Monday, September 14, 2015

BYU/ Boise St. 2015



You should have seen the happy dance at our house!  I didn't know I could still jump up and down, but, yes I can!   Wahoooooo!!!!!!!!!

Friday, September 11, 2015

Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie WoodlawnCaddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I loved reading this delightful book set in Wisconsin while on vacation in Wisconsin. Caddie is adventurous, courageous, and has all sorts of fun. What little girl wouldn’t love reading about her and her adventures. Her father makes my short list of fine literary heroes. The book should be required reading for fathers raising daughters. I have read most of the Newberry Award-winning books, and this is one of my favorite among them. I guess I like simple stories about day-to-day life of functional families. I think our children need more of them.



View all my reviews

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Labor Day Weekend with the Prince Family

We had such a fun Labor Day weekend with the Prince family.  They arrived from Las Vegas on Friday.  We had a delicious barbecue dinner with yummy Kay's Conglomerate Burgers and chips and Pico de Galo and Italian Salad.

I baked egg bread on Friday so that I could make the stuffed french toast we had in Door County.  I made Blueberry instead of cherry, and if I say so myself, it was even better than the "best breakfast in America!"  I will post the recipe soon on Hungryhintons.blogspot.com.  
We then made a picnic and headed for the mountains.  We went first to Cedar Breaks.  It is so beautiful up there, but, my it was cold!  The wind was blowing.


The beautiful view was worth the cold, though.  That is one of the prettiest places on earth, I think!




We then headed for lower and warmer ground.  We went to Kolob Canyon.

We had a nice picnic there then went on the Overlook hike.  

Because I'm slower than everyone else, Gabby and I got a head start while the others went back for the baby backpack. She was a fun little hiking companion- but way faster than me.  She pretty much ran circles around me.

We stopped for a rest on a rock.  How I love this little girl.


I made it to the end- with the help of Brian's walking sticks.  Those things were great!


It was so beautiful!



We then hurried home to watch the now-famous BYU/Nebraska game.  We had recorded it, so we were partying a little later than everyone else! 

I took this just before the end.  Oh, what a finish!!!!!!  Best game ever!!!!

On Sunday evening, we made the traditional Hinton family ice cream.  

On Monday, we headed for city center.  The kids loved the Carousel.

And the water park.


Thank you Princes for a great Labor Day weekend.  How we love that you are close enough now to spend time with us. Holidays are so much more fun now!

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Wonderful Weeks in Wisconsin

We spent most of August in Wisconsin.  We stayed two weeks in a condo in Door County, up on the peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan.  We love Door County, Wisconsin.  Kristen and her kids spent much of the time up there with us.  We had such a great time!

When we arrived on Thursday evening, Kristen had a nice meal all ready for us.

On Friday, we went grocery shopping, then Kristen, Brielle, Ken and I headed for Door County (about a two-hour drive.) The other kids had a babysitter until their dad got home. He tended so we could have a more adult evening.  We stopped at Green Bay on the way and shopped at Costco.  That evening, we went to a really nice restaurant.  We all had local fish except Brielle who had pasta.

The fish was delicious.

After dinner, we drove out to Peninsula State Park and attended a musical at an outdoor theater there.  It was so good.

It rained or drizzled through the whole show, but we just held something over our heads, and enjoyed the show.  The theater writes and performs three musicals each summer.  They are really good!

The next morning we got up and went to breakfast at the now-famous White Gull Inn in Fish Creek.  A couple of years ago, it was featured on Good Morning America and won their nationwide contest for having "The Best Breakfast in America!" We had to try it.

The grounds there are just beautiful- not to mention the people!- waiting for a table.

This is the dish that won the contest- Cherry Stuffed French Toast.  My, it was good.  I found the recipe online and made it yesterday, so will be posting it soon on our Hungry Hintons blog.

In front of the beautiful White Gull Inn.

We then drove back to Sturgeon Bay- about 1/2 hour drive to look in the shops there.  Jared brought the kids and we met up with them there in Sturgeon Bay.


All of the little towns in Door County have a Confectionary and Ice Cream shop.  

On Sunday, we attended church in the tiny Sturgeon Bay branch.  This was taken outside the building.  

