We are MARSHALL

Monday, September 16, 2013

Driving to Utah...

Even though the West isn't as lush and green as here in the South, I found great beauty in the desert scenery as we drove HOME to Utah at the end of June. All of these were taken out of the window of the car while James was driving.

Love the pillowy white clouds.

Sidnie gave out a cheer when we were almost there.

Love the Wasatch Mountains!

A shot at night from the University Mall. Miss these mountians for sure!

Jump Zone

With Kate and Jordan off to Utah for the week, I took the middles and littles to the Jump Zone on Wednesday, June 26th, 2013.

Spencer and Sidnie at the top of a slide together...

They always want to play on this thing whether I have quarters or not...

Sidnie sliding...

I've got to be more specific

We have a job chart and in early June it was Zack's turn to unload the dishwasher. I asked him to "unload the dishwasher." This is the tower I got...

It was indeed unloaded, but I need to be more specific and say something like: "Will you put the dishes away?"

I guess I didn't learn, because in August, I asked Spencer to do this job and this was the result...

It was a very nice straight row.

Another day I got this with his Pinewood Derby trophy right on top.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Fire Blight on the Apple Tree

We planted two apple trees the summer after we moved here (2006) One has grown faster than the other. For the past couple of years, they've had branches that just start to whither and die. We found out it's called fire blight and the way to get ahead of it is to prune the branches that are dying. And you must dip the clippers in rubbing alcohol after each cut, so as to not pass on the blight to new areas of the tree. For the past two summers, I've worked regularly to prune any branches that were showing browning signs. Just when you'd think you had gotten it all, Bam! more branches kept on dying. And I'd pray for my tree. I felt kind of like the master or servant of the vineyard in Jacob 5 asking: "What more can I do for my tree?"
This year, we got way more blossoms than ever before...tons of them. But the fire blight continued and I trimmed and pruned away.

Before a pruning on May 27th, 2013...

The dying branches I cut off...

After...

I sometimes felt, we'd have no tree left if I kept cutting away. But I continued to pray for my tree. If anyone could help, it's the Lord. After all, he created the world. He knows what to do.

Sidnie Dance

Sidnie has all sorts of dance outfits that are hand-me-downs. Kammie, who has never taken dance, taught her some dance moves and helped her put this performance together.

Hiding her costume...

Revealing her costume...

Her dancing debut...

Jump Zone on May 25th

These photos will be out of order. I took the littles to the Jump Zone back in May on the 25th because Sid was invited to a birthday party for Mya in her pre-k class. They had a blast of course!

With Mya...