And the apples taste so good! 
There were a few wormholes, despite spraying a few times this summer. Still those apples made good applesauce. Some were dried, some have been enjoyed with cream cheese apple dip.
That part was easy.
Then there was the left-over glue from some old plastic tiles on the walls.
New wallboard was brought in to cover it up. 
When putting in the tub-surround, the men ended up having to take out the plaster down to the studs--a messier job than we'd hoped for.
But once the new sheetrock was in, and then the tub surround and shower put in, wow! Did things look different!
The pink paint was covered up with a nice beige, to contrast with the white, and a new light fixture was put in over the medicine cabinet. And now, the bathroom is a brand-new room. 
2. Dining room with new colors and curtains.
Another view. Without the drapery, the room is so light. The other two walls are the light, buttery color. The living room still has the lime green that used to be in the dining room as well.
3. The front entry way, done with the same two colors. They brought out the nice color of the oak!
More pictures to come. 
My "little" girls are getting big! They are both now taller than I am.
or reading with Grandpa...
or spending hours and hours with Alice building an X-wing fighter...
or spending hours and hours on the trampoline, with and without the sprinkler.
Even Alastair loved it, along as the rest of the kids didn't bounce too high.
Or mopping the floor?
(notice the gardening gloves)
Or dusting the furniture?
She even helped pick up all the apples that had fallen from the tree.
While Connor was at a tennis class, the rest of us cooled off by wading in the creek.
Later, Catherine taught us how to make cool jewelry.
And on a warm afternoon, the slip-n-slide was fun for big and little kids. All of this was prelude to the next phase--taking Connor and Brenna home with us to Iowa!
They even let me go with her into the operating room and be with her until she fell asleep with the anesthesia.
Then it was only a half hour before the doctor came out to tell me those tonsils had been HUGE and there was no option but to have them removed.
Whether throwing rocks at a certain target,
or floating by, the water is almost magical.
Alice and Emily made many, many trips down the river.
Still, the shade of a tree is sought after in the
I hope our kids remember that Grandma Beth still goes camping at nearly 89 years of age!
Nieces are entertained by their aunt Deborah at Grandma Bailey's piano.
The cool basement often became the refuge in the afternoons of heat.
Brenna wanted her arms stroked, and her grandma loves doing that. Brenna goes into "la la land", and Emma thought she'd give it a try. 
Although we loved doing things with the family, my favorite memories are just in being together. 
where cousins can have a great time with the roasted marshmallows.
Keeping the hot dog "sticks" from poking others makes the event a bit more exciting.
For further excitement, we build a potato gun. 
And if there is any free time, Bocce balls are always nearby. 
No wonder the family loves gathering here.
we went again this year on July 1. I'm glad Alice wanted her picture at the same spot.
Again, 3 years ago,
and this year! How they have grown!
I think that I am not the only one who missed my own bed while on vacation... Especially those days when there were so many people that an air bed on the basement floor was the best that could be found. I hope Connor and Brenna are sleeping better at home.
I know that Arizona boasts of having beautiful sunsets (or they used to), but Idaho sunsets can be spectacular! Especially when helped with the smoky haze from the California wild fires.
I'm glad that we were able to go to the temple at least once during our stay. That brought a great end to the vacation. Being an introvert, being with a lot of people is draining for me even though I love them. The temple helped restore my equilibrium. And of course, being there with my sweetheart is the best of all!
