We are getting soft...

We've been letting Dakota in the house at night.  Only one incident that sent him to his kennel.  One of the kids brought a bowl of compost stuff and put it on the laundry room counter top.  A few moments later we heard a crash.  Dakota had gotten up and pulled it down off the counter.  It was only avocado peels and pits so I doubt it was worth getting kicked out of the house!  One night he stayed the whole night and did great and was still laying there when Kevin came out in the morning.  There is hope for him!!!!  

Babies...

 So Big Lane!

 The D man is so smiley.

 He never stops!

 Open wide!

 Lane discovered the piano yesterday and really likes it!

I couldn't resist taking a picture of my counter this morning. Kitchen Stewardship had a "try a new cultured food on Monday" and it was so funny to read that email because I had just started sourdough starter the day before.  I haven't done sourdough before.  Monday I also got my kombucha mothers working again (far left) and today I got two jars of water kefir going (with limes added).  Water kefir is still the favorite of everyone here but Kevin drinks up the kombucha for us.  I know it is chock full of good things!!!  Here is what I found on one website:
Kombucha contains multiple species of yeast and bacteria along with the organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols produced by these microbes. The precise quantities of a sample can only be determined by laboratory analysis. Finished kombucha may contain any of the following components:

• Acetic acid, which is mildly antibacterial
• Butyric acid
• B-vitamins^[4]
• Alcohol
• Gluconic acid
• Lactic acid
• Malic acid
• Oxalic acid
• Usnic acid

Normally kombucha contains less than 0.5% alcohol, which classifies kombucha as a non-alcoholic beverage.Older, more acidic, kombucha might contain 1.0% or 1.5% alcohol, depending on more anaerobic brewing time and higher proportions of sugar and yeast

I don't actually do as many fermented foods as I should, as I know how to do.  It seems so time consuming.

Family Camp...

 We love Family Camp!!!!  Here is the chapel filled to the brim with most who came this year.  Kevin Swanson from Generation with Vision was the speaker.  He came to the Home School Convention a couple years ago.  He is a great speaker with a lot of wisdom and great insight. 

 Activities for the kids and some moms and dads filled the weekend with fun!

 Rollerskating is my girls' favorite activity!

 There was rock climbing this year! Way to go Moriah!

 Some fun with the older boys/men with a bit of arm wrestling!

 Kevin posing again!

 Lots of great visiting and deep conversations all weekend!

 Food!  It's the best ever and so much of it always!  This was a snack but the meals were great!

 Courtship!  Two new couples this year are courting!

 Babies are so wonderful at these things!

 Hot cocoa is an absolute favorite of all!

See her little heart shaped head with the piggy tails.  Love her!

Visiting happened everywhere!

 Friends!

 Dads and daughters spending time together!

 Micah!

 Tired out!  Late nights are a given at camp.  Kevin is usually the one saying he's going to bed early but I went to bed the first night by midnight or 12:30 and he ended up coming in at 2 a.m. (great conversations with some of the men).   One night a kid came in at 4 a.m.  It's the only place I know you don't have to wonder what kids are doing at that time of the night.  Adults were up at that time too so it wasn't just kids talking and getting into potential foolishness.  Although, I'm not saying there wasn't ANY foolishness! :)   (but not the normal kind of foolishness teenagers engage in).

Fun on the ice.  It was beautiful weather.  Sun shining and the kids had fun skating and being outside!

19....

 Happy 19th Birthday to Jordan!

 Aunt Lois and her granddaughter Zoe!

Grandpa Rich and the mug Emily made for him for Christmas!

 Jordan and Aunt Lois and the angel food cake Aunt Lois made for her birthday cake.  My Grandma Anna used to make me an angel food cake for nearly every birthday so it brought back a lot of great memories!

 Lena and Zoe enjoying the cake together.

 Aunt Lois gets to be in a lot of pictures this year.  Here she is with Jordan and Emily.

 Here is my cousin Waylon with his daughter Zoe.  Check out his cool purse!

This morning Grandpa Rich left to go home!  Our traditional picture.  You forgot your sandwich and salads!  Too bad you didn't have them for the ride home!  Thanks for coming and staying with us!  Dakota misses you and Boyka.  If you could hear Dakota right now you'd hear him barking for Boyka!

Fish oil please...

 Lena brought me the bottle of fish oil and asked, "Can I have fish oil, please?"  She's so sweet!

 Here she is taking elderberry syrup I made a few weeks ago.  It is good for coughs and colds and she's been coughing a bit at night and sounds congested.  The kids all love elderberry syrup.  I boiled down elder berries and used the decoction to a make the syrup with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  It's tasty!

 Here is Lena the other night after we found the curlers we used to play with when I taught preschool.

 The finished product!

 I love the lip sticking out!

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday...

 Rebekah is now a 10 year old!  She got to go out to eat with Grandma and Grandpa on her birthday.  She picked China King buffet, just like Gideon did the other day.

 Emily is now 15!!!!  I can't believe it.  I remember my 15th birthday very well.  We didn't take Em out on her birthday today, we hope to do it later on.  She's thinking about where she'd like to eat.

 Emily got Rebekah a mini-pie baker.  It looks like a lot of fun.

 Emily!

 Happy Birthday to you Bek and Em, Happy Birthday to You!!!!

 The most delicious chocolate layer cake with the most wonderful frosting.  We had it with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.  Jordan did a great job on baking a great cake again.