Documenting│Our Tiny Little Backyard

If there is one thing Scott and I have been looking forward to, 

since we've had children is having a backyard. 

Our backyard is small and it was definitely not in good shape when we moved in.  

The previous tenants had lived in this place for 16 years and it was not well kept.  

I remember walking into the yard and envisioning what it could look like, 

it had potential, although it is small.

We have done what we could with what we have...and I can say that now I actually enjoy spending time out there.  

We have enjoyed gardening so much, as I have mentioned in prior posts.  It has been a fun activity to do with Scott and the kids.  Scott has especially worked hard, he is the landscaper.  He built a sandbox for the kids, which they love and play there all the time.  It was a lot of work and the sand was not cheap but it was definitely worth it. 

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago, now our peach tree is full of 'almost' ripen fruit.  

Our pumpkin was thriving when I took these pictures, it got some sort of powdery mildew on all the leaves and I didn't take care of it quickly so I had to cut most of the leaves.  The plant is still alive though.  We have two pumpkins and hopefully we'll start getting more.  This gardening thing is learning process. 

When we moved in there was basically no grass, and under the deck was a nasty mess.  Scott put some mulch under there and sodded part of the yard.  Now we have grass, the sprinkler system is messed up so if we forget to water we get some brown patches, but for the most part we are trying hard to keep that grass alive! 

Any kind of landscape that you see Scott has done.  He is so good at it and I'm glad I have him to make things happen.  

I have to say that our tomato plants have done so well.  I can't believe we pulled it off.  

We have been thoroughly enjoying our tomatoes.  

We've had a good crop of zucchini as well, I don't know what to do with it all! 

I have to shred a whole bunch of it and freeze it!

We've gotten a few cucumbers, jalapeños and green and red peppers.  

My flowers haven't done as well as I had hoped.  I did everything from seed and I think next year I'm just buying starters.  We planted cosmos and they have grown more than we had expected, like 7 to 8 feel tall.  I didn't expect them to grow this tall.  So I think I'm planting something else next year. 

It is a nice feeling knowing that we've worked hard to make this space a livable, usable space.  I actually have loved working on beautifying our tiny little backyard.  I feel productive and it is therapeutic being out there trying to keep everything alive.  It's my time, to be with me and my thoughts, when I do it alone...or be with Scott and share our hard work together.  

Llama Fest

My mom heard of a Llama Fest in Spanish Fork, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to dress the kids in their traditional Peruvian clothes and go take picture of them with the llamas, to make it that much more authentic! ha ha!:)

Can you tell how thrilled my kids are? It was a hot day and they were DONE wearing the clothes.  Braden's face is particularly exciting!:) ha ha! 

It really was such a fun event.  

The music was great and the folklore dances were so well done. 

It was so fun watching the dancers, it made me want to be part of their company.  

The kids loved feeding the llamas. 

The festival was held in the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork.  

The sun was setting as we were heading home. 

It was such a fun activity, we are definitely going again next year. 

Our Summer Days Part III

We love all the hiking trails here in Utah; I love discovering all these fun places together with Scott and the kids.  This time we headed to Rocky Mouth trail.  The trail is hidden in between these huge houses in Sandy.  At first we were a little confused and it took us a little to find it but we finally found it.  It didn't take long to get to the waterfall and it was so beautiful.  We had lunch up there and the kids loved playing in the water and with the rocks.  The waterfall was fun and we were able to watch some people repelling down from it. I'm grateful that we get to experience the outdoors as a family.  It helps me realize how much we have to be grateful for.  Heavenly Father's creations are so amazing and beautiful.  I'm grateful that we all have healthy bodies and we can get to some beautiful spots.  I hope our kids have memories of our outdoor activities, because I know for me, those are some of my favorite memories as a child.  

 ******

We were able to get to Provo a few times this summer to spend time with my sister and her little Vanessa. She is growing way too fast and I'm so glad that they are only a drive away.  

We took the kids to splash pad and they had a great time.  We experienced some very hot days this summer, so it's always nice to be able to cool down at the splash pad.  

I wanted to take a picture with all the kids, but Brooke wasn't having it.  She was not a happy camper. 

She was a lot happier playing in the water. 

Nya took a picture of me and Vanessa then Brooke got a bit jealous and decided that she also wanted to be in the picture!

We had a great time together and I'm glad that I got to hold and play with my little niece!

******

My mom went to Florida to see 3 of her siblings who live there.  It had been quite a few years since they had been able to get together, so my mom stayed there for 6 weeks.  She rode the AMTRAK because she is terrified of flying.  She cracks me up and I make fun of her about this...Anyway, my mom loves adventures, that's how she saw her 4 day trip there and 4 day trip back-'va a ser una aventura!', she said.  It will be an adventure.  I love that she sees life that way.  While she was in Florida, she and my aunt Ruthy worked on this BIG surprise.  My mom kept telling me about 'la gran sorpresa', the BIG surprise every time we talked on the phone.  They worked on it the whole time she was there.  

She was right, it was one of the most meaningful surprises EVER! 

They sewed these traditional Peruvian clothes for all four of my mom's grandchildren.  Every detail was careful sewn and put together.  So much thought went into it.  

I love my roots and where I come from, I am grateful that my mom teaches my children about our heritage and culture as something to be proud of, because our roots are something to celebrate and appreciate.

We played some huayno (a traditional Peruvian dance) and we danced and danced.  The kids were so into it and loved it.  

I'm so glad that my children have a diverse background, we don't only get to talk about their Peruvian heritage but about their Danish, German, English, French, Spanish...they are a wonderful mix! 

I am grateful that my mom took the time to give us this wonderful gift, which as I told her, really is a treasure.    

******

I took the kids to Gilgal Sculpture Garden to have a picnic.  I have to admit, some of the sculptures were a little strange but the setting was really pretty with trees and grass to lay a blanket and have a picnic.  You would never know that it is where it is, unless you know what you're looking for.  It was a fun excuse to go have a picnic and the kids enjoyed running around until it got scorching hot and everyone was ready for nap/quiet time at home with air conditioning.  

This sphinx with Joseph Smith's head was interesting...

There are interesting scriptures written on the stepping stones and the whole garden has an interesting feel to it.  I appreciated the creativity and time that was put into it and I'm glad that we were able to go.