Hike #4 & Shooting

On our hike last week, we took the guns and went shooting as well. Brian has taken me to the range a few times lately, so this time we thought we would take everyone and go outdoors.

Zak and Les love to go shooting and Brian is really working with them to respect the gun and to handle them the proper and safe way.

While practicing with my camera, Brian handed Amber this prop.

I love how Les winks to be able to aim the gun. It takes his whole face. I think that I will miss it when he can wink without so much effort.

The terrain. It was so beautiful this day with the clouds.

And this fence made a nice photo.

This is looking down on the valley on the way home. All the rain has made everything so green. It is so pretty right now.

Hiking...

We must be gun totin' idiots!

Aren't they cute.

New Opportunities

As many of you know, I have always loved to do photography even though I have never felt that I am very good at it. I have read several things and talked to several friends to try to learn how to get good pics, but I have a hard time applying them.

Recently I have been given a new opportunity/challenge. I am now apprenticing at Junction Photography in the mall. The owner is a friend that I have admired his work for a long time. In just a few weeks, he has taught me how to apply many of those things that I have read and been told, but couldn't figure out how to apply when I had my camera in my hand. He is currently teaching me how to do studio photography. I am loving it although learning slowly.

He is an amazing photographer and has been in the area for quite a few years. check out his work at:
http://www.aa-photography.com/2009/Menu.html
http://aa-photography.blogspot.com/ or at his new website,
http://jpshots.com/ .

Stop in and check us out, or just say hi when you are at the mall. Better yet, a 15 minute session is free of charge, and you only have to buy if you are happy with the shots. I assure you that you will be.

Wish me luck!

Living Planet Aquarium

Last week Amber, Les and Zak met Grammy and Gramps on the FrontRunner train to go to the Living Planet Aquarium. They transferred from FrontRunner to Trax to a UTA bus to get there. Amber asked if she could blog about their trip. So from here forward, this is Amber's blog post! ENJOY!

One of the first things we did was, was touch the stingrays. They felt both slimy and furry.

This was one of the 2 eels they had, the picture I took of the electric eel didn't look good.

This is a penguin from the new penguin exhibit. I really liked the penguins!!! Zak liked how fast the penguins swam. Les liked the way the penguins jumped into and out of the water. I liked how they sometimes came up to the glass and that they streaked past.

I like this picture because it looks like the fish is smiling!

This fish was one of my favorites because it swam vertically. I've never seen a fish that did that.

This was one of the two alligators they had. They were smaller than the ones we saw in Florida.

I really liked the Jelly fish.

This is mine and my Mom's favorite picture. It is a lion fish.

I'm not sure what this is, but I think it is a sting ray.

we had so much fun, thanks Grammy and Gramps.

Hike 3 - Cascade Springs

After running our errands on Monday, we drove up American Fork canyon to Cascade Springs. It was an eventful drive. That is the day that so many of the rivers in the Salt Lake area flooded. The river in the canyon was roaring. I have never seen it so high or fast. At one point, we had to cross what was usually a small trickle of water crossing the road. Instead it was several inches deep (maybe 6-10 inches) and moving fast. I was a little nervous to drive through it.

Then as we got to a meadow near the summit of the canyon, we spotted a moose eating. Because of the high water levels everywhere, the meadow was flooded.

This is the same place. If you look closely, you can still see the moose, but it was such a beautiful area, that I had to take a photo to remember it.

Timp peak showing above the closer mountains.

Brain and the kids with the moose in the background.

The kids at Cascade Springs. It was so pretty up there.

The springs running over the ground.

The river that all the water from the springs made.

If you look right in the center of the picture, you can see a trout. I was so excited to see this picture. I finally figured out how to use my polarizing lens! You can't even see reflection off of the water.

Just a cool knot in a tree. I had to take a picture

From Cascade Springs, we drove a dirt road down into Midway.
On the drive we spotted a hawk. I wish you could see him better in the picture.

And we pulled off the road to let the kids see devil's slide. It's always an amazing sight.

What a fun day!

Lehi

Last Sunday we spent the night at my parent's house so we could run some errands down there on Monday. The clouds were about to rain, and with the setting sun, they were gorgeous.

Looking west.

And looking the other direction, the skies looked entirely different.

Looking East.

And look at Timpanogos peak. you can see that the mountains in the front are reflecting the sun from the west, and the mountains in the back are not. I think it is gorgeous. Just had to share!

National Trail Day 5K

On National Trails Day, Brian and the kids ran a 5K. I was planning on running with them, but had been feeling pretty rotten all week, so I decided not to.

Les finished the race in 26 minutes. A new personal best! He did awesome.

Amber had a little harder time with the pollens triggering some hayfever, and was having a hard time breathing. It wasn't her best time, but at least she ran and had fun.

