Ana's Month

When July ended, Ana was thrilled... the month she'd been waiting for all year!

(Also, Jonah helped me out on this post and did some of the captions. His writing is in italics.)
But, her birthday was at the end of the month... so she still had some time to wait.
As I posted earlier, we took a trip to Blakely Island in the San Juan Islands, Washington where my dad has a house and where I have spent most of my life's summers, and where Jonah has also spent quite a few.
It was quite chilly the whole time we were there, so instead of a ton of time at the lake, we spent our weeks exploring.
That tree straddles a swamp... they are so brave.
The kids were amazed by thick thick moss that covers the ground anywhere that there is a break in the trees.
I found a new rock outcropping that overlooks the south side of the island... I'd been looking for it for years (you can see it from the ocean so I knew the bare spot was there), and we finally found out a way to get there on some old roads.
Yea! "Hey you guyyyus"
Most of us are having fun.
Tree eyelids.
We also spent a lot of time on walks, and Cam was delighted to borrow Papa's scooter. He became quite adept by the time we left...
Again, more proof that my girls are much much more comfortable with the squeemish things of life. Elsie was SO happy to hold this toad for an hour... and it survived! Sooo cute. Squeeze squeeze.
It took all our effort to keep Elsie from picking flowers out of all the gardens. She just can't help herself.
We finally got some super low tides towards the end of our visit... and we even got Cam to hold a starfish!
Ana and Cam found a flat piece of drift wood and worked for a few days to make it their own perfect little surfboard. Ana painted the other side with a stripe and a little flower.
Cam loves helmets. They make his head look smaller.
I loved helmets too. It must have something to do with being a guy. When the tide is really really low, a secret beach appears for about a 1/4 mile to the south of my dad's house. Ana identified the source of the beach...a landslide that had come down years before and made its way down the coast.
It's got all sorts of treasures and lovely madrona trees hanging out over the beach.
ooohhh... a crab!?
Nope. Another starfish.
There were hundreds of dead jellyfish on the beach. Grossness.
We were all pretty amazed that they are so transparent and squishy.
Cam is doing his Luke Skywalker impression.

Elsie got cold and took my coat. Fits perfect.
Most of the starfish in this area are purple.
We borrow a friend's raft and did some fishing on the second lake and even caught some bass!
These things are pretty fun. With a BBQ and picnic table.

Here's our best mode of transportation: an old Volkswagen Thing. The kids love that there are no seatbelts and don't even mind that there is not roof, even when it rains.

Ana's tradition of building a stick teepee up on Blakely Peak.
After we left the island, we drove south and had to take a few ferries, much to the kids' delight. It seems that they will never tire of going on the ferries..

We happened upon a fantastic county fair. Ana was dying to take one of the horses with us in the car. Ana also confessed to us that she loves the smell of horse poop.
We also found a fanstastic organic blueberry farm. We picked two pounds and they were gone within 15 minutes of us getting done.
Ana takes after her dad in the expert berry picking.

We got to go visit some of our favorite relatives in Redmond on our way out of Washington--Aunt Julie and Uncle Max. They showed us some of their favorite Seattle places, including a dive Mexican place in South Seattle that was AMAZING. I borrowed Max's blueblockers to celebrate... I might get myself some.


Max is a firefighter, and he took us to tour the pierside firestation. We even got a tour of the fire boats!

We were priveledged to go to the main fire station (station 5) in Seattle. Everyone knows Max. He just walks in and everyone is happy to see him. We went down to see the fireboat as well. AMAZING.

We felt so special to be able to roam around in the station and hear all the great things the guys had to say about Max.

She is starting to get some use back in that arm and hand as you can see. This is Ana playing basketball.

Elsie is getting master instruction on using a hose.

We made it back to Salt Lake to see a good freind play Belle in the Draper Arts Councils "Beauty and the Beast". It was a great production.

.Finally, it was the week of Ana's birthday. We bought a ton of groceries and headed up to Bear Lake for the festivities and baptism.



Ana doesn't like her birthdays to not go her way, so she usually just takes all matters into her own hands. Immediately upon arriving, she taped together 168 pieces of paper to make herself a banner. A few days later, the Royers, Cobines, my mom, Jonah's parents and youngest sister, and the Looslis showed up and helped her finish coloring the banner. We had a great big party with 28 people in one house. For the day of the baptism, we had 33! Thanks everyone for coming and supporting Ana!


This is Ana and her Saint George BFF Megan.

On Ana's actualy 8th birthday, she was baptised in Bear Lake by Jonah. She had such a great day.

Ana, Megan and her cousin Eliza

We are so proud of Ana.

It was such a beautiful morning at Bear Lake. Bear Lake has an uncanny resemblance to the Sea of Galilee.

We were able to "dig" a baptismal font with the jet on the jet skis so we were not forced to go out a long way to be in deep enough water.


This is Ana and her Grandma Great.

My mom gave a great talk on how the Holy Ghost is like a comforter blanket. Ana said after her confirmation, "Don't worry Mom, they're tears of joy!!!"

Ana and her Luvy.
This is Cam and his Buddy Hadley. He is always glad to have a guy around.
Aja made a pile of cakes and cupcakes
. She has no problem showing her enthusiasm for presents received.
Happy Birthday Ana!

Okay. Now we just have to post about September! Yea!