Learning to Mow

 The other day the boys were talking about mowing the lawn. Bry said to Kode that he had never done that before and Kode said to him "well its time you learn and I will teach you" So they both marched outside and got the lawn stuff out of the shed and Kode showed Bry how its done! Kode said he would teach him how to mow first then in time he would show him how to edge. I got a good chuckle out of it!

So here Kode is showing Bry this is how you mow the lawn! And just by chance Bry was listening to him. It was amazing. Usually Bry has to put his two cents in but he didn't!

 Then he was a mowing fool!

 There was a couple of times that Bry needed Kode's assistance and Kode was not bothered by helping him out! It was so great to watch them work so well together!

So while Bry mowed Kode edged the lawn. He says he really likes doing that!

Mac said he appreciated that the lawn was mowed when he got home from work that night! It was one less thing he had to worry about! Anyway it was pretty cute to watch how well they worked with each other on making sure that the lawn looked good!

all 5's

While I was driving down the road the other day I looked down and saw that my mileage thing was coming upon all 5's. So I pulled over to the side of the road when it hit all 5's and took a picture. Its just crazy that my new car has hit 5 thousand something miles already! (well when I bought it it already had 4 thousand miles on it so whats a thousand more) O'well I guess cars are for driving and I am enjoying mine! 

You Rock Smock!!

 The other day the boys took a sewing class at JoAnns! It was called You Rock Smock. The boys each made their own smock! A couple days before the class we went and got the fabric and supplies that they needed for the class. Then on the day of the class they were ready with their supplies! The class was was a good class. The was just only the boys. No other students. So that was so nice.  Bry got a little board 1/2 way through the class but we made the best of it! Anyway here is how the class went!

 So first they learned about how to look at a pattern then they had to cut out all the pieces that they were going to use!

(The teacher was so patient, very helpful and so nice to the boys. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher for the boys. Thanks Kathy for you help. You were AWESOME)

 Then after they cut out all of the pattern pieces they hat to tack them down to the fabric!

(gotta love the fabric choices)

 Then after that was done they had to cut the fabric out! It was quite the process.

(Bry had a hard time with this so I helped him out a little. Kode did a wonderful job doing all of the steps on his own)

 Then after all of that was done it was time to finally sew!

This is what the boys had been looking forward to the hole time!

 The boys were little sewing machines!

 So we didn't have enough time to finish the smocks at the class. We had to bring them home to finish them.

 Kode was very eager to get his finished. He wanted to get our sewing machine out and finish it that evening. (I was not so eager since we had all been working on those smocks for the past 3 hours) but that's what he wanted to that's what we did. We stayed up very late but we got it done! (Bry's smock had to wait til the next day. Once we got home he was off entertaining the neighbors anyway. He was over sewing the smock by then anyway)

 The next morning Kode got up and started getting things ready to work on Bry's smock! He is such a huge helper! Kode and I worked on Bry's smock for a couple of hours. Then it was time to try them on!

So this is what they looked like when they were done!!

 Bry liked his dog bone smock!

and Kode loves his money smock!!

(the pocket on his smock has a $100.00 bill on it. Its so cute)

 He was so excited to have it done so he could wear it while he helped cook dinner!

All in all this a fun project for us to do!

a fun night

 The other night the boys wanted the little neighbor boy to stay the night. I am not a huge fan of this but Mac told them that it was OK. They mostly hung out downstairs where all the games are and the TV is!

They played basketball!

 They watched movies on our new TV!

and they made their own personal pizzas!

All in all they had a great night!

Thinking of You!!

Uncle Ken,

       We are thinking of you today. We hope that your back surgery goes well and that you will have a quick recovery! Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Aunt Pam!
                                     Love,
                    Mac, Me, Kode, and Bry!!

TV

 The other day Mac and I decided to go to the store and purchase a TV for the basement. We don't spend a lot of time in the basement so I really didn't want to spend a lot of money on a TV. I just wanted something down there so we could go down there an have something to watch! Anyway we ended up finding one that works for our needs! Its only a 43 inch flat screen TV which will work just fine!

When we got it home Mac immediately started to read the directions. I think he was as excited as the boys were about the new TV!

 and Kode wanted to help so he read the instructions on how to install the bracket!

 as for Bry he just wanted to play with all the pieces in the box! He was just there to be silly!

