Birthday Party

Tamara and Grandma Johnson had their birthdays on the 19th. Jann attended a party when one of her friends turned 40, and they had an anti-aging party, with facials, manicures, and message. So she decided we needed to do something similar: a redneck spa experience. It was Dave's Spa and Garage. (Or Dave's Body Shop?)

After warming in the sauna (they work coats in a closet), we exfoliated their foot calluses with an orbital sander. 

Dave's doesn't have hot water in the evening, so they soaked their feet in cold water, after which they had an electricical tape face lift and hot towel facial.

During the facial treatment, they had hand and foot messages. Brett missed out, so Pete helped Amy.

Finally, they had full-body messages, which meant kids or grandkids rolling all over them.

In the end, we had both Grandma Johnson...

...and Tammy blow out candles (but not on the cake, for some reason).

Jann said even though it was red-necky, it still felt nice.

The Dangers of the Hunt

We went Christmas tree hunting yesterday, with our old friends the Adams, and also with our new friends the Smiths, who bought our old house. They said multiple people had pestered them about having a big tree, so Jann offered to take them with us. They were not prepared for a day out in winter weather.

Ian/Jack thinking about hitting his brothers with snowballs.

Adam thinking along the same lines.

Sam and Laura and Katriina Adams.

I found a great tree, and had Pete hack it down before Jann even saw it because (1) Jann was nowhere to be seen, and (2) it was a great tree. Here we are on the way to Sam Smith's tree, with him, Pete, Jann.

Sam Smith hacking away at his tree..

...and his leg, it turns out. He said the lesson he learned was to let the chain stop before you rest it on your leg. We helped him reconsider his lesson learned by calmly shouting No! Never touch the chain to your leg!

Sam and Marta with their tree.

It was a beautiful day.

Pete cutting down Sam Johnson's tree. Since Sam is Sophomore class president, he needed a tree for the high school.

Jack's Baptism

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson brought Peter and Laura from school. Em drove from Oregon too. And Brett and Grandma and Grandpa Murdock came too. 

Pete did the baptism, at Big Jack's request.

Laura and Sam jamming while Grandpa and Brooklyn dance.

Grandma Johnson.

Grandma Murdock.

Pete's buddy and roommate Austin Brown.

Frosting cookies.

Laura was the most careful decorator.

Matthew enjoying one of his creations.

We walked over to show people the Forsgren's house that we may be purchasing in a few weeks here.

Sam taking portraits. Em with her red hair.

Pete with his Special Blend coat.

All Hallow's Eve'n

Sam and Adam went as X-Men, but Jack wanted to be Robin Hood.

Jack with Pumpkin Jack.

Wolverine, Dr. X (with Cerebro), and Robin Hood.

Mexican standoff.

Spud Harvest

Most of the week spud harvest was scheduled was rained out, so Sam had to skip school for a few days to finish up. Didn't miss much at school..

Sam's little brothers brought him a pumpkin empanada, as is traditional in our family.

Riding the scraper tractor.

Sam giving his mommy a heart-shaped ptoato.

Road Trip

With the Mom and kids out of town visiting Emily for spud harvest, Sam and I bached it for a week. On Sunday, we decided to hit the road as General Conference was ending, because Sam needs 50 hours of driving before he can get his license. We drove from Rexburg to Ririe, to Swan Valley, over Piney Pass to Victor, and back through Tetonia and Teton to Rexburg. It took about 3.5 hours. Lots more to go..

Sam at the old Teton Dam site.

Yellowstone Before the Cold Sets In

Took a nice drive to Yellowstone. Saw lots of bison and pronghorn, but no bears or wolves.

The Yellowstone River, near Tower Fall

Nice sitting rock

Headed down Uncle Tom's Trail

Lower Falls on Yellowstone

Most decidedly not a Christmas card photo

Headed back up the stairs. The sign said it was not for the faint of heart.

Washing out feet off after some dusty trails.

Jack didn't get the idea that if you wash your feet off, but don't wear shoes back to the car, you'll get them dirty again. I had to carry him..

Jenny Lake and Smoke of Fire

We spent some time Monday (Labor Day) with Grandma and Grandpa and the Bretts at Jenny Lake. Grandpa and Brett fished, I paddled the kayak, and the kids swam.

Sam and I put in on the east of the lake, where the Jenny Lake Lodge road is right by the lake. We had about a mile paddle to get to the picnic spot.

Giving rides to Grandma and Brooklyn

Big Jack, Sam, the kayak, and Grandpa fishing, if you can find him. The smoke was from several small local fires.

The water was cold, but they waded anyway. Only Sam went in all the way, just to show his manliness.

Brian's famous cowlick.

To further prove his manhood, Sam wanted to show us his sixpack. I think the little pooch below his belly button counts as a seventh pack, don't you?

Matthew and Adam thinking about going in.

Jann bringing Grandpa back for lunch.

Brett concentrating. No fish were harmed in the filming this day.