Our Very Own Garden

When we moved into our little rental in May, everything was in order and perfect for us. The yard was very well taken care of and very well established which has been absolutely wonderful. The only thing that wasn't taken care of was the little garden on the side of the house. It had black plastic over it to somewhat prevent weeds from growing but you could tell that no one had used it in years.

It is now one of my favorite parts of the yard. It took some work and effort but it was well worth it!

Before- the nice thing was that the strawberry bed was already there and established. We had to take take up all the black plastic up and remove a lot of weeds.

The little pathways between the rows were dirt and also had some plastic down. So we kept the plastic and filled it in with small rocks. We also fixed the bricks that were lining the paths and straightened them. We added a brick border along the back and filled in between the border and the fence with more rocks to prevent weeds from growing there and to give it a nice edge. Baylor loved playing in the dirt while we worked in the garden. She loved finding bugs and building homes for roly poly bugs.

We brought in more dirt to help with the dirt that was already there and to fill them in so that they were all about the same height. We bought some plant starts and began the planting process. 

Paige made these super cute markers for our plants. I love them so much!

After- We added a fence along the front with a gate so that little animals don't come and eat our garden. Everything is growing in nice and we have enjoyed taking care of it and eating from our very own garden.

I planted yellow marigolds along the top of each arch which is at the end of each rock pathway. The first section when you walk in the garden is mostly flowers. The original plan was for peas and broccoli. I had peas growing but when we were gone to Idaho the grape vine grew a ton and overtook and shadowed the peas so they ended up dying. I was never able to find broccoli starts so it became a flower bed and I love it.

The grape vine was already there and grows along the fence. I had to cut back quite a bit on the garden side so that my flowers and plants still got sun.

The first section does have carrots growing and then the next section is the strawberry section. We enjoyed lots of strawberries and I even made some strawberry freezer jam from it. Once it was done I cut back a lot of the dead stuff and it looks much better now. At the end of the garden, in the last bed, I planted some raspberry starts that we got from the neighbor and from Dale and Margaret. Some of them are still doing good but some have died. I don't know if they get enough sun being along the fence but we will see next year how they do.

Then there is a pepper bed- green bell peppers and jalapeno peppers.

And last we have our tomato bed that is filled with roma tomato plants. We just picked our first bowl full and there are plenty more that will ripen. I even made some salsa today from our own tomatoes, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper. I love being able to use things you grow yourself!

The strawberries I picked that turned into jam and I also got a box of peaches that I canned, froze, and of course enjoyed some fresh.

August

We have had a busy and fun-filled August. Summer break always goes by WAY too fast and I just want to savor this extra time that we have together as a family and do as many outdoor adventures together. The girls are growing up way too fast and I just wish time would slow down.

We have had weekly playdates with Addison and Kinsley. I love watching their relationship grow and what fun they have together. On this occasion, they played at the house and then we took some time to swim at Lake Meridian.

The library opened back up while we were in Idaho so as soon as we had the opportunity we went inside the library and Paige was in absolute heaven. She loved looking through the books and finding the perfect ones. Baylor just kept piling the books into her bag and I had to put a limit on what she brought home. I love that both of my girls love books.

Every summer I love to do the Asahel Curtis hike and so one nice weekend we drove up to the mountains and enjoyed being out in nature. It was much drier than in years past but still very pretty.

Then we found a new spot to check out to have our lunch at. It was in Olallie State Park. There is a short hike that you can follow along the river but there is also a road that you can drive down and we picked that since we already went on a hike and went and saw Weeks Falls. It was gorgeous and before we left we wondered along the river for a little bit. It was such a nice outing and I love living here!

Another evening we decided to go to Salt Water State Park after dinner and watch the sunset on the water. It was such a peaceful evening. The tide was higher up but we found a couple of sea creatures and the girls had fun playing in the sand.

For two weeks in August, every morning at 8 AM Paige did swimming lessons for the first time. She LOVED it! She grew and learned so much in those two weeks and she can't wait to learn more. She loves being in the water and I have loved watching her confidence grow. Baylor was my little reading buddy. I would read the Liahona magazine while she would "read" her books while we waited for Paige to be done.

Another fun play date with Addison and Kinsley.

Another weekend in August, Paige and I went with Anna and Margaret down to Oregon to go to the Street of Dream. It was fun to visit on our drive down and I loved having Paige with me. She has always been my sidekick! We made some fun stops on the way down- Bella's dad's house in the Twilight movies and we stopped to see a squirrel bridge that goes over the road.

We enjoyed the evening at Mike and Christy's house. Paige enjoyed playing with Myla and we walked over to a Scout day camp that is near their house. We stayed up too late visiting and Mike, Anna, and I made a midnight run to a gas station to see who could get the best deal for $1.

