3rd Week of August

Here are some highlights from the 3rd week of August. The boys started school on Monday, August 18th, 2025.  Hudson started his 3rd year of preschool, Carter in 3rd grade, and Nyles in 7th grade. 

                                                            First day of school pictures.

Carter at his school.  That night, Nyles and Carter started a rock climbing class after school.  

Nyles got his harness for his birthday.  He was excited to use it.

Tuesday night, we went to watch Bad Guys 2 for Hudson's birthday ($5 Tuesdays).  

Dave and Joann met us there, along w/ Rob, to watch the movie.  It was great!

On Wednesday, August 20th, it was officially Hudson's 5th birthday.  We sang to him in the morning w/ a donut for breakfast.  Then Steve picked him up after preschool and got a McDonald's hamburger and fries for lunch (his favorite).  He ate the whole thing!

Steve then took Hudson to Scheels to play.

In between my appointments,  Hudson opened his presents.  He got marbles and a couple Lego sets.  Thank you everyone for the kind birthday wishes!

The boys playing w/ Hudson's marbles.  Hudson's Lego airplane all put together.

Wednesday evening we went over to Thanksgiving Point's Garden.  They had a lot of fun activities.

Hudson was literally 5 years old (to that day), so he was able to do the Obstacle Course.

The boys playing.  Carter doing a backflip in the bouncy house.  On the pirate ship.

Flower spot, jumping pad, and spider web.

Pretty flowers, then going down the long slide.

On the way home my parent's called to wish Hudson a Happy Birthday.  

We then stopped to get a snow cone!

We're so thankful to have Hudson in our family and in our lives.  He is full of energy and is a friend to everyone (after he warms up to you), and is a social butterfly.  He loves to give hugs and kisses.  He loves playing w/ his brothers, especially Legos and the Switch.  He's adventurous and not afraid to try new things.  He definitely keeps us on our toes.  He is also kind, caring, and loving to all.  We love him so much!

Friday after work, we went camping, staying at Shady Dell Campground in the Uintas (8200 ft elevation).  We picked up a Little Caesars Pizza and breadsticks on our way out of town.  I put them in food bag, and we ate it a little later.

Getting camp set up, hammocks, chairs, and Piper.

Steve and I took Piper for a walk around the campground.  A beaver got the tree.  Pretty stream.

Rob later came up.  We played "Shut the Box."

Then we made s'mores.

Then enjoying the fire, then bedtime.  Piper likes to sleep next to Carter.

Rob slept in his car.  We made crepes for breakfast the next morning.

We then drove up to Moosehorn Lake (about 25 minutes away).  

It was nice when we got there (sunny but cool).

We went kayaking and fishing.

We started catching fish, many were Rainbow Trout.

Beautiful views!

I even caught a few fish.  An Eagle also caught fish from the lake.

We all took turns catching fish.

Carter and Hudson warming up for a bit.  We then decided to make lunch, grilled cheese sandwiches.

Rob caught the most fish, and even got a hook stuck in his hand.  Thankfully Steve got it out.

The boys eating their lunch.  Rob brought his grill and made his lunch also.

Then back out kayaking and fishing.

More fish caught!

I caught another fish!  Hudson even caught a fish all by himself!

Piper tried to go w/ Rob, but just wanted to drink the water, so she got back off.

Then thunderclouds came in and it started to rain!  

We stuck it out for a little while, then packed up and headed back to camp.

We stopped at the overlook for a couple pictures.

Great view!

We thought it might not be raining back at camp, but unfortunately, it was.  Everything we completely soaked that was left out (tablecloth and floor mat).  Since it was going to continue to rain, and it was only 57 degrees even at camp, we decided to finish packing up and head home.  

When we got home, we unpacked everything, including laying out everything that was wet (canopy, waders, floor mat, tablecloth, and life jackets).  It was 91 degrees when we got back down to the valley.  Thankfully, the heat helped dry everything out.

Sunday morning, we had Stake Conference.  That afternoon, we helped Hudson finish his Lego sets so he could play w/ them.  We also went and played blitz ball as a family for a little bit.  Though we cut our camping trip short, we were thankful to be home, get a better night's rest, and get ready for the upcoming week.

Cute Hudson w/ his Legos.  Silly Piper wanted some loves from Steve.

Great quotes:

2nd Week of August

We had another eventful week.  Here are some highlights.

Sunday, August 10th we had dinner w/ Pauline and Rose's families.  We sang Happy Birthday August birthdays: Pauline (on the 8th), Nyles (on the 12th), and Hudson (on the 20th).  

The boys also opened gifts from Pauline's family: guns, cars and slime, everything a boys wants.  

Ezra and Lincoln slept over that night, in the Lego room of course.

Monday afternoon, Nyles opened up his birthday present, a Lego crane.  

He worked hard and completed it before bedtime.  Good work!

