FHE

Family home evening on the bike track. Paige was biking too, it was her idea, but I didn't get her picture. I was not even tempted to do it tonight. I ran today, including twice up Twin Falls grade, then my dang friend wanted to go biking. I wasn 't about to get on my bike again!

You can't really tell what this picture is, but you can faintly see Darren and Justin on the cliffs. They are measuring for a zipline. Either we will have lots of kids here all the time, or none. Maybe their parents will want them to stay away from us. Darren is just like a kid, I have no doubt he'll be the first one down. The other significant thing about this picture is in the foreground. It is Brady and Paige hunting ground squirrels together, yes together. Miracles never cease.

Saturday fun

Saturday Darren, Brady, Paige and Dave Weber went bouldering out on the cliffs by our house. Justin was at his first Scout campout at Lake Walcott, and I had gone running, biking, then running again with my crazy friend Jill. For more pictures of the climbing go to Brady's blog.

Here are some pictures of the trees Darren and his dad got last week. They transplanted 12 of them from a home in Jerome who was afraid they were interfering with their leach field. It took them all day, but they look awesome! We really hope they live after all that work. I think Darren talks to them while he's watering, like I said, I think he missed his calling in life.
Darren and his two best friends.
This beauty is our chicken coop. Justin painted it for us. The chickens are in their teenage phase and ready to leave the garage. Boy do they stink! We have 15 of them and hope to start getting eggs by September. They eat and drink a ton! Tonight they escaped while Paige was feeding them, she had to fight them off. Then while she was sitting and feeling bad about getting pecked, one popped out from underneath the coop! Hope we got them all in.

Crazy hat day

It was crazy hat day at school. Brady promptly requested a roll of duct tape (the kids just discovered it isn't duck tape). The bus driver gave him a double take before letting him on the bus, and he was only carrying the hat at the time! Paige was the model, she sat wearing the hat while Brady made it. See the kayak in the background? A family drove, yes drove, from Canada to pick it up for their daughter. They just decided on a road trip. It was fun for Paige to meet other little girls who like to paddle!

Trees!

So by now we know Darren missed his calling in life as a landscaper. So here we are planting 300+ trees. It was a family affair. We laid weed barrier and tried to cover it in dirt before the wind blew it over. It is NEVER not windy out here in Kimberly. When I say trees I mean little sprouts. His idea is to grow them for our own use and let the kids raise and sell the others for mission and college money. We have 200 more arriving tomorrow! Paige worked her guts out helping us, although she thought she needed to drive the 4 wheeler if she needed to to 10 feet! The boys were at Hunter's education most of the day, but we promptly put them to work when they got home!

I have a new neice!

Congrats to Clayton and Lauren on the birth of their first baby! Hannah Melody Harrison was born April 17, weighing close to 8 lbs! She is beautiful and healthy and we're all so happy!

Hike

Justin just one week after his appendectomy.
We can make it all the way to the water of the Snake from our house 400+ feet above!
Brady holding up an Idaho shaped rock. Ebay anyone?
Thankfully someone has placed a ladder for the steepest part.
In between conference sessions we took a little hike. The boys wanted to show me where they get down in the canyon from our house. It was a little chilly but down in the canyon it was beautiful! What a playground our kids have! Yesterday we had a porcupine visit us, and there are rock chucks, ground squirrels, rabbits and lots of birds. We have a meadowlark (we think) that lives close by and sings to us everymorning. Darren spent most of Saturday making a bike track in the back complete with jumps, ups and downs, banked corners. All the kids love it, it is a neighborhood attraction. Just in case you're thinking "wow what a dedicated dad to do such a thing for his kids" - he was out until after dark riding it last night after priesthood session!