Last night was fire works night.  The kids had a lot of fun.  Jack and Lincoln showing off their stuff.  Ben had bought a couple of packs worth.  Kinda scared Albany a little each time a big bang went off.

Ben put on a good show.  Didn't know he had that much talent. 

Savanna and Lincoln rode their bikes in the prade.  Liz and Lincoln did a great job decorating Lincoln's bike and Sara helped Savanna on hers.

We were at the tail end of the parade and the candy was getting thin, but candy diving was still a great sport with the family.  The spectators were all willing to help eat the goodies.

This is the second year that Ben had driven his jeep.  Alot of people along the prade route made coments about it.  Were thinking he should enter it in the car show next year.  He would most likely win first prize in that devision.  Great job Ben.

Jack has a nice catch there.  Way to go Jack.  Lincoln, Savanna and Afton caught a fish too.  

First toss Chris nails the target and the man gets dunked.  What an arm.

Chris gets in Jake Childs face, take him down Chris!



Were not sure what happened to Jake here, but Ben looks happy.

Ben socks it to Jake again.

Jake's revenge, toss's Ben out of the ring. 

Jack and Licoln love taking Grampa's lawn tractor and trailer for a spin around the pasture on the different trails cut into the grass to keep them on course.  As you can see the grass is taller than the kids heads and high enough to hide Ben's jeep in some places. 

Liz & Jake take a ride in Ben's jeep Lincoln and friend following.

Lincoln with a load of kids heading for the course.  The tractor has a hydrostactic transmission so there's just one lever to move to go forward or reverse and stop.  They all are the best drivers and handle it very well and safe.

I'm not sure what's going on here, but I think their playing a game.  Our family comes here on Sundays and we sure enjoy having them come. We are a blessed family.

It's been a great spring and begining of summer so far.  I've done a lot of work on the yard trying to make improvements.  I've done a lot of weed control in the pasture and the front yard which was mostly yellow but now is under control.  The garden is coming along great.  We were a little late getting it in because of the rain and the cold weather.   Mom has done a great job shampooing all the carpets in the house with Dave & Megs shampooer.   Mom and I keep busy with the grand kids by going to ball games, school plays, soccor games, riding to Salt Lake to the library and to Lagoon for a day of fun.  There is always something going on with the family. 

We have a small strawberry patch.  We have had it for a couple of years now.  It hasn't done to much but I noticed it loved the rain this year.  I took a small bowl out and Jack and I started picking.  Needless to say we had to get a bigger bowl.  This is the first picking and there are alot of soon to be ripe ones out there.  MMMM they sure taste good.  I can see pie , short cake and smoothies this year.  Both Lincoln and Jack love strawsberries. 

Taking dad for a ride.  Jack does all the work.  Jack is a good driver and likes to come to Grandma and Grampa's to ride his ATV. 

Jack is sure grown up now can't say the same for his dad, were still waiting for that.  It's good that Jack lets dad have a turn at the wheel

It was a good day for kite flying.  Thats a big kite and you had to hold tight with both hands or it would take off.  Almost did anyway with Jack with it. 

Afton having fun with dad. It's way up there Afton