Swan "Lake," plus biking (summer highlights: episode five)

I'm not talking about Tchaikovsky's Ballet Suite. I'm talking about the limestone sinkhole, purported to be bottomless, that sits above our town to the West.

I actually rode my bike up to Swan Lake a week before we took Mollie and Calvin on this hike.  I was looking for new places to ride, and hadn't been to the sinkhole for about seven years.  It was such a nice day and I was so hot that I jumped in all by myself, bike helmet and all.  The water is not cold, so I made a plan to come back with the kids.

Allen and I took Mollie and Calvin on a night when Truman and Brigham were at work.  It was an INCREDIBLY hot day in July and we had so much fun cooling off there together.

  

In past years, sometimes the water goes all the way up to the lip of the "cliff" that we are jumping off.  It's an interesting place, for sure.  I have to admit that the water kind of grosses me out and I can only stay for so long.  

Mollie lost one of her foam sandals in the mud on the north end, and she kept digging around for it, but couldn't find it.  Understandably, she didn't want to hike back to the car (it's about a mile hike) with only one shoe, so we all went over to help her.  She showed us where she lost her shoe, so we said a prayer that she could find it.  I swiped my foot through the mud and sticks, and up floated her sandal.  It was a nice little mini miracle.

PS- here are a few gems from early July: 

Mollie, hiding a birthday present for Mom behind her back

And this is when Mollie rode her bike 5 miles to the reservoir
for the first time ALL BY HERSELF, but I got nervous and
drove to find her and she was just hiking along the reservoir

My sweet biking vinyl, printed by Eli and Savanah

Mollie and Calvin with one of my favorite people, Diane Olson, who taught them how to paint this amazing space art! Diane was one of the first friends I ever made in Soda and she taught Mollie art lessons back in January.  In July, she called me up and offered to teach this lesson to Mollie and Calvin "just because."  She is so kind and Christlike, and I am so thankful for her.