August 2017

In early August, we took the kids up to Helvetia, West Virginia.  It's a really cool old Swiss village up in the mountains of West Virginia.  It's really remote, and they try to keep all of the original Swiss customs of the people who first migrated here.

The ward did a float trip down the Buckhannon River.  Hazel loved it!

I took Merr, and Joel and some friends to the mall the Saturday before school started.

The boys had a Boy Scouts Court of Honor.  I got pinned!

School started in August.  Merr started 10th grade, Joel 8th, Jack 6th, Norah 3rd, Hazel Kindergarten, and Henry started Preschool!  They were all so excited.  Jack actually is homeschooling this year, although he does go to the school for orchestra every day.

Boy, did we have a fun time calling after Merrody on her first day!  "Bye, Merrody!  WE LOVE YOU!  Have a great first day!"  She just kept on walking...

These are the only two kids who go to the same school!

Mrs. Casto

We love Buckhannon, and the beautiful mural!

Football started in August.  Joel is number 73.  He only plays a few minutes of each game...so it's really exciting when he's out there!

So far this is my favorite thing that's happened during football--a life-sized vinyl poster of Joel!  What embarrassing way will I use this poster in the future?!  The possibilities are endless!

Jack also got allergy testing in August.  No big deal, says the dr, just come in for shots once a week for the next 40 weeks, and then once a month for another 3 to 5 years!  What?!

July Part 2

As soon as we got home from our big trip, Merrody and Joel had Youth Conference:

This I my only pic...Merr is in the background.

Then Merrody had EFY:

Then the kids went to New York with Grandma Malone, Aunt Megan, Joe, and Holden.  They had so much fun!  They saw "Wicked" on Broadway, went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, rode bikes around Central Park, Went to the Hard Rock Café, and so much more!  Thanks, Grandma, for the awesome trip!

Meanwhile, we visited Aunt Marsha in the hospital a couple of times.  (She is fine now, thankfully!)

As soon as the kids got home from New York, Jack headed to 11-year-old Scout Camp:

Also, this seems like as good a time as any to tell you to make this:

Add some Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, and a little butter, and throw that baby in the coals of a fire.  You will not be sorry!

July 2017

The Family Reunion was at this cool church lodge in at Flat Head Lake, outside of where Justin lives in Kalispell, Montana.  Such a beautiful setting!

The lake trampoline was pretty much the highlight of the reunion!  We all loved it!

Nice Aunt Bethany with Henry.

Family gathering at the amphitheater the first night.

All of the grandkids!

Family History Stories

The Lost Boys

A remake of the original, "It's A Hard Knocks Life"

The original!

Grace and Alice's extra religious song!

Nice cousin Natalie, who missed out on swimming because of a broken arm.

Lots of people canoed out to a nearby island and went cliff jumping!

More of The Lost Boys

Missing one sister!

Karaoke--a big hit!

Rotating Discussion Groups

We took Grandma and Grandpa Flake and Eden with us to Banff after the reunion.  So fun!

The condo we rented.

The Banff Gondola took us way up to the top of the Canadian Rockies!

We arrived at this building, and then took a steep wooden staircase up to a cool overlook.

Grandma and Hazel waited behind.  Their view wasn't too bad, either!

I took a million pics from inside the car.  Can you blame me?!

Lake Louise

Moraine Lake

Joel swam across the glacial lake--freezing!--and then climbed up a nearby mountain, climbed down again, and swam back across!  Crazy kid!

The Johnston Canyon Hike had to be the highlight of the trip for me.  Breathtaking!  We went at 6am, so we had the place to ourselves!

We stopped at the Cardston Temple on our way back to Justin's house in Kalispell.  We arrived in time for the 4th of July celebrations!

The next day, after everyone else left, we went rafting with Justin's family.  So fun---if a little longer than we had planned!

Matt flew home the next day, and we had a nice day with Kelsey and the kids.  She painted faces!

The next day, I drove the kids to Utah.  We stayed a night with my cousin, Audrey Tiberius.  I got to see a few cousins (Emily Flake Parker and Elaine Flake Hyatt).  What a fun and fulfilling visit!

Finally, we ended up with Bethany's family for a day.  We hiked around Bridal Veil Falls, and then headed to the BYU bookstore for some shopping.  It was a great time!

Dillon came, too, and later Emily met us for lunch!