Sage, Jacob, and Eliza feeding the ducks

A visual for Janel's latest blog about Cousins by the Dozens. This was one of our recent trips to feed the ducks at the pond near Kim's apartment. Well, at least Eliza looked at the camera!

--Kim

A family reunion every day

Well, Sage, Eliza and Jacob are not exactly "Cousins by the dozens" yet, but everyday still feels like a family reunion to me, and I love it! It's nice to be within 1 house of Becca and Danielle, 4 blocks north of Krista, 4 blocks east of Kim, 4 blocks south of Suzy, and 10 min from Mom and Dad. Sage, Eliza and I are being spoiled rotten.

Kim specializes in early morning visits and is a regular breakfast companion at our house. Since she's willing to sit in one of the booster seats, and actually fits, we're happy to have her polish off the remaining waffles. She also supplies stale duck food and good company when we go to the pond by her house.

Becca and Jordan are always on treat duty. They specialize in marshmallows, Dora fruit snacks and cheese whiz (and the kids know it), and have constructed a kiddie house out of a Dell computer box, complete with Dora pictures and other furnishings. Becca and Jordan do a huge share of Sunday childcare, and Danielle and I have started drawing straws to see whose kids get to sit on the bench next to them during Sacrament meeting.

Suzy is the latest addition to the "neighborhood." She drops in to deliver Brick Oven goodies and stories and collect cooking advice and we usually force her to raid our fridge while she's here (her compliments are a regular source of my self-esteem these days). Even though she won't eat the treats, she allows us to host ice cream parties for anyone she can round up. (Well, that just happened once, but I hope it will happen again).

Danielle and Adam have provided Sage's number one joy in life these days: Jacob. Despite the age difference, Sage and Jacob love spending time together. How do I know? Because even though they each get approximately 2 time outs per hour spent together for hitting each other, they ask for each other from sunup to sundown. Good thing they live through the backyard! Danielle is a great walking partner, babysitter, and dishwasher. She washes a load of dishes at my house each day. Last night Adam fixed my broken cupboard, and even did a Stefano impression (Wait...no, he didn't. But I wish he would.).

"My name is Stefano. I am an Italian man....A lot of this has been reconstructed." (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events)

Krista and Bryce are only four blocks away but are, of course, and unfortunately, in a different ward. They help Sage get her Spanish practice by taking her to visit a little Latin neighbor friend across the street, and by speaking to Sage regularly in Spanish. We appreciate this, as it's nice to add cool, fun people to the list of Spanish speakers Sage knows [which includes next to no native speakers...basically only Mark]. Krista seems to have endless energy for chasing Eliza around the sidelines during intramural games, even if she does call her Olive Oil because of her zombie walk. I think Sage has a secret crush on Bryce's youngest brother, Hunter, who is so sweet, and, unfortunately, much too old for her.

Grandpa is the excitement up the hill on BYU campus. He has a mini TV for the kids to entertain themselves while Danielle and I reward ourselves for the long (4-block) journey up the hill by investigating to his “research” drawer full of snacks. Grandpa’s orchard and zipline are legendary among Sage and her friends, and even Eliza can’t leave until she’s taken a 7 foot spree on the zipline swing.

Grandma is also a great walking partner. She’s always got a toy or activity for Sage and Eliza. Somehow she can entertain a child on her lap in church for an hour with something as dull as a clip or an empty coin purse….she is remarkable, and the grandkids love her. She’s extremely patient with all the investigations Eliza likes to conduct in her kitchen cupboards. I am eternally grateful for Mom’s timely insights on potty training and child discipline. She’s taught me and Sage to be organized with toys and playtime. She needs to write a book, soon, called “How to be a perfect Mom.” I’d buy it. I’d memorize it.

Do you believe me now, when I say we’re spoiled? You Wilsons sure make it hard for us to even entertain ideas of leaving Utah! Okay, maybe we won’t!

Canning tomatoes

The happy time of year has come again...it's canning time!
Thanks to Dad's 60 tomato plants

Have you ever seen so many grape tomatoes on one plant?

Sage was definitely the most enthusiastic (and messiest) helper.

We survived, thanks to Rich for setting up the feature movie, "The Count of Monte Cristo," including surround sound.

Total yield: 52 jars of tomatoes
Stay tuned for next week's crop (and peaches soon to follow)
Sign up today for your next shift at the Wilson Cannery!

White Sands trip

We went to White Sands National Monument in NM on the way to Carlsbad Caverns. Besides being much easier to take pictures of, Jacob liked it way more and spent the whole time running away from us and saying, "Oh no! Oh no!"

This is Jacob after we left White Sands. We were SO hot, and he inherited his mom's tendency to get a red face after exertion.
Jacob was probably saying Oh no! again here.
Too steep to walk/run down this hill, so Jacob solved that problem.
Right outside Carlsbad Caverns. Jacob had a great time in this backpack for about 5 minutes before he started wanting to escape and be free.

Keith's Orchard

The Farmer in his natural habitat

We realized that we don't have any pictures of our orchard.
Good work, Dad. Finally your (and our) hard work is paying off.

Below are a few pictures. (Not pictured: apricots, pears, cherries)

Peaches

(Last year's crop yielded 1 1/2 pound peaches)

Nectarines

Golden Delicious Apple

Italian Plums












Special thanks to Kelly S., guest photographer.

Bryce and Krista's Wedding