Duck Creek: Day Four Good-byes

Tuesday was unfortunately departure day for JJ and Vanessa.

We managed a hike before they had to leave to go back to work. 

The sky was such a deep blue unhindered by city smog

I about peed my pants during the hike worrying about one of the kids falling down the steep loose shale cliffs. Some of them(actually all of them) teens included, 

weren't able to evaluate risk very well.

The peak of the hike--A waterfall that shoots out of a rock. -pretty cool

aah little Honovi, my hiking buddy

She is such a spunky funny little thing that has wormed her way deep into my heart. I was sitting across from her being thoroughly entertained as she ate her Ramen. I had to grab the camera.

She eats life with a similar intensity

Attacking her brother Mikey, 

"The Hills are Alive....."

"you have a little something on your chin"

This is Zach, he was our DJ   24/7 . I have to admit there were times I got a little Cabin Beiber Fever and I just might throw up if I hear Paparazzi one more time. But it's his way of interacting and it definitely livens up the place. As you can see from these pictures he can't even take a break for Smore's.

 happiest rocking out to his tunes

There was a nest of baby birds on the roof of the deck that hatched right before we all came to the cabin. They were quite the celebrities as we watched them daily being fed by their mom. The most exciting event in the Baby Bird saga was when one of the birds lost it's balance out of the nest and teetered on the brink of death for a few minutes. Luckily for the bird there was a Rescue Squad holding a blanket underneath should the worst happen.  Even more luckily, it eventually made it back into the nest. On our last day though, the nest was empty, appearantly it takes a full week for them to grow up enough to leave the nest. 

That's some tough parenting for you.

Suicidal Baby Bird

I have to take a break in my chronicals of the cabin for this....

When I told the kids today we were going shopping for school supplies, I could have sworn they heard me say we were going to Disneyland because I heard shouts of 

"This is the best day of my life!"

"This is going to be so awesome!"

"I'm like, in such a hurry"

I told them they only like it so much because they don't have to pay for it. 

I wish I had remembered my camera because they were quite cute each pushing their own cart and checking things off their lists. One of the few drawbacks to their school is the LONG list of supplies they need. 1 full page each. When I was a kid, my mom went to the supply room at the school and purchased a pencil box, crayons, scissors, and maybe a couple folders. Today, nearly 3 hours, 3 shopping carts full, and $395 dollars later we left Wal Mart. Yep, that's why I don't get excited about school shopping. 

The reciept, about 2 feet long, 

courtesy of one of the rulers we bought.

When I really think about it, I guess it is a small price to pay for their education, and a good deal more worthwhile than a day at Disneyland, which incidentally, that total would have paid for.... 

My consolation-- 

Best purchase of the day 

 a $5 reading lamp for each to clip to their bed

(Jordan's first one-- aah simple pleasures)

Duck Creek Day Three:

Monday was my birthday and I got the royal treatment. It started with waking to the kidlets yelling the Happy Birthday song outside my door. While JJ cooked some fantastic omletts, the kids spent the morning bringing me little Happy Birthday notes and drawings. One of my favorite quotes is from Laney " You are the best mommy in the whole wide Uneverise! I love you! You are the best if I could choose any woman in the whole Uneverise I would choose you. You are wonderful. I would never want you to die..." She also wrote 10 things she loved about me, # 9 was " I can't hate you." very sweet. There were even hand and feet massages while Vanessa did my make-up. I was quite pampered.  Of course that was just in time to go spelunking through some muddy underground caves. They reminded me of past Nutty Putty days. These were smaller though, which was a good thing since we forgot the flashlights. Thank goodness for cell phones and cameras, or we'd have had some disappointed little explorers. There we three caves. JJ , Terra, Isabel, and Simona were the only ones who ended up exploring the bat cave. Appearantly Isabel and Terra were terrified! So much for never being afraid of anything ever again. The other caves you had to crawl through which led to these......

This pretty much sums up our first few days here.

It explains all the laundry we've done and Isabel's melt down at how all her clothes "are being ruined-"

Isn't that supposed to be my line? She was just being dramatic, mud washes :)

There were some tight squeezes. I'll never forget laughing with Vanessa about our butts being too big!

 We stopped by a river and washed off our feet

 The kids are lucky to each have a cousin their own age

Jordan and Adahi 

6 months apart and about 6 inches

Laney and Chilali (shilaylee)

Isabel and Terra

Poor little Honovi, missing her buddy.

 I guess I missed the memo 4 years ago on having a girl.

Simona and Jordan two little pals

Love these girls

A lovely Birthday, I guess 32 isn't so bad. I just try not to think about 40 looming in the distance.

Adventures of Duck Creek: Day Two

We took a day hike at Cedar Breaks on Sunday and got more than we bargained for. It was a beautiful place that reminded me of a mini grand canyon. The trail started out strolling through sunshine and meadows and ended up shlopping through mud, crossing snow patches and then it started raining and hailing which I termed "railing" half way through our hike. Honovi (4) was my buddy and was no easy task trying to help this little pixie through the muddy trail without us sliding on our butts. It's no secret that I am not the most coordinated.   By the end we all looked like a bunch of rats who survived a mudslide only to drown in the river.

Cedar Breaks Utah

My last day being 31

Other Highlights:

That morning the kids packed back packs to go see the horses. Laney asked me for something Chilali could use. I told her to share her backpack, She explained it was too full. I think they packed enough stuff for a week.

Going on an expedition

Grandpa took them to see the horses.