Camping at Little Sahara

Camping at Little Sahara has become a family tradition. This was our first year bringing little Lizzy along. It wasn't easy taking care of a two-month-old infant while camping, but it was worth it. She loved looking at the moon and watching Scott and Emma play in the sand. I'm excited to see what she'll by like next year when we go camping again. She'll probably be toddling around, trying to stick the sand in her mouth by then.

Good morning, Twinkle!
I wish I could be happy like this every morning.
What a happy girl!

Time to play in the dunes!
This is Scott's and Emma's favorite part about camping at the sand dunes.
They love climbing up the dunes, sliding down the dunes, burying each other in the sand, digging holes in the dunes, and jumping off sand cliffs.

Following in his father's footsteps.
Scott arranged his sandals to look like this.
I thought it was cute!

My favorite part about going to the sand dunes is taking photographs.
I love capturing the fun moments we had.

Outfoxed by a Fox

"Only the sharpest eye, the keenest nose,
the quickest ear and fleetest toes
can ever outfox the fox!"
~Danny Kaye

Brad and I took the kids to a place called Little Sahara last Friday and camped overnight. Little Sahara is exactly what it sounds like-- a miniature version of the Sahara desert, only it's located in central Utah. It's basically all sand dunes with sagebrush and a few juniper trees here and there. The kids love it cause it's like a great big 60,000 acre sand box they can play in. Lizzy did very well, too. I was nervous about taking her so young, but we decided to do it anyway, and I'm glad we did. We built a campfire Friday night and roasted marshmellows. The children enjoyed staying up late, eating s'mores, and digging holes in the sand with flashlights near our tent. Lizzy liked looking at the moon.

Brad and I had a hard time sleeping that night. I silently wished I could fall asleep in our tent as easily as two-month-old Lizzy could, as well as Scott and Emma, but noisy campers, as well as hearing all the noise from various sand dune vehicles, kept me awake and alert. That's when I began to hear other sounds. I heard the crinkling sound of plastic and something stirring. I tried to excuse it as the wind hitting the plastic bags on our table and the faint crackling of fire still left in our fire pit. Then I heard something more distinguishable: the sound of something hitting the ground with too much force to be the wind. I sat up immediately, worried that an intruder was in our campsite. Brad felt my motion and sat up on our air-mattress, too. I told him I heard noises and that I was worried that someone might be in our campsite. I also told him that I foolishly left the baby's diaper bag on the table and I was afraid my wallet would get stolen.

Brad got up out of bed and went outside our tent, leaving the flap of the tent open slightly. He walked around the tent and told me he didn't see anyone nearby. He grabbed the diaper bag from off the table and sat it down gently inside the tent next to our sleeping baby. "I think I'll stay out for a few minutes," he told me, then left and began walking around our campsite. I stared out the door of the tent with sleepy eyes, feeling a little relieved that Brad had seen nobody near our campsite. I felt my mind getting sleepier by the minute, but kept staring out of the tent door, into the night shadows made by the moonlight.

Then I saw something move. I could barely make out a silhouette of a medium sized animal sniffing the ground a few yards away. My mind woke up in a flash and I instantly grabbed the flashlight next to my pillow and turned it on in the direction I saw the creature. There was nothing there but a small sagebrush bush and no movement to be seen. Did I imagine it?

The next morning I awoke from a long night of going in and out of sleep. It was about 5:45 and a faint bit of light was shinning softly into our tent. Baby Lizzy was stirring and grunting in her blankets, so I knew I only had a limited amount of time to go to the bathroom before she began crying for food. I quickly rushed out the tent and walked toward the bathroom, sneaking by the quiet tents of our loud, nocturnal neighbors.

As I was returning to the campsite, I glanced in the direction of the sand dunes, and to my amazement, spotted a small dog-like animal trotting along the dunes. I took a closer look and realized it was a gray fox. He was only a few yards away from me, glancing in my direction as he weaved gracefully and smoothly in and out of the dunes. I watched until he was out of site.

A few moments later I began searching the campsite for footprints in the sand. I saw my footprints, Brad's footprints, Scott's and Emma's footprints, and even tiny little beetle footprints around the tent, but no paw prints right off. Then I saw evidence of the intruder! Lying next to our wooden table was an empty marshmellow bag-- a bag that was nearly completely full the night before. On closer inspection, I noticed a second hole in the bottom of the bag and a small puddle of yellow liquid on the plastic and the sand. Apparently, the fox had dragged a bag of marshmellows off our table, tore a second hole in it, ate what was left inside, then peed on it and ran away. Sneaky little theif! He made it perfectly clear who that bag of marshmellows really belonged to, and it wasn't us.