Steve and I went and woke Nyles up Tuesday morning (the 12th of August) at midnight, since it was now Nyles' birthday!  We wished him a happy birthday and told him to go back to bed after using the bathroom.  Steve and I then went back to our room to go to bed.  A little later we heard Piper at our door, but couldn't figure out how she got out of her kennel.  Steve then went in the hall where Piper was, then went downstairs, where he saw the lights on.  He found Nyles sitting on the couch w/ a blank and stare on his face.  He wasn't sure what he was doing and seemed confused, but he must have opened up Piper's kennel and let her out.  Steve then put Piper back in her kennel, and told Nyles to go back up to bed, which he did.  Silly kid!

Waking Nyles up at midnight to tell him happy birthday!

Nyles is officially a teenager, 13 years old!

The next morning, Steve got Nyles and the boys donuts to celebrate his birthday.  They then went up to Lagoon, as that is what Nyles wanted to do on his birthday.  Stacie and Conor met them there to celebrate his birthday together.  

I was working downtown all week, but I took the Front Runner after work and met them there.  After picking me up at the Front Runner, we went over to Cafe Rio for dinner.  We are all very hungry and the boys enjoyed the a/c as it was 100 degrees!  Rob came up that afternoon as well to join in the fun.

Waiting to go on Primordial.  Steve got the high score again.

Then on Rocket w/ Stacie, Phill, Ethan and his friend Hailey.

I felt a little dizzy after Primordial, so I didn't go.  Steve and Rob took Hudson on other rids as well.

Then the dino egg drop.  Nyles wanted to stay until it closed at 9pm, then we went home.  

Nyles said he had a fun birthday!

We are so thankful to have Nyles in our family.  He is a great example to his younger brothers.  He works hard in all he does, is kind and caring to others, and is pretty easygoing (most of the time).  He takes his calling as the President of the Deacon's Quorum seriously.  He enjoys going to the temple to do baptisms for the dead.  He enjoys fishing, hunting, building and playing w/ Legos, being outdoors, kayaking/paddleboarding, playing the flute, science, and learning how things work.  We're a little in disbelief, but he is officially a teenager now!

On Wednesday, Hudson had his preschool orientation.  That afternoon, Steve took a load of Dave/Joann's stuff  (that was at our house) over to their new place.  They closed on their new place the day before, on Nyles' birthday.  After I got off work, we then loaded up the trailer again, along w/ the back of the Sequoia, the Honda, and Rob's Edge w/ their stuff.  We unloaded our cars and trailer, and then helped unload the pod they had w/ their stuff.  We got it all done, along w/ setting up their bed.

Steve and Nyles working on the bed.  Carter and Hudson helped also.

There was a fire downtown SLC, which burned a couple of restaurants, including one we ate at as a team back in December (sad).  Thursday morning, Hudson went to the dentist to get his 4 cavities filled.  Thankfully, they were able to do them all done at the same time, and he doesn't have to go back.  Apparently, he has softer baby teeth, like Steve did.  So hopefully once he loses them, he'll be in better shape not to get cavities.

Friday night I had late night until 6pm.  Steve and I then went over to the Draper Temple and did an endowment session together.  It was a full session, but it was great to be in the temple together.

The burned-down restaurants downtown SLC.  Hudson at the dentist.  

Nyles' cute picture in the elementary school (Altara).  Steve and I at the temple.

Saturday morning we had our Stake Primary Service Activity for 1 hour.  We had the kids separate into 3 groups.  We then had them rotate every 15 minutes.  Nikki and I did team building games, reminding them they work together when doing service.  Then they went over and helped tie knots in blankets.  And lastly they colored Love Notes.  We'll donate the notes and blankets to Primary Children's Hospital.

Our Stake Primary Presidency: Marsha Harmon (1st counselor), me (secretary), Kelly Engstrom (President), Nikki Kendrick (music), and Angie Baker (2nd counselor).  

The Primary kids w/ the completed blankets!

After we finished the service project and cleaned up, Carter, Hudson and I walked home from the church.  Steve and Nyles went up to Stacie/Phill's house to load up Dave/Joann's stuff from their garage.  We ate some lunch, then met them over at Dave/Joann's new house.

Everyone came to unload and unpack their boxes.

Together we all got a lot done and almost got through all the boxes.

I made some cinnamon sourdough bread after we got home.  

And a cake for Nyles and Hudson's birthday.

Sunday, August 17th, we went over to Diane/LuDean's place for dinner.  Dave and Joann came over as well.  Nyles and Hudson wanted to have smoked ribs for dinner.  Diane also made her yummy breadsticks, and we had corn on the cob, watermelon, and baked potatoes.  We then played a game, then opened presents, and we sang happy birthday to them.  It was a fun evening!  Thanks everyone :)

Hudson and Carter digging a dinosour egg.  Opening gifts.

More Legos!  Nyles built Hudson's spider Lego for him.

Great quotes: