Lagoon Trip

I wrote about this earlier, but here are some pictures from our day at Lagoon.
Gavin really didn't like this ride...some of the "kids" rides actually went pretty fast, but Connor loved it.

This was Connor's all time favorite ride. It really made you lose your stomach when you dropped, but he'd just smile and say he was having fun as if it was nothing!

This was Gavin's all time favorite ride...unfortunately he didn't tell us that until after we left the park, so he actually only rode it twice. He still talks about that ride and asks if he can go back. He even gets in the shower and pretends to be an octopus just like this ride.

Gavin and Connor spent the majority of the day in the really little kiddie section of the amusement park. They rode these planes (along with the other little cars, helicopters in the kiddie section) until they literally kicked them off the rides because the park was closing. They had so much fun. We'll definitely have to go back again next summer.

Pictures from our Visit to the Copper Mines

I posted about this little visit before, but didn't put any pictures up.
Here's a picture of us looking down into the huge pit where they blow up the rock and haul it away to process it for copper. Apparently, there's less than 1% copper in the rock, but it's still enough to make a profit because they haul so many tons of rocks every day.

Here's a picture of the kids in front of a tire the actual size of the tires on the trucks they use to haul the rock. (Gavin didn't want to be in the picture so he's hiding behind the tire.)

Here's a comparison of just how big the trucks are compared to that little school bus down there. (What a school bus is doing driving around down there...I have no idea!)

No Training Wheels! Whoo-Hoo!

Last night, we decided to have Gavin try to ride his bike without training wheels. He was pretty nervous, but did really well. Jason would help him ride his bike in the street while I would race him along the sidewalk. Now keep in mind that I have the worst cold that I've had all year, but I had to keep it exciting for Gavin since he was pretty skeptical of the whole thing. We told him that he could go WAY faster without the training wheels. After he beat me in a few races, he was finally getting excited about it, and that's when he fell and didn't want to do it any more. It took us a good 15-20 min to talk him into getting back on his bike and trying again.
This morning, we told Gavin that he could play his Saturday video games after he tried to ride his bike again without training wheels. He did, and now he LOVES it. Connor didn't want to be left out and wanted to be able to race as fast as Gavin so he asked us to take his training wheels off too. At first I wasn't so sure about it, but he did it on the first try! He's fallen down a bunch of times, and just laughed it off (literally) and got back on and tried again. We decided to have a picnic lunch at the park today so the kids could get some more practice riding without training wheels, and they both did so great! They love it!
Gavin happily riding along.

Connor's look of pure joy for his accomplishment!

Whoops! Down he goes, but he got right back on. Later on we found their elbow and knee pads and made them wear them along with their helmets which helped out a lot for those little falls!

Baby Aidan playing with the training wheels like it's nobody's business!

Proud Daddy helping his sons.

Here's a video of Gavin's first attempt this morning riding without training wheels. Connor looks on and decides he wants to ditch the training wheels too!

Here's a video of the kids in action. This is Connor's very first attempt. He did such a good job. As you can see, he didn't even want Daddy to hold on...he just took right off!

Our Sad, Sad Garden...

Here's a picture of Connor standing by our really sad garden. We tried so hard this year to get a nice garden going, but alas, it was not to be! I even spent about 40 bucks on good soil...my mistake was in mixing in the good soil with this nasty, life-sucking clay soil that we have out back...Jason mentioned that it seems the more I water the garden, the harder the ground gets...it's almost like cement now. So sad. Next year, I'll have to just get the good soil...lots of it and NOT mix it in with the yucky clay dirt in the backyard. In fact, we even have a neighbor that put a tarp down on top of his bad dirt, lined the garden with about a foot of wood for the boarder and then added only good soil...that might not be a bad idea to try that. All I know is that I definitely didn't get $40 worth of vegetables out there to make up for what I spent on soil, but at least I tried, right? The boys have been able to pick quite a few peas out of the garden and eat them fresh, and we did get a few tomatoes...

Connor's Rock Collection

Connor has always loved rocks. He loves finding them, showing them to people, examining them and piling them up. One day, I stepped out on the back porch and found this! I was thinking, "Hmmmm, this makes it slightly difficult to get down the stairs." But, he's so proud of it, and I could tell that he really worked hard on it, so I've left it like this for a good month now! We just dodge around them the best we can! For a few weeks it even became the home to a HUGE preying mantis which the boys thoroughly enjoyed watching...sometimes under the magnifying glass...not to burn it, but to examine it! Connor named it Connor-bug. Sadly, Connor-bug has moved on to a new home now, but the rocks still have permanent residence here.

Happy 1st Day of School!

Today was Gavin's first official day of kindergarten. Connor is joining in on the lessons with us (see the post below about the "Back to School Extravaganza" about the Utah Virtual Academy). Everything went great. The kids and I had fun with the lessons and enjoyed the day together. We started out by making Gavin his favorite breakfast...scrambled eggs. Then the boys put on their new school clothes, and we started our first lesson for the day: Phonics. We took a little snack break and then had Language Arts. We had some sandwiches for lunch, put the baby down for his nap and started in on our math lesson for the day. Later today Gavin will go online to do his Spanish class and then we'll do Science class tonight since the lesson requires a scavenger hunt with a flashlight...I thought that would be more fun in the dark. It's been a good day, and I hope everything continues to go well with school.
Here are the boys getting ready for their first official day of school.

