In the center of the Venn diagram where the circles of love of art, Olympic figure skating, and violin music meet, you will find Peach Pie painting flowers while listening to a new music love (Rondo and Capriccioso Op. 28 by Camille Saint-Saen’s) discovered because Yuzuru Hanyu skated to it.
John Mark, Julie, Marcus, Me (and Skeeter), Blueberry Pie
In 2020, we were supposed to have a family reunion, but we had to postpone it due to covid restrictions. This year, when it was decided to postpone a second time, my dad reacted a huge group site at Aspen Grove so that any cousins who wanted to see each other and hike up Timp mountain could do so.
Matt and Pete
We had such a great time camping and hiking and visiting.
Mom and MarcusMarcus and LukeyDad, Uncle Verne, and Aunt ChristieCegan, Verna, John MarkSammy, Lukey, Kimberly, JimmyJohn Mark’s girls
I took the four littlest kids up to the waterfalls.
I almost took them up the wrong trail.Here we are at the correct trailhead. John Darrell and Matt made it up to Emerald Lake.
The 4 little kids and I made it to the second waterfall (which, I believe, is 2 miles, but felt much longer.)
Zeke took baby penguin steps all the way up, so it was 2 hours up, and we only made it because I bribed him and Skeeter with fruit snacks most of the way.
Banana Cream Pie and Apple Pie ended up hiking ahead with cousins because the twins and I were so slow.
Zeke kept asking me if I would carry him, and I kept saying “no.”
Here is a very hot and tired Zeke at the waterfallThe water was ice cold and refreshing.
Skeeter had a lot more trail left in his legs. When we got to the waterfall, he asked “Where is everybody?” I told him, “all the little kids have gone back down ahead of us. The big kids are going to the top.” “I want to go to the top,” says he. “It’s 5 more miles,” says me. Raising both fists in the air, he announced “I can do it!” (I considered it for about 2 seconds before I came to my senses and we headed back down to camp.
About 2/3 of the way back down, Zeke stopped a total stranger on the trail and asked super pitifully, “Would you carry me?”
I could tell that good-hearted guy was considering it 😂 😬 😬😬😬😬
I assured him we were fine and continued shepherding my boys down.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell on a hike if your 5 year old is actually tired or just bored. I think Zeke was actually tired.
Smiles at the Trailhead
The summit hikers’ report from the resident Captain
Great climb with the kiddos up Mt. Timpanogos, Utah elevation 11,752 ft. above sea level. This was a deceptively difficult climb, but we made it safely. The views were spectacular, and this ranks as the most scenic climb I have done. We hiked about 16 miles round trip and it took us about 14 hours.
First waterfallWe stopped at Emerald Lake where Pumpkin Pie and Peach Pie decided to stay at the lake while we continued. After looking up at what was still left to climb, I didn’t blame them. This mountain teases and tricks you. If you look at the top center, you can see a small white speck which is the shed at the summit.4 made it to the summit
This was the most difficult climb and tallest mountain that Cherry Pie and Key Lime Pie had attempted. Both of them did great.
Key Lime Pie was an amazing climber. She kept up with her uncles and made it all the way to the top. “I guess I inherited your climbing ability, Dad.”Cherry Pie adds her name to the list of summit champions.Going back down what is left of the glacier.
We decided to glissade down the snow field instead of hiking back down the trail. You can see the scale of the mountain by how small we look.
Peach Pie’s trek “family”Smiling in this picture, but apparently, the hand bar slipped up and bashed her in the face several times 😓My parents, age 68 and 67 went as a Ma and Pa! They are real pioneer stock.Pumpkin Pie’s trek family
This was a fun dress to make. I used the tunic pattern from Sew Serendipity, lengthened the sleeves, and added a full skirt. 6 yards of hand block printed cotton voile
Peach Pie turned 15 years old this month. The year of her birth is tied to several landmarks of my life.
The year I was pregnant with Peach Pie, I joined Mary Kay. We started building the house we are now living in. I ended my eight year career in the Missouri National Guard. (If I had not been pregnant, I would have been deployed with others my National guard unit to Afghanistan.
Soon after she was born, we had the worst ice storm of my adult life. Our house was out of power for 10 days. I learned a lot about emergency preparedness from that time.
Peach Pie’s
Favorite color is deep Navy Blue
Favorite food: surf -n-turf burritos
Wants to be a baker and a mom when she grows up.
Has been taking violin lessons for 2 years. She practices diligently without me hounding her and paid for her own lessons by baking and selling bread for several months last year when I couldn’t pay for them. I’m so proud of her dedication and consistent work. Her goal music is “The Erle King” by Schubert
Loves all things Studio Ghibli. Howl’s Moving Castle is her favorite of Haywood Miyazaki’s films.
Peach Pie bakes all the bread for our family, keeps the bathrooms clean, helps keep the Scooter Pies busy, and asks me several times each day if she can do anything to help me, in addition to 6-7 hours of homeschool lessons, which she works through largely independently while I am teaching math and reading to the four youngest.
Marvelous Pigs in Satin 