Then the next day was filled with lots of walking and dreaming of what our future houses could look like. The first stop was 3 "normal" homes. We always like to see how they decorate and take pictures of the little things that we could do in our own homes. Then there were some container homes to see and then 3 million dollar houses to walk through. We saved the biggest and best for last. I love taking Paige with me and she gets into it just as much as I do. I love oohing and aahing over things and seeing her reaction to different rooms.

One afternoon we went to another new spot for us- Lake Tapps. We went with Nona and met up with Anna and her kids for a picnic. I brought the girl's swimsuits even though the water was pretty cold so they didn't last long.

After Anna left we decided to drive to the other side to see what it looked like and the girls kept on inching farther and farther into the water. It was so fun to watch their faces as they got deeper and deeper and would give me cheesy grins since they knew they were getting their clothes wet. 

Our weekly visit to the library and Baylor has made a new friend that she loves to see every time we go.

The girls helped me make egg rolls one afternoon. They always love to help me in the kitchen. Sometimes I let them and sometimes I don't have the patience for it but I'm grateful that they are willing to help and that they are learning at a young age how to cook.

Nate has worked a couple of Friday nights at the park when they do concerts. He gets paid to help set up and take down and enjoy the concert. Pretty good deal to me! One of the concerts was a Beetle tribute band and so I took the girls and we met Nona there. The girls had fun playing on the playground while I enjoyed the music.

We checked out a new park one afternoon- West Fenwick Park. It is a brand new park and was awesome. They have it set up like a giant game board of Chutes and Ladders. There are spinners and if you land on a triangle then you have to do that obstacle or go down a slide to the circle. The girls loved it and Hadlie happened to be there with her family for a little bit which was a bonus for Paige.

Last Saturday there was a Stake Primary Activity at the Seattle Temple. It was very well put together and the girls had a great time. We walked around the grounds, helped plant a tree and do some clean up of leaves, had our picture taken in front of the temple, and even got to go inside. Paige especially loved going inside part of the temple and I know it makes her even more excited to do baptisms for the dead when she is old enough.

This past week I have just wanted time to slow down and wanted summer to last as long as possible. School seems to start earlier than normal this year and it makes me miss Paige already. It will be a long day for her since she hasn't gone to a full day of school since March of 2020 when she was in second grade and now she is in 4th! Why do kids have to grow up so fast?!?!?

We went to the park one afternoon and had the whole park to ourselves. The girls had fun doing obstacle courses and playing hide and seek.

Then Wednesday we had one last playdate with Addison and Kinsley before school starts. We have loved seeing them weekly and know that it won't be as often with school starting and busier schedules. I took the girls to the gnome trail.

Then we ended our day with swimming at the aquatic center. Paige was super brave and jumped off the diving board for the first time and ended up jumping off a couple of times. She also went down the slide for the first time. She must have been feeling extra brave and I loved watching her conquer her fears.

Now onto a new school year for Paige! I know she will learn and grow this year and I'm excited to be her #1 cheerleader. I'm extra grateful for Baylor and that I will have her to keep me company.

Trip to Idaho

We loved every minute of our trip to Idaho. We did so many fun things, spent lots of time with family, and made lots of memories.

After the Smith reunion on Wednesday, we went down to Utah to visit Sharolyn and Tyler and see their new house (it is gorgeous!). We had lots of fun with them. I read lots of books, we had a lot of fun playing hide and seek, and enjoyed having dinner with them before driving up to my parent's house.

Thursday was our recovery day. We of course had to start our day with our some baby kitten love. They are just so ADORABLE and the girls loved them and we played with them every day while we were there. 

The girls also fed the chickens and then we met up with Amy and the girls for one of our must go to places whenever we go to Idaho- Mr. Pizza in Shelley. Their lunch special is a killer deal and it is always so good. We then went to their house and Paige had fun playing in the pool and Baylor was happy to play inside the air conditioned house.

Friday we started our day off by riding some horses. It was pretty hot but the girls sure had fun taking turns and even got a little roping lesson.

We then went into Idaho Falls to get some ice cream and see the animals at Reed's Dairy.

Charlotte, Juliette, and Emily then came home with us to play for the rest of the afternoon. They always have so much fun with each other. It was more kitten time, crafting, and Baylor played out in the little pool for a little bit.

Derek and Amy joined us for dinner and it was fun to visit with them while the girls played. I love the evening in Idaho once it has cooled off. Emily and Baylor were having lots of fun together and after awhile we hadn't heard from them for awhile and we found them getting into mischief and they were playing hair salon. Emily gave Baylor some bangs! I never imagined Baylor's first "hair cut" being like that but it sure made the night memorable.

Saturday we spent a lot of the day in Idaho Falls. We picked up Juliette on the way up since the other two girls had some things going on. 

