Sunday's visitors

...were not invited. They were not our home teachers nor my visiting teachers. They were free-loaders checking out our delicious willows and berries! I know it's hard to see, but there are three moose in this picture.

Tired from all the grazing, these two decide to take a load off!

Who...me?

You got that right buddy...hit the road!

the color of the day is.....

ORANGE!!! I got home from taking Lea to work and these gorgeous nasturtiums caught my eye. There isn't much color left in our garden, but these were so brilliant, they were hard to miss.


Then there was this very orange" cinderella" pumpkin...

and then more pumpkins...

..and then there's this orange thing stuck in my yard! Go Maya, my volleyball player!

every morning

Kirk has a shot of wheatgrass...yes, we grow organic wheatgrass and I juice it EVERY morning for him. I can't drink it...it makes me hurl.

Then I make a "green" smoothie that we share. It's actually a really pretty drink before you blend it...then it looks like poop! So, I don't look at it when I drink it..kinda grosses me out.

Harvest time

It's that time of year when we gather the "harvest" and prepare it so it can be used in the future. Since I can't grow a garden here in Jackson...we only have 45 days a year that doesn't freeze at night...I have to rely on my neighbors in Utah and Idaho for my harvest. I always plant tomatoes each year and this year I was smart enough to bring them inside before the first freeze killed them. So, I am now enjoying tomatoes because they are ripening in my house. I used tomatoes from Utah to make a batch of salsa.

We have a great farmer's market that is open Thursday thru Saturday during the summer. I picked up enough fruit to make a frozen fruit cocktail.

Idaho provided me with peaches and pears. Usually, my friend goes to Brigham City and brings me back peaches each year. This year was no exception....except, she went the weekend I was in Arizona, and Ty and his friends were here, and well....when I got home, there were 10 peaches left! They were that good. So, had to get them in Idaho and I canned up a bunch of them.

As I was canning my pears, I didn't have enough to fill the canner, so I thought I'd just dry them. I completely filled a quart baggie with dried pears and my kids devoured them in an evening. Guess I'm getting more pears...
What kinds of things do you like "putting up" from the harvest?

catch up...

Seems like I am always playing "catch up" with everything. I always have to catch up writing in my journal....catch up with the ironing....catch up with the cleaning. So, guess that goes the same for blogging. Life has certainly been busy in our home as I'm sure it has been in all of yours. Hopefully this will "catch you up" with our lives! Mari is gone (B00 HOO!!!!), gone to college at BYU. Yes, she's an official "zoobie" and is LOVING going to everything and doing everything! She's been called as the Activities Person in her ward...pretty appropriate huh? These little guys miss her terribly, they remind me that I'm driving "her car" on Sundays when I pick them up for church!

This is my pride and joy. About 5 years ago, Kirk bought me four hydrangea plants one summer. The first summer, one plant was incredibly gorgeous, full of blooms! The next few years brought NOTHING. Last year, we decided they needed to be moved to a different location in the yard and this summer two of the four plants bloomed! I love hydrangeas...I just wish I could grow them year round!

This is Carson. WE LOVE THIS BOY! He is my neighbor's son and we have babysat him quite a bit this summer. We even go and get him from his Mom because we need a Carson fix. He calls Kirk, "Dad" and me "Mono". Maya is his favorite though.

Here's Lea participating in Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Association's Horse Show this summer. She's ridden all summer long and is even starting another session today. She's looking forward to going to Special Olympics in Casper, Wyoming with all her friends.

What do you do when it's raining outside? Well, jump on the trampoline...silly. Sky and Sage and friends, Morgan and Matt just messing around one afternoon. I'm sure this activity ended in the hot tub!

I attended my nephew's wedding in Mesa, Arizona over Labor Day Weekend. Mental note: it is HOT, let me repeat, HOT, HOT, HOT in Mesa this time of year! Congratulations Kyle and Leah! Love ya!

Got to reconnect with most of my family at the wedding. It was my brother, Keith's son who was married. They flew out from Virginia and we had a fun weekend. We were only missing my younger brother, Wade. Maybe next time!