July 10

After almost 19 days away from home, we have returned. In that time we failed to write a letter for last week and will make it up this week as I have finally downloaded the 925 pictures from our trip. I will tell stories with them hopefully over the next few weeks about what we have learned and are growing to become.

The 4th of July was a great day spent with my maternal side. We came together to honor my Grandpa H. for his birthday which he refers to as “Groundhog Day.” The best part was to be together and how well the planning and food came. We did a tribute book for my Grandpa. Each was very excited to see it and read their part. We played (swam at a Cottonwood Heights, had a campfire at Millcreek Canyon, participated in the last 30 miles of the Mormon Trail, went to Temple Square, lit fireworks, and flew a kite), worked (did a clean up at one of the chapel’s in the SLC area), and attended church with my Grandpa. We had to leave before the kite was up. It was a huge American flag kite. We drove into Page, AZ for the last 10 minutes of their fireworks show before bedding down for the night.

We arrived home on Tuesday and cleaned up suitcases and the car before collapsing into bed. The one  miracle of the day was that we were not taken out by a tow truck on the freeway in a monsoon downpour. The driver nearly clipped the front passenger side of our car as we were literally 15 minutes from home. L4 worked the rest of the week. I cleaned up the loose ends of keeping house. The boys played. Our neighbor who is 13 gave Underfoot 4 light sabers. Earlier that day, he had asked me if for Christmas he could be given a real light saber. He said he would even buy one for him and Hurricane so they could play together. We have all enjoyed a few light saber wars.

Saturday was our traditional work-like-mad. We volunteered at our HOA community service day by painting. Underfoot is still sporting orange colored paint in his hair. L4 started to take Fred apart to repair him.  Remember Fred is a car. I started to dejunk a closet. Each boy helped us respectively. In the evening we harvested grapes at a friend’s home and shared them with neighbors.