Beauty of the Valley!

Okay, everyone! I have a really great friend who moved to Hawaii a couple of years ago. Since then she has posted GORGEOUS pictures of the island's flora, fauna(turtles) and beaches!

See http://www.thesummerillsurf.blogspot.com/. Well, it turns out now that she's moving back to Utah and I'm actually sad for her having to leave such a beautiful place, because I wouldn't want to. But, I'm simultaneously happy for me since she'll only be a few blocks away! :-)

The following trio of pictures was taken over the last couple of weeks...our last weeks of summer. Erin, my friend, has an eye for seeing beauty all around her, so I'm posting these pictures in her honor. We can find beauty everywhere when we look!

From the Walmart parking lot after grocery shopping...

From our back door...Logan discovered this one.

From a fun walk up the canyon with Grandma Patty...

CABBAGES AND THINGS!!!

"The time has come," Cecilia said,
"To talk of many things:
Of R.A.D. for Women--shorter hair--
Of cabbages--and kings--"

Julian got a little cabbage plant during an assembly at school in the spring. She kept it alive with vigilance and love until we could plant it. It grew into a beautiful plant in our flower bed. People would comment on how pretty it was! This week it looked ready, so we harvested it. After peeling back many holey layers to get past the slugs, we discovered a gorgeous, KING-SIZED, head of cabbage! It weighed 6.2 lbs and was equal to about 4 store-bought cabbages. I made the yummiest salad with a recipe from my good friend, Shanelle.

This past Saturday I "graduated" for the second time from a class called R.A.D. for Women. The first time, I took the course with my sister, Melissa. This time I took it with Mom!! She did great! I did much better this 2nd time around. Practice makes perfect. And with the Free Return and Practice policy, I expect to attend again with some of you!! Come on...you know you want to. It's so liberating and empowering! It's taught by the same guy who was in the red suit at my r.a.d.KIDS classes, and his wife. They are fantastic!

Last, but not least, and thanks to my good friend Stacee who is a fabulous stylist, I went short. Julian did, too. Here we are without the long locks! (Yes. I took that picture of myself.) Logan went for the platinum curls!! Will he ever forgive me???