Happily Treking Along

Carson just returned from what ended up being a 27.57 mile trek - with a 3500 foot change in elevation.

Here's the trail - it's outside of Evanston.

And a before photo and then a during. I was so excited to see my boy that I forgot to take an after. He looked pretty similar - still smiling, but he didn't smell very good, and he had a little bit of a sunburned chest from where he forgot to put on sun screen on the last day. Some of my friends were ma's on this trip, and they all commented about how good Carson was about putting on the sunscreen. Such a good boy!

His friend, Shandon - the one with him in this photo - has an awesome mom. Trinh made two shirts for Carson in pioneer style. (although in that camo you sure can't see any style right?).

This is him playing games with my friend, Corinna's, family. Look at that sky!
They said there was ONE cloud the entire 4 days.
I think I'm getting sunburned just looking at it...

I know I'm a little prejudiced, but I think that when it's my turn to be a ma I'm praying for boys like Carson.

My friend, Shannon, spoke in sacrament meeting on Sunday. Here's a link to their talks.

Ananas comosus

I don't know what it is about Griff, but he's fixated... This is a post from 2 1/2 years ago. See the spiky apple bit?

Top of the tree

Bottom of the tree -
can't see the peony from this view

Yesterday morning he was staring out the front window at our pine tree. He doesn't sit still like that very often, so I stopped to see what he was looking at. He finally asked...

Mom, will that tree grow pinecones or pineapples?

Can you imagine the poor boy's disappointment?!

Source

Jon sat down with him and described a pineapple plant and how pineapples are harvested - by 14 year old boys who are apparently kidnapped and sold into slavery. I've never said that Jon's completely accurate in his teaching, but who am I to argue his point? Maybe it happens. Sure makes it sound like blood diamonds or something though doesn't it?

Anyway. I've been tasked with getting Griff a pineapple at the store today. I'm happily obliged.

Whatever Evan....

Jon brought home a weight bench a while ago. It's too wide to fit through any of our doors, so it's set up outside. The boys have been enjoying the thing. Personally, I can't imagine being out there lifting with neighbors watching through their windows (OK there's only 3 that could see, and only one with a single window that overlooks that side of our yard). I mean - it's hot; the bench is black; the bar gets hotter than tar in July; I'm sure the bugs love the sweat juice that gets left there - because I'm fairly certain that the boys aren't wiping the thing down...

Anyway - Evan is the one that uses the bench the most frequently. This morning Evan asked...

Mom? You know how I lift 20 twice? Well, I'm gonna call these my ... (wait for it) ...

Twenty Twos

Just for the record - he lifts more than 20, and he does it more than twice. Jon's concerned we're going to have a very vain body builder on our hands - Evan's got plans to increase the weight, start calling his biceps "12 gauges" and his 6 pack his "reload clip".

See where I said it up on top?  WHATEVER EVAN!!!