Hike #3: Devil's Staircase

 A few of us (Grandma Scott and Andrea) wanted to do this hike again since it had been a couple years. On Monday, July 17 (a day after Grandma's 72nd birthday), we set out on this 9-mile hike with the most gorgeous wildflowers I've ever seen.

Trailhead selfie with Grandpa Scott, Winnie, Grandma Scott and Andrea.

Winnie headed up the trail surrounded by wildflowers.

Andrea, Winnie and Grandma on the trail.

Beautiful scenery.

Winnie crossing the creek at the top that leads into the little lake. She took her shoes off for a little while and waded.

Splashing in the creek back at the trailhead parking lot.

Rebekah's scholarship

 The Jazz House Big Band has been very good to Rebekah. She has been a sub for years, and she has made good connections with other area musicians. Rebekah had heard about a scholarship being offered to an area high school student who plans to study music in college. The scholarship is in memory of Douglas Wareing, a man who was involved with the Jazz House Big Band for many years. 

Rebekah won the $500 scholarship, and she got to play with the Jazz House Big Band at the River Concert Series on Tuesday, July 11. Seth was out of town for work, but Winnie, Grandma and Grandpa Scott and I all got to watch her performance.

Rebekah performs "Charade" with the Jazz House Big Band.

Rebkah solos while Casey Emerson watches in the background. Emerson is the band director at Hillcrest High School and one of the High Desert Marching Band directors that worked with Rebekah when she was drum major. After her performance, Emerson said some very nice things about Rebekah and her abilities.

Rebekah performs other songs with the band during this free concert at the Idaho Falls greenbelt.

Winnie and Andrea dance during the concert. When he would have danced for every song If Andrea had had the stamina.

Winnie wearing Andrea's hat at the concert.

Toad

I never thought I would own a cat. I never thought I was a cat person. Looks like I was wrong on both accounts.

Seth and I discussed the possibility of getting an outdoor cat, but we wanted to wait until the weather was warm enough that it could get adjusted to living at our house before the snow hit. A family in our ward discovered that their cat was pregnant, and so we arranged to pick out one of their kittens. The cats were born in May, and on Saturday, July 8, we were told that we could come pick out our kitten.

There were two to choose from: a boy and a girl. We decided on the boy and named him Toad. At first he lived in our shop full-time, then we would periodically let him outside for longer and longer bits of time so that he could get used to our yard. Then we bought and installed a pet door in the shop, and now he comes and goes as he pleases.

We weren't sure how Peach would feel about having a cat in our yard, so we slowly introduced them to each other. We would put Peach in her kennel in the shop and let Toad walk around and inspect the dog. For the first few attempts, Toad would hiss at Peach every time he got close to her. Finally we felt safe enough to open the kennel door and let them come face-to-face. Toad was still apprehensive at first, but Peach never showed any signs of aggression besides wanting to chase the cat if he started running. But now they are perfectly fine with each other, and we even see them snuggling with each other. In fact, Seth has been putting Peach in the shop to sleep so the two animals have each other for company.

 

Seth snuggling Toad at Freeman Park. We picked up the cat right before I was supposed to meet with some childhood friends for a get together, so we brought the cat along with us. He was a little stressed out, so we ended up taking him home and letting him hang out in the shop by himself.

Toad snuggling in Winnie's lap in the shop while Winnie reads her book.

Toad playing with Andrea's glasses/hair. The collar was short-lived because we found out that they can be dangerous for outdoor cats if they get caught on something.

Peach gnawing on a bone in her kennel while Toad decides whether she is friend or foe.

Our two pets basking on the back porch.

Hike #2: Monument

 This is a must-do hike every summer, according to Winnie. I'd have to agree. We set off on the 6.5-mile hike on Friday, July 7. That's a little earlier in the season than we usually do this one, and we had had a very wet spring, so there was much more water than we were used to on this hike. It's been a long time since we've hiked it and there's still been a snow melt waterfall over the rocks before your final ascent to the monument.

Trailhead selfie. Grandma and Grandpa Scott were able to accompany Winnie and me on this hike.

Winnie's silly hiking face.

The previously mentioned snow melt waterfall. This is the first time when he's ever seen water at this point of the hike.

Grandpa, Winnie and Grandma at the monument.

Checking out ice in the mouth of the cave.

Even more ice in the cave. We usually don't see this here.

Winnie outside the cave.

Grandpa laying out our wet things on The monuments while we eat lunch. Our socks and shoes got pretty well soaked as we climbed up into the cave. Usually it's easy to step on rocks across the creek without getting your feet wet, but there was more water this time.

Fourth of July

The holiday started out early with Seth and Rebekah heading to the parade route so our seats could stay saved. The rest of us joined him in time for the start of the parade. This is the first year in many where we didn't have anybody marching in the parade, so we were merely patrons and not participants. Uncle T and his family, Aunt Jessica, and Grandma and Grandpa Scott joined us for the parade.

Seth at our spot along South Boulevard.

Andrea, Winnie, Ana and Miriam headed to our spot.

Ana showing something on her phone to Rebekah. Poor Rebekah never warmed up while we were there. She stayed under the blankets and in her hoodie the entire time.

Winnie and Miriam in their festive clothes.

Miriam and Ana playing with Andrea's hair.

After the parade we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Scott's house for their traditional backyard picnic. We ate and enjoyed each other's company for a while, but then our family had committed to go to Rexburg and spend the evening at Anne and Jim's. Their entire streets does a fireworks show where they all pull money and buy a bunch of big fireworks for everyone to enjoy. The younger kids all get sparklers, and the older kids all get Roman candles at the end. We were too tired to stay completely until the end, so our older girls never got their Roman candle.

Andrea helping Easton with a bubble glove at Grandma Scott's house.

Rebekah taking a nap at Grandma's house.

Winnie with her sparklers in Rexburg.

Hike #1: Menan Butte

Rather than just going to the rim and back like we have in the past, we decided to go up and all the way around before descending back to the car. Grandma Scott, Grandpa Scott, Winnie and I did the 3.4-mile hike on Monday, July 3. The hike was longer than Winnie had been anticipating, so she got a little restless along the way. She and I listened to an episode of one of her podcasts to help her pass the time.

Andrea and Grandma Scott look up at Winnie who had climbed up the rocks a little ways.

Andrea and Winnie on the trail.

Winnie on an outcropping.

Softball

Another year, another team. Grandpa Scott and I coached. Rebekah and Ana helped at games and practice when their schedules allowed. Winnie joined the squad as the bat girl this year. Miriam played as much as she could despite her continued problems with her feet.

We hoped and prayed that getting a bunionectomy on her left foot last summer would alleviate her pain. However, Miriam has not gone without pain since well before the surgery. Although the bunion on her left foot has been corrected, she continues to be in pain whenever she crouches, dances, walks, stands, runs, etc. That complicates things when you're an active 13-year-old. 

We're continuing to see the podiatrist. We've tried steroids, anti-inflammatories, a cortisone shot and even blood tests to see if it's arthritis. This is still an unsolved mystery, but we're working on getting her some answers and relief.

That being said, we went ahead with forming a team (the Burninators) from some of our old teammates and several new ones found on Facebook or through the athletic director. Having kids who are not the youngest ones in the league has certainly helped our skill level and record. This year we went 6-6. The last game of the tournament ended on a sour note,* but it was fun to see the girls grow and improve, and it didn't hurt that we won as much as we lost.

Miriam didn't play pitcher (she feels anxious when she's pitching) or catcher (it kills her feet) as much as in the past, but she was an incredibly valuable member of the team and greatly improved her batting this season. Last season she didn't hit and get on once, but this year she did several times. She did have to sit one inning every game so her feet could rest.

Winnie lining up the bats for us.

Burninators in the dugout.

Miriam catching while Grandma Scott, Rebekah and Andrea watch.

Rebekah catching while Miriam warms up pitching.

Andrea, Rebekah and Ana between innings.

Miriam running home.

Miriam pitching.

Seth shoots over Ana's shoulder in the dugout.

The team plays Down by the Banks before one of our tournament games.

*Our last game of the tournament was against a team we played earlier in the tournament. They had a pitcher who was EXTREMELY fast and EXTREMELY inaccurate. She hit several of our players in our first game against them. One of them got hit so hard she could see the stitches from the softball imprinted on her leg. Poor Millie had to sit out the rest of the game to recuperate from that. When our girls saw that we'd be playing "that team" again, two of them actually approached me and asked if they HAD to go to bat. One of them was Millie; the other was a girl who didn't get to play most of the season because she broke her clavicle. I explained that they could sit the entire game out, but they couldn't play on the field and not bat. They both chose to participate in the game. First inning was fine; a different girl pitched. Second inning was fine. Then this bad pitcher warmed up for the third inning. Our first batter got in the box, and the very first pitch from this girl slammed our batter in the shoulder and made her cry instantly. At that point we asked the girls if they wanted to continue playing the game or bow out. (We were far enough behind that I don't think we could have made up the point difference anyway.) All of the girls said they did not want to go to bat with this errant pitcher. We announced our decision to the ump and the other team's coach. Coach Scott even used his angry voice and didn't mince words about why we were conceding the game. That was our last game of the season. It's too bad it ended that way, but given that pitcher's inaccuracy, I stand by our decision. Also, we we told the tournament would be the week of July 4, but later we found out it was actually the week of July 11. Both Seth and Ana were out of town that week; Seth on a work trip to Baltimore and Ana at FSY in Pocatello. So they didn't get to see any of the last games. 

Rebekah is 18!

 She may be an adult, but she'll always be our baby.

Rebekah also got multiple birthday celebrations. First was a combined Seth/Kelsey/Rebekah/Hudson birthday bash at the Wildes' on Sunday, June 11. We tried taking Rebekah out to Sushi Time's lunch buffet on Tuesday, June 13, but apparently they're not open on Tuesdays. (?!) That's two years in a row we've tried going to Sushi Time and haven't been able to because of days/times they're open/not open. So instead we picked up a BUNCH of sushi from Broulim's and ate it upstairs. And since the earlier birthday dinner covered the Grover side, we had a Scott birthday dinner on Sunday, June 18.

Rebekah, Cooper, Miriam, Ana and Seth on the couch at Rachel's.

Winnie rubbing balloons on her head.

Rebekah, Winnie, Kelsey and Hudson getting ready to eat cake.

Rebekah, Andrea and a bucketload of sushi at Broulim's dining area upstairs.

The cake Ana made for Rebekah's birthday. Rebekah had joked for years about a "hot grape cake." (The girls were musing on why you get other fruit cakes like raspberry or blackberry but never grape.) Ana found a grape cake recipe and made it for Rebekah.

Rebekah lighting her candles.

Miriam, Canyon, McKall, Oakley, Ana, Rebekah and Easton on the couch as Rebekah opens presents.

A flashlight Seth gave her. Rebekah asked for some organizational tools for college, so we ordered the ones she had picked out from Amazon. Then Seth threw in a few things he had picked up from D.I. over the years: a flashlight and a Bluetooth speaker.

Rebekah laughing at the Bluetooth speaker. It's one we've had in a drawer for a while, but now it belongs to Rebekah. She also received towels from Aunt Rachel and money from her grandparents.