Hart Happenings

 This week flew by!  It had a different feel from most of the weeks that pass at the Hart house.  The 2 big boys and Alex were gone camping for the week so it was just Peter and me passing time here at home.  The good news is we all survived!  Peter didn't die from loneliness or boredom, and everyone else survived YM camp (which really is a miracle, given some of the stories I've heard).

We got a surprise visit from Dad on Monday which was really fun.  It was a quick stop but we milked it and enjoyed his company while we had it!

Peter and I spent the week working on a special garden project which is coming along so well!  You'll have to come see it!  We also did all the things that Peter gets outvoted about like eating at Pizza Pie Cafe, watching the movies that he picked, and having a friend over every day.  It was his best week ever.

After the dust had settled a bit Alex and I snuck down to Utah for a quick getaway.  We picked up a climbing dome for the new garden space I mentioned earlier and stayed at a fun mansion in the Salt Lake Avenues that had been converted into a bed and breakfast.  It was lovely!

Ruth mentioned the rain which was absolutely glorious!  It was torrential at times with lightning and thunder and everything.  It was very dramatic and so fun to watch!

                                   An epic fort thought up by Peter and co-created by Emerson

                                                Set building for Ian's Play That Goes Wrong

                                                        Come Follow Me out on the deck

Flake Fun

 Wet is about the best word to describe the last couple of weeks.  I'm not complaining. It has rained nearly every day for the past several weeks which is awesome! The only downer is that I can't weed the garden so I'm going on faith that our plants are somewhere in the weed jungle!

We enjoyed the 24th celebration last weekend. The kids were mesmerized by the family rodeo and quite enjoyed the horses and calves that were running around.  Scott got pulled on to his 20 year class reunion float which was fun.  He was able to visit with a couple of people that he hasn't seen in a while.  

Scott flew to pick up his new old truck yesterday. It is a 4 door, long bed diesel monster. I'm not sure where we are going to park it but he is sure excited about it. He should be home in a couple of hours after a whirlwind of being in or through 4 states since 8:00 yesterday morning! 

Nilsson News

 I really can't believe that it is already August!  This summer has flown by!  The past couple of days we finally got rain!  When the younger kids woke up and saw they rain, they promptly went and put on their swimming suits.  However, they quickly discovered that rain in Idaho is cold and so they all put on their coats over their swim suits.  It was a funny sight to see! 

Emerson has enjoyed doing the junior golf club this summer and he is having fun golfing with his dad.  They found out very last minute that there was a junior golf competition so on his way out the door, Garrett asked me to call the golf course to see if there were any more tee-times available for the competition.  I called, made a reservation and asked what Emerson needed to bring.  They responded, "His clubs and a scorekeeper."  A scorekeeper?  Garrett was at work so the lot fell on me.  I know nothing about golf and have never even set foot on a course before.  Emerson was trying to explain various things about par but he wasn't totally clear on all the rules.  I got a few pointers from Garrett when we drove up to Rexburg to retrieve Emerson's clubs.  Well, we went to the competition and thankfully, we tee'd off with another kid and his experienced grandpa who helped me out in the rules and score keeping.  Emerson had a good time and I was kind of a sweaty mess.

Emerson and Garrett had a fun time at Young Men's camp and hiking the Palisades (running into the Hart's along the way).  Addy just returned from girls camp and had a very memorable time.  Garrett went up to help out with the river run down Big Springs.  It started off well but then the heavens opened with vengeance.  Thunder and lightening and sheets of rain.  They all pulled ashore because the lightening was so close.  Garrett was shocked through his paddle and one of the girls was dangling her legs in the water was shocked and her leg ended up being numb on one side.  The wind was blowing, the girls were wet and freezing (remember how the rain in Idaho is cold?), some were having panic attacks and crying.  It was a mess.  The only option was to keep going once the thunder and lightening stopped even thought it was still raining.  When they reached the end, our bishop was there to greet them with a smile.  He asked Garrett, "So ow was it?"  Garrett responded quite honestly, "Terrible actually."  They all survived with a lot of memories, even the leader who broke her arm in several places.

We have been spending a lot of time with the animals and out in the garden.  Our raspberries have exploded and we are picking buckets every day.  Beans, cucumbers, broccoli and tomatoes and even our very first watermelon of the season we have enjoyed!  We are looking forward to picking our jumbo melon and estimate that it is between 50-75 pounds and still growing strong!

This coming week is fair!  We finally made the plunge, a shallow plunge, but still a plunge.  Addy is showing a couple of her goats just to test the waters and we are hoping that next year we will have a full on donkey show.  Summer is great!

Grit league racing!

Our shaggy ragmuffin Ginger finally got a haircut!

All the babies

Addy and her friend Lilli, competed in the cupcake wars for 4-H and they got reserve champion!  Looking at the scores, the girls tied for first with another team.  The theme was Under the Sea and they had a blast.

Garden explosion!

Golfing pro

Henry loves to catch bugs and put them in jars.  He caught a caterpillar (cabbage moth) and put it in his jar.  It spun a chrysalis and hatched much to Henry's delight and Ruth's chagrin.