Baylor's new bangs :)

Our first stop was the Idaho Falls Temple. The grounds were gorgeous and we enjoyed going to the Visitor Center.

Then we drove down river a little to see the falls.

Then we found a new spot in Idaho Falls that we had never been to called Gem Lake Recreational Area. It is at this dead end and has a nice picnic area with a sand and swimming area on the Snake River. Amy met up with us with the other two girls and we enjoyed some lunch and some water fun.

Then our family, Mom & Dad, Derek & Amy's family, and Karlton & Michelle's family all met up for a BBQ and then drove up Wolverine Canyon to hike up to 40 horse cave. The hike is super steep and so we all had to help the little ones up but it is always worth it once you get to the top. The view is incredible and being in a cave is always fun.

We then had some fun in the stream at the bottom before heading home- stick races, skipping rocks, and splashing in the water.

Back home for some more kitty time and visiting! Derek and Amy's girls spent the night with us since Derek had a race the next day and they would be in Utah. The girls had fun sleeping in a fort that Nate built for them and we stayed up late and watched stars from the deck. We even saw some shooting stars!

Sunday we had all the girls so we went to sacrament meeting and then went up to Rigby. Before going to Grandma Walker's house we drove through Rigby and my mom showed us the house she lived in when she was born (top picture) and just around the corner was her grandparent's house (bottom picture-Grandma and Grandpa Hall).

Then we had a relaxing afternoon and dinner with Grandma. It is always so good to see her and feel of her love!

When we got home Paige did the animals chores. She has been loving doing the chores almost every day in the evenings.

Monday we spent the day with my parents doing some new things and seeing new places that we have never been to in Idaho Falls.

Our first stop was Friendship Garden. It is right on the river and on this little island that used to be a fish hatchery. There were lots of little streams and waterfalls and fun paths to explore.

Then we stopped at my dad's law office so the girls could see where he works and we picked him up to join us for the rest of the day.

Pretty close to my dad's office is Pugss Lane. It is an alley that artists get to paint. It was pretty cool to see and Paige's really enjoyed it.

Then for lunch we went to another must stop for us when we go to Idaho- Arctic Circle (mostly for their fry sauce!)

Then our last stop for the day and one of my favorite things we did our entire trip was to the aquarium.

There were lots of different kinds of fish to see and one of the first things you see is this big open tank where you can hand feed the fish. Both girls had fun with it and Paige really enjoyed it and kept wanting to do it.

There was also a big shark tank and a big pool of small sting rays that you could feed.

Paige attempted to feed one of the sting rays but got too scared and ended up dropping her piece of food. It was pretty entertaining to watch her try though. :)

There was more fish to see, a couple of big tortoises to pet, and a small tank of fish that eat the dead skin off your hands. I'm chicken when it comes to this kind of stuff and it took me awhile to put my hand in the tank but it was pretty cool to experience once I did.

There was also a small bird area. Paige got some food and got to feed them out of her hand. At one time she had three or four birds on her. It was one of her favorite parts of the aquarium. She said she felt like the bird woman on Mary Poppins (one of her favorite movies).

Then Paige got extra brave and fed some iguanas. She only did it after one of the workers said it was one of his favorite parts and that they are super friendly. I went in the caged area with her to take pictures and I even fed one a little piece. We went back and did some of the things more times. It was such a cool thing to experience and the girls, especially Paige, loved it.

Tuesday we drove up to Rigby to grandma's house. Amy and the girls met us there along with Michelle and her kids and Erika and her kids. It was fun to see all these cousins having so much fun in the flooded yard just like we did when we were little with our cousins. They had fun doing relay races, chasing each other, and some dancing/gymnastics.

We are all so lucky to have Grandma Walker in our lives!

Tuesday evening we had a fun bridal shower for Ali (Chandler Williams is a family friend and we thought it would be a fun way to introduce her to all of us.) I planned it and we all brought some food. We played some fun games and it was such a fun evening with the adult women (there was Ali, Shel (Chandler's mom), my mom, Erika, Michelle, Amy, myself, and Sharolyn attended via Zoom). 

Wednesday morning the cousins had fun playing at the house in the morning which of course equaled more kitten time.

After lunch we all met up at the Butterfly Haven in Pingree. This was another one of my favorite experiences of the whole trip.

It was such a cool experience to go in this large greenhouse and just walk around while butterflies flew all around. A couple of times they would land on you and it was so cool to see the different kinds, the caterpillars, and the chrysalis. 

The kids had fun walking up and down the rows and just seeing everything and it seemed that every time you went back down a row you would notice something different and new.

Also running around were these small birds that each of the kids got food so they could feed them. They also had the most tiny, cute little babies that would follow the around and we also found lots of eggs hidden in all the plants.

