August 2021

August began with a wonderful rain storm!  We had such a hot and dry summer and we were so excited about so much water!

 Mark had a cousin come into town. We went out to dinner and then up to Silver Lake with them.

My garden is truly a wild jungle!

We found one glorious Friday and Saturday in which we did not have any obligations, so we packed our backpacks and planned to hike to a lake in the Uintas. Right before we drove out to head up there the craziest wind brought in the worst smoke from the California fires. I was so sad, but we decided to go anyway. It was a bit better there than here in the valley. I am glad we went even with the smoke. We needed this little family adventure!

After getting home from the backpacking trip the smoke stayed really heavy in the valley for weeks. I took the boys to an indoor ninja gym to avoid the smoke and still do something physical.

We cleaned the gutters at Mark's parent's house.

We went up to the Ranch a last time before school started. Timmy loves catching butterflies and dragon flies at the Ranch.

We enjoyed Mandy's kittens so much.

Brian and Timmy helped Mark put up the drywall in the basement that we had to replace from termite damage.

The rain made the weeds grow in the field.

I love Ray and Rusty so much.

Then school started! Brian is in 8th Grade and Timmy is in 6th.  They are both in middle school together. They are the best boys and the best students.

Pip was so excited to see them walk home from the bus stop that first day.

We had some HUGE storms. I had to rescue the goats from one flood and get them in the barn. All our summer water seriously came down at one time. It was crazy.

Pip doesn't like thunder and hides under Mark's desk.

I bought two new goat girls. We named them Coco and Licorice. 

We had a rare moment when we were all dressed up to snap a family picture!

I spy pumpkins in my wild pumpkin patch! 

When Timmy found his tortoise, Brian wanted to get a pet too. He got himself a beautiful beta fish he named Finn.

My favorite pets are the minis.

Mark went fishing one afternoon.

And I ended the month of August with my first visit to the temple since the pandemic started. Oh it was so good to be back. I missed it so much.