The Highlight of My Day: August 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in August:

August 1, 2009: All of David and Susanne Whitcomb's descendants were reunited this morning in Wilsonville, Oregon. It was great being together! Tonight we participated in a family bell choir with Aunt Wendy's bells. The best part of the bell choir was watching my dad conduct. Funny!

August 2, 2009: Today Brad and me took Rachel, Craig, Scott, Emma, and Susie to the Tyron Creek Park in Lake Oswego. We hiked on the trails and took lots of pictures. Oregon is so pretty!

August 3, 2009: Today we went shopping at the Lego Store in Portland and to Powell's Bookstore. Scott was completely thrilled to be inside his first Lego Store. Emma loved Powell's and bought a cool Batman comic book while we were there.

August 4, 2009: Most of the entire Whitcomb/Marsh/North clan went to Cannon Beach today. It was beautiful there... and cooool. We had fun shoping in town and walking on the beach. LOVELY!

August 5, 2009: The Norths, Susie, and Aunt Laurie went for a walk with the three dogs: Pippin, Toby, and Max. We walked down the road to an old cemetary. Scott and Emma loved walking the dogs.

August 6, 2009: We drove to Idaho today! I loved that we had cooler weather on our trip back. It rained quite a lot-- which was a little scary at times-- but it made the trip more enjoyable. Lizzy slept almost the whole time.

August 7, 2009: We arrived home today! It's so nice being back! Lizzy is now nursing regularly, which makes it easier than pumping all the time and washing bottles and pumping parts constantly. Good girl, Lizzy!

August 8, 2009: Did a lot of packing and cleaning up today. Tonight the Bruce Clan came over to visit. It was nice being together again.

August 9, 2009: Lizzy turned two months old today! She's a growing girl!

August 10, 2009: I heard Lizzy laugh for the first time today! She's so cute and precious!

August 11, 2009: Brad and I went shopping at Wal-Mart tonight and I got a new black top that I really like. Every once in a while it's possible to find something really cute at Wal-Mart.

August 12, 2009: I went out to eat with Margaret and the Polak family for lunch at Applebee's today.

August 13, 2009: I went to the young women activity tonight and brought home some make-up. It was fun!

August 14, 2009: Brad got off of work at noon today, which was a real treat! We went out to lunch at Hires with my mother-in-law, and afterward stopped by Amanda's house to see all the hard work they've done. Very nice!

August 15, 2009: Lizzy learned how to roll over from her back onto her tummy today! She's only 9 weeks old. WOW!

August 16, 2009: I'm starting to read a young adult novel: "The Goose Girl," by Shanon Hale. I got hooked on it tonight and had a hard time putting it down.

August 17, 2009: Tonight we ate popsicles for FHE on the porch outside. The weather was beautiful and the temperature was perfect. We had fun discussing what we liked about our week.

August 18, 2009: Scott and Emma had a great time playing with Lizzy this morning. It was so cute to watch! Lizzy loves her big brother and sister. She was quite entertained by their playful behavior and gave lots of smiles and coos.

August 19, 2009: Little Lizzy keeps trying to master her rolling over skills. I keep telling her she's too young for that, but she won't quit. Today she rolled all over her playmat and then off onto the carpet.

August 20, 2009: Today was Lizzy's two-month-old appointment with her pediatrician. The doctor was pleased to see how well Lizzy is doing-- how social and strong she is. Lizzy now weighs 10 pounds, 9 ounces, and she's 23 inches long. She did really well with her shots, too, and hardly cried at all.

August 21, 2009: Had all three kids in bed with me this morning. I love being a mom!

August 22, 2009: We bought the kids backpacks and then drove over to an ice cream social to spend time with Bruce and Loralee's family. The kids loved eating ice cream with their cousins.

August 23, 2009: Today was the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication, which Scott, Emma, Brad and I were all able to attend. We also celebrated Margaret's birthday today, with the family.

August 24, 2009: Brad and I walked the kids to their first day of school this morning. Emma is very excited to be starting school again. It was fun walking together and meeting their new teachers for the first time.

