Back to School

Here we go again-early mornings, backpacks, homework, French Horn practice, carpools, and more! Is it just me, or did this summer go by too fast???

Delaney's first day of 8th grade-Ask her about her new French teacher!

Addy's first day of 6th grade-Ask her what her teacher is going to do with her class that I will never do with my class!

If You Prepare the Corn He (Uncle Jack) Will Come

My Uncle Jack loves corn. I remember as a kid living in Alaska how my Grandma would make Jack and my Grandpa "Hungry Man" dinners in the oven. Jack's favorite parts were always the corn and mashed potatoes. On his previous trips to visit us in Utah, he has always wanted me to cook a good steak dinner with corn on the cob. Well, finding good, fresh corn on the cob in October is not an easy thing to do!

We also love love corn. Especially the yummy, sweet corn that comes on during the month of August. We love to eat it fresh from the fields, and we also love to freeze it for use during the remainder of the year when we can't get fresh corn. So---This past week found us putting up corn a few different times. If you have ever done any type of canning or freezing of vegetables, corn is quite easy. The most time consuming part is shucking all of the corn. Since we have kids, and the kids have friends who are always over, this corn process has been quite easy as we just use the girls and their friends as child laborers!

Well, Jack, the corn is in the freezer. It is waiting for you, just as two young ladies are waiting for you to come and visit. They want to play basketball with you, learn more card tricks from you, and hang out with you on the deck.

"Please come for the corn, Jack!"

Off to Camp

Delaney and her friend Shelby-off to camp!

Delaney went to Girls Camp yesterday. The camp leaders asked parents to write letters to their girls telling them how much they love them. Here are some of the things that I love about Delaney:

• She is a reading maniac. She devours every book-some books over and over again.
• She is patient and playful with little kids. Her cousins Jonah, Mason, and Jack are in love with her.
• She is incredibly musical. She plays the piano, French horn, and cello. She can teach herself to play just about any instrument.
• She is super smart. We are not quite sure where these brains come from!
• She is beautiful on the inside. There are no grey areas-she sees either "black or white" and usually chooses the right.
• She is beautiful on the outside. Having red hair and being 5"10' (when you are only 13) doesn't seem like such a great thing to her now, but I keep telling her that these things will be to her advantage in a few years!
• She is an animal lover. She is kind and gentle with animals, and all animals that we encounter seem to flock to her.

I don't want to paint a perfect picture of Delaney----she is a teen-ager! Like the rest of us, she does have her flaws. However, the good outweighs the bad and I love her very much!