Category Archives: Summer

Jul 18 2012

4th of July 2012

Posted on by

We have a tradition of going to the parade every year.  This year was no different.  The kids love the parade.  At one point in the parade a live band with drums and guitar went by and Levi just started rocking out.  Corey started to record unfortunately he missed the best part but still got a little snippet for you to enjoy.

After the parade we played and ate lunch with some friends at Gem Lake. We did this last year and I think it should become another of our traditions. Later in the evening we like to watch the fireworks. We usually go to a place off Skyline near our house but one of our friends invited us over to see them in their backyard. This was really fun too. Corey and I forgot the camera so no pictures of the fireworks this year. I love that even though we are far away from family we still feel like we have family close. The friends we have made in this neighbourhood are great. What a great way to celebrate our country’s birthday. Hope you all had a great 4th too.

Waiting for the parade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our big group trying to squish in the shade

Jul 16 2012

Mesa Falls

Posted on by

Upper Mesa Falls

The last weekend in June or first weekend of July, however you want to look at it,  we went camping up by Mesa Falls.  The falls were a beautiful site.  It was pretty crowded up there but well worth seeing.  They have an old log inn there that they have turned into a visitor center/gift shop.  I told Corey that someday I wouldn’t mind retiring in a log cabin like this.  We went through the visitor center and a park ranger gave the boys a booklet to look through that had a comic in it.  Afterward we walked the path that went by the waterfalls.  While everyone is looking at the falls Levi would find a bench and sit to read his comic.  He was so much more interested in what happened to smokey the bear than the beautiful scenery around him.  We had a really nice weekend.  We are so lucky to live near such beautiful areas.

Beautiful!

Levi and his comic

Really neat Inn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you see the Tetons in the back?

Love Sophia and Levi’s expressions here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent a couple of nights in this area and the next day we ended up hiking by Warm Springs.  They have an old fish hatchery that you can rent out and near there was a bunch of hiking trails.  We decided to hike a couple of miles (all Sophia can handle).  Have I mentioned how beautiful the area is?  This was a great weekend.  We had beautiful scenery accompanied by equally beautiful weather.  I love going camping.  It really helps me relax and get away from the world.

Hiking along Warm Springs

 

Taking a trail mix break

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The grass is as high as Sophia

Family Photo at Lower Mesa Falls over look

Jun 12 2012

Camping

Posted on by

Mike Harris Campground

Yay!! School is out.  We have been out about a week but I’m slow at posting.  On the day that school ended we celebrated by going out on our first family camp trip for the year.  We packed up and went to Mike Harris Campground in the Grand Targhee National Forest.  This is a place we have been before and like to go to for our first campouts of the season.  Despite forecast for rain we decided to tough it out.  The weather actually turned out perfect and it only rained for a couple of hours on Saturday.  We got there pretty late on Friday and discovered that we forgot many things including bug spray.  We didn’t want to be bug dinner so we had to go into to town and buy some. The other stuff we did without.  That’s what the first campout is about right?!  In the morning we warmed our breakfast up on the fire (breakfast burritos I learned from pintrest).  The kids really liked it.  They were easy too.  It rained for about and hour and we just read and played games in the trailer.  After the rain let up we went for a hike.  There is a really neat trail near the entrance to the campground.  It leads up to some peaks.  We didn’t go that far.  We only went as far as Sophia’s little legs could take her.  It ended up being about 2 miles round trip.  It was a beautiful hike.  On the way back it started to rain again.  By the time we got back to camp we were all pretty wet.  It rained for about another hour.  After that it was beautiful.  There was one other family camping in the campground.  We introduced ourselves.  Their kids are the same age as ours and they hit it off really well.  The kids went and played hide and seek.  After talking with them a little we discovered that they live just on the other side of the airport from us (small world).  We also found out that although they wear red and we wear blue we can still get along (those of you who are cougar and ute fans know how hard that is). We exchanged phone numbers and the kids have future plans to hang with them sometime.  We packed up and left Sunday morning.  On the way home we stopped one more time for a short hike.   Not as great as the first one but still fun.  This outing was a great start to our season.  I love being out in the woods.  It really helps me appreciate all that Heavenly father has created for us.  I can’t wait to go again.

