Seven Signs Summer is Coming to an end

7. The last picking of raspberries has been bottled.






6. Just when I got used to sleeping with the fan on we don't need it on any more.

5. The girls flip flops are starting to fall apart.


4. The green beans have all been picked, bottled, and pulled out of the garden.

3. Enough tomatoes have ripened to make a batch of salsa.

2. We harvested our carrots before they got too fat.

(Well most of them)













1. And the number one sign that summer is coming to an end. . . The kids went back to school!

You act like a monkey

Last Friday our family went to the Hoogle Zoo in Salt Lake with my brother and his wife. We had a great time. It was hot with an occasional breeze which felt nice. We spent about seven hours at the zoo and saw every animal they have. Bobby loved to see the gorilla. While we were there we got to see them feed the gorilla. This was fun because they just tossed a bag full of vegetables into his habitat and then he dumped the bag out, leaned back on a log and munched away. It was pretty neat to see. He ate an ear of corn. We all thought he would just eat the whole thing, but he actually peeled it then ate just the corn off of it. The gorilla home is outside and on one side it has some big glass viewing windows and while we were there he walked right up to the windows and looked at us. Bobby was ecstatic and the rest of the time at the zoo he kept asking if we could go look at the really big monkey again. Taylor really liked the elephant. They only had one elephant out because one had just had a baby. Taylor was kind of bummed she didn't get to see the baby elephant. However, we did get to see the new baby giraffe. This was just awesome. I was the most excited to get to see the giraffes because I have never seen one in real life. They had four giraffes plus the baby which was born six feet tall. Eliza really wanted to see a kangaroo. They have one red kangaroo and we saw it briefly. When we got around to the kangaroo they were just putting it into it's house so they could feed the tortoises that he shares a home with. Mac really wanted to go to the bird show. We caught the last one of the day and it was fun. They had a Steller Sea Eagle which was huge and fierce looking. It is actually the biggest raptor in the world. They live only in Russia and winter in Japan. The host was throwing pieces of meat on the ground and it was walking around and picking them up. When it was walking it looked bobbly and kind of awkward but then the eagle flew and it had a huge and intimidating wing span. These eagles are only found in the US at the San Diego Zoo and this one was on loan to the Hoogle Zoo from them; so it was neat to be able to say we've seen one. They had a bald eagle and a golden eagle also plus a couple hawks and some owls which are pretty cool looking. It was a funny and informative show, we would go see it again. The only real disappointment was that we didn't go see all the cats until after we ate lunch and by that time it was hot and they were all napping. Next time we go we maybe we will start with them. All in all a great memory for this summer.

Please play with your food

Mac's Aunt M was visiting this week from Florida. Every time she comes she makes peanut butter play dough for the kids. It is something they look forward to every time she comes. WE went to Mac's parents and the kids went nuts. First they helped make the "play dough" and then they played with it. Bobby liked eating it more than playing with it and ate about half of his dough. The girls made peanut butter pies, peanut butter men, and worms. What messy fun!

Oh what do you do in the summer time?

We make masks, fairy houses, climb rock walls and play junk yard rock! Every year the City of IF's Art council puts on the roaring river youth jam which ends with the duck race at the green belt. It is lots of fun. I have taken the kids down to it for the last three years. This year we went with Sarah and her kids. This made it even more fun for the kids. We had a great time. It turned out to be a cooler day with a breeze. Occasionally the breeze would turn into more of a gust and blow all the art supplies away, but hey what is Idaho without a little wind. Bobby liked playing the junk yard percussion the best. I had to drag him away. Taylor liked the rock wall best. She zipped right up it, the National guard guy who was running the rock climbing station said he was impressed, she made climbing the wall look effortless. Eliza thought either painting or making masks was the funnest part. Her mask kind of turned out looking like the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland. Another great summer day.