Apples!!

Our tree grew more than 5 apples this year!!! It actually had tons. The bummer part was we were gone for a lot of the picking so only really 2 times was I able to get a good crop and make delicious stuff with them.

Our apple tree! When I found out the big tree in the back was an apple tree I was super excited. It is a gorgeous tree, gives perfect shade, and now even some yummy apples.

 

Just a "why everyone needs a twin" moment. Kate was just feeding Kara some water while they were watching a show. Didn't even need to ask or say, "hmm, I'm thirsty." :)
 (do you feed water? Hmmm...what's the word I am looking for?)

 I just thought it was cute.

 So happy to be home and getting bathed regularly again!

Final Week in Olds

Well, our time was finally wrapping up in Olds. Since we were less than 2 hours away from Edmonton, and I planned to get there some time within the 2 months we were there, I decided to take the kids up to Edmonton for an overnight trip. We visited with The Baldwins. Oh how we miss them!! It was so fun to watch the kids play together again and pick up right where they left off. 

Here are Zach and Avery. I can't believe they are both in Kindergarten now?!! We met when they were less than 2 years old! They kinda look alike, eh? Same face shape...chins...

 

It was funny to me that they even chose some of their favorite games they used to play together. Zach loved this Elephant game they had. He found it again!

Then we took them all for a bike

ride to see a beaver dam. Right there in Edmonton! Pretty cool. Look at that cute little gang of kids.

We stayed at Jason and Kamry's house. My kids LOVE Talia and love playing with her and often fight about who Talia loves more...goodness. They had a lot of fun together. And I had fun after they were all asleep and Kamry and I could just relax and talk. :)



Pictures wouldn't be complete without a Kate face.

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Addie, after a car ride, a bit delirious. Happy or sad?? We still don't quite know.

We also made one last trip to see my friend Athena and her kiddos, Kyle and Robbie. Athena rents a farmhouse and has a bunch of animals too. Since we had been there last there were some kittens born AND her chicks had arrived. I brought Jordana to meet Old McAthena and her farm. :)

Kate LOVES horses. This is Atticus. Pretty cool name.

 

Checking out the turkeys.

Zach found a couple eggs in the hen house! I really want chickens. Mostly for eggs. And they can eat all of our fruit and veggie scraps.

Kara with the few week old kittens! 



Kitty Kate. I love this picture of her.

And this is Robbie. He is awesome.

 Scaring the daylights out of me...the first time we went to the farm I was a stress case. My kids are a little curious and busy and are not used to farms, ladders, heights, but also not afraid of them and are very independent. I could see them EASILY getting hurt because of what they didn't know. Luckily, no one got hurt the 3 times we went there.

Jordana's cutie patootie, Kiera. She is such a doll baby! She turned 1 while we were there.

Someday they will be friends. :) The best shot we could get of them "playing" together. :)


These girls loved to play together! Well, mostly my kids adored Jayna and Jayna mostly wanted to hang out with Jordana and Addie and I. :) But whenever we weren't at their place, or when we were in Cardston she would say "I want to go back to Olds...I miss Jayna!!!" Cute, yes, but not when you are driving 3 hours away from Olds with a deliriously tired Kate crying and say that over and over and over and...


Kara on Smoke...the 29 year old horse! The view here is A-MAZING. Especially the first time we went there. It was surrounded by hills of canola. My favorite! I wanted to live there. It was so neat. Then I realized I didn't have my camera. Where was my camera? That's when I realized...it might have been stolen. :(

Kate cuddling the big kitty while every one else took their turn on the horse.

Kara the little rancher.

Kate's turn! I really wouldn't be surprised if she ended up being a barrel racer. She is my little cowgirl horse lover. And we live in Southern Alberta, so why not?! Just embrace it!

I love this picture. The true Athena. Don't you stick your tongue at me young lady!

Zach was HILARIOUS. This was the 2nd time he rode this horse, but he wouldn't even sit up! He did last time! He was funny about it.

 Finally at the end he sat up a bit more. Silly boy!

And Addie did great! 
 

 

...for the 5 seconds Athena held her on the horse! :) Look how chubby she is getting. And that is a month ago!

I need to learn how to use my camera on manual. Or edit. White balance? Over exposing...i have no clue. :)


Kate was also obsessed with the chicks. I think I was probably a lot like her as a kid, seeing as I got "kissed" by a chicken (hard enough to leave a scar on my lip) and scratched by a cat (another scar up my forehead!) by the age of 2? 3? Gentle...or like my parents always said, "You don't know your own strength." Whoops.