Cooking breakfast on the fire

Beautiful Hiking trail

Sophia and her hiking stick

All of us on the hike

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids getting warm after the hike

Gorgeous sky as the sun was setting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost full moon

Our little home away from home

Aug 20 2011

Tiffany Family Reunion 2011

Posted on by

Warm Lake Idaho

Well it was time for another Tiffany family reunion.  We decided to have it in our old stomping ground of Warm Lake Idaho.  My family used to have a cabin here and spent many summer days on this lake.  It really holds a special place in each of our hearts and was a perfect location for our reunion.  There are really too many pictures to post so I’ve selected a few and I will post the rest on facebook.

The reunion was pretty laid back with a few planned activities.  There was a lot of lounging, swimming, playing in the sand, and eating.  One night my dad set up his projector and played a video that he put together for us.  The video was a modge podge of videos and pictures of all of us growing up.  It was fun to see the crazy old hair styles of everyone.  My dad also made copies for all of us.  My copy will only be viewed in private and then kept in the vault.  Only a special few will see snip-its of it.

For the most part meals were up to each individual family to prepare themselves.  We had two meals that were all together.  One night we had steak, corn on the cob, watermelon, and salad.  It was probably the best meal we had up there.  Everyone did a great job working together to get it on the table.  We also had breakfast together.  We went and picked huckleberries the day before and were able to make huckleberry pancakes and sausage for breakfast.  We also had dutch oven peach cobbler one night that I had opted out of because of my sugar issues.  It looked so delicious and my kids had at least seconds.

We spent a couple of days swimming in the lake which was a bit chilly but when you got used to it it was quite refreshing.  Conveniently we left our camera back at camp for these trips.  Although I did see my sister with her camera so there might be a picture out there that you should stay clear away from.  My Idaho legs were like a beacon and if looked directly at them you might go blind.  Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.

We had a family game night that turned out really fun.  My dad prepared 7 minute to win it games.  He teamed family against family.  We had fun shooting rubber bands at playing cards, swing yo-yos from our backsides, unraveling toilet paper on our arms and that’s just  a few.  My sister Krystal won overall and her prize was a big jar of jelly beans but also, a surprise to everyone, she gets to plan the next reunion.

Our little family also took the opportunity to hike to one of the many hot springs up there.  There was a fire about 5 or 6 years ago and it burned most of the area.  The hike was hot and dusty.  As soon as we got back we took a nice refreshing swim in the lake.  My brother Cameron and his girlfriend Brittany came with us and it was funny on the way back Levi had to be in the front of the pack.  The problem with that is he liked to kick the dust up and who ever was behind him had a face full of dirt.  It happened to be Brittany behind him and a few times she would try and run in front of him only to find him running faster to keep ahead of her.  By the end we took a short cut and beat him to the car.  It was a fun little trip and I enjoyed getting to know Brittany a little better.

On the last day we all met at a park in Boise to have lunch before saying goodbye.  We were all able to see my grandma Wilkins (Tiffany).  We had a big photo with her and all of the great grandchildren.  Just in my family there are 15.  If you add my cousins my grandma has 18 great grandchildren.  It was really hard to say goodbye to everyone especially knowing that it’s going to be another two years before I get to see most of them.  I can’t wait for then next reunion which, according to Krystal, will probably be in California.

My Nephew Zachary had a birthday. This is all the grandchildren eating cake.

My family loves to play games. Here they are having a play nine tounament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also liked sitting by the fire

Our hike to vulcan hot springs

 

 

 

 

 

 

fishing from the dock

Great Grandma with great grandkids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My siblings and I.

The whole clan

Aug 17 2011

Huckleberry Muffins

Posted on by

Huckleberry Muffins

Here is an update on those huckleberries.  One of the things I decided to do was make huckleberry muffins.  I’m surprised that I’ve never had these before.  I like blueberry muffins but they aren’t my favorite.  So it seemed logical to substitute huckleberries instead of blueberries.  These turned out great and I now have a new favorite followed closely by lemon poppyseed.  One thing I don’t like about blueberry muffins is that they are often too sweet for my taste.  The huckleberries solved that problem.  The huckleberry has just the right amount of tartness to off set the sweetness of the muffin.  So if your looking to try something new just take your favorite blueberry muffin recipe and substitute huckleberries.

