Learning to ride

We went to visit Grandma and Grandpa a couple of weeks ago and while we were there we learned that Mason's cousin, Reagan, that is his age learned how to ride with no training wheels. So I decided to let him try too. Jay has been telling me all summer that he could do it, but I wasn't ready for him to do it yet.
So on July 14th Brock took his training wheels off and I started him. I was surprised that he just took off. I spent a couple hours just running by the side of him. By the end of the day I would just start him and then go inside and tell him to come get me when he needed to be started again. He picked it up really fast. It was pretty funny to watch him ride because he could only turn to his left. A few days later he got on and just started turning to his right. He was really good at not crying when he crashed. We would just get back on and say, "It just bucked me off."
Mason was so excited to get to call Jay that night and tell him what he had learned to do. I was pretty proud of him.

Elly's new trick

Elly has found her feet. She loves to suck on her big toe. If she has socks on it doesn't take her long to have the whole sock soaked. It is pretty cute and I think it is better then sucking her thumb. She has started to suck both of her thumbs at the sametime. I don't know what we are going to do with her.

Crazy Hair

This boy can sure get some crazy hair. It seems to be the worst when he wakes up from his naps. He thinks it is funny most of the time, but there are the times when I try to put it down that he gets mad at me and tells me that I am messing up his hair.

Summer fun

One of my favorite things as a kid in the summer was to jump on the trampoline with the sprinkler under it. Well my boys love it as much as I did. I could tell that it was a nice hot day because Mason usually gets cold really fast and needs to warm up in the blanket, but that didn't happen today. They loved it and it was just fun to sit there and watch my boys have a great time together.

Tyler even did a little running through the sprinklers.

By the way I do feed Mason he is just so active that it is hard to keep any meat on him and that is why you can see almost every bone in his body. I hear he is just like his dad was when he was a kid.

And of course we had to have a little wrestling while playing on the trampoline. These little boys I can't help but just love them. We have a lot of fun together.

Goodbye

Yesterday we, the kids and I, got up early and head to S.L.C to go to the Oquirh Mountain Temple open house. The boys really liked it. The big stairways, beautiful chandeliers and the baptismal font were a big high light for them. They liked the water fountain outside too. The chocolate chip cookies after were also a great part of the open house. I wish that Jay could have gone with us, but it is better in the day when it is not as busy.

Mason just didn't want to sit by Tyler and Elly for the picture.

After the temple we headed to Prove to meet my family so we could say goodbye to my sister, Candice, who left to the MTC. She didn't cry and I of course did. I have been trying to talk her into staying, but she wouldn't. We are going to miss her. She did inform me that it was only a year and a half and that it will fly by. Kids these days think they know everything. We love you Candice. I will miss Candice a lot. I really enjoyed getting to pick her up when we would go to Grandma's house.

I loved this picture of Candyland and Mason. Mason started calling Candice "Candyland" when we would pick her up from school and take her to Grandma's with us. He has to laugh every time after he says "Candyland" in his prayers.

Tyler giving Candice her a goodbye kiss, probably the last one she will get since he will probably think he is to big for that when she gets back.

Fourth of July

For the Fourth of July weekend we did our sparklers on Thursday night because we went camping on Friday night. The boys loved the sparklers. They tried to burn everything they could find even though I kept telling them it wasn't going to work. Elly watched for a little while then fell asleep. The sparklers were fun until the very last one when Mason burned his fingers. He ended up with blisters on two fingers and his thumb. We almost made it without an accident.

Mason showing us the candle that we would light the sparklers with.

You can't see it very good but Tyler does have a sparkler in his hand.

Mason trying to burn the cement.

Friday after Jay finished with work we went up in the mountains camping with my sister-in-laws family and their friends. They kids loved it. They got to ride four wheelers, shoot the bee bee gun, go fishing, play baseball, hike and best of all play in the dirt. When I asked Mason to smile so I could get a picture of his dirty little face this was the face he gave me. He thought he was pretty funny.