Flake Fun

 

We have had several rain storms this week and even a hail storm. Rand thought that it was pretty cool to see ice falling from the sky! That has helped to cool things down a little. The twins, especially Rand, have enjoyed splashing through mud puddles. 

I was schooled by Robin this week. She was sitting on her little stool and Rand sat down next to her but missed his stool and fell off. I responded "oh, you fell off your chair Rand!". 

"Mommy". I looked at Robin. She pointed "Stool."

"You're right. That's a stool." But she wasn't done. Looking me in the eye she pointed, "chair" (the rocking chair). "Chair" (the computer chair). "Chair" (the dining room chair). She was quite patient as she pointed out the difference. 

The twins' birthday we as nice and quiet. We started off the morning making their giant cookie from grandma which was so fun.  Then we went to the grocery store and, after naps, went to Grandma Flakes for a little bit. Once we got home, we made a birthday cake and then went to dinner. They really enjoyed the busy board that Scott made for them.  

The next day we had lunch at the park and all of Scott's siblings and Grannie came. 

We sold our Mazda and the little Miata so we are finally a 3 vehicle family again and I don't feel like I live at a car lot! Now Scott is contemplating a new, big truck so we'll see if that pans out. 

Love you all! Have a great week!

Hart Happenings

 What a summer!  It is blowing by at an alarming rate but has already left us with some lovely memories.  Among them:

A wonderful Lego collaboration

BYU Young Ambassador camp

At Yellowstone waiting for Steamboat Geyser to erupt

Alex’s creation at the painting activity at the Cousin’s Reunion

A weird sun phenomenon. Dad, what is it called?

Rafting Big Spring

Chet and Wes listening to Bunny Foo Foo

Hope and Ian waiting for their turn rock climbing

Spikeball!

Back at the temple. Hooray!

The cousins reunion - capture the flag, pool time, the painting activity, and all the fishing - actually catching fish! It was so great to connect/reconnect with everyone.  We have such a great family!

Going to the zoo with Dad, the Flakes, and the Nilssons.

The Hart Family Conference - dance parties, water balloon battleship, float trips, dollar store runs, and lots of good cousin time.

Watching Jack's soccer tournament and melting in the midday heat with mom and dad.

Listening to Ian regale us with tales of "the best week of my life"!  He totally loved attending the BYU Young Ambassadors camp.

Watching the garden grow.....It really is amazingly lovely.  We've harvested lots of radishes, broccoli, cucumbers, and strawberries.  Delicious!

Playing Spikeball late into the night thanks to the new lights that Alex got installed.  They are pretty fancy and keep things all lit up!

Meeting little Gus Manning!  He is the cutest little blob of a baby I've ever seen!  It is so fun to have another family enter into the 3 boy club!

We plan on spending some time at the pool this week and hiking Palisades for my birthday this weekend if anyone cares to join us!

We love you guys and are so grateful for any chance to spend time with you! 

Nilsson News

 Jenn!  I want to see your hair - or the lack thereof!  It will be perfect for this weather.  We have bouncing babies!  Last Sunday, along with the Mannings, Addy's goat Bumble delivered twins, a boy and a girl.  Because of the holiday, they were named George and Betsy.  The best part with these two is there blue eyes and they are both polled, meaning the will never grow horns!  Last night, Nibbles delivered her very large twin boys.  They are adorable and chunky and both of them have waddles like their mom.  Everything went smooth and good and we are so happy they are here.  Addy can now settle down a bit.

We had cousins from Arizona here all week.  Garrett's sister flew to Hawaii with her oldest daughter, so the rest of the kids came to play.  It was fun to have them and we enjoyed fireworks, floated the river, ran through the sprinkler and played with baby goats (they are seriously so entertaining).

We have been doing a lot of haying lately.  Because of the drought, everyone is worried that there is going to be short supply of hay so we are trying to buy as much as we can early in the season.  We are doing our best to keep the garden, grass, and trees alive during this crazy hot season.  The watermelons are thriving and we may have some ready to pick by the end of the month.  Hope you all have a delightful Sabbath!

The kids had fun at their primary bike parade.

Happy Independence Day!

George & Betsy

Lewis...

...and Clark

Flake Fun

 This week has been hot...over 100 for more than half the week. So we have had lots of popsicles, juice, cold water and any other cold food we can find. 

The big news is that James has started army crawling! I don't know if I am ready for him to be mobile! I think that he may be teething again because he has been a little cranky but it could just be the heat too. 

Robin has 4 new teeth which is good. They are taking their sweet time coming in fully but they are all through the gums so she isn't as emotional as she has been. 

Rand is my watering buddy and loves to be in the garden. 

The twins love to check the mail and when we don't have any, we have to check Aunt Karen's! It has been a real treat for them to be responsible for Grandma Flakes mail this week since Dona and Randy are out of town. 

It was a treat for us, especially for Rand, to see "aunt Lise" on Grandmas phone. 

That is about all that is going on down here. The forecast says we should only be in the upper 90s this week and I'll welcome the cool down! Oh, and I cut my hair.

Love you all! Make it a great week.