July 2016 - family reunion, Rosie turns 2, and water falls

Quinton, on our neighbor's empty lot, waiting for 4th of July fireworks.

Summer sunset

The birthday girl with her cake. She likes cake.

We attempted to utilize the chickens to kill the grass around our cherry trees. Unfortunately, the just stood by the fence wondering why they had been exiled. Too much work getting them out there every day, and little in the way of results. 

We had three bushes I was ready to remove, but it turns out they were filburt bushes! We got about a half pint, unshelled, but that's a start. We have two filburt trees in the back yard that are several years from producing, but this will do for now.

Zachary finishing the horsemanship merit badge. 

Quinton went camping with troop 376. He didn't stay clean. Not even close. One of the other leaders has a boy Quinton's age, so they both come with their dads when possible.

After the aforementioned campout, Quinton went home with his friend while Stephen and Eric Yoast took boys on a ten mile hike. Zachary was not impressed with our pace. 

The deer trail we were following disappeared, so we got to practice traversing steep shale slopes for over a mile until we hooked back into a known trail. It was difficult for the boys, but they made it.

These guys were quite proud of themselves once we made it back to the trail and started down. This is about 3000 feet above our neighborhood.

Zachary and Stephen at the point just before starting our descent.

The Tueller Family Reunion was at our home in Providence. In the morning, we climbed about 700 feet to get a view of the sunrise and Providence Canyon. This short hike was much more pleasant for Zachary than the one described above.

We borrowed a bubble machine from our neighbors, and went through a couple dozen bottles of shampoo, letting the kids slip and  slide in the afternoons. Stephen went with Steven (McRae) and Steven (Knight) and biked down Providence Canyon a couple of times. We went to the Browning gun museum and children's place museum in Ogden. 

For having lived in Providence for six years, we were sure missing out on the waterfalls in Providence Canyon. We made it almost all the way to the falls in our 2 wheel drive mini van. We told the kids not to drink it, and found out later (during another scout hike) that cows used the falls for drinking several hundred feet above this point. And you know cows, they leave other thinks around wherever they go.

Another view of the falls. This didn't make the cut for the Christmas card. 

Here we are shelling peas we let dry for a fall seed crop (which, unfortunately didn't do well).

Summer 2016

We went to Geneva for memorial day weekend. Mandi, Mikal, & crew were in from Tenessee, and the Weekes and McRae cousins all stayed in tents with our children. Well, mostly. Some ended in beds in the house, but they tried! Afterwards, we left our children with Effie and Grandma Tueller while Jillian and Stephen attempted a anniversary trip. That was cut short by everyone getting a stomach bug, and we had to come back early. 

Before the barfing broke out, we did manage a trip to Salt Lake and a temple session at the Salt Lake temple. Before going down, Jillian and I hiked up to the wind caves in Logan Canyon. 

A view of  the crimson trail from the wind cave.

The wind caves from the approaching trail.

The sunset during an epic lightning storm. This was taken from behind our neighbor's house.

June 2016 - Scout camp and funny swimwear

Zachary's troop went rock climbing in Logan Canyon. Here he is with his friend Miles Petersen.

Zachary rappelling. 

A view of Logan canyon from the climbing wall.

A view from the top of the climbing wall. Stephen rappelled too.

"Rosie, don't eat the [sand][dirt][mud]" was a common refrain. All. Summer. Long.

Back yard dance off. Dad lost. Quinton is the champion.

Baby tomato plants starting their vertical climb.

A day at the park with the girls. 

Zachary shooting a black powder rifle. Then he had to kiss it gun (i.e., blow it out to remove any uncombusted powder).

Troop 376 on a hike. The camp director was leading the hike. But he had never used the route before. The trail disappeared. He had his three small children with him. One boy was slow getting back and Stephen stayed to help him and the little kids. The rest of the troop went back to camp, didn't look at the clock, and missed their afternoon merit badge classes. But getting 'lost' is always more interesting than a straight forward hike, so Stephen thought it was fun.

Playing by the peach tree on the front porch.

Then this happened. It took some effort, but we finally convinced this little man that wearing underwear outside of your swim suit was not appropriate swim attire, public, private, or otherwise.

May 2016

Onions popping up through the mulch

My scout troop did the hiking merit badge this year, 4 ten milers and one 20 miler. Here Zachary and I are on the first hike in dry canyon, one canyon south of Logan canyon. 

Lillyth the chicken wisperer. She would insist on getting 'da chiggen foohd' and feeding them a handful at a time. With over 20 birds, she would get mobbed, but always had fun and insisted on doing it far more often that was good for the birds.

Chayce painted new beehives and we put in two packages in the apiary.

Quinton and dad went hammock camping in Providence Canyon. 

Some one liked doing her own makeup all year long. This is a fairly typical example. 

Payge and dad hammock camping in Providence canyon.

Rosie the dinosaur at grandma's house.

Lillyth and Quinton having story time with Grandpa Tueller

Zachary reading a story to Payge and Lillyth while Chayce was drawing a picture.

The bearded iris in front of one of our peach trees. We finally got a good harvest off of them this year.

Though this looks like a parental attempt at some peace and quiet, it was Lillyth's idea. She was on a kick for a few weeks and would request 'tape ahn my mouph' every day. 

April 2016 - Spring is here and Payge's Baptism

Air Quinton at the park.

Lillyth helping brig home some rope (for a tire swing) and boards (for trellises and hoop houses).

Early morning moonset over the Wellsville mountains.

She's 8! Payge was excited to know she could repent and be with Jesus forever. She remembers feeling peace as she received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Grandpa and Grandma Browning brought Tracyn and Daxtin, Grandpa and Grandma Tueller, Aunt Renee, Payge's sensi came with his family (the Lundgrens),  the Carlsen, and Aunt Amy and Uncle Steven came. Afterwards, the older children had a music recital (that will be another post).

This birthday girl was excited to get her ears pierced and get a pocket knife on the same day.

 

Little buddies rocking before bed.

Little girls on the stairs. 

Most! Excited! Face! Ever! (I can't remember why, maybe he just smiled like he was asked)

Camping in Providence Canyon.