved us about $80), but some of the boards weren't straight.:)




Then some of the corner supports split....

.


..so it ended up being in the shape of Utah.
 



We finished it and I helped Jason lift it and carry it from the garage out, over the back fence and into place.


When our boutious harvest starts to show I'll take a picture and add it. I'll be interested to see what actually grows...especially since below the new dirt there are LARGE tree roots that are still there and too hard to get out.

Here you can see Jacob helping Jason trying to cut out a root. Jason was wearing his steel toed work boots and so Jacob went and found his winter boots so he could be just like Dad.

First Talk in Church

When I was ward Primary President, Jacob would come into the primary room, after church, to get me. He always wanted to talk into the mike.

On Mother's Day he had his first "official" opportunity to talk into the mike, giving his first talk in Primary! He loved doing it and did such a great job. Here he is with Andrew and Bridger, two other boys from his class assigned to give the prayer and scripture.

Soccer Season

Tuesday night Jacob had his first game. It was so funny to watch a bunch of 4 year olds play!

They began with stretches and then started the game with 5 from each team facing each other. They put the ball in the middle of them and blew the whistle. The other team started to go for the ball and kicked it. Our guys all stood there in a line and stared at it before they realized they needed to go after it too. Once they got the hang of it they were pretty good--for 4 year olds!

Prayers

Tonight getting Jacob ready for bed, we knelt down to say prayers. His prayers, if he had his way would be, "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the day. Please bless us. In the name...." We are trying to get him to expand what he says. Even at the table when we are blessing the food and the food is sitting right there in front of him he says,"Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the day. Please bless us. In the name...." He also does not like us to interject and have him add things to his prayers.

So tonight I asked him to think of something to be thankful for and something to ask for. He said, "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for today. Please help Mom to be not be so demanding. In the name..."

Jason told me that earlier in the evening Jacob was outside with Jason and he told him, "Dad why don't you go back inside and stop bothering me" (he is young enough that we follow him around outside). Then they came inside and Jason told him to take off his shoes. Jacob started to say, "Dad help me take off my shoes they are double knotted!" "Dad, get me some milk and some juice!" "Dad pull of my socks!" (They had been playing soccer.) Jason told him, "Jake you need to stop being so demanding." Jacob asked what demanding was. Jason told him it was being bossy and told him if he wanted things he needed to ask nicely.

So I'm guessing I need to start asking him to do things more nicely?????
Ah, children.