Birding

Yesterday we got to go on a bird-watching expedition, much to my excitement.  They had activities for the kids to do and pictures for them to color.  

 Petter won some awesome binoculars

 It was at the Inland Shore Refuge owned by Rio-Tinto.  The colors were beautiful and we got to see a lot of amazing birds.

 We learned about some of the native plants and got to taste them and see how salty they are and why they grow next to the salty Great Salt Lake.

 We had such a fun, educational time and saw birds that can only be seen in this area.

 Jayda experimented by taking pictures through the scope.

 Simeon, of course, played in the dirt.

I love living in a state where there is so much to do, see and learn.

Last Swim

I am mourning summer.  We had such a fun-filled, active, busy summer and it's hard to say goodbye.  On Friday we went for one last swim before they put the cover on the pool we go to.  It was fun to have Petter's cousin, Lillian and her daughter Sophia join us as they visit from Norway.  Laurel and Bella also came and we had so much fun we didn't want to leave.  

The sun is already casting a longer shadow and as I sat watching my kids swim and felt the sun on my back, I realized it was one of my final summer moments.  Especially today when the sky is full of dark clouds, I can tell it's over.  Sad, and good- Fall is probably my favorite time of year and there will be lots of leaves to run through and hikes to go on and soup to make.

Egyptian Art

For art this week we learned about how the ancient Egyptians used to do their art inside the pyramids.  They would usually draw pictures of everyday life- like harvest time or something.  They would measure a grid pattern and draw on the grid pattern directly on the wall.  So we did it too.  It was good because the girls had to measure, plan and work together.  They decided to draw a happy memory, so they drew about our trip to Washington state.  

 While the girls worked, Simeon made things inside with blocks- which I'm so glad he has been interested in doing lately.

The final product turned out great- they included the beach, the lake house and the seal we saw on the beach.  I am surprised at all the different methods and techniques involved in art- I love that I'm learning a thing or two as we do this homeschool year.

Meeting the in-laws

My little brother and his fiance had a little get together to introduce the families to each other.  Her family is darling and young and it was fun to meet them.  I am still in shock that my little brother is actually getting married, but I think he found his soul mate.  He is happier than I have ever seen him.

Olivia took advantage of some baby time, of course.

Overnight fishing with daddy

Petter took the kids camping on a cold, rainy weekend.  They ended up sleeping in the car and had a great time fishing the next morning.  Petter's sister, Sonia rode her motorcycle and met up with them for some fishing.

 They caught several fish and had tons of fun.  The next day in his prayer, Simeon prayed to go fishing again soon.

Sonia kind of looks like a crazy biker lady- she made everything fun for the kids just by being there.