Lemons to Lemonade. and other delicious food.

It starts as a simple trip to Costco.

(can trips to Costco be simple?)

And then because I want a lemon, 

I buy a huge bag of lemons,

 to save another trip to the store.

Then I have 101 lemons.

Lucky for me, I am currently obsessed with lemons.

Last fall it was tomatoes.

Now it is lemons.

We've had a LOT of fresh squeezed lemonade. It's a good one for kids to do.

The night before school started we had a lesson on 

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

We've had a few setbacks in life for a couple kids, and I wanted to help put it into perspective. 

Gosh, I needed it for me, too.

I got five small paper cups and squeezed some lemon juice into each one.

I told everyone at the same time to drink it.

I asked them what they thought.

It's bitter, too strong, not sweet, not good, etc.

Then I gave them lemonade and told them to drink while I talked.

We talked about how we make lemonade.

Lemonade is lemons plus water and sugar.

Lemonade is lemons (trials) plus water (gospel of Christ) and Sugar (positive attitude).

John 4: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The gospel of Jesus Christ through Christ's atonement will help us get through trials, setbacks, or disappointments, and prayer and a positive attitude will make them sweeter and more bearable.

We talked about when Alma and his people were in bondage to the Lamanites.

Mos. 24: 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

If Christ can turn water into wine

then He can make our trials SWEET.

And Not by removing the lemons.

Life is about getting lemons - make lemonade.

And these!...

Here's some other things we've been making with lemons (and I love lemon zest) that are SO good:

and this, Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

(with chicken)

Yum!!

FOUR

Happy Birthday Mackayla!!

We love your funky style

and your sweetness.

You hate meat but will force yourself to eat a little because you like the idea of it giving you big muscles

You STILL get the hiccups when you laugh really hard

You still love drawing and filling a page with intricate designs

Your food cannot touch on your plate and you absolutely CANNOT have dirty hands or spills at the table

You remember names and people better than most

Sweet*Sassy*Strong*Sensitive and everything in between

You value cleanliness and order

You value your dad's opinion greatly and love to show him things

For your birthday celebration we went to Soak City with Dad on Saturday

On Wednesday, the 12th, your birth day, we had a few close friends come for cupcakes and ice cream, (and pirate booty your favorite!!) at the park.

We threw water balloons and played bean boozled too.

the ice cream melted... 

Once everyone was done with the game you went ahead and ate the rest of the dozen beans left.

The gross ones like dog food and vomit you quietly took out, looking like you would cry, and daintily handed them to me. Then you would dig right in and grab another to try.

I think that describes you well...equally brave, unafraid, sensitive and subtle.

 

 Your biggest concern about turning 4 and getting bigger was that you would be too big for me to pick you up anymore.

And you were so relieved when I picked you up in the morning and hugged you - I think it made your day. 

You want to be big, but not too big. We're on the same page :)

California Science Center

Endeavor Spaceship

Quite a feat just getting it into this building through small neighborhoods

  

 The best part is it's free!

Team Sorting

Getting caught up now finally. Last Saturday we went to Circle S Ranch so Ben could do some team sorting. I always go feeling out of place and leave thinking horse people are so friendly.

I also don't edit my pictures anymore with our new crazy computer update...so here they are, off center, garbages, bad lighting and all.

 Pledge at the beginning...

 Waiting their turn 

 Team sorting starts with ten cows

all marked with a number

A team of three riders has to sort them in numerical order beginning with a random first number, such as 4, then 5, 6, and so on.

The fastest time in the right order wins.

The announcer for the night loves Ben and always tries to get him to come.

He was as entertaining as watching the sorting!

Art, Football, Beach, Pioneers

Canvas Art

  then they made their own fresh squeezed lemonade and baked apples that they thought they tasted like apple pie.

The best part was that they did all the work :)

Cody did a football camp last week and was pretty excited to tell us that he scored two touchdowns in his last game of the week. They ran them hard that week, it was great!

 Beach days are always fun with friends

 Macey flying a kite! 

  Macey has really taken to boogie boarding lately. I've got to get a picture!

 Today we had ward beach day. It's always fun but I was dragging my feet.

Some days I don't feel like packing up enough junk for a week and walking it a mile (mostly) by myself. But Cody needed to play with some boys, desperately. (He tells me all the time he needs a brother. Good thing he has Rushmad.) So we went and he played all day with his friends who are boys and loved every minute! We always love beach days.

I found this super random paper from 1997 somewhere in my stuff.
#7 - If I could live anywhere, it would be - somewhere by a beach.
Perfect.
And why would I choose a bus for a free car? That is weird.

Stake pioneer day is always so fun.

Ben and Kayla waited in line over an hour until everyone was almost gone for these balloons!!