Spud Harvest is here.  The kids are out of school for two weeks.  They take it easy and Jaron picks up double load.  I am amazed at what lengths he is is capable of in the world of a working man.  He works his full schedule at the college, then goes straight to helping in spud harvest.  Yesterday he squeezed in mowing the lawn and filling in a grave (another "little" side job he picks up from time to time) in between everything.  I admire, as well as feel grateful for the efforts he makes in supporting our family.

My good friend Heidi Pehl loaned me a jogging stroller.  Yay for me!  I have always wanted one, but haven't wanted to spend the money.  So the older kids rode their bikes and I pushed Avynlee in the stroller and we went for a little jaunt through Parker.  The weather has been incomparably beautiful-mid 70's, sunny, calm....don't want to relinquish a grip on these good days. We stopped for a break at the school and what do you know? Savannah lost a tooth!

A few Sundays ago (dare I admit this was a Sunday? eek), Jaron had two rental four wheelers from a ride he did with some work-friends the day before.  We loaded up after church and took a leisurely roll through the desert.  I remembered how when I moved to Idaho, I fell in love with the skies.  They are so expansive, so many different hues of blue and brush strokes of grey, with white cotton stretched across and rolled together.  A true artistic masterpiece from Heaven.  I have no doubt that here is the only place I would want to raise a family and be settled.  There is not a more perfect little town than Parker, with a school and a church less than a mile away and everyone waving to each other as we pass by.  As much as I love my home and would never want to homestead anywhere else, I do yearn for the lush, tight surroundings of the forest (Jaron might throw in the word suffocating).  I sometimes see movies in the setting of Oregon/Washington and ache to be where the hills roll and twist, rivers and waterfalls weave, and the sky is like a grey flannel blanket.  Perhaps we will be back to visit, but I now look for beauty in a grain field, beginning the change from bright green to gold, and the silhouette of the rugged Tetons, and an area where the vast majority of the people are saints of God.

Last Friday we loaded up the kids at 5:30 pm and headed down to Rigby Lake for the evening-just the 5 of us.  Jaron and I relaxed (well, I mostly read..."The Goose Girl.." very good book).  The kids just played and played in the sand and water until the sun started going down and the breeze turned cool.

Saturday was mine and Jaron's 11th anniversary!  Eleven years of great fun, friendship, love, support and companionship.  On the way to dinner I talked Jaron into taking me the scenic way to Idaho Falls.  I was expecting to go through Ririe, but he turned right off of the highway (North?? I never know).  We passed through the cute, little town of Menan (or is Roberts??  I'm pretty sure Menan, but I always get those two confused).  Beautiful farms and old restored houses. I always get so excited driving through new places.  Its kind of bad because we almost can't hold a conversation because I'm constantly stopping mid-sentence to point things out or ask question about what I see out the window.  We ate at Yummy House Chinese in downtown Idaho Falls.  I love the city and that's as close as it gets for now.  We then picked up a few school clothes items for the kids.  Not a huge, momentous anniversary celebration, but quite enjoyable. 

Tuesday was the official Pioneer Day.  Jaron had the day off from work.  With the idea of doing something fun together as a family, we took the kids on their first motor ride that wasn't in our yard (Hudson on his little dirtbike, Savannah on her own little 4 wheeler, Jaron on his dirtbike and me and Avynlee on a 4 wheeler).  We parked the pick up and enclosed trailer on the intersection by Coy and Emilee's house and unloaded.  Savannah apparently had forgotten how to steer (what???).  She almost went into a canal, but stopped and corrected and did better the second half of the ride.  Hudson did great.  We went up past George and Linda's house and headed toward the sand dunes.  It wasn't our intention to actually get to the sand dunes, but the Crapo's have good farm roads to ride along (and beautiful green and golden hills of grain).  Once it started getting too sandy, we turned around because Hudson's training wheels were not conducive to the sand.  Back at the trailer, Jaron rode his dirtbike up and in and Hudson just followed right up (he had never done that before, and was never given permission to try).  His front tire went off the ramp and he was luckily caught by the cables that pull the ramp up.  I was a ways back and yelled for Jaron who had his back to the situation.  He quickly put his bike down and rescued his son.  Hudson slowly walked down the trailer ramp with big tears in his eyes and came to my comforting arms.  He was pretty shaken up.  I thought well, I hope he learned a little something about being more careful...I'm obviously so glad he wasn't hurt.

Fast forward to the next day (so far in the future, I know).  I am driving Hudson over to play at Creed's house and pass the intersection where we had parked yesterday.

SAVANNAH: There's where we parked yesterday.
ME: Yep.  That was a fun ride, huh?
HUDSON: Savannah was scared to ride her 4 wheeler.
ME: and you were scared when you almost went off that ramp.
HUDSON: No I wasn't
ME: yes you were
HUDSON: No I wasn't
ME: I should hope you were.  If you tell me you weren't scared, that tells me you didn't learn about being careful and I won't be able to let you ride anymore. 
HUDSON: fine.  I did a tiny gasp.

This summer is cruising by with out slowing down. The kids and I went camping In a tent for a week at Green Canyon. The kids did a swim camp. Two hour-long lessons each day and several hours of free swim. It was great fun, but I was definitely reedy to come home by the end. We are leaving tomorrow to camp for two days, this time with jaron, yay! To Red Fish Lake by Stanley, ID. I also did Relay for Life a few weeks back-always an amazing experience. Before all this camping and other activities began, I set up a Miller Family Summer Camp. Each day has a theme. Miracle Monday (be someone's miracle by doing an act of service). Tell-a-tale Tuesday (go to the library). Wet Wednesday-play in water. Theater Thursday (either catch the children's matinee at the cheap theater, or make our own theater at home). And Free Friday- to do any fun thing we want. A few weeks ago a new family moved into our ward. I kept having the thought to invite them over to dinner. I kept thinking, that'd be fun...but didn't take the thought seriously. Finally it hit me that maybe this is an impression...act on it! Then I thought oh no. I don't have the courage to do these kids of things. Especially since I was getting Ready to leave town in a few days and needed all my time for preparations. But it was Monday morning and we hadn't thought of a miracle to do yet...so before mentioning my idea to the kids, I told the Lord that I didn't have anything good to make. If he would help me think of something good to make, I'd comsider it more seriously...yep, the idea came...i had everything for fajitas. So I went on the quest of getting a hold of this family, feeling dumb about being so last minute. I called the mom at her work, which inalso felt dumb for doing. She didn't answer so I left her a message. She took a few hours to call back. She actually wasn't in her office that day, but luckily got my voice mail. They were more than happy to come, which was a relief...I hate thinking that I've been presumptuous, or put someone on the spot. It was a wonderful, comfortable dinner. A nice littl miracle to feel the blessing of reaching out, even when I'm not sure of myself.