~July - This years visit to UAF botanical garden

It was a fun visit again to UAF botanical gardens.  We went a little earlier than last year so the veggies and plants weren't quite as big.  It was still a good time, mostly.  Jett hurt his foot running with flip flops on so we cut our stay a little short.

 

Noah took this picture of his favorite flower.  He really has an eye for capturing nature and he likes photography.  Several years ago we were out in the woods and there were beautiful flowers.  He asked for my camera to take a few shots.  When I got home and loaded the pictures he had taken, they were amazing.  It's really fun to see talents come out in my kids.

 



 

Simon's arm in the air cracks me up.  He also tried his hand at photography.

This nice looking red flower was Simon's favorite.  He did good too!



 

I'm not sure how this happened, that they were all looking at the camera, but I love this picture of my boys.

 

Noah carrying Jett because his foot hurt too bad to walk.  Good brother :)  Those purple flowers in the background are called "fireweed."  They are sort of known as nature's calendar here in AK.  Once the blossom get to the top of the plant, winter is just around the corner.  You can also make jelly out of them, but I hear it takes a ton of flowers.  I've never tried it, but want to.

 

I love when the little ones get themselves dressed, I really do.  I kept looking at Jett thinking his shirt looked weird though.  When I finally checked the size, it was 24 months...Levi's shirt.  lol  That's why it looks so short!

Changing subjects, Jett IS wearing a monkey backpack (harness).  Usually we've used it for when he and the other boys were younger, but Jett gave me a quite a scare.  We were at the lake and I said it was time to go.  He ran away from me, all the while I was chasing him, yelling "stop."  A woman nearby saw what was happening and tried to grab him as he ran by.  She slipped and fell all the way to the ground and missed him (It was so nice of her to try and I felt super bad she fell).  He ran into the parking lot between some parked cars and out in front of a truck that was passing by.  I swear the front grill of the truck was inches from Jett's head.  It stopped just in time.  I was instantly sick to my stomach thinking of what could have happened.  So, a few swats to his behind and he was strapped into Levi's carseat until I could calm down.  So...the monkey backpack will be his friend until he can obey his mother and not run away.  I've had people make nasty comments about how unkind and down right cruel it is to treat my kids like animals on a leash.  It's about safety people!!  I love my children enough to keep them safe.  And if they'd like to spend a few days with my children to learn why I sometimes do this, I'm happy to let them.