Our New Table

Earlier this year, we finally replaced our first table! Our old table was tight with six people around it, and we were ready to sit Joshua up to the table in a booster seat. In fact, we never had room on the old table for the food, just our dishes. For the last several years we have served our food from the counter, buffet-style. Whenever we had company over for dinner, we would have to set up a second table to fit everyone. So it was definitely time for a new and bigger table!

We bought a nearly-new table from a couple who had bought it straight from the Amish in Ohio. It is incredibly solid and well built. It can also accommodate up to four leaves so it can seat 6-12 people. So even though it only came with four chairs (hence the mismatched chair situation), we went for it. Now there are so many colors of wood going on in our house that matching doesn't really matter at this point. :-)

Goblin Valley & Arches

This year's Wilson family reunion was held at Goblin Valley State Park and Arches National Park. Goblin Valley + Arches + July = HOT= lots of water, sunscreen, and breaks! But it was really fun and some great memories. The kids absolutely loved exploring Goblin Valley with their cousins. There were some fun caves for them to explore, tons of formations to climb up and around, and great fodder for the imagination. We camped at the Goblin Valley campground, and then after heading to Moab the next day, checked into a hotel and went for a swim to cool off at the indoor pool.


Joshua absolutely loved going on hikes. He got to the point that he would just see the backpack carrier and get excited. Keeping a hat on him was an impossibility, though.



Emma and Rachel in front of one of the arches. They only lasted so long, then claimed they wanted to be carried. Consequently, our hikes as a family were fairly short.

We loved this hike (can't remember its name) because it was still shady! We started hiking at about 8:30 AM to avoid some of the heat (remember, it's July in southern Utah!).

Matthew, Elizabeth, and Jessica at Goblin Valley

The Wilson cousins exploring a cave

The cousins taking a break for water and licorice at Goblin Valley

Bill and Sam

Rachel and Elizabeth

Sorry about the windblown hair getting into the picture! L to R: Kira, Ashlyn, Rachel, Sam, Jordan, Jessica, Elizabeth, Brent and Joshua.

Jordan and Matthew having a great time

Elizabeth carrying Emma on her back

Summer!

Dinner almost entirely courtesy of our backyard: Roasted veggies all grown in our garden, zucchini bread, and grilled chicken (no, we don't actually raise chickens, but the grill is out back so I thought that would technically count).

By the way, Brent prepared almost the entire meal by the time I got home one day! He did an amazing job.

My neighbor gave me this mystery iris, and we were pleasantly surprised at the exotic color that it bloomed! Unfortunately, a big windstorm pretty much destroyed it a couple days later.

Ever since Brent and I visited Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia for our 10th anniversary, we have loved Dahlias. This was the first year we'd had any grow successfully, though!

Here's an ultimate summer picture: Rachel, Emma, and Emma's friend Andra made a lovely "peach pit pie". Only, they just called it "peach pie." It does almost look good enough to eat, if you are a bird!

More gorgeous dahlias

Joshua, our neighbor Gracie, Elizabeth, and Emma checking out the swings. Since this picture was taken, the kids have worn away 90% of the grass underneath the swings. They are clearly their favorite feature of the playset, above the slides, clubhouse, firepole, rock wall, monkey bars, or anything else!

Our "Mango" roses, as we like to call them