Yummy brownies with homemade frosting to celebrate our first day of school!

Lovely Little Baby Face

This is how I was greeted this morning when I went to go get Aidan out of bed...who couldn't help but be in a good mood after waking up to such a cute little smile as this! I love it!

Back to School Extravaganza

Gavin starts kindergarten this year, and he's going to the Utah Virtual Academy. It's a public charter school that we do at home. All of the materials (books, math blocks, worksheets, paints, etc) are all sent to us along with teacher manuals for me (the learning coach). We'll also have access to educational games and study groups online. Then we're assigned a teacher who, for Gavin, is Mrs. Keeler this year. We'll be working with her through emails and occasional phone calls. We'll also be sending in some of the work we're doing so that Gavin can get feedback from his teacher. The school is geared toward each child's individual learning needs. At the beginning of next year, we'll take an assessment of where he is in each subject so they can cater his lessons to keep him ahead in the subjects he's ahead in, and help him to catch up in any subjects he needs help with. He still takes required state exams and passes each grade level just like any other public charter school. We're really excited to try it this year. Gavin's taking Language Arts, Phonics, Math, Science, PE and Spanish. The first official day of school is Monday, but we've been able to try a few of the lessons out as practice this past week and we're really excited to have school officially start.
Yesterday, we got to meet Gavin's teacher as well as the staff at the Utah Virtual Academy. It was a day set up for fun for the whole family to meet other families in the Virtual Academy and play games like tug-of-war and enjoy a picnic with everyone. There are 1,200 students in the Utah Virtual Academy with about 600 kids on a waiting list that they're trying to expand the school to let in. About once a month there will be activities for the kids to get together for an organized get-together. Gavin also has a neighbor friend that he plays with that is also in the Virtual Academy. We're excited to get started and have fun learning together. Connor's been joining us in our lessons and both boys really like it so far.
For anyone interested in checking out the website it's www.k12.com. Each state has their own separate site with their own state requirements for school, but that is the link to information in general about the Virtual Academy.
Here's Gavin helping Connor go on the big slide.

Tug-of-War. The Dads vs. the kids.

Gavin's the one facing backwards!

Baby Aidan had fun just running around on the grass and eating all the goodies there.

Gavin's First Soccer Game

Thursday night was Gavin's first Soccer Game. Gavin did really well and had a lot of fun. He has a great coach that is all about making it fun and not stressful for the kids.
Here's Gavin's coach giving him a high-five.

Gavin out on the field.


Connor cheering for his big brother.

Gavin taking a water break.

Summer Fun

Over the past couple of weeks we've had quite a bit of summer fun. Jason's sister and her family and Jason's sister-in-law and her family as well as Jason's parents came to visit, and we spent the day at Lagoon (an amusement park). Jason's parents stayed home to watch the two babies (Aidan and my sister-in-law's son, Talen, which we really appreciated!) while the rest of us went to Lagoon. We all had a lot of fun. Gavin and Connor lasted until the park closed, and they had to kick us off of the rides. Both boys were really brave to try a lot of the rides that were a little scary, but Gavin would get upset after a scary ride and not want to go on it again while Connor would just smile and say he was having fun. I took Connor on a couple of rides that make you "lose your stomach" pretty bad, and I'd lean over during the ride and ask Connor how he was doing and he'd just smile and say good as if it didn't bother him at all...as if he was just sitting down on the grass and not dropping down on a ride! Silly kid! He really had a lot of fun. After a while, Gavin just stuck with the kiddie rides which he really enjoyed.
The next day, we all went to the Copper mine close by here. It was pretty interesting how large the trucks were...about the size of an average house. Grandma bought all three boys toy hard hats with lights on them...they LOVED that!
The pictures below are of us at "Jump on It." We all went last year, and it was such a hit that everyone wanted to go again...even Aidan got in on the action this year. I'd jump with him, or let him jump on his own in the little kids area and he'd just smile and laugh. He would get SO mad when I'd take him off of the trampolines for a little break! He'd try to climb his way back over there...it was really cute.
While Jason's family was here visiting, we also had the chance to just hang out and visit, BBQ, do a little star gazing and just relax. We all had a great time and miss them now that they've had to go back to Idaho. My boys aren't used to having to wait for special visits to see Jason's parents, so that part of us moving to Utah has definitely been an adjustment for them...they really look forward to the visits.
Here are Jason and Connor jumping.

On the left is my nephew, Justin, then in the middle is Gavin, and on the right is my brother-in-law, Travis, and his daughter, Taylyn.

Here's Connor going down the slide.

Gavin, Connor and my niece, Taydem.

A Typical Saturday Night Around Here

Here's a picture of a typical Saturday night around here...laundry everywhere and the boys in heaven because it's the only day they're allowed to play video games!...And me just enjoying having everyone at home. Poor baby Aidan isn't in this picture because he's already in bed...he's been sick with a fever for the past two days so hopefully he starts feeling better soon!

My Little Helper

Aidan loves to wear this apron and will often hand it to me so I can tie it on him, and then he'll just walk around the house as happy as can be! A future chef, maybe?

Pudding Anyone?

Obviously, Aidan really enjoyed eating his pudding and painting himself and his chair with it! Yikes! It took a while to clean up the chair (and the baby!), but at least Aidan had fun, right?!