Simple Summer Pleasures...

What a summer! Many big things have happened but mostly the summer has passed by in a lazy concoction of simple pleasures...

Sandbox Fun...One of the best investments Don and I made was in the wood we bought to construct a simple sandbox under our large shade tree in the backyard. The girls and their friends will spend hours making tunnels and make-believe lands in the sand. It makes for a lot of sweeping and vacuuming when they come inside,but well worth the happy expressions!

Taylor and Autumn digging a tunnel.

Bizzie found a spoon for a shovel and Liberty just wants to be part of the fun.

Isaac made a very impressive mud mountain.

Ice Cream and Popsicles...Lots and lots of cold treats this summer! You'll note that in most of the pictures it is rare to find Liberty in anything but a diaper... the laundry became too much...

More Time with Dad... With all the girls home all the time (no swim lessons, fewer play dates, etc.) it's been easier to do more spontaneous things with Don. Liberty has developed an interest in books lately and wants the same book read over and over, this is a picture of Don's 4th time through a book on animals and Don had begun to add his own storyline that had more to do with destroying the animals....



The initials on the tree are Don's grandparents. They loved this area of the mountains.

Beautiful Autumn.

Small as she is Molly is full of energy and loves our hikes.

Bizzie and one of her famous poses.

I love Liberty's expression in this!

New Beginnings... We have been waiting and working for quite sometime for Jenny and Bill to join the Raymer family from the Congo. A sincere thank you for all who cared for, supported and prayed for them as they made their journey to America. And though, as you'll see in a minute, this is out of order here is their first hike into Utah Mountains and their farewell to Congo friends and plane trip here.

Bizzie and Bill looking at the Payson Grotto waterfall.

All of us with the Utah County Valley behind us.

Devil's Kitchen: Julia, Jenny, Bizzie, Rachel, Liberty, Autumn & Bill.

Autumn warming up in the sun after taking a soak under the waterfall!

Bill

Jenny and Don messing around in the Congo at Bernard's home. (Bernard's family watched over the kids until we could get them here.)

Jenny, good friend, and Bill.

Jenny and Bill with Bernard's family.

Bill and Jenny in the Paris airport waiting for their connecting flight to Utah (11 hours done, 11+ more to go...)

BBQ's and Fireworks... The 24th, and any other occasion we can think of is cause for an Olsen BBQ. It's one of Don's and my favorite summer activities. The smells, the foods, the families and friends - all create a high enjoyment factor!

Grandma Raymer and Bizzie at our house.

Jenny and Bizzie

Jessie

Autumn trying to get her sparkler going.

Bizzie protecting her ears from the noise (she hates loud noises) while showing me the firework she was going to light.

Grandma Raymer protecting Liberty's eyes from the flashing strobe fireworks.

Here's just a quick nod to our TRUE BLUE blood. Autumn spent the week at a BYU Cheerleading day camp. She loved it!

Pretty Girls and Water... I understand that I am bias but I think my girls are gorgeous (inside and out)! Here are pictures of pretty them and a glimpse of Liberty discovering the joys of a dripping hose.

Bizzie

Autumn

A good ol' boy picture of Liberty and our dog, Molly.

The fascinating drip.

Liberty and the drip:)

More drips and wetness...

Storms and Minnows... This was a fun day. There was a freak storm on a hot, muggy day and the girls wanted to watch it while they ate popsicles. I managed to snap a shot of them before they caught on and looked around at me. Then later that day, between soaking rains and lightening storms, we went to a park and caught minnows in a bottle.

And finally the highlight of the summer... Cousins and Freezing Water... We were so excited to have the Steveson's here with us for 3 weeks. This is the day we went up to the Spanish Fork Resevoir, the water was...invigorating... Jenny and Liberty

Mary studying for her Human Anatomy Final which she got an "A" on!!!

Ethan spent most of his time digging.

Bizzie posing...

Emma and Bizzie (who is posing...)

Sadie, Autumn, and Isaac

Frozen Autumn

I had to get a good picture of Isaac's cool teeth!

Bill

Emma soaking up the heat form the sand.

Finally Sarah and I took the plunge, it reminded us of our younger days trying to enjoy ourselves in the glacier lakes of Washington!