On Sunday, Trevor celebrated his 11th birthday. He informed us that Google was also celebrating their 11th birthday on the exact same day. Two great reasons to celebrate! He made it so easy this year. When I asked him what kind of cake he wanted he couldn't think of one and finally decided what he really wanted was banana splits instead of cake. He also requested chipotle chicken, a Rachael Ray recipe that is hot, spicy and sweet and his personal favorite. No problemo!

We celebrated his birthday all week long. Regan wanted to have a birthday/good-bye dinner on Wednesday night before she left and she gave him her gift that night. Then we had his friends birthday party on Friday afternoon - we took his friends goofy-golfing and they had fun.

On Thursday night (I know, these are a little mixed up), he had his very last Pack Meeting. He crossed the bridge into 11-year-old Scouts. Yay - no more pack meetings! Once they cross the bridge they get to sign it. There are some signatures from 20 years ago. Pretty cool.

Brother Parkinson welcoming Trevor to 11-year-old Scouts. Oh, this was the day Regan left for Pennsylvania and I was having quite the separation anxiety and had spent a good portion of the day crying. I knew I had to go to this special Pack meeting for Trevor, however, I wasn't planning on standing up in front of everyone with my lovely puffy eyes, swollen lips and nose (I'm just not one of those women who cry beautifully). Could have done without that public humiliation!

This past Sunday, I thought it would be fun to make some old-fashioned honey taffy. I don't think my kids have ever had that experience and it has been a long time since I did it myself! It took a lot of work to get it to look like this, and Regan and Kenna gave up pretty quickly, but Trevor and I decided to keep pulling our taffy just to see what would happened. We had very sore hands and arms, and eventually gave it up ourselves. The taffy tasted really good and it was a fun activity. Kent missed all of it because he was taking his Sunday nap!!!
Today was Regan's big move day - a very sad day for me. I helped her pack up her room yesterday and had a few tears over it, but nothing like this morning. I completely lost it. 
I was trying so hard to keep it together so I wouldn't make her sad or nervous about moving out, but just couldn't manage. I really lost it during our family prayer. She wanted to have a picture with me, but I was a horrible mess after sobbing all morning.
Kenna and Trevor stayed home from school to say good-bye to her. We will all miss her so much, but I am so happy for her to be having this opportunity. I know she will be a great nanny out in Pennsylvania. I just wish it wasn't so far away or for so long!
She promised me Christmas would be here before I knew it and she would be back home, along with Nicki, but I don't know if I can wait that long. Might have to do a New York/Pennsylvania trip between now and then. I think I am really having a hard time seeing my little birdies fly from the nest!

Apparently, I'm terrible about keeping my blog current. Way back in the middle of July, Kent and Trevor went to Virginia to visit Kent's brother and his family. While they were there, they saw tons of historical sites and did tons of fishing. Trevor thought the bait was fun to play with.

Once he finally got the bait on the hook, he fished and  . . . 
caught a shark. They took it home and ate it - and loved it!!!
This is not the shark. Aunt Susanna talked Trevor into trying oysters - he was brave, but did not like it. He said he had to swallow a few times to make it stay down. I say, if you have to fight it that much, you shouldn't be eating it!
While they were gone having fun with cousins and fishing and site-seeing, I was home watching my little garden grow. We had tons of stuff, including some favorite herbs. This pic does not include the potatoes, pumpkins or the three different kinds of squash - or our tiny little cantaloupe.
On September 9th, Kenna turned a whopping 15 years old. The lovely undecorated cake is Angel Food, which she requested with whipped cream and strawberry/raspberry sauce - Yummy.
Here the gusty girl is blowing out the candles, and laughing at the same time. It makes for difficult candle extinguishing!
Uncle Ivan, Jack and Evie came out to visit Gma. & Gpa. McAffee and while they were here, we went boating at the Mackay Dam. It was tons of fun. By tons, I mean my sister, Lanell, and I actually got on this thing Trevor is sitting on and Carl pulled us around the damn dam. I was exhausted when we were done, I cussed enough to downgrade my hard earned kingdom and Lanell and Carl both had a good laugh at my expense. I hate getting old. 
It was fun to hang out with Gma. & Gpa. McAffee. They were good sports. We even talked mom into going for a trip around the dam (in the boat, not on the tube)!
Then on Labor Day Weekend, Trevor and Kent hiked to the top of the Wellsville mountains. That is the Salt Lake in the background. It was a tough hike.
According to Kent, Trevor went up the mountain (which was pretty steep) like a gazelle, while he (Kent) barely made it. He told me that when they got to the top Trevor asked him if he thought he would be able to hike for many more years (he was serious to, not just messing with Kent). Kent hates getting old.
Trevor on top of the mountain. He said it was pretty windy up there. Good thing the wind wasn't much stronger or it would have blown this skinny kid right off the mountain. 

I'll try to do better at keeping this blog updated. And I'll learn to put the text where I really want it, not where the computer wants it because it can't figure out where I want it.