Even Tyler couldn't resist getting covered in dirt. They did this when we were almost ready to go home. There I was thinking that we were going to make it home with out them getting completely dirty. At least it washed off and they had fun.

Tyler and Mason loved pushing their dump trucks up and down this road because of all the dirt that it kicked up. Mason loves to make dust. Tyler enjoyed it too.

These big dump trucks have been the best toy that these two boys have gotten. They have pushed them so many miles. They want to take them everywhere we go.

Here is Jay and his little boy. Elly really could pass as a boy that is why I have to put a bow in her hair. I did put her in the boys old clothes for camping. It is hard to find dark clothes for girls.

Elly loved being outside. She was so good. I was afraid she was going to wake everyone up when we were there because she woke up with the sun and started making loud noises. When we got home Saturday night Tyler, Elly and I went and watched the fireworks. Jay and Mason were tired so they stayed home.

Six months

Elly is six months old now. Time has gone by so fast. She is loving eating food, but she doesn't want the baby stuff she wants the real thing. She is very loud. The boys love it when Jay will tell her she needs to be quiet. She is the loudest during the sacrament every week.



She is a little chubby. She is the fattest baby we have ever had. We love her.

The new Grandkids

These are the four grandkids that have been added in the last seven months to my side of the family. The girls are a month a part and the boys almost two months.

He has talent

I don't know if any of you have tried to ride the "Wave" but I cannot do it. I have tried and it is not as easy as the kids make it look. I can't even get on the thing by myself. Brock had to show me how easy it was. He can even do it while having Mason on it with him. I learned yesturday that even my neice who is six figured it out and she was bear footed. What is my problem? I guess I am going to have to start practicing.

Another Trip South

Jay worked three days down at his other job last week so we all went with him. We had to get up early so we could get there in time for him to work. So I fed the kids breakfast in the church parking lot. We then spent hours at the park until we could check into the hotel. The kids took their naps until Jay got done with work for the day. We took them to eat at this new place that has these old video game machines. The boys, I am including Jay in this, loved playing the games and didn't want to leave. Then we headed back to the hotel to swim.

My little swimmers. Elly loved the water. This is the best pool. When they say heated they mean it. The water was like a bath tub so the kids loved it. Mason usually doesn't last very long because he is cold but he swam for a couple of hours.

I almost didn't get Elly a swimsuit because I didn't think she would use it much, but we have definitely got our six dollars out of this suit.

I love it when the boys jump in the pool holding hands. Then they swim to the edge still holding on to each other.

This was Tyler's knew trick that he had to have me get a picture of.

Mason is the water taster. Pretty sick I think, but try and tell a kid not to swallow the pool water.

Mason looks so different when his hair is wet.

Mason jumping in the pool.

I loved this picture of Tyler. Kids look so funny in their goggles.

The next day when Jay finished with work we took the kids on a hike to Hickman Arch (it might be Hickman bridge). This was a two mile hike but pretty easy. The boys walked the whole thing. Jay carried Elly in the pack on the way up. It was a pretty hike with lots to see. The boys liked this little seat that they found.

This was pretty cool. The boys are standing on this rock bridge and the ground is down under them about six feet.

Jay and Elly standing out of the rain. It rain on us for a few minutes so we just stood under the rocks and waited until it finished.

This is Hickman Arch. Jay and the kids are sitting under it.

My happy hikers. Elly never made a sound the whole time and she was awake.

Tyler hanging on for dear life.

Here we are at the end of our hike.

This is the under side of the rock bridge.

The next day, after we had swam for a couple of hours and checked out of the hotel, I took the kids on a little hike while we were waiting for Jay to finish working. This is at sunset lookout.

The boys love being able to get out and run. They had to stop and throw a rock every now and again.

They had to climb on this and play for a little while on our way back.

On our way home after picking Jay up from work we took the scenic drive up past fish lake. It was a really pretty drive. If you want to do something fun for a couple of days down in that area is pretty nice.