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
The Scooter Pies play many games of Forbidden Island and Sushi Go! with momWatercolor narrations from “As You Like It” clockwise from top left: by Peach Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Cherry PieKey Lime Pie’s Bear FamilyBanana Cream Pie’s Baby SealApple Pie’s Brown BearPumpkin Pie goes to Homecoming Dance
Operation Real-Life Math is a success! We calculated the cost to make bread and cinnamon rolls, figured their profit from sales, and even used algebra to figure out the most fair way to split that profit! The girls are happy with their earnings and their business. I was happy to see them getting up early on their own to make the bread. Responsibility is the best lesson of all.
When our girls turn twelve, they can choose to get their ears pierced for their birthday. When I was 14, I got my ears pierced. I was so excited and I loved it. (And it hurt!)
But when first Cherry Pie and then Pumpkin Pie chose it, all of a sudden it seems barbaric to me. My precious daughter is getting holes punched in her body 😬
By a whole bunch, I mean that she buys several bolts of flannel, as in, she could start a store with the bolts of flannel she has in Rubbermaid tubs upstairs. It is awesome.
For Christmas, my sisters and sister-in-laws and I are invited over for pajama day. We cut out pajamas and sometimes get them sewn up as well. Mom does crafts and reads stories with the grandkids while we have a great time chopping up those yards and yards of flannel.
This year, I got all the girls’ Christmas pajamas cut out, but not sewn. Those almost pajamas languished in a pile for more than 2 months.
Then last Friday afternoon the snow began falling. It continued to fall all night and all the next morning. Saturday morning I fixed breakfast (funnel cakes) and cleaned up the kitchen. Then it was time to fix lunch (hash browns scrambled eggs, and country gravy–I was in a breakfast mood still). After lunch I took a nap (pregnant ladies get to do that sometimes. ) When I woke up the snow was still falling.
So I got out my sewing machine. I popped my 6 hour A&E Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle) in the DVD player. I pulled out that stack of Christmas pajamas and got busy. By the time Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett were married and kissing the bride, I had finished four flannel pants, one fleece pants and matching fleece hoodie, and one nightgown.
I still had one nightgown left, so I put I my Focus Films version of Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly and Matthew McFaydden). That was a mistake. While I can sometime watch this version and get enjoyment from it (sometimes I need a P&P fix and I don’t have 6 hours), Kiera just can’t hold up in a back to back comparison. The timing of every line is off and the whole thing is over acted.
I just put my head down and finished that last nightgown.
Finishing that big project was so satisfying, that I got sewing fever. Church was canceled on Sunday because of bad road conditions and I had to fight the siren song of my sewing machine all day long. But I triumphed over that temptation and my machine had its day of rest.
Then today, I whipped the cover back off and sewed again. Peach Pie and Pumpkin Pie each have an 18″ doll that they got for Christmas three years ago. (They aren’t American Girl Dolls, they are a Target knock-off version.)
Well the dream of these two girls hearts has been to have matching pajamas with their dolls. I saved the scraps from cutting out their nightgowns and Voila! Today their wildest dreams came true!!
I was a little worried when I got out the pattern pieces. These doll clothes always take more fabric than I think they should.
If you look closely, you can see that I quilted the yoke on this nightgown. I used the AG pattern for Kristen’s nightgown, which you can download here. I just left the cuffs off the sleeves and turned the neck piece under so the nightgown would be the same as Peach Pie’s.
Pumpkin Pie is happy too. Hooray for being twiners with your doll!
One good thing about these dolls is that they make thinking up Christmas presents easy. What shall I get for the girls for Christmas? Doll clothes & accessories!!
Last Christmas, I made this beautiful red wool coat from an old wool blazer and a little girl’s plaid wool shirt. Isn’t it gorgoeus?!! I had so much fun sewing it.
I enbroidered the button holes by hand because they were so small that I was afraid my machine would just bung them up. The covered buttons came right from the shirt.
Sewing doll clothes is so much more fun now than it was when I was a girl, because the clothes look good and fit the doll when I am done!! This apron dress was made from scraps left over from a dress I made Peach Pie. It isn’t as close a match in style as the nightgown, but it’s not too bad. That tiny ric rac around the apron was murderous to sew.
I didn’t have another thrifted wool piece to make PumpkinPie’s doll coat, so hers is made from fleece. It worked well enough and is pretty, but it isn’t luminous the way the wool is. Yes, I made the tam-o-shanter and muff, too.
This dress does not correspond to any of PumpkinPie’s wardrobe. It is just purple, which was her favorite color for a long time. Also, the flowers were a good scale for a doll dress. The coats and this purple dress came from Addy’s Pretty Clothes patterns. The tam and muff are Samantha’s. In my opinion, Addy and Josephine have the prettiest dresses.
Marvelous Pigs in Satin 