Doesn't this look so yummy?

....mmmm

 

 

Aug 15 2011

Huckleberries

Posted on by

Huckleberries

Yummy, yummy it’s huckleberry time.  I don’t grow this in my garden but these tiny berries grow wild in the mountains not too far from our home.  Growing up we used to have a cabin at Warm Lake Idaho. Warm Lake is about 30 miles from Cascade Idaho.  We would spend much of our summers up there and when it was huckleberry season my mom would load us up in the van and we would spend a couple hours at our favorite huckleberry picking spot and pick.  Then we would  be rewarded the next morning with huckleberry pancakes.

We have lived in this area for seven years now and have known that there are huckleberries here but they have eluded us.  If you ask anyone where to pick they never give you a straight answer.  If they have a spot it’s a well guarded secret.  This year we happened upon a nice spot by accident.  Corey was camping with Levi in Kelly Canyon, that is as close as you will get to the location, and they went for a hike.  While on their hike they noticed the huckleberry patch and started picking.  When they came home we had enough for a batch of huckleberry pancakes.  Of course, I made Corey take me to the huckleberry patch and we picked a couple of quarts of them.  I froze them and now we can have huckleberry pancakes for a while.  I might even try some huckleberry muffins.

Jul 14 2011

Reed’s Dairy

Posted on by

We are so fortunate to live so close to Reed’s Dairy.  It’s our favorite place to go on a hot summer day with the family.  Last night was especially great because Reed’s was celebrating that they were voted #1 in the area.  Reed’s gave out free ice cream and cake.  They started to hand out the cake and ice cream at 6:00 pm.  So we headed out after dinner and got there around 5:50.  A line had already started but it wasn’t too long by then.  We got our cake and ice cream pretty quickly and were able to beat the crowd.  We sat down and enjoyed.  I didn’t tell the kids we were going there so it was a nice surprise for them.  I love these moments I have with my little family.

enjoying the cake and ice cream

Having fun

 

 

Jul 5 2011

4th of July

Posted on by

I hope everyone else had a great 4th like we did.  It ended up being a pretty busy day.  Corey was gone before I even had a chance to wake up.  Every year the city puts on a 5k fun run that runs the parade route.  This is Corey’s second year of doing traffic control for that event.  He was gone by 6:30 am.  He made it back just in time for us to head out and see the parade.  We had a great time at the parade.  Sophia looked so cute dressed all patriotic.  After the parade we went home and packed up a lunch and headed out to meet some friends at Gem Lake.  The kids loved eating and swimming with their friends.  We spent a good 2 hours there.   When we got home we finally had some time to relax.  The kids and I watched a movie while dad took a nap.  After dinner it was time to head out to the firework show.  Idaho falls has a pretty big show.  It’s actually the biggest firework show I have ever seen.  They light them off at the greenbelt and since we don’t live too far from there we only have to go a couple of blocks to get a great view of the fireworks.  By the time we got home it was around 11:00 pm and the kids were beat.  We had such a wonderful day and I feel such a great gratitude for all the men and women in the world who have made it possible for us to have the freedom that we do.

Sitting and waiting for the parade to come

Sophia waving her flag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids swimming at Gem Lake

Amy and I watching the kids swim

 

 

 

 

 

 

playing frozen bubble while waiting for the fireworks

fireworks

Jun 29 2011

Summer!!

Posted on by

Yay!!!  Summer has finally reached South East Idaho.  We have had a very long winter followed by a very wet and cold spring.  It is starting to look very promising.  On Saturday June 25th the sun was out and it was warm.  The kids asked if we could get the slip and slide out.  They ran and got their swim suits on and out they went.  It took them a while to figure out how to slip on the slip and slide, but that didn’t stop them from having fun.  Corey had the idea of pulling them with a rope along the slide and they loved it.  It was nice and refreshing on a warm summer day.  Hope we get a lot more of these.  It’s been cold for too long.

Preston being pulled with the rope (sorry it's blurry)

Levi playing with the water spraying out the end

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophia Sliding

Cheeeeese!