Talmage's baptism.

This was a really special day for Talmage.  

Briton and I were unsure if we'd prepared him well enough.  Maybe that parental effort is a cultural shift in our church.  When Grandpa Kartchner was baptized as a kid, he was going about his regular trouble-making, when his mom told him to go over to the church and "get baptized"; like it was his next "to do" on his chore list.   He doesn't remember any special prep.   So, we stepped it up a notch from that.  At any rate, whether it was primary teachers, anything we said, or whatever, when I think of T's baptism, I am struck with how willingly and confidently he approached it.  He had a quiet assurance about him.  Kids choose faith easily.

And here they are. 

Talmage looked so bright.  Later that night he wrote, ever loquaciously, that when he was baptized he felt "happy."

O, plant a watermelon seed on my grave.

Once upon a giggly afternoon ...

 Sydney has turned into a perpetual cartwheel machine.  I'll be walking past a room and see a blur of feet go by -- at eye level.  It's like I'm walking on the ceiling.  She cartwheels down the hall on her way to bed; off the deck onto the grass and back up; from the coffee table to the couch, etc.  You name it.  She'll cartwheel it.

Then, this buster has discovered the thrill of jumping.

 In the above version, he jumps up and lands flat on his bum.  A benefit of wearing diapers, I suppose.

Why I will never do a one-night camping trip again: pack the car, unpack the car, lug stuff to camp site, set up camp, eat, go to bed, don't sleep, break camp, pack car, drive home, unpack car, do lots of laundry, swear never to do it again until all children sleep through the night.

 On a more positive note, it was fun to go with friends and the kids loved pulling the handcarts.  Appropriately, this was Pioneer Day (weekend).  Davy and Talmage are showing how fierce they are in order to ward off marauding ... lions.

 The 1/4 mile trek to the campsite was uphill both ways.  Now I know that grandpa was serious about his topography.   The trail went downhill to a dip, then uphill to the campsite.  Coming or going, uphill.  QED PDQ.

Sydney and Miles picked up the stuff that fell out of the cart along the way.  Those pioneers must have been really good at packing their handcarts.  Or maybe they had a lot of kids.

Nutella and raspberries s'mores.  Mmmm...

"Has anyone lost a kid with a white bandage on his forehead?" asked the stranger who found Miles wandering into the woods away from camp.

... for breakfast, may I add.

 

Packing up the kids.

And time to go home.

The deal of the week

Sydney's cello teacher invited her to attend this fancy schmancy music camp last week. The beginning cello class she was teaching only had two students and "two isn't a group," she said. Syd got to feast on Ashley's knowledge for 45 minutes, every day. For free.  Last day there was also a performance; her group played two songs. Sydney loved the class.

The camp was held at Catlin Gabel - a private school.  Here, Miles is off to his studies:

 Which reminded me of this shot of Talmage, about the same age, off to his.

Clarification:  I believe in public schools.  Rich schools have nicer landscaping.  That's all.

All Comer's Track Meet. Sound familiar?

Trying his hand at shot put for the first time.

Clara and the 50 -something dash.  She sometimes balks in the middle of these races, so Talmage encouraged her along, here.

They don't always fight.

4x400m relay.  Handing off to Emil.

A little word from our sponsors.

This buster is brought to you by Sports Authority and Tillamook.

(Celebrate Hillsboro also offered the world's longest lasting temporary tattoos.  Milo's rubbed off this morning -- two weeks later.   Also, his infrequent bathing could be an explanashun).

Celebrate Hillsboro

A friend and I ran through downtown Hillsboro early in the morning. Vendors were getting set up for the big day of festivalizing. When I came back with the family later that afternoon,  things were hopping. Farmer's Market, jugglers, choral groups ... and ...

 Rock n' Roll:

 Five Star Guitar strikes again.

Clara chose the Dragon.

"The rock climbing was really fun.  Especially the repelling part."  Talmage.

Finally! Some other summer stuff.

 Concert in the park.  Don't worry, we could hear the music...


even from the playground ...  which is where we spent most of the time. ... not listening to the concert.

When S&S were little, we'd place them back to back in the baby swing.   Here, they show their nostalgia for the glory days.  It was tight.  Their toes were much closer to the ground.  But giggling still ensued.

Clara kept coming up to me and reporting each time she made a new friend.

BFF's

Home again, home again.

We said goodbye to Talmage Friday night.  He slept at GK's house and flew out to Aunt Heather's early, early Saturday morning with Parley.  We started the drive home later that day.

The long drive.

A stop to see Herman the Sturgeon.

Solid gold aka fish food, scattered on the ground (directly beneath the food dispensers, coincidentally enough).

If you teach a kid to fish, you feed him for a day.  If you teach a kid to scavenge, you feed him for a lifetime.  Is a motto.

Parenting Tip #101:  Give children opportunities to practice their fine motor skills.

The Fourth of July, Provo Style

The WHOLE family did the 5K -- cousins, 2nd cousins, aunts, uncles ...

AND Great Grandma Kartchner.  She even made the front page of the Wall Street Journal, er ...  Daily Herald.   Read all about it.

Love this picture of Heather and GK.  The lighting, the expressions.   Sometimes it's not about a PR.

The support crew:

Here she comes -- with the finish line in site.  Drew, on the far right, is the most patriotically dressed (apart from GK) -- on account of living in LA.   Bringing a little "hip" to the valley.

Miles enjoyed the race from the stroller.  Now, that's the way to do it.

Syd and Clara held hands during a lot of the race.  They had so much fun together.  They were excited to get bona fide medals and re-enact their sisterly bonding.

That's a patriotic slug on grandma's hat.

THEN, it was time for the parade.  Autumn and Leslie saved spots.  Clara's plugging her ears because of the fire engine siren.  Miles is digging anything on wheels.  I was digging the air conditioned laundromat down the street ;).

THEN, we do what we do best:   sitting on the front porch of the cabin, talking about what makes the world go 'round ...

... eating popcicles ...

c

... getting cozy with the cousins.  1st and 2nds:

These girls were hilarious.  They'd be pushed super high and sing "Let it Go" and other Frozen songs at the top of their lungs.  Over and over ...

...playing in the dirt.

THEN ... we gave the fireworks a valiant effort.  We lasted about 20 minutes of the pre-show before succumbing to fatigue and hunger.

Except Clara and Heather.  They were ready for more: