camping

We spent the weekend in Show Low, AZ at Owen's Creekside. We headed up a little earlier to spend some time with Pipa and Grandma, and then to help set up camp before all the Wilson family arrived. We did a dedicatory graveyard service for Glenn's mom and dad (and Jared's siblings) who hadn't had  a tombstone set up for them yet. We spent some of the time at the cemetery, the rest was at the campsite running around in the lakes, playing with the cows, eating treats, etc. I thought it was fun just holding Ruby in the front seat of the truck, which is how their roll in small towns. Pipa brought "The Executive" motorhome for some people to sleep in, Levi thought that was fun. Austin loved catching tadpoles, worms and playing with Ranger the dog. We had a little reunion with Wesley, after he had been at a YMCA horseback riding camp that he had been at all week long. He wanted to hold Ruby first thing!  

It was fun having the cows and horses nearby to watch graze around us, and also we loved the dutch oven cooking that Pipa made.  It was also convenient that WalMart was nearby for us to go and get water when we ran out. It was ideal for all of us! At 2am when we were still awake and I was sharing a sleeping bag with Ruby, more like a sweatbox b/c it was so hot and I was nursing her nonstop. My face was frozen though b/c the night chill was cold! It is always crazy trying to camp with a baby! I took it for the team, b/c everyone else had a great time. The working full kitchen and indoor plumbing was also awesome. The best of both worlds!

Austin bird hero

Austin found a baby bird at the bottom of a tree one evening, so the next morning when he still saw that it was alive (and hadn't been eaten by a coyote), he decided he would go and help it out. It took quite a bit of creativity to figure to how to help it, including capturing it inside a tupperware container, chasing it from underneath the truck tire, opening up the lid to give it oxygen, etc. Austin scaled up the tree to get to the nest, only to find that he couldn't reach it! He was scared and started wobbling back and forth on the small tree branches. But, with positive words from his mother and saying a little prayer, he was able to find the courage to keep trying! He came back down from the tree and went back up to another one where we found another nest that he was able to reach. I gave him my phone to take pictures of his triumph, and viola! Bird was back safe inside the nest (not the same bird, and was on top of another egg, but we decided that the real mother would eventually show up and help the baby bird).

Prescott

We love our visits with Aunt Flo and Uncle Richard Schilling. They spoil us every time we go up! Austin's new nickname is "Baconater," and I loved the fresh fruit salads and smoothies.  We always stay up late talking, and I love the fresh flowers Uncle Richard always gets me. We went to a Historical Art Fair over the weekend where the boys panned for gold, made cornhusk dolls, ate dutch oven biscuits and ate a picnic. It was really nice to enjoy the cooler fresh air, then to come back for more BBQ and a starry night walk. We left first thing Sunday morning to get back to church.