We stopped at Walmart on the way home so I could pick up a few things and these two got the camera and had some fun. They were inseparable and wanted every moment possible to be with each other.

We took advantage of being at my parent's house and in the evenings once it cooled down and the girls were in bed, Nate and I would go on some walks down the country roads. It is one of Nate's favorite things to do when we are in Idaho.

Thursday was our Rexburg day. Our first stop was BYU-Idaho. We loved walking around campus. We started off by walking through the gardens and then we walked in the different buildings and reminisced and told the girls some stories about the fun years that we had there. 

We also went through the BYU-Idaho Center. I really wanted to show Paige where they do devotionals but it was all locked up for summer break. The track was open so Paige and Baylor had fun running around it.

Then we met up with Michelle and her kids and Erika and her kids and my mom brought Emily and we had lunch at Porter Park and Paige got to experience the splash pad there for the first time and absolutely loved it! She had so much fun going down the slides over and over and running through the water and waiting for the big bucket at the top to fill up and run through the falling water as it fell to the ground with lots of squealing with cousins. It was so much fun to see all their happy, smiley faces and to hear their laughter.

Water slide fun!

Baylor was not a fan of the water. She didn't mind the little fountains that she would put her feet in. She is not a fan of getting her face wet and doesn't like to be around a lot of people. She played on the playground some and enjoyed snacks with the adults.

Also at Porter Park they have a carousel that is only $1.25 to ride. This was Baylor's favorite part. She was in absolute heaven. Nate went with her the first time since I don't like spinning and she would wave at me every time she came around with the biggest grin on her face

The kids played on the playground for a little bit and then everyone went their separate ways for a little bit. 

Before we left the girls got one more ride on the carousel. They went together so Nate and I watched as they waved to us and smiled every time they saw us. Baylor has recently learned to wink and every time she came around she would wink at us. It was the cutest and funniest thing to watch!

We then had dinner with Karlton and Michelle. Erika, Grace, and Parker also joined us. The kids had fun playing together while the adults visited. We had a delicious dinner and it was a fun way to end our fun filled day.

We stopped in to see Grandma Walker one last time before we go back home. It is always kind of sad when we leave. She is one of the reasons I would live closer. I wish I could visit with her more, take her out to lunch, let her see my girls grow, and have family dinners with her. I don't know how much longer she will be on this earth and it breaks my heart that I can't see her more.

Friday was our last full day and we wanted to just relax and not do much before our big drive back home. During the day we spent it at Derek and Amy's. We first met up for lunch and went to Rupes in Blackfoot (another one of our favorite places to go when we are in Idaho). Then we went back to their house for the afternoon. Paige had fun in the pool and Baylor had fun playing in the house. I also went through Amy's closet with her and got a bag full of clothes. I think this should be an annual thing that we do. :)

Then we one last big family BBQ before we leaving. The trip went by way too fast though we definitely had it jam pack full of fun things and I loved every minute of it. Derek and Amy and their girls and Karlton and Michelle and their kids came down. We enjoyed dinner and then enjoyed being outside together.

One of Paige's eyes was red so I suggested putting a cucumber on it and then it turned into some fun for these three.

We started our outdoor fun with some friendly baseball. It is so fun to play with the kids in the backyard. It was Grandma and Poppy with all the kids against Nate, Amy, and myself.

Then it was one last kitten time. They all got lots of love. Bria especially just loved them so much and was in tears when we put them away.

Paige and Juliette were giving swing shows to anyone that would watch. They would swing up really high and then jump off and do some gymnastics at the end.

Dessert time

Then it was croquet time

The adult kids played a friendly round of cross country croquet. Nate smoked us all and Amy was not at all amused coming in last.

While we were doing croquet, Paige and Juliette set up an obstacle course that we all had to do. It was a lot of fun! It was fun to see how everyone did it differently and it was fun to watch and laugh with and at each other. I was super impressed with how agile and flexible Michelle was at 8 months pregnant!

Saturday morning we left to head back to Washington. It was sad to go and Paige was in tears. Every year it is so hard for her to leave. I understand the feeling and we both feel so torn where we have friends and family in Washington that we love but we also have family in Idaho that we also love.

Our first leg was to Hermiston, Oregon. We made a stop to see Shoshone Falls and it did not disappoint. It was incredible to see and such an amazing view!

We also had lunch at the Garden of Eden gas station. It was always a stop when I did track and cross country in high school and it was fun to show the girls.

We made it to Hermiston and went to a thrift store and got a pizza to take with us to our hotel. We had fun in the swimming pool and enjoyed watching some of the Olympics before going to bed. It was a nice relaxing way to spend our evening after the long car ride.

We made it home Sunday afternoon and we are happy to be home but it is also kind of weird. We have been gone for three weeks! We loved all the family time the most and already can't wait until next time.