Just June (2024)

Gary Oddou had a campsite he couldn't use at Palomar, and he offered it to us. It was a nice spot, but it turned out to be the worst camping experience ever because the mosquitos were INSANE and daytime was nightmarishly hot.

Saturday morning, Jim made pancakes while we tried to swat away the endless mosquitoes.  

We went on a little hike. I believe Jim was a bit reluctant, but I thought we had to hike - even though it was about 100 degrees and the mosquitoes were out of control.   

We had to call it after one short hike and head home. The mosquitoes and the heat were relentless. There was no way to enjoy it. 

Another cute surprise photo on my phone from Goosey.

Tiny and Wrenzy did a few swim classes at Alga Norte. I'd really like them to become stronger swimmers (especially Tiny), but these classes aren't sufficient. In fact, they were registered for another two weeks of classes later in the summer, and I canceled and took a credit with the City of Carlsbad that I probably will never use because I didn't want to waste more time. 

Maggie Long had Potato Chip Rock on her bucket list, so we hiked it early one Saturday. We got to look down at some fun cloud cover. 

I had insisted that we go early to try to beat the crowds, but we didn't go early enough. There were already quite a few people there. I was maybe just going to settle for a quick snap of Potato Chip Rock with nobody on it, but Maggie said we had to get a photo of us. The stranger who took it didn't do a great job with the angle, so you can't really see the thinness of the rock. 

Ever went to a birthday party at Moonlight Beach for Emalyn from school.

Tiny planned her birthday way in advance. Mostly it's just all about the food. 

Tiny went to a glow party for Girl Scouts. 

She took a nap in a cubby in the Sisters' Room (bunk room). 

Sunday snuggles.

Ever went to stake girls camp. 

If Ever was trying to look fierce here, I don't think it worked.

Ever with her soccer team and Coach Alex (a very fun, passionate, and yelly Scottish fellow).

Wrenzy, Ever, and I went to watch Leela dance. 

Cikanek pool time. I can't tell who these people are. I'm guessing Bear is top left, Fiora (her friend from school) is top right, and I don't know about the bottom layers. 

We met the Johnsons (Kaia and her family) and Maya Phillips and her mom, Melissa, at South Ponto Beach in Carlsbad. It was probably about the only time we made it to the beach that summer. Tiny's face is completely hair-covered in the only photo I got. 

Tiny, Maya, Kaia, and Stella (Kaia's sister)

It's a wonder our books don't have more food on them, given all the reading at the table.

Ever got a babysitting job. I think it was for the Longs. We gave her Jim's phone since she didn't have one. I was very happy to get a report from her, and I appreciated that she made an effort to clean up (and understood the pain of doing so).

Chantalle and John Bishop open their magnificent Lake Arrowhead house up to families in the ward every summer for what they call "Ward Week." I took the girls and Ella Rondo up for a few days when the Warrs were there, too. Jim had to do some maintenance at our cabin (staining the decks, I think), so he just joined us briefly. It was our first time seeing the lake house, and it was really something. They have room for about four extra families. There's a movie theater and a game room on the bottom floor. The top floor has a Lego room and a play room. It's just a free-for-all up there, kids gone wild. The girls went off with friends upon arrival, and I mostly saw them at meals after that. One day, Ever and some of the older kids had already watched a movie during the day and then some Studio C (BYU TV comedy), and then at about 10:30, Ever asked if she could watch another movie. I consulted with Mark Warr (his wife, Shanna, wasn't there) because his son, Conner, who's a year older than Ever, was involved. Mark wasn't going to say no, so the teen party continued into the next morning.  Chantalle asks that everyone help prepare and clean up meals (although she provides all the food), and other than that, people are free to do whatever they want. It was a nice little vacation for me. 

The Bishops took us out on the boat for some wakeboarding one day. I really wanted to wakeboard, and I took a turn but had a hard time getting up. (The only other time I've wakeboarded was with Dawn and Ed, and I have been able to get up without a problem with them.) I couldn't try again because there were too many people, so that was sad. 

John stopped the boat so we could take a dip.

Tiny got cold quickly.

Kids played games.

When it came time to leave, the Littles had to be torn from their Lego creations. 

The Littles read something about "mint to enjoy" on a bowl we got from the Girl Scouts. In this video (which I took surreptitiously and sideways), they go from sort of bickering about it to singing a "mint to enjoy" song together. 

Wrenzy's soccer team had a pool party. 

Tiny's went to the movies...

... and had a pool party.

Some of Ever's team went to the Scottish Highland Games in honor of Coach Alex. It ended up being a hot day and not a very exciting event for us. But we tried.