A Whopper of a Week

Clint took off Wednesday this week to go fishing with his buddy Steve Joyce.  Clint and Steve went to Iraq together several times and now Steve is a Delta pilot and drills at Clint's reserve center. They went to Strawberry lake, rented a John boat and Steve pulled in this 5 pound cutthroat trout and a handful of other beauties.

I took the Bear Cub Scouts to Wheeler Farm for a field trip. This enthusiastic dairy maid gave each of the boys an opportunity to milk a cow by hand. I gave it a try myself, but Cole passed.

Camping at Strawberry Reservoir with the Nielsens

     The last weekend before school began, we went camping with our friends the Nielsens at Aspen Grove Campground on the shores of Strawberry Reservoir. Karly and I were co-den leaders to our huge group of Bear Cubs last year. She's been such a fantastic friend to me. She's the kind who brings soup when you're sick and sweets when you're stressed. I appreciated having her as a partner because we're both optimistic people and we just enjoyed those boys. Karly and her husband are both from Modesto, but they met at BYU. Dave is a stock trader. He worked in New York for years and now he invests the church's money.

Clint rented a little John boat and spent the day taking the kids on rides around the lake.
Here is Karly with daughters Gwen and Maddy.

After fighting the kids about not playing in the dirt, we finally turned a blind eye and let them enjoy their slides.

Talmage, Trace and Ian Nielsen

   

Clint and Dave

Karly and I have often been asked if we're sisters. We are a lot alike, except that I look like chupacabra in this picture.

If we didn't do S'mores, it wouldn't be camping.

Boys, fire and sticks, a dangerous combination.

Maddie, Talmage, Gavin and Ian

Labor Day Weekend

     Labor Day around the Cresap house means--our anniversary! Seventeen years to be exact. We celebrated our anniversary in a way that really marked the passage of time--we went to a Def Leppard and Heart concert. Everyone there was over 40. They were greying and sagging and rocking out. It made me feel old. I wasn't a rocker chick in high school, but Clint converted me to Heart. Who could not love Heart? As for Def Leppard, when we bought the tickets I couldn't name any of their songs, but they were such a prominent 80s band, I was pretty sure I'd recognize all their songs, and I did. Though I'm still not an acid rock girl I could totally appreciate their talent and longevity and of course their one-armed drummer is always impressive. It was a great night and Clint insisted on buying me a Def Leppard shirt. He likes thinking he's married to a rocker chick.
     On actual Labor Day we drove up American Fork Canyon for the first time. We thought we'd drop by and see Timp Cave, but learned that is not something you drop by and see, especially not on Labor Day. The tickets were sold out at 10:00 a.m. Next time we'll reserve in advance.
     So we continued up the canyon and headed to Silver Lake Reservoir and went fishing. I still have this fantasy about staying home in a silent house while the boys go fishing, but so far they haven't been able to spare my company. However, it is understood that I get to read a book on the bank and just keep Trace out of trouble, while Clint handles all the fishing. Talmage was the prize fisherman of the day and caught a beautiful rainbow trout. It was just gorgeous up there. Timpanogos has always been our favorite mountain in Utah and it turns out the backside is just as spectacular. We look forward to going back to drive the Alpine Loop when the colors change.

          I was busy all week tabulating the results of the Summer Reading Olympics that I launched at our elementary school. (Here's the commercial I made for it at the end of the school year-Thanks, Jon Pulsipher for the help! http://bonnevillebookmovie.blogspot.com/?zx=a3cf01214bf9eddd ) And I spent a couple solid days getting ready for the first cub scout meeting of the year. We have 15 Bear Cubs this year. I also spent plenty of time running back and forth between the school and doctors trying to get Talmage's medications and diagnosis sorted out. Pretty soon I need to start spending time with Trace, now that I've got him all to myself!
     Speaking of Trace, he's been working hard on potty training. The first day he was so proud of himself he said to his best girlfriend Fiona, "Fi, do you want to see my underwear?" She hid her face in exaggerated modesty and refused to acknowledge him as he chased her around, "Come on Fi, they have cars on them! You want to see them!" He's clean and dry through the night and even dry through the day, but we've yet to do a number two in the toilet. The first few days I thought I'd try the naked method until he kept on running outside--very bad as we have a very public front yard, being right across from the park. But what really put an end to it was when Jack came running in reporting, "Mom, Trace just pooped on the street!" Stellar Mom Award, right here.
     On Friday we had a barbecue with Clint's XO, Steve Jones (executive officer, or no. 2), his wife Ashleigh and their three kids. I can't believe in all the time we've been in the Navy, this is the first time we've met another Mormon naval aviator couple. They are absolutely hilarious and so much fun to talk to. Very talented, smart people and that Southern edge is so refreshing--she's from Virginia, he's from Georgia. Steve keeps Clint sane in that crazy office of his.
     Now I'm just tired. I have sleep debt from getting up to run at 6 a.m. three times a week with my friend, Karly, but I'm so happy that I'm running again!