Hike 2 - Memorial Day Hike

On Memorial Day, we did another hike, this one was a bit more difficult, but we did pretty good. There was a stream that ran along the trail all the way up. I love the sound of the water.

The kids mentioned that we haven't done a Geocache for quite a while, so while we were out we found two. For one of them we had to be really careful that other hikers didn't see us find it.

And of course, we had fun just being silly.

A look out over the valley. Aren't the clouds pretty?

1st Hike of the Season

The night before school ended we took the kids on a hike. It was really a lot of fun to do now that we have kids that are big enough to walk that far by themselves. It was quite an easy hike, but still took some effort.

The skies were pretty dark the whole time and we know that it could rain on us at any minute, but it was warm enough that we didn't worry too much about it.On the way back down the trail, it did start to rain, but it never got too bad, and our jackets were enough to keep us warm and dry.

The clouds made gorgeous views of the valley and fabulous pictures.

Last Day of School

All the kids had amazing teachers this year, and all three were both excited and sad to be moving on. We will definitely miss their teachers, but they all have been assigned great ones for next year. We are looking forward to another good year ahead (And I'm looking forward to all 3 kids being in school all day. Am I really that old?)

Zak & Mrs. Winter
All school year long when Brian would ask Zak what he learned today, he would either tell Brian "nothing," or that he "couldn't remember." On the last Wednesday of school after the kindergarten program, out of the blue he said "I've learned SO much this year (what a relief, he won't have to repeat kindergarten!) And he really has. He is a good little reader, and a good counter.

Because he is the youngest kid in the school, I was a little worried about sending him to school last year. But he really did so good, he caught on quick to everything that was taught that he didn't already know, and he acted with all of the maturity that a 5 year old boy should. I was very proud of him this year.
Watch out 1st grade here comes Zak!

Les & Miss Phillips

Les really enjoyed 2nd grade. He improved his reading dramatically, and is very good at math. I think his favorite part of math was when they started working on their times tables right at the end of the year. He is going to be really good at math. He came home many times from school and told us that he had run a mile and a half when his teacher took them all out to run a mile. He is proud to be a runner. Les is so excited for 3rd grade, and he is ready to start any day if they would just let him, he is both a very social kid as well as an active kid. He likes the social part of the school year, and the outdoor part of the summer.

Amber & Ms. Thornock
Amber also had an amazing school year. Highlights of the year for Amber were winning he 5th grade science fair, and earning the Presidential Fitness Award. She is quite a social girl, and has had to learn to control her social time to appropriate times, but she is figuring it out. She always does well in school, and is excited to have one of her 5th grade teachers again for 6th grade.

Pool Day

Every year the local swimming pool opens on the last week of school for the local schools to bring their students. Sometimes it's warm, sometimes it's not. And so far for us, it has only been canceled due to weather once. This year was so cold that I had mixed feelings about it being canceled. One the one hand, the kids look forward to pool day and know that it means school is all but over. On the other hand, I think that it was only 70 degrees on this day, had rained cold all week, and the wind was blowing. It wasn't ideal swimming conditions. But the kids all had fun, and of course, that is what matter!

Kindergarten Program

Zak's class put on a little program at the end of the year. They all had a short speaking part, and sang several of the songs that they have learned. Zak's favorite is based on Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech. One day when he was singing the song to me, I pulled up the speech on YouTube, and he watched the entire thing. He was amazed by it. Thanks to Mrs. Winter for inspiring him.

(I tried to upload the video of them singing it, but is was too big of a file for blogger. Bummer. It is a really neat song.)

Presidential Fitness Award

This year Amber earned the National Presidential Fitness Award. Only 4 girls received it from the whole 5th grade. The hardest part was running the mile in the required time. I am proud of amber for working so hard on the requirements for it.

Amber, Tessa, Haley, and Marci

The fifth grade has also been learning how to play the recorders this year. Amber didn't have too hard of a time since she already knows music, but she enjoyed learning a different instrument. The 5th grade played a couple of songs at the awards assembly.

Spring Soccer

All 3 kids played soccer again this spring. They have all learned so much and improved tremendously.

Zak just loves to run with the other boys.

I think that he scored at least one goal each game!

Les is really fast. He can beat anyone to the ball. He likes to play any position on the field, but is really good at forward and goalie.Amber has learned to be an intimidating goalie this year, and has gotten really good at forcing girls to feel like they need to take a shot that they really can't make.

Brian coached Amber's team this year. He sure had a lesson in girls and emotions.

He enjoyed some aspects of coaching these girls, and not others. He started last fall with a very inexperienced team, and finished with a lot of successes.

Over all it was a great soccer season, with good coaches and fun teammates.

Les and Zak have decided to play again next year, and Amber has chosen to put a little more time into her running, and take some time off from soccer.