 After a little measurements, and a little bit of installing the TV was up on the wall in no time!

and here it is. (Mac still needs to hide the wires in the wall but that will have to be done later) He had lost his patience!

Anyway it is nice to have something to watch TV on in the basement!!

~little more than a trim~

So after we got home from our camping trip I told Mac that the boys really needed their hair trimmed (they were looking a little shaggy! LOL)

Anyway what I didn't realize is that they boys wanted a little more than a trim!  

 Yea that's right they both decided that they were over the hawks! Kode said he was over styling his hair each morning. He just wanted something easy to wear! (some days I wish I could have a hair-do like that) Anyway no more hawk!!

Then it was Bry's turn! He also said he didn't want the Mohawk any more! I was just shocked that they wanted it cut off. They have been sporting that look for over 3 years now!



So this is what they look like now!

Kode wanted his hear really short! So that is what Mac did!

Bry wanted a bowl cut. So he is a little different than Kode!

 No more hair! Its so weird to see them now but this is what they wanted!

Going Home!!

 So it was time for us to head home! We have been camping for 8 days now. I am so ready for a real shower and my bed. Our grey tank and black tank is full and our fresh water tank is empty so it time for us to head out! Its kinda sad to say goodbye to everyone, its been a great week but I am ready and I know that the rest of us are ready to head home!

I have these 3 large garbage bags full of dirty laundry to do when I get home!  Sometimes coming home from vacation is the crappy part of going on vacation cause you know what is waiting for you when you get home. I guess that's when the work really begins! Anyway!!

 

Well we said goodbye to everyone and set out on our way! 

 Mac and I debated on taking the Parleys Canyon way home or going through Ogden Canyon. Well we decided to follow the way the Tom Tom says to go. The Parleys Canyon way. Just as we were going down Parleys Canyon we blew a tire on the trailer! Of course it had to be in a very dangerous area. Mac pulled off of the road the best he could. Luckily it was one of the tires on the far side of the road. He had a little protection from the trailer. It still was very scary when any semi came roaring past us. Anyway it was very hot outside but Mac was able to change the tire quickly so we could be on our way!!

 Old one off and the new one ready to be put on

Just as Mac was getting ready to put this bad tire on the trailer he saw that it had a nail in it.

Crazy!!

Anyway we finally made it home safe! It only took us a little over 6 hours! The kids just wanted to get home so that they could play with their friends for a few!

more about our camping trip

Just more pictures of us camping in the Uintas! On this particular day it was a gloomy one so we didn't want to be to far away from camp just in case it started to rain. We could quickly find shelter in our campers to wade out the storm. Luckily it only rained for a short time. Then we all gathered around camp and enjoyed each others company! Anyway here are some pictures of our day!

After it quit raining we all gathered our chairs and chatted. It was a bit chilly!

Aunt Pam and Uncle Ken brought a game for the kids to play. It had never been taken out of the box before so Mac, Uncle Ken and the boys put it together!

Then they gave it a try! Bry had just scored some points!

 

and Kode giving it a try

 

Then Mac showed them how it is done!

All in all everyone enjoyed the game! It was a fun way to pass the time!

 

Uncle Dave brought his bow and target and was practicing (just staying up on his skills for when its time to go hunting) well Bry was curious in what he was doing. Uncle Dave remembered that he had a toy bow in his camper. So he let Bry shoot with that one!

Bry thought he was awesome! He loved being able to shoot at the target!

 

Once the clouds cleared we decided to go for a ride! It was nice cause the rain settled the dust down.

 

While we were on our ride we came across this old cabin. We stopped to take a closer look!

The old house is on a little island. So we had to cross the make shift bridge!

Bry loved this large window. He pretended to be a fast food joint where he would take your order then pretend to deliver your food! It was cute!

 

We noticed that someone is improving the old house.

 

Then after taking a break for a bit we decided it was time to get back on our 4-wheelers and do some more riding!

Just more of the beautiful views that we saw!

 

Mac decided to take Abbey on a ride. She did great! She just sat on the back of the 4-wheeler and chilled! (well every now and then she would let you know she still was there)

Then just before it got dark Kode took both dogs for a quick ride! I don't think Shamus really liked it but he did good! As for Abbey she loved it!

Anyway that's all for now!