The End of Summer

It's the first day of school and we're ready to fight crime, be a playboy...What? you want us to do homework?

My brothers have got my back!

And in other news, Trace is home alone with Mom and gets to do cool things like go to the zoo with cousin Tyson.

Mr. Charm

"Tyson, you're my best friend."

But on the weekends, Trace is hanging with his guys and Mom.

Like at Liberty Park for a bike ride.

Nothing hits the spot after a bike ride like our favorite late night treat at Jolley's Shiver Shack. We were there a couple times a week in the summer watching the sun go down.
Seeing the shack in the dark made us realize the summer has come to an end.

Last Hurrahs of Summer! Huntsville and Lagoon

Summer was coming to a close and Clint was headed to San Diego for a week for a Commanding Officers conference, so I made plans to take the boys up to Huntsville for three days. It was actually our ranch week, but we'd been to the ranch three times this summer and Huntsville very little. As it turned out, Clint never left to San Diego because he had a fever all week, but we decided to go up to Huntsville anyway. I love being in Huntsville because the wilderness just pulls the kids outside and they run around with their cousins and explore non-stop. 

I took the boys on a bike ride up to the monastery. I've been wanting to do that forever because it is so nice to go on a bike ride in Huntsville where there are rarely cars on the road and there aren't intersections every 50 yards. Talmage really resisted the idea and ranted and yelled about it, but with some conniving I was able to get his shoes on and get him on his bike. The only problem was he was wearing a Chinese coolie hat from the Malmborgs toy box. I thought, well, it will keep the sun off and if it becomes a problem he'll just have to figure it out. Once we got going, Talmage took the lead and we cruised the 1 1/2 miles to the Abbey gate. Then it was UPHILL. The boys made it about 2/3 up the hill before they had to hike-a-bike, but then we hit the poplar-lined lane and it was a coast to the finish. The boys enjoyed looking around the gift shop, but we were sad to learn that the monks had stopped making honey only two weeks before. Years ago they stopped selling eggs and bread. Their population is getting too old. Their youngest is 65, oldest is 94 and four of them are in their 80s. Jack asked about the Holy Water for sale and learned that you can sprinkle it around your bed at night to get rid of bad dreams. Every night since then he's expressed his regret that we didn't get him any holy water. On the way back down the boys really picked up speed and it was revealed to me that neither Talmage nor Cole are able to use the hand brakes on their new bikes. And Talmage's coolie hat kept on blowing in front of his face like a huge shield. So he kept on running himself off the road into the grassy banks to stop himself. I suggested that he take off the hat, or cinch it tightly to his back, but he refused. So, I told him that he was accepting the danger that came with continuing to wear the hat. After his vision was blocked two more times and he got familiar with the side ditch twice more, he decided to take off the hat. We survived the ride. When the boys are old enough that they can sit still, I'll take them back to hear the monks sing vespers. I hope the monks don't die out before that happens!

Grandpa Hale and I also took the boys up to the South Fork campground cave. Many awesome dates have been set up in that cave. Uncle Joey proposed to Aunt Katie in that cave and I spend graduation night in that cave with a bunch of friends, a bunch of junk food, a generator and a VCR/TV. Unfortunately there was about 10 inches of standing water in the cave so we didn't go in.

The last check in the box was to go for a swim in the McKay's pool.

Jack takes a plunge in the McKay's pool.

The last Monday before school started was a 1/2 price Lagoon day for Navy families. I took the boys and my sister Victoria met me there with her girls. That was the first time I'd been to Lagoon since I was a preteen. Some things hadn't changed, like I'm pretty sure the Terror Ride hasn't even been dusted in 30 years. But some things had really improved. There are huge Sycamores all through the park so that we didn't even worry about needing sunscreen. The boys were not hip on the big scary rides. And after we did the Rattlesnake Rapids and got soaked Jack said, "I did not deserve that!" But at the end of the day when we hit the kiddie rides, they absolutely loved it. If I hadn't wanted to drop another $50 for dinner, I'm sure the boys would have been thrilled to stay till closing time. The boys were also super interested in the Broadway performers. Talmage said, "Those girls are really beautiful. They aren't dressed very modestly. But they are still very pretty!" Highlights for me were seeing the boys drape their arms around their ride buddy as they waited in line, and the surprise thunderstorm that dropped half-inch hailstones on us! 

Jack and Trace waiting for the tug boats.

Trace and a girl he picked up in line.

Our neighbor Astin, who plays with our boys daily.

Can you see Talmage? Of course you can't. He's completely camoflauged!