Mt Baldy

Every Thursday we make a delivery of greens to Natural Pantry in Anchorage.

We decided that since we were out and about that we would make it our hiking day as well.

So Makenna and I do the delivery and then pick a hiking trail to conquer.

Today we brought Corban with us which I kind of feel is a mistake because those two are like oil and water.

They kind of made the hike a but miserable with all their bickering.

There were a few moment when they were nice to each other and since the scenery was incredible it was doable.

But man...

You'd think they would have grown out of that.

Anyway, get ready for tons of pictures.

We had to hike through a little bit of snow but it was pretty easy and I was even wearing hiking sandals.

The top was incredible with a 360 degree view of everything.

Breathtaking!

What we do daily

Three days a week we are harvesting and bagging greens.

We spend a couple of hours doing it.

Makenna decided to give me a crazy face when I asked to take a picture of her and Super Green Mountain.

Right now we are packaging between 250-300 bags.

That will change in a few weeks when our production catches up.

We spend most of the day out in the greenhouse and garden.

Matt is enjoying working from home as a farmer now.

It's pretty incredible what we have been able to do so far.

We only have 28 of the 76 rows planted outside but that will change in the next little while.

 

Sunday Shenanigans

Today Kenna, Corban and I went and sat on the dock while Matt and Bri were at meetings.

The weather was perfect we just couldn't stay away.

I am so grateful that summer decided to come this year.

It felt like it took forever.

Makenna found a little spider and it was running on her hands, until I blew it away and then I was able to snap these priceless photos.

 By the time we were there for about 30 minutes Corban had lost his clothing down to his underwear and was 'walking' in the water while Makenna reprimanded him for breaking the Sabbath.

Needless to say, it was a great way to spend the after noon.

 Also, on the way home from church we noticed that the swans were back so we pulled over and watched them for a little while.

It was so beautiful. 

 

Sunlight

Friday morning I went and got Afton for a sleepover at our house.

It's kind of fun to think that I have a grandkid that can come for sleepovers. 

He has the cutest little square feet that are kind of stinky.

He loves to eat bananas.

He is talking so much and walks around our house repeating over and over- Kenna and Ninny.

I love that my grandma name is Ninny.

He also calls Matt, Papa.

So dang cute! 

He loves to be outside and just sit on the four wheeler.

He loves all the dogs and when they bark he likes to tell them to shut up(thanks to the other kids).

He laughed out loud as he ran around chasing a butterfly.

He slept all night and didn't even move.

I took him down to the lake and at first he wasn't sure about it but after a few minutes he was kicking his feet in the water and soaking everything around him.

I took him on the paddle boat as well and he loved it.

I'm grateful that we get to have him close.

Also, we are in the process of planting 75 rows of market garden.

It's going to take a little while! 

 

The Butte- Attempt Two

Today we were about ten minutes from the top when we decided to turn around and go get Little Millers.

It was a good choice.

Next time we attempt it we will go around the other side.
It was an incredible day though.

We laid in the grass and let the wind blow through our hair. 

It blew a lot.

That is what happens in Palmer.

I am grateful I live in such an amazing place. 

 

Communion

This morning the sun was out and when I woke up and looked out the window at the lake, I knew that I needed to spend some time there communing with my Heavenly Father.

I looked up the definition of communion and it means the sharing of intimate thoughts or feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.

I grabbed my scriptures and a sweatshirt(it was 630 am) and headed down there.
The birds were in full chorus welcoming in the day.

I wiped the morning dew off my orange porch swing and just took it all in for a minute.

A little bird perched in a tree to check me out with food in her mouth.

She flew off probably to take that food to her babies.

I opened up to Alma 41 and learned more about the law of restoration.

The world has this thing called the law of attraction.

It's this idea that if you visualize something enough it will come true.

I think maybe the law of restoration was the basis for that but the world has twisted it just enough where it is not God's law anymore.

Here are some principles and doctrine from that chapter:

*We will be raised to happiness and good according to our desires for those things.

*Wickedness NEVER was happiness

* God has already prepared the WAY for us- and I thought of how the WAY is another name for Christ!

*We are our own judges 

*If you are merciful, judge righteously and do good those same things will be restored to you- like do unto others as you would have them do unto you!

And lastly

*"For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again and be restored"

I LOVE the scriptures.

I LOVE early mornings.

And I LOVE this life I get to live every day!

Let us eat Lettuce!

Most of our summer is being spent packaging all things green.

This week we have already packaged 106 mixed lettuce, 60 super greens and 30 kale.

