Camp West Piney

Just another big success at girls camp!

 Despite having to drive one poor girl home after she got sick,

 We had an amazing time at camp.  

 We hiked,

learned about plants and insects,

 and had a great time at our certification fair.

 And then we topped it all off with Chick-fil-A for Emma!

 Perfect week!

Pucker up for this Pie!

20 limes!  That's how many we used to make our fabulous White Chocolate Key Lime Pie, and mmmmm, was it good!  Jessica Phillips wanted to make a lime cheesecake, so we found the perfect recipe and got to work.  Somehow it kept growing, and eventually we used all 20 limes and made 4 pies. 

 Emma and Jessica had sore wrists from zesting and juicing them all, and they each had an allergic reaction on the backs of their arms from the limes, but it was so worth it. Most delicious pie ever!

Graduation, Grandma Thompson, and Aunt Charlene

 We headed to Boise for Memorial Weekend so we could be at Megan's graduation.  For some extra fun, Megan planned a family hike to her favorite spot, Jump Creek Falls.  It was a short, easy hike, and the waterfall was beautiful. 

 Since we knew Grandma and Aunt Charlene weren't doing well, we decided to make a quick trip to see them, too.  Grandma was tired and slept a lot, but she was able to share some fun memories with us.

 Mom gave her a haircut while the girls rode Aunt Denise's horses.

 First they combed and braided their tails and gave them a little pampering, and then they rode them around the ranch for an hour or so.

 As usual, Brent and Janette always have new kittens, and Anna found one to snuggle.

 I've always loved watching my mom with her sisters.  They have so much fun together, and you can tell how much they love each other.

 We made it to Baker on the way back from Haines and stopped in to see Charlene and Jerry.  She had recently fallen and had surgery, and she wasn't feeling great, but she still seemed to enjoy our visit.  It was great to visit but sad to see how badly Parkinson's has affected her body.  She still had a sunny smile, though, and had us laughing a few times.  I sure am grateful for family!

Chris in Ireland

 

So Chris gets to go on my dream vacation---6 weeks in Ireland!  How exciting!  He's going with his Gaelic class at ISU and staying in a small village where they still speak Gaelic. He makes me rethink taking a practical language in college.  This sounds much more fun!

New floors!

After 10 years we're finally redoing the basement floors!  I'm so excited I could scream!

Canning

My mom is awesome!  She just helped me can 120 jars of strawberry rhubarb jam, with no complaints. It doesn't matter that she didn't need jam, she was just ready to help me out.  Thanks, Mom!  Ready to help me do the chicken?

Best Mother's Day Ever!

Most moms would probably say that Mother's Day often  isn't their favorite day, but today was my best Mother's Day ever!!!

 

 First Emma serenaded me on her ukulele and tried to get Devin to sing along.  Del and the kids gave me chocolate, great books, and the promise of the time to read them.

 And then best of all, we got to Skype with Maren.  We invited my parents and siblings over to talk to her with us.  We got to see her cute face and hear that everything is wonderful in Kazakhstan.  She had a cold and was a little hoarse, but her cheery smile made me feel great.  Best Mother's Day present ever!