Last Sunday: Alexis used the same recipe for chocolate chip bars but made one with organic butter, sugar, wheat flour, and flax seeds. The other one is with unhealthy ingredients which we don't normally even have on hand. She wanted to see which pan everyone liked better. We actually voted for the healthy pan but probably because we're used to it now. We never use white flour and sugar anymore. We gave all those ones away to people we minister to who might think healthy treats are weird. Which one do you prefer?
The wheat ones actually raised better and were so good. I can't stand white flour stuff anymore and have no desire to even try one.
Monday: Getting the yard work done.
Tilly constantly by my side helping with whatever I need.
I kinda liked this picture of how I stuffed everything into one bucket that I picked so that I could climb over the wall back home. We picked tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers, grapes and herbs.
Practicing for the program again.
Tuesday: I enlisted the help of the 6 younger kids since the oldest 4 weren't home. I needed to put up most of what we picked plus cook dinner for that night plus make some food for our trip. This picture is of Thomas grating zucchini for me to freeze for soups this winter.
I made several batches of spaghetti sauce with tomatoes, zucchini, and herbs to freeze for this winter.
The kids made their own pizzas.
This one has a chicken alfredo sauce on it.
This one has homemade pizza sauce.
Andy made a garbage truck. :)
We attended part of the youth activity at the stake center where my 4 youth did a musical number for Madalyn's last YW activity. They announced it as a 2nd ward number when it was really just my 4 kids: Spencer on piano, Madalyn on flute, and Alexis and Thomas singing. They performed "I'll Find You My Friend" as it was a missionary activity and I thought it was all perfect timing as Kylie is expecting her call any day.
Afterward I took the kids across the street to the park where they run and wave to the train every time they hear one coming.
Wednesday: I loved seeing Thomas teach some of his math to Andy.
Making pumpkin chili on this first cool, rainy day. I love this chili because it has pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers and herbs from our garden and grass-fed beef and pork from the raw milk farm.
My good helpers! Helping keeps them out of trouble. :)
First time wearing sleepers!
(And only time, it's hot again, haha.)
Thursday: Off to Idaho!
I took the 5 girls and it was such a fun "vacation" only having half of our kids.
All packed.
Saying good-bye to the boys who would stay home and have a boys' party.
I loved watching these two hug.
They're both awesome teenagers and I'm so lucky to be their mom.
The 4 boys waving to us on the corner as we drove away. They had a good time while we were gone and everyone was still alive and happy so even though the food was gone, I count that as a successful
boys' weekend home.
The moon rising was beautiful but none of the pictures came out.
We loved making the 3.5 hour drive to Rigby with just us girls and our snacks.
We stayed at a family friend's house who I haven't seen in 20+ years. They were so good to us and we never wanted to leave. Here Alexis and Madalyn spend a late night together. They're going to miss each other so much.
Friday: Moving Madalyn into her new apartment!
We girls are the moving crew!
Putting kitchen stuff away. The kitchen is really big with 2 fridges.
The view from the living room. Too bad there's no table, but the bar is nice and I loved all the religious paintings everywhere.
Looking out the window. Madalyn has a nice view of the courtyard.
The floorplan. They have a washer/dryer in the apartment which is awesome and plenty of storage.
Vanity area.
What the rooms look like empty. (These 2 hadn't moved in yet.)
All of the hallways had beautiful portraits or paintings of the Rexburg temple or Christ scenes.
Hearing President and Sister Eyring speak during the orientation.
Running to Walmart for food while Madalyn was in orientation only to find it a mad house with many empty shelves. Looks like the students will be eating a lot of spaghetti this semester!
Most aisles were too crowded to get through.
Madalyn's bed after we got her a mattress pad and came back to finish setting up.
Back at the Halls' house everyone got out violins and trumpets and did an impromptu concert.
Bonnie was so good to me and my girls and I loved seeing them being drawn to her and love her right back.
Saturday: Dropping Madalyn off at a stop sign on the corner we see good friends from NC! What a tender mercy.
Debbie and Madalyn reconnecting at "Get connected" events, haha. They hung out together the rest of the night.
After dropping Madalyn off we were reluctant to leave the beautiful area so we went to the Rexburg Temple.
The harvested wheat field across the street. I LOVE rural areas and farmland so I was in heaven this whole trip. It was very hard for me to go back to congested, stressful city life.
I loved this purple display. Maybe someday when I have money for a flower garden I'll copy it.
Talea smelling the flowers.
We also stopped at the Idaho Falls Temple because we just weren't ready to go home yet.
I loved this big shady tree.
Talea slept a good part of the way home and we listened to 2 hours of Saints.
It was a great trip and I felt so blessed the whole time.
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