happy 63rd Dad!

My dad's birthday was on labor day so we had a party for him at the hyrum park. We were fortunate to have great granma and grandpa Jaussi come, and aunt marian as well. In honor of Dad's many years we baked him 63 mini cupcakes and I made him a balloon hat for the record books. It was a wonderful birthday celebration.

Mt Sterling Stampede

Every year Mt. Sterling has a children's rodea to commemerate the founders of their cute little hamlet. This was our second year in attendance, and it was just as fun as the first time! andrea and her family invited us. Joshua and Emma both participated in the mutton bustin', and andrew and Allie raced in the stick horse races. Andrea and I both made fools of ourselves running after ribons tied to cow's tales, and of course all the kids participated in the critter chase (you catch it you keep it). Joshua caught a rooster - again - which we promptly gave away to Andrea's dad. Thank heavens! Here is a little snippet of joshua's sheep riding. It may not be that impressive, but keep in mind - he did voluntarily get onto a sheep with the intention of letting it buck and roll him. It's the thought that counts, right?

Jaussis and Heros

It was a beautiful late summer day, and Jon, Laura, and Zion were headed straight up Hero's mountain. That's right, they didn't need any stinking trails, just a couple of dogs and camelbacks. If you can see the goal, then you don't need much else, right? The three Jaussi's crossed a river, jumped a fence, and before they knew it they were headed straight up a slope of grass and loose rock. By 10:00 they were half way up. It wasn't so bad without a trail, they said to themselves, it's easy ti pick your way up a mountain. By 11:30 they were almost to the summit. The goal was in sight when Laura heard a low growl from a nearby stand of trees. Laura and Zion stopped and wondered if there were mountain lions in the area. Just as they decided they had imagined the sound, they came upon a chewed deer leg. Eww. Zion went into panic mode, asking in scared tones if they could turn back. But Jon was resolute. Hero's mountain must be ascended, or he would be haunted for ever. So on the trio went, with their trusty dogs leading the way. At the top Zion carved her name on a piece of slate to prove to the world that she had done it. She had climbed the mountain!

After a quick lunch, and a brief photo shoot, the explorers began their descent. This was to be the easy part. After all, wasn't the downhill always easy when hiking? Apparently the rule doesn't apply to off-trail excursions. The descent was brutal for Zion and Laura. They clung to each other's hands and inched down the mountain with clumsy footing. Zion's slender legs were scratched and bloody from falling. Laura's muscles were shaking from the precise exertion of the descent. After a full hour and many butslides the explorers finally made it back to the fence and the river. Victory! Hero's mountain had been tamed by the wildest of Jaussi kind! Now, when Jon Zion and Laura look at that majestic slope, they know that they had it in them to conquer that particular mountain. Watch our Everest, the Jaussi's are looking your way!

Picky Man

Picky Man!

(to be sung to the tune of "Batman")

Doesn't like his food to touch

if it does he won't eat much

Picky Man!

Never eats a single bite

until the temperature's just right

Picky Man!

He's a drinker - milk's the best

two cups or three, he'll take no less

Picky Man!

If he snacks a single bite

dinner's sure to be a fight

Picky Man!

When it's time to sit and eat

he always asks for something sweet

Picky Man!

Fruits and veggies taste just fine

untli you cook them - whine, whine, whine

Picky Man!

Eating is a trying chore

that he simply must endure

Picky Man!

Triumphal tidbit

Saturday:

I caught a trout.

I killed a trout.

I gutted a trout.

I cooked a trout.

I ate a trout.

I am woman....watch me fish.

Circus here we come!

Two weeks ago Joshua entered a coloring contest in the Herald Journal newspaper. The prize was 4 tickets to the Barnum and Bailey Circus coming to Salt Lake in September. We've never been to a circus, so Joshua was excited to enter the contest. I've never been very impresesed with his coloring abilities, so I shrugged it off as a lost cause. But we colored and dropped off his entry anyway. Well, I'm glad that sometimes I am wrong, because Joshua won those tickets. We get to go to the circus, and Joshua gets to feel proud of his accomplishment. What a wonderful world!

Fish Lake Barlow Trip

Once a year the Barlow clan gets together for a weekend of frivolity and general reunioning. This year it was Mom and Dad Barlow's turn to pick the vacation site, and they chose cabins at Fish Lake. I had never been there before, and neither had the kids. We had a great weekend throwing rocks in the lake, having a talent show, making and racing space derby rockets, playing in the cabin loft, playing water balloon volleyball and dodgeball, and of course, eating! Sunday we attended the fish lake branch for church. Mom Barlow was insistant that we go becasue "you'll never have another chance to go to church in your jeans and have it be normal."