German Deliciousness & Apples

B was in Germany all last week for work.  I don't mind it so much when he goes to Germany because he brings the kids awesome Haba games and also this:

I told him while he was there to eat some Knödel

   

He brought some things home to make it- yum! 

Last Wednesday James and I went apple picking

He's the cutest little apple picker.

I picked about 50 lbs with some friends and then I was stuck figuring out what to do with it.  So- I made applesauce and apple chips:

My Christmas Present, new pets, and Bubblefest!

For Christmas last year B gave me a pile of wood and said that one day it would become my bookcase... 

Ta da!!

 11 years ago when we were married B's dad built us the other bookcase pictured.  Brad took the drawer in and had them match the stain and also finished the bottom to look like the other one.

 and the tops:

  

Close up of the doors:

 Door's open:

 (It's not all the way organized :)

Side:

Plus he got us a new "Piet Mondrian" rug

(the picture in the back is an invitation to "Kate's Dance Recital."  She loves dancing on the new rug.)

 Yesterday was "BubbleFest" at the science museum and B took the kids (it was 'presented' by Praxair.) 

They made frozen bubbles, bubble windows, bubble art, and Kate got this bubble tattoo.

Also, when we came home from our vacation (yes pictures are still to come..) I took the kids to the pet store to "price out a dog."  We came home with 2 beta fish instead:

1st Day of School 2012-13

Back to School:

 

 (It's all about the shoes.) 

Getting on the bus:

Kindergarten here she comes!

Day 2: I let them choose whatever they wanted to wear...

 Strike a pose: (Day 2) 

Last Week Before School!!

(I promise that I will still write about out summer in Utah... ) but until then here is what we did last week: 

SWIMMING and MORE SWIMMING!!! The weather has been beautiful and luckily we have wonderful friends who invite us to come swim in their pools.  

 James loves to jump in the water

 

 (Bruce is trying to push him in this one)

 Kate loves to jump in too:  

 Lots of fun swimming friends!

Jane the fish:

 Here's another one of Kate jumping in:

 Bruce and his buddy:

 Cute Kate:

 On Friday night the kids wanted to go camping, so we decided to camp in our back yard.  

(Thank you Ashley Fam for your fire pit.)

 Sleep tight (I slept in my bed :)

We also went and picked raspberries:

Yum!

Tonight we went to a Labor Day/ Back to School BBQ and this cute hostess lady put together this table with things for the kids for tomorrow:

 This morning we went ans hiked down Devil's Hole to the Whirlpools and so this afternoon James was wiped out:

 They did an awesome game of WATER BALLOON LAUNCH:

 Meanwhile James got the whole trampoline to himself:

Free Haircuts, Lemonade Stand, Teachers, and Smoothies...

A friend told me that we could go and get free haircuts during the whole month of August so away we went.  

I just took the girls:

  After the cut:

We went and bought new school shoes too- it was a fun girl date.

On Saturday I took Jane and Bruce with me to do some service at the Bishop's Storehouse.  When we got home there was mail for them on the counter.  The letters told them who their teachers are.  We are VERY happy to have the teachers we have.  Jane was on the phone for a long time finding out what teachers they had- there are about 6 of her close friends in her class so it should be a wonderful year! 

In the afternoon the kids asked if they could have a lemonade stand.  We only have 10 days left until school starts so I said "yes."  

 

They made signs, made lemonade, and sat in the sun for about an hour.  

 Thanks everyone who stopped by! 

Jane and her friend Amelia:

 

Today Kate was looking through a recipe book and asked if we could make this smoothie- so we did:

Blackberry Picking..

Last Thursday we went to U-Pick farm nearby to pick some delicious blackberries. 

 

 There was a little barn with goats, donkeys, chickens, and rabbits.  The kids all had fun looking at them and petting them:

 

 Back to berry picking:

 They found this nice cat and that made them pretty happy too.

 This week we're going to pick raspberries.  If anyone wants to come, let me know :)