Making the Perfect Donut

General Conference is a great weekend for our family. Spending Sunday at home with the kids can get a little...overwhelming. A few Conferences ago I started a tradition to keep them from fighting: I asked them to help me make donuts. They love the entire process, but glazing the donuts is by far the favorite. 

 They like to line up to take turns to dip their fingers into the delicious, vanilla glaze.

 Ryker discovered the joys of fishing out the donuts with a skewer. He became pretty good at pulling them out without frying his hands as well.

But even fryer duty takes a back seat to glazing patrol.

 Somehow, despite the kids' help, we made a perfect donut. 

 It survived being pulled off of the parchment paper, and it made it into the oil while still perfectly round.

 Ryker couldn't believe the joy that he could feel from holding a donut so perfect, so round, and so delicious. 

 DeA didn't help, but she did stand behind us and laugh every time I had to speak enthusiastically at one of the kids. She was a great help.

 The glazing station didn't seem as great once the kids learned about taste tester duty. That immediately became the job to have.

 Glazed fingers are the best!

Ryker is trying to remind himself that he needs to stick to licking and not to bite into his delicious fingers.

 "So yummy!!"

Chelan County Fair

The kids love lots of things about the fair: the rides, the games, the animals and the delicious fried foods.

 I tried warning them that carnival games are rigged, but they insisted about playing anyway.

 Against all odds, they all won a stuffed animal. 

 We finished the fun day with brisket, ribs and pulled pork at Country Boys.

 Rock was so moved by the fair atmosphere that he started wearing a cowboy hat (the girl up the street that has been wearing cowboy hats didn't factor in to the situation at all).

 Grandpa and Grandma moved into a house at Wapato Point, that made the giant indoor pool accessible. Jens just might be growing gills and webbed feet.

 School is in full swing, which means Rock is spending each night reading. He tried Harry Potter, Sideway Stories from Wayside School, and Boxcar Kids. He finally discovered the joy that is Garfield. 

 Jens loves doing her homework. She asks to do it from the morning she gets home until the time she goes to bed.

 Football hasn't loved playing in Chelan, but he has made a lot of friends and is having a ball this year.

 DeA just loves watching football. Sitting on the sideline, trying to figure out which one is Rock, pretending to know what is happening in the game, ignoring the other kids...it's been a blast for her.

 The lovely Jensley.

School mornings can be difficult on poor Jensley. 

 She makes her mommy walk her up to the bus each morning. Sometimes Mommy has to push her up the hill.

 Mornings can be hard on poor Ryker, too.

 At least he puts on a brave face.

Sun Clips! Football! School Starts!

The great solar eclipse was a lot of fun. The kids were excited about it, even though they weren't sure what to expect.

 Grandpa joined us to see the show. Notice how each kid is looking in a different direction.

 Eventually Rock realized that the sun wasn't going to explode. It was quite a bummer.

 Jens didn't mind the lack of explosions, she enjoyed the spectacle. 

 Ryker was just glad that he didn't go blind. 

    NFL preseason began in August, Jens was more than ready for some football.

 Rock's bantam football season began the week before school. He wasn't thrilled about playing for Chelan, but the excitement of playing helped him get over it.

 He made up for the Chelan stuff by wearing my old Manson game jersey.

 Jensley had some dental work done, this time it went much more smooth than the first filling.

 The boys began school on a Monday. They were less than excited to go back to "prison".

 While the boys were slaving away in school, Jens came to the gym with me and pumped some iron.

The long school days are wearing out Ryker, and his mom.

 With the boys in school, Jens helped me make the perfect pancake. Doesn't it look delicious?

  Dad flew me up to Stehekin during my lunch break to adjust a few patients. Jens came as my loyal assistant. 

 Finally Friday arrived. Jens was off to Kindergarten. She picked her outfit all by herself.

 Sunflowers!

 Somehow her mommy let her ride the bus on her first day. Then her mommy followed her to school and made her say goodbye all over again.