The kids LOVE lettuce.

They are so weird about it.

They eat it by the handfuls.

At least I know they are getting their leafy greens in.

After we finish packaging there are usually little bits and pieces left on the drying table.

Makenna and Brittan love to see who can fit the most of it in their mouths at once.

Silly girls.

I love them! 

Terrific Tuesday

After 9 months of sending countless emails, examining people's family trees and combing through DNA results, this morning I discovered who my great grandfather was! 

Floyd Curtis Hanna was the father of my grandpa, Albert Austin Hayes.

This is a BIG deal!

I am so excited to have finally figured it all out.

Also, the day was wonderful with a morning kayak ride with Amy, beautiful formed rows for planting and and evening adventure with some of my favorite young women.

What an incredible life I live in an incredible time in the history of the world!

 

Marvelous Monday

We had such a really great day today.

I'm still fatigued but I think the iron I am taking is helping.

Makenna and I took a walk this morning. 

We only got down the driveway.

She wanted to commune with the cows and they wanted to kiss the dogs!

After that we spent most of the day working on the farm.

All of us girls have Xtratuf boots so we had to get a good shot of our dirty boots.

 We burned holes in plastic, Makenna made Jack smile and Matt got the rows ready for planting.

 After we were done we jumped on the paddle boat to go across the lake and check out the eagle's nest.

It's pretty amazing!

 

Mortality

Yesterday evening was interesting.

I got a little glimpse of my mortality.

I have really never been sick. 

Once I almost died after having a C-section in 1999.

I hemorraged.

Don't worry though.

I lived.

However, yesterday afternoon I didn't feel quite right.

I googled my symptoms.

Never do that.

Anyway, I thought I had a heart attack.

I didn't.

But I did find out that I am severely anemic and have a pretty significant heart murmur.

Red blood cell count is supposed to be between 12.9-16.

Mine was 7.9.

Which explains a whole lot of why I have been so tired for a long time.

Anyway, now I have three different doctors they are wanting me to see.

Specialists and such.

I'll be fine, but it did make me pause for a second and think of what it would be like to not be here anymore.

I always imagined I would outlive a lot of my loved ones, if not most of them.

That will probably still happen.

Now I just need to take a little better care of myself. 

Beautiful Day

The weather here has been crappy.

Have I said that yet?

Haha

Today, even though clouds were present and rain dropped several times, we spent the entire time outside.

We got produce ready for the market.

We're taking kale, super greens, lettuce, sun shoots, pea sprouts, radishes, head lettuce, and bok choy.

Matt was finally able to get the tractor out into the field.

I am not sure there are many things I love more than fresh dirt.

The smell was incredible.

 We got a new dog- Jack!

A friend of mine was getting rid of him for free.

He's a black lab and about two years old.

We told Corban it was his dog.

He LOVES to play and loves attention.

He can sit and speak and retrieve whatever we throw.

 We ended the day with s'mores around the campfire.

I love summer.

I hope it gets warmer but even if it doesn't I am determined to enjoy it.

 

Happy Tears

Today when I picked up the mail there was a package from Corona, CA where Dallin is serving.

I had no idea what it was.

I opened it and saw this weird looking heart and then read the letter.

It said:

"Hi! I'm Kristen Vasquez. My family and I often feed you r son and his companions when someone in the ward cancels on him or they just need food. We have grown to love your son and love having him in our home. My 16 year old son, Carson, is particularly fond of spending time with your son and his companion too. They were over the other night and I needed help with a projecct I was planning on doing with my first grade class. I began thinking that maybe you would like to have it for Mother's Day. I had the boys sit down and write a Mother's Day card too. I know they are big but you will never have a thumbprint at their age again. I am hoping you don't think this is too silly."

Needless to say, I cried at the kindness and thoughtful gift.

I placed my finger over his finger prints and I tried to pull it together.

Being a mom of a missionary is beautiful and hard.

I have missed him terribly.

He comes home in two months.

I can't wait to see him and squeeze him again. 

Seward Day Two

Today did not turn out as great as I had hoped.

I have only gotten seasick once before and didn't think it was going to be a problem this time.

Wrong.

I didn't sleep well at all on that concrete floor.

And eating things I normally don't didn't set well with me.

About an hour or so into the boat ride I was as sick as sick can get.

I never got to the throw up stage but it was close a few times.

We did see a pod of orca's which was totally cool. 

I survived though.

We rode the train back to Anchorage and saw a really cool bridge in front of a glacier.

I was glad to get home though.

It was a good weekend mostly all the the way around.