A Photo Journal of Today

This has been a day absolutely full of photo-ops, which may explain why it took at least 4 hours to get me floors swept and mopped!

I must share with you all the beautiful things I've seen today.

 Beutiful Nora! Love those ears!!

 In the next several pictures, you will see stormy skies in the background. One of my favorite things... (you can thank me later for getting that song stuck in your head!)

 I didn't notice at the time that they were holding hands

 This rainbow was actually from early yesterday morning.

 I had Malachi get the diapers out of the drier for me and asked him to put them on the couch. Next thing I know, he had "made squares" with them! (I had taught him a while ago to "make squares" out of washcloths to help me fold laundry.) This was so cute!

 Time for his monthly bath - whether he needs it or not!

 He was helping with the gardening...

 Another funny thing that interrupted my mopping - the boys were spending an aweful long time in the laundry room, and this is what I found.

 I had been a little curious as to how Morgan got up there, but I found out a little later.

 What can you even say about this????

 Malachi watching the rain from inside - when the rain really started coming down he was outside, and he got very frightened! But he enjoyed watching from inside the house.

He decided to dodge out of sight when he saw I was taking his picture!

And that was my day - full of beautiful people, beautiful creation. I am thankful to be able to stop and enjoy what I've been given. 

Camping!

We went camping last weekend up in Williams with my family! But, before I go any furthur, I have to make a confession... we stayed in a hotel. I know, I know, that is not real camping (although, I'll have you know, even of those who really "camped", only Trent and Trevor slept in a tent and Grandpa Dennis under the stars! The rest were in motor homes.). :)

Anyway, the day before we left on the trip, Morgan got a cold, along with a fever. The fever was gone by the next day and we figured he would be just as miserable at home as he would be out in the fresh air, so we decided to go, but to stay in a hotel since it still gets very cold at night. I think he enjoyed camping a lot, actually, with all those grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and cousins to squish on him!

Camping was a blast! We had LOTS of family: Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Vickie, who hosted the event on their property; Uncle Bubba, Trevor and Taylar, up from Phoenix; Uncle Dan and Great-Great Grandma Dea (do you know anyone else who can say they went camping with their great-great grandma?!); Papa John and Grammy Jamie with Darrell and Trent; and Uncle Don and Aunt Pam who brought Chewy, their dog, along for his first camping trip!

Along with Chewy, the other trip mascots were Bud, Rocky, Bocifus, Foxy Lady, and Husso.

It was a big crowd!

The next few posts will be mostly pictures from our trip! I had fun with my new camera, however, I felt a little frustrated. I was more interested in simply capturing the moment and it was frustrating to have to focus so much on simply learning the basics of how to use the camera. Uncle Dan taught me a few tricks, though, so it was fun to get to practice a bit!

Some of the pictures were taken by Darrell, too.

Enjoy!

Darrell had lots of fun getting pictures of the camp fire!

Grandpa and Grandma, the camp hosts

Grandma Vickie and Foxy Lady

Grandpa Dennis, Grandma Vickie, Uncle Dan, G-Grandma Bryant, Darrell around the fire

Malachi loved putting on Trent's helmet!

Beautiful Indian Paintbrush

Trevor caught lots of butterflies!!

Trevor, Taylar and Trent with their butterfly nets

Malachi admiring the kids' catches. I love the dirty face - evidence that he had lots of fun playing!

Trent adding his catch to the collection

On the lookout

Darrell's only catch of the day...

Trevor was the butterfly catching champ, though Darrell has the record for the biggest catch!

Great-Great Grandma Bryant and Foxy

(From from to back) Travis and Malachi, Grammy and Morgan, Trent, and Trevor
on a hike near a watering hole close to the property

Throwing rocks into the water - Malachi, Taylar, Trevor, Husso, Trent, and Darrell

Mo was worn out from all that hiking.

Trevor and Bud

Morgan hugging cousin Taylar

Grammy and Malachi enjoying the warm fire and s'mores

Travis playing with his knife

Putting on the layers as it got colder - I love that little bucket hat!

Malachi - probably doing his little kung fu dance that he made up

Travis taking Malachi for a ride on the quad

Mud Pie Maker!

Elsie
Kiss from Norah

Grammy and Papa got a mud pie maker for Malachi!

"I think we need a bigger pool."