Our LAST morning in Olds, we stopped by to say by to the wonderful Fitzners. I don't know what I would have done without you guys. Oh yeah I do...NOTHING! Thanks for moving to Olds!!! :)

 

These two turned out to be buddies. They rode bikes together and played with Kepler's awesome airplanes.

There is an amusing reason I posted all of these. Scroll and see if you can figure it out.

 

 

Besides the fact that they are all darling children, did you catch Gibb going into the pantry and hiding so he can eat treats without the kids noticing?! HA HA! I loved this when I saw it. Gibb, you are awesome. Now share with us!

Bye Jordana!! :( I will miss you! Shorty...

And we had to get one of the boys too. I am sure they really miss each other.

Echoooo-echo-echo-echo-echo...

In mid-August, Justin took a week off of his 8 week rotation in Olds to go to one of our favorite places...Echo Lake! It was warm, and beautiful! We were there with Justin's parents and Karen and Dallin. Super fun!  

Zach was especially excited to FISH! He is quite the fisherman. The morning after we got there Justin and Zach went to the causeway and went fishing. Here is his first solo catch!

 



Addie is a very loved baby. They are always wanting to hold her. Looking back at these pictures all I can think of is how much  hair she's lost in the last month! This is tons compared to what she has now. :(

Yay for attacking playing with Uncle Dallin!

The highlight of Justin's trip...catching this 29" Northern Pike! Big, ugly fish! Right off the dock. Creepy.

Those are grandpa's size 12 feet!

What a monster! The kids were super excited. Almost as excited as Justin.

 Big ugly fish.

See the teeth? Yikes.

 
29 inches...I know there are a million pictures, but this was a big deal for Justin. :) These are his proud pictures. As he should be.

This is how every morning started. Watching "The Lorax." My kids had never seen it and loved it! Plus, it was a good way to keep the house quiet since my kids love to get up early. Yuck.

 

So zoned.

Smile kids! Ha ha!

 

My stud going for a ski.

 
Poor Addie hated the life jacket! It was way too big for her. When the boat started going she usually fell asleep though. Having a baby under 6 months in the summer is kind of hard. No sunscreen!!

Just to prove I was there too!

This girl is getting hard to get a straight face out of. The camera came out and this is what she does.







 

 

 

 

Even when I was trying to get a shot of Justin skiing she just kept pulling faces. She is full of personality.

My skiier. I always like to watch Justin play. It is nice to see him have fun. He works hard in church and school and work and family. Plus, I like watching him be so athletic. Woo woo.
 

Kate was literally crying because we wouldn't let her swim. It was early morning, she was still in her jammies, and it was COLD! But she was inconsolably crying so we dipped her! Crazy water baby girl.

 

:)

 

Fishing off the dock...again.

 

 

And I was there for a catch!!

 

 

Look at that cute little fish on the end. That's what Justin was used to catching mostly from the dock...until the monster came! 

And here is the water baby again. She just jumps. Over and over and over again. :)

 

Again...

 

And then there is cute little Kara, posing on the end of the boat. :)

I forget even why she was sad, but I had to take a picture of her because I had my camera in my hand and I wanted to show her her sad face. :( It is pretty sweet. 

This is how I got her to stop being sad. Sing to me Kate!


Zach saw her singing, so he had to have a turn too!


And of course Kara did too. Domino effect. A cute one though. :)

The final picture of the fish. :) It didn't taste the best. Not horrible. But to me it tasted like Echo Lake.

 

"Dallin's Brother" Aaron was at the lake with his family and came over and played all day with us. The kids love Aaron. He is really good to them. I am sad this picture is kinda blurry because they were all laughing and screaming along with Zach.

Yay for Uncle(s).

Becky Quinton was also there with Karen.

My favorite part about them tubing is hearing the scream every time they crossed the wake. Grandpa has stepped it up a notch this year and got them out of the wake. They love going back and forth, back and forth.

Sittin' on the dock of the lake. 

Such a little trooper. My favorite part of this trip happened when I took her into Kalispell with Karen and Cynthia shopping. We were in a shoe store waiting as Karen tried some stuff on. I brought her to the mirror and she locked eyes with herself and started cracking up laughing at herself. She couldn't stop smiling and talking to that cute girl in the mirror. :)

 

And these two...they just chatter it up all the time and are turning into little ladies. With LONG hair. I need to learn more hairdos. And I need more time. ;) 

Silly Kara.

Bama got in the water with Kate! 

 

Fishing again.

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The BEAUTIFUL Logan's Pass in Glacier National Park.

 

 

 

Right before this poor goat got hit. :(
Just kidding. It was a parked truck. :)