The Atkinsons

Things to Remember.

Pictures from late summer. 

Moments I want to keep in my mind for years to come.

This little guy is constantly getting into the dog food and water. Poor Maybe. Don't let this smiling little face fool you, he has a mouth full of dog food. 

Little guy chomping on plums all summer.

We decided to float the Provo river in a big blue raft. We got in right where we were warned people had issues but we thought, whatever, we are fine! Seconds after getting in we were all dumped into the freezing  cold water and Olive had one of the biggest scares of her life (and so did her mamma.) It definitely made for an adventurous trip down the river. The rest of the ride was pretty lackluster, but we were on a high from our little escapade. Olive was freezing and on edge the rest of the ride, but we made it- and miraculously found all our shoes and oars that fell in the water! The best memories are made when things don't go right, adventure is calling!

The kindest neighbor brought me some blackberries, after Elijah had his way with them we made a few jars of blackberry jam- blackberry sage, blackberry tarragon, and plain blackberry. It didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, it was my first try with a seedless blackberry jam. I think I know a few things to try next time. If at first we don't succeed.

When cousins are here.

Guess who got to decorate Daddy's cake. 

By the way this frosting is a trick I learned from the amazing Melanie Boyer. Whip some fresh cream and add the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries and some of the chopped cherries (that's where it gets the pink color.) 

So easy and delicious.

Set up from my second knit class. I learned a lot doing these classes, you learn so much when you are teaching others. 

I don't think I will do any more of them, but I am definitely glad I did them.

My favorite pictures I find on my phone.

The northwest girl in me can't help but dress Olive in these cute little vests. 

I love rainy days!

Up a tree. Her Mother's daughter.

We will really miss the dinosaurs at the zoo. We loved them so. Hope they bring them back next summer!

Chalk the Block. 

I asked Olive to lay down by this picture so I could get a shot of both of them. She laid down in the middle of the picture, got chalk all over her, and we got yelled at. Mom fail.

My awesome mother in law got me a dehydrator for Christmas and we've had that thing running non stop all summer with our harvest. Sun dried tomatoes, dried cinnamon apple crisps, raisins, and fruit leather.  Olive loves fruit leather so I made some with our plums from the tree in our backyard. It was delicious, and the whole family gobbled it down, even Elijah! I had to toy with the thickness and drying time a bit, but I think I might have gotten it just perfect for next year! Still a few things I'm considering throwing in there, maybe some of the herbs in my backyard that won't last too much longer with the cold weather coming on. Oh the possibilities! 

This boy is a climber... so that's great.

Olive asks to go to the curiosity museum on the daily. She loves it so much, and I love it because my kids are so happy and playful there. Also because they have crazy fish.

Prep table for preserving my bounty.

  Mountain biking down Sundance. 

We have done this trail for the past few years. It is steep, rocky, and on the edge of a cliff... so I don't know why we decided to invite my parents who did take some tumbles, but I think overall they loved it and were glad they came because the view is something else. 

Heber creeper. 

The Ceratosaurus.

Breakfast with a witch.

 We all came in our pajamas, and I was just fine with that. 

Our Harvest came late this year due to the weather, I was afraid I wouldn't get very many tomatoes at all! I live for my tomatoes... like probably in an unhealthy way. When those heirlooms started changing color left and right my heart went "ahhhhhhhhhhhh."

Cornbellys.

This adorable baby has fallen in love with cars. Pushing them around, sitting in them, looking at them. 

Look at that happy baby face. I love him so.