The branch is very small.  After sacrament meeting, all the Primary children meet in one room, all the adults in the "chapel" and all the youth in another room.  Another room has toys for a nursery, but there is no nursery leader.  So Kristen, Ken and I took turns in there with Addie.  It was fun.

Brielle in front of our condo.

Sunday night ice cream treat.

On Monday, we took the ferry to Washington Island.

We had a picnic over there.

And climbed to an over look.


We went to a lavendar farm.

And a smooth stone beach.


We spent the next day mostly around our resort.  There were so many fun things to do.  Ken worked with Jacob, teaching him how to ride a bike.


Most of the mornings, the boys would go out hunting golf balls on the beautiful golf course.  They found over 50 golf balls while we were there.  They loved it.  It was like an Easter egg hunt.

We went to dinner at a Swedish restaurant that has goats grazing on the thatch roof.  It all started as a joke.  For a prank, friends put goats on the thatch roof on the owner's birthday.  It caused such a stir, that he's put them up there each day during the summer months.  


We had a delicious dinner there.

Ken had the traditional Swedish pancakes and Swedish meatballs.
In the afternoon, we had a rousing game of croquet at the resort.  








After-game treats.

On Wednesday, we went to farm to play and pet and feed animals.  It was such a fun place for kids!
















The recreation center of our resort was just across the road from our unit.  It was such a fun place.  This is the beautiful indoor pool and it also had an outdoor pool.  We spent lots of time there.
The flowers of Door County were breathtakingly beautiful.  And they were everywhere!~





On Thursday, Ken and I enjoyed shopping in Fish Creek in all of the quaint stores.

We drove to all of the produce/food stands and checked prices and the looks of the cherry pies.  We then went back and bought the best deal.  It was delicious!

On Saturday, we traveled back down to Mackrory's to attend Nathan's 10am baptism.  

He was so excited!

Ready to go!

After the well-attended baptism and refreshments, Nathan helped clean the chapel.
The newest member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

After- baptism gift opening

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOO  I love you!!!"

Kristen has her home decorated so beautifully.  A family in their ward who travel to Japan frequently brought her this beautiful Japanese nativity set.


Ready for church on Sunday in the pantry.

Cute Addie ready to go.

Kristen and me.

We went back up to Door County on Sunday afternoon.  We had to go back the next day for the stuffed french toast at White Gull Inn.  It is, afterall, the best breakfast in America.
.


We went back to Sturgeon Bay for more shopping and this delicious ice cream.

We passed this hay field each time we went to Sturgeon Bay.  We finally stopped to take pictures.  

Our resort in Fish Creek, Wisconsin





We shopped one day in Egg Harbor.  We got separated and didn't have cell service to find each other.  It was a long two hours as we tried to find each other.



A selfie.  I'm getting better.

Finally reunited again.

We went back to the Northern Sky Theater in the woods for another one of their delightful plays.



My granddaughter asked me why I have pictures of chairs.  These colorful Adirondack chairs are very popular all over Door County.  We saw so many of them, that I wanted a picture of them to remember them.

Our last day of shopping in Sister Bay.






We had lunch at The Wild Tomato- yummy gourmet pizza and I had a cherry walnut salad that was just delicious.
On Thursday, we checked out of the resort and drove back to Appleton to the Mackrorys.  We tended the kids for a few days so Kristen and Jared could go on a little anniversary trip.

Watching a movie.

Our little bookworm, Brielle.

The kids had read books in their library program, which gave them a free meal at a pizza place.  So we went out for a pizza buffet.  After they ate, the kids went back to the arcade and scavengered.  Nathan found a token under and behind a machine.  They used it to play one of the games and won, so got 6 tickets.  They traded them in for a tootsie roll each.  They were thrilled!

That evening we loaded the Ice Cream train and headed out for ice cream!





Our little Snugglebug, Audrey.  
We flew home on Sunday afternoon.  We went to Michelle and Brian's in Vegas for a nice Sunday dinner.  Gabby and Jaron were starting school/pre-school the next morning, so we were there for their priesthood blessings.
Baby Kenny

Gabby

Jaron
It was such a wonderful vacation- mingling family with relaxation.