Camping up the Middle Fork

Just a few pictures...my camera died and I had forgotten the spare batteries. Sabrina gets camera-shy from time to time, Blake was taking a nap, and I am, of course, behind the camera, so you'll only see half of the family.




This looks like a beautiful misty morning sunrise in the mountains, and it is--except that the mist is actually smoke from all the nearby fires. We couldn't really smell it, but we could see it. It is so dry this fall... but we have received some rain and I think all the fires are contained and/or out now.

Erin loves camping!! She is right behind her sisters in what ever adventure they are cooking up. Here she is emerging from the trail to come and explore the shoreline.

Other fun times included climbing up the hill across the road from our campsite and rolled some rocks back down. It was really steep, not quite steep enough to qualify as rock climbing, but it was definitely mountain climbing (this according to Sabrina…!).

Piano Man

Blake loves to listen to his sisters practice the piano. The other day I put him on the bench and let him go. You can see the pure joy in his face.

First Day of School

And off they go! This is Joslyn's first day of second grade and Sabrina's first day of third grade.

I didn't cry this year--a first. I am learning that it is both rewarding and sad to see them growing up. They started a new school this year--Galileo Math and Science Magnet School. It is new to us, as well as a brand new K-8 school in the distict, and is located on Linder Road in west Eagle. It was very different to have them go to a new school—it seems so far away compared to how close we have been to their old school. They still walk to their old school (actually they ride their bikes and scooter) where they catch a bus to their new school. Many of their old friends attend and they have been making some new friends as well.

"Go on, take on this old world, but to me you will always be MY LITTLE GIRL" Bye-bye...

Haircuts

This is Blake's first haircut. True, he is only seven months old, but hey, he's our first boy. We want him to look like one!! He was a good sport, even when his dad brought out the clippers.

And here's Joslyn's new 'do...

And Sabrina's also....

Sabrina got hers cut, then Joslyn thought it was so cute (and she wanted some of the same attention that Sabrina had been getting), so we went and got hers done the next day.

Here goes...

As if keeping a personal journal and a scrapbook for each child isn't enough, I have decided to plunge into blogging. I hope it soon replaces my scrapbooking (for which my never-so-hot passion is rapidly cooling). And, with cut-and-past technology, keeping my personal journal shouldn't be much of a stretch. So here goes...!

You can see here the cutest part of our family. Before you start thinking "um, that's not really the best picture..." please realize that it only took me 28 tries to get all four children actually looking at the camera--sort of. We were at the MK Nature Center and the other patrons were staring at the crazy mama saying "Look at the camera. LOOK at the camera. LOOK AT THE CAMERA!! Sabrina and Joslyn, you have to always be looking at the camera because if I can get the little kids to look just for a moment, I don't want you to be the ones looking away. Now, LOOK at the camera. Yoo-hoo, Blake... Erin... Look at mommy!! Come on, look at mommy.... Looky-looky!!!" And on and on and on...! (The last picture posted below is a more typical result!)

All in all though, we had a great time looking at the fish and ducks and other wildlife. Just a fun summer outing.