August 25, 2009: Emma got her long-awaited Batman Beyond movie from the library tonight. She was very excited to watch it again.

August 26, 2009: The kids stayed with us this Wednesday night instead of going to Melanie's. Brad and I took them and Lizzy to a back-to-school party at their school. We watched some more Batman when we got home.

August 27, 2009: Emma and I went to the dentist today to get our teeth worked on. It was my very first cavity. The nicest part of it was spending the one-on-one time with Emma. She's such a sweetheart!

August 28, 2009: We went camping at the sand dunes tonight! It was fun roasting marshmellows and watching the kids dig in the sand with flashlights. Lizzy liked looking at the moon.

August 29, 2009: We played on the dunes this morning for a couple of hours before packing up and heading home. In the afternoon we went swimming at the Harman's and had dinner with the rest of the family. It was fun!

August 30, 2009: I had Scott and Emma to myself today at church. Brad was feeling a little sick, so he stayed at home and took care of Lizzy. I enjoyed being with Scott and Emma. I love them so much!

August 31,2009: Tonight we went to Aunt Amanda's farewell party. She and her family will be moving to Arizona in a few weeks. We will miss them!

Goodbye, Perfect Teeth

My once perfect, healthy, cavity-free teeth have succumbed to the inevitable: tooth decay. I suspected that this day would come sooner or later, and it has. The dentist's theory is that I produced too much acid in my mouth during my pregnancy and it ate away at the enamel on my back left molar. So this morning I'm getting my very first cavity filled. Such a bummer! Still, I am grateful that it is just one cavity and that I didn't develop any more.

A Whole New School Year

Today was the first day of school for Scott and Emma. Brad and I decided to walk them to school and meet their teachers. We drove halfway there and then walked the rest of the way. Emma picked a small sunflower in a nearby field and gave it to me. It's hard to believe that summer is over and a whole new year has begun. I know the kids will have a wonderful year. They always do so well in school.

Playtime on Mama's Bed

I believe some of the sweetest moments in life are unplanned, unstaged, and often not recognized until the moment has passed.

This morning I had the greatest time watching Scott and Emma play with little Lizzy on my bed. It was one of those sweet little moments that could easily be forgotten or taken for granted. I am grateful for digital cameras!

2-Month-Old Cuteness

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Little Lizzy turned 2 months old on Sunday. She's a pretty and happy little girl!

Sweet Little Twinkle-- Smiling and Playing

Oregon Family Camp 2009

David and Susanne Whitcomb's grandchildren (and great-granddaughter).

Every year my extended family on my dad's side try to get together for what we call "Family Camp." This year my aunt Cindy hosted Camp indoors at her large house in Wilsonville, Oregon. All 20 of us made it to family camp, although some of us had to leave early. This was the first year Scott and Emma came with Brad and I, and it was Lizzy's first time, too, of course. I am the eldest grandchild on my dad's side, and the first one married with kids, so Scott, Emma, and Lizzy received a lot of attention and were the highlight of Family Camp this year. We did a lot of fun things together, like hiking at Tyron Creek Park, going to the Lego Store in Portland, buying books at the famous Powell's bookstore, spending a day at Cannon Beach, playing dominos, putting together puzzles, eating good food, ringing handbells, walking the dogs, singing together, opening presents, taking pictures--- it was all fun!

Lizzy spent most of the time with Granny Gladys.

We went hiking at Tyron Creek Park with Susie, Rachel, and Craig.

Shopping day! Scott loved the Lego store.

We found Aunt Laurie's novel "The Fetch" at Powell's Bookstore.

Scott's and Emma's first time at Cannon Beach.

Time for some action shots! JUMP!

We dressed up Little Lizzy in her pretty white bonnet for our walk in the countryside.

The kids loved the aunts' dogs!

The kids had a wonderful time! They've already asked if we can go back again next year.

The Highlight of My Day: July 2009

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in July:

July 1, 2009: I love having Susie here. Today she took a long bike ride toward the Wasatch Mountains and got caught in a huge rain storm. She made it home safely and still managed to have a wonderful time.

July 2, 2009: My mother, father, youngest sister, and brother-in-law all flew in from Long Beach today. I am extremely happy to have them here.

July 3, 2009: Today we all went to Wheeler Farm. It was very nice being all together and walking around the farm. My mother had fun pushing Lizzy in the stroller.

July 4, 2009: We had a fabulous 4th of July! We started off the morning having breakfast at the Stake Center and playing games. In the evening we played crochet and did fireworks.

July 5, 2009: Today was Lizzy's baby blessing. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her beautiful white lace dress. I love her so much!

July 6, 2009: We went to Leatherby's tonight with Susie. It was her first time going, and I think she was quite impressed with the size of ice creams we got. Yum yum!

July 7, 2009: Tonight the three youngest North cousins came over for a sleepover with Emma. It's cute having a houseful of little girls.

July 8, 2009: It was nice having the one-on-one time with Brad tonight, although our little Twinkle kept demanding some attention as well.

July 9, 2009: Brad and I took one-month-old Lizzy to Walmart tonight to pick up her thrush medication and to stop by the Photo Center. I made birth announcements today.

July 10, 2009: Spent quite a few hours today watching Gilmore Girls with a sleeping baby on my chest. She's such a sweetheart. I love my baby.

July 11, 2009: Lizzy gave me a huge smile today, and kept on doing it over and over. It was so cute! Also, Uncle Bob and Aunt Nadine stopped by our house tonight. They brought a cute little gift for Lizzy. It was nice seeing them, even though our visit was brief.

July 12, 2009: Brad and I watched the movie "David Copperfield," starring Daniel Radcliffe, and loved it once again. Charles Dickens is a genius!

July 13, 2009: I woke up this morning feeling nauseous and achy. By mid afternoon I had developed a fever. Tonight Brad and his dad gave me a priesthood blessing. About one hour after the blessing my fever broke and I began feeling much better. I am grateful to be married to a righteous priesthood holder!

July 14, 2009: Got some good classics from the library tonight. I love "It Happened One Night," starring Clark Gable. Great movie!

July 15, 2009: My first time going out to eat with Margaret and Amanda since I had my baby. Amanda got to see Lizzy for the first time. Charlotte and Aksel love their new cousin.

July 16, 2009: Lizzy slept through the night for the first time last night! 7 hours of continuous sleep... LOVELY!

July 17, 2009: Brad and I went on a late night slurpee run at 7 Eleven. It was nice having a little bit of spontaneous fun to break the eat, sleep, poop baby schedule.

July 18, 2009: Brad and I went on a date to see the newest Harry Potter movie: "The Half Blood Prince." Marilyn watched the baby for us.

July 19, 2009: It was nice spending the day with Scott and Emma. They are wonderful kids and a joy to be around. I love spending time with them!

July 20, 2009: I'm all healed up from the pregnancy and delivery! I went to see my doctor today for my 6 week postpartum appointment and he says I'm all well. I brought Lizzy with me and got to show her off, too.

July 21, 2009: Lizzy turned 6 weeks old today. She recognizes me when I talk to her or touch her. Sometimes all I have to do is brush my check against hers to calm her down. Lots of smiles from her.

July 22, 2009: We had FHE tonight (on Wednesday), since Scott and Emma are home. We talked about who the kids will be when they're 35. It was a really good discussion. Brad always knows the right things to say.

July 23, 2009: We went to Liberty Park with Aunt Loralee and the cousins. The kids loved playing in the water. It was fun, and HOT!

July 24, 2009: Brad and I celebrated Pioneer Day by getting together with family at the Harmans' house. We went swimming and had a BBQ.

July 25, 2009: Uncle Jerry, Craig, and Erin North came over to visit us tonight. We had a BBQ and played crochet. 'Twas nice.

July 26, 2009: Brother and Sister Rasmussen came over tonight and dropped off some very cute outfits for Lizzy. It was fun visiting with them.

July 27, 2009: Scott and Emma came home today and did chores and helped take care of Charlotte and Aksel. It was fun having a houseful of children.

July 28, 2009: Got two free cans of formula in the mail today. It was nice!

July 29, 2009: Brad and I had root beer floats tonight after packing a little for our trip tomorrow. We also had fun burning CDs onto our computer and then setting them up on Brad's new Ipod.

July 30, 2009: Today we left for our family vacation in Oregon. We stopped in Boise Idaho to sleep overnight. Lizzy does so well in the car!

July 31, 2009: We arrived in Wilsonville, Oregon today! It's great being together with the Whitcomb side of my family. Craig, Rachel, and Susie showed up today, too. I love being here!