Summer Joys

Summer evenings in Utah are an absolute pleasure.  Perfect temperatures, gorgeous sunsets and the sounds of crickets everywhere.  I love them.  And I am especially enjoying them this year under my new pergola with subtle lighting for ambiance.  It makes me happy.  The only regret is that they don't last year round :(

Thanks Aunt Missy for the idea of making your own frosted laterns.  So fun and beautiful.

Foam Day

Lehi City holds an annual "Foam Day" each year.  We have heard from those that have attended in the past that it is a lot of fun so we made an effort to get there this year.  It did not disappoint.  The fire department sponsors it and they shoot this foam from their hoses.  It accumulates quite rapidly so there is plenty for all.  This kids enjoyed slipping and sliding in it, burying one another and just goofing around.  The cousins met us there as well as Aunt Amberly and my friend Libby with her twins.  What a nice event and it didn't even cost us a cent. 

Bear Lake Family Reunion

Our New Addition!

We have a beautiful deck with a beautiful view. But we never could fully enjoy it in the middle of the summer because it would get too hot.  So we recently had someone build a pergola over it.  We absolutely love it.  It changes the whole feel of the deck and I envision many hours spent out there now.  Plus I am having fun deciding how to enhance the space so that it feels more inviting.  I am thinking lights and hanging flower baskets, but the possibilities are endless.  It is just so fun to have options.

Baby Hummingbirds' Progression

Here our are babies at almost 3 weeks.  We imagine in a couple of days they will be ready to leave their nest and fly away.  It will be so sad but it has been a pleasure for us to watch them grow.  They have gotten to be so big.

Food, Fireworks and Fun

  We had an enjoyable holiday this year.  It was super relaxed,  perfect weather, there was great food, and a wonderful vibe in the neighborhood with friends and fireworks.  I couldn't have asked for more.

Roger got out his smoker and he made a delicious brisket with homemade BBQ sauce.  We had calico baked beans with brisket burnt ends in it,  homemade rolls with raspberry honey butter, deviled eggs, fruit and corn on the cob.  For dessert we had Texas Sheet Cake with homemade vanilla ice cream and a strawberry-rhubarb compote on top.  It was wonderful.  Roger and I have sure learned a lot from watching the Food Network and we enjoy cooking together and making new and exciting things.  Yummy!

Afterwards we lit off some fireworks but mainly enjoyed watching all of the shows around us.  Since Utah made aerial fireworks legal, it was incredible to see the displays.  We could see out across the lake and every where you looked it was beautiful and inspiring.  What a perfect day.

4th of July

Each year we try and make it to the launching of the hot air balloons that are part of the Freedom Festival.  This is one tradition that I do my best to encourage for a couple of reasons.  Not only is it fun and cool to see but it has significant meaning for the Felix Family.  When my mom had Leukemia, she spent several months in and out of the hospital receiving chemo and trying to recover.  After her final session, and her platelets were looking good, she was ready to be discharged, hopefully for good.  As she was waiting to go home, she looked out of her hospital room window and saw all the hot air balloons floating in the sky.  It was such an inspirational sight after such a long and difficult journey.  It gave her hope and joy and she always remembers that moment.  We have been blessed that she was able to overcome the cancer and is still with us 23 years later.  Each time we go and see the balloons marks another year with her and reminds us of our blessings.

This year the weather was kind of crazy so they weren't able to launch the balloons.  Nonetheless, it was still fun to be among them as they inflated.  Afterwards we all enjoyed a yummy breakfast at Ihop.  It was a great way to start the holiday.