Syd's Hair and Labor Day Hike

About a week after I trimmed everyone's hair, Sydney did a trim job herself.  It looked like a mullet from one side.  I got to try out my skills trying to turn it into a bob.  

Labor Day was our last day before school started, so we squeezed one more hike in at the Sluice Boxes.  

You can't see it, but there's a big cliff just a little ways away from us.  I decided against trying to herd them like sheep along the side of the mountain and we went back to the other end of the trail.  

The girls love playing "cheetah" in any tall grass they find.  

 What would an outing be for them without water?  

More of the Last Summer Hike

We have so much fun outside, and these girls love to pose.  

 Pele made it with us.  After finding a different carsick medication for her that's not so hard on her she's been a happy travel companion.   

 I don't know if the world is big enough for her.  She loves to explore everything and everywhere.  

 They thought it was so funny to sit in the water.  It was a little chilly!

The End of Summer

We had to get these pictures in from the State Fair.

 Maybe the happiest picture I've ever seen of Cora and Sydney.  

 Syd and Cora each found themselves a pair of sunglasses.  

 We needed to get rid of our boxes at some point in time.  Those are the same boxes we had when we moved from Salt Lake to Spokane.  Spokane to New Hampshire.  New Hampshire to here in Montana.  They've met the measure of their creation.  Especially at this point when the girls decided to make themselves a shelter from the rain with them.  

 Katie had her 6th birthday this August.  We were supposed to have a couple of friends over, but she started telling me she felt to sick so we canceled.  I don't think she even ate any of the cake.  

 At least she got the candles blown out.  

 We got a couple of trips to Holter Lake in before school.  

 I love how the pictures make it look like we're super outdoorsy and know what we're doing.  While I wish we lived outside all the time, we rarely have a clue about what we're doing.  

 Katie was asked to speak in Primary, so she set up her animals and the white thing sticking up on the stool was her microphone on the podium so she could practice.  

 We continued my tradition of getting in as many "let's get lost" hikes as we could before school started.  This was at the end of a dirt road in the Highwoods.  All they really want is to play in the water.  

 Sydney is not bashful about showing off her panties.  

 Katie loves wandering from rock to rock.  

 Cora just couldn't smile enough at me.  We were glad we went.  

July Vacation and the State Fair

Here's the continuation of our July trip.  

We miraculously timed it right to see Old Faithful go off, but the only wildlife we saw were a few deer on our way out of the park.  We stopped at a wildlife sanctuary in West Yellowstone and got our fill of bears, wolves, and eagles.  It was pretty cool.  

Here they are hanging out in a wolf's den.  

Aunt Melissa was staying with Grandma Sorensen when we got there.  The girls loved having time with their cousins Van, Lila, and Hazel.  Their Uncle Jeremy made a fire to make smores for them and they loved it.  

We went to the Huntington Reservoir during the Staker Family Reunion.  Syd found some sunglasses in Grandma's motor home.  

Cora got out in the Kayak.  

Jeremy and I had a great time taking turns paddling against the wind to get back from the other side of the lake.  

We found fishing poles for the girls.  Too bad neither of us know how to fish.  Their uncle Rod took good care of them for their first time out.  

Cora found a spot between her sisters to try out her skills.  

Katie was so patient and tried so hard, but no luck that first time fishing.   

We came home just in time to head to the Montana State Fair.  

Waiting in line together, then in a tornado ride with their daddy.  

Catching Up Round II

May 2014

Jeremy and I were able to make an incredible trip to Guatemala to do our first medical mission.  Love in Action was the name of the group.  We were united with old friends, gained a lot of new ones, and had his anesthesia, my nursing and interpreting skills put to the test.  It was such a wonderful experience.  This is setting up the OR.  

 This is the view of Lake Atitlan off of a deck where we were staying.  

 One of the cleft palates we were able to do.  It was miraculous the way things worked out.  Grandma Vicki and Grandpa Jeff stayed with our girls so we could go for the full 10 days.  

 We were able to see the other side of the lake and climb an active volcano while we were there.  

 We got home and enjoyed a brief period of warm weather with the girls running through the neighbors sprinklers.  

 Katie's school had a talent show at the end of the year.  The whole Kindergarten sang "Let it Go" (and so did several others).  Katie had a great time and was so proud.  

 The girls at their desks.  

 In June we did a race as a family in Rexburg, Idaho.  Jeremy did his first half marathon, me, the girls, and most of Jeremy's family did a 5K.   

 Sydney, Katie, and Cora making a fort in the rain.  

 The 4th of July weekend we were supposed to move into a house on the river, but thought better of it.  My parents had bought tickets to come and help us move, and instead we played and then put them to work.  We hiked Memorial Falls together, then went bridge jumping at the Sluice Boxes.  Katie jumped off once, and the twins three times.  I was so proud of them!  

 Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen.  

 Jeremy and my dad were given some decent cloudy weather to put together our first swing set.  

 It has been put to serious use.  

 Shortly after my parents left I took the girls on a trip.  We camped out in West Yellowstone for a night, made friends with the camp host, hiked in the rain to see some geysers, and had a blast.