Youth Bike Trip

So, I am the Young Women's president in my ward, which means I have to do all sorts of crazy things with a smile on my face that I would never do on my own. I suppose it's good for me. This weekend, we went on a Priest Laurel bike trip across the golden gate bridge. It was actually fun. I didn't even fall off of my bike (well, it was actually Sara's bike, thanks for letting me borrow it...) I only had 3 of my 7 laurels there, but we had a great time anyway. I especially love it when they talk to me about boys and other things they would never tell their parents...it makes me feel like a teenager again...except, 3 days later, my tailbone still hurts!

Jeeping to the river

Our friend Dan Milton lives down Memory lane and has talked about how the Consumnes River is just down the road from his place. So last Saturday we ran down to the Consumnes river in Mona. It's not the most difficult trail that Brian's Jeep has ever been on but we couldn't have made it in the minivan. We just ran out there for lunch through private property and Bureau of Land Management land to a little bank of the Consumnes river. This is just a run down Memory Lane and then you head south to intersect the river. Probably only about a couple miles from our house.

Robbie

Robbie's birthday was this week. I still get sad when I think of him, what he would have been like. He would have been 4 years old this year. We decided to start a new tradition with the kids, and make a birthday cake on his birthday. I'm not sure how much Pearl understood, but it gives us a chance to talk about how we are a forever family and how he will be waiting for us in heaven. I am truly grateful that we will see him again someday.

Apple Hill with Grandma

I love fridays now. I have therapy in the morning, which means my house has to be clean. Once I'm done at noon, I'm ready to party. Last week we picked Dad up from work and went to see Space Chimps (I think Sam was in heaven, monkeys, rocketships, and a very large tub of popcorn for dinner!) This week, we decided to go to Apple Hill to ride the horses. My sisters weren't able to come, and Daddy had to work, so we made Grandma ditch the office and come with us. We were so lucky, we got there just in time to ride the horses. She only had two horses going, and we were the only two there. The kids loved it! Then we got our obligatory dozen apple doughnuts (which were decimated by 7:00 that evening and we wished we had more...)and kettle corn and caramel apples.

Sam on Pepper Pearl on Cheyenne (which she says is really the capitol of Wyoming...Kindergarten!)

A friend of ours showed up eating a box of dougnuts. It was hilarious watching Sam try to get one out of him... the conversation went something like this....Hi! I eating popcorn. (lean forward a litte more on the table...) Hi! (stare stare stare, inch a little closer) I have a doughnut? It was cute, but it didn't work. Sam was told by his mean mom no doughnuts until after dinner. So much for his amazing performance!

This is what Sam decided to do upon hearing that he couldn't have any doughnuts until after dinner - Forget this joint, I'm off! Um, I wonder how much closer I can get without getting into trouble...

Ok, just a little bit closer....

Grandma to the rescue!!!

Ok, this is mean, but I put this picture in just to make Maryann jealous! Ha, Ha, I have your mom to chase after my kids on random Fridays!!! (you know she loves it!)

Working with Dad

Sam loves all things tool. In fact, we think he needs a workbench for christmas (hint, hint, Santa!). Whenever Jared gets his tools out (he was putting together a toy shelf for me), Sam runs upstairs yelling "where my hammer!" Jared is such a good daddy and always gives him something real to do. Keep it up with the tools, Sam, because Hulbert men are known for being handy!

Sammy really was the first...

So, just two weeks after our last trip to the emergency room, Sam decided he wanted a matching scar. So, during a ward party, he tried to ride his bike down the stairs from the upper to lower deck. Didn't quite work out for him. Fortunately (or, ironically) we were having a ward activity at our house with a search and rescue demonstration and, you guessed it, the giant slip and slide. So, there were plenty of first aid professionals there to lend a hand, but in the end, we would up back at the Kaiser emergency room in Roseville. Poor Sam, after meeting him, the doctor was pretty sure he wouldn't keep a butterfly bandage, or even the magic glue on, so it was old fashioned stitches for him. The saddest part was, the doctor didn't even trust his ability to sit still for 25 minutes (was it that obvious after meeting Sam for just 30 seconds?) for the numbing gel to work, so it was a shot to the open wound for him. I have very strong childhood memories about that experience myself (and in the same spot too!) and I must say he took it like a man. Seriously, I would have been screaming way loud and he wasn't even that bad. So, now Pearl, Sam, and I all have matching scars. I'm just waiting for Jared to go next! Though, I'm pretty sure Sam is the one who will keep us going back for more...

Funky Tomato

I love my strange tomatoes! This year, we struggled to actually get some plants in that would live longer than a week, so by the time the weather calmed down and we figured out the watering situation, the tomatoes went in kind of late. So, we're just now getting the big harvest. I was so frustrated by the time I put the third round of plants into the ground, I just grabbed whatever was left at the nursery. I do love different colored tomatoes, but I think I went a little overboard this year, as we have very few red ones. We have a green with red stripe, a yellow, an orange and red stripe, and two red. It sure does make for a pretty salad! They are also all quite yummy. Sorry to make those of you who don't live close by jealous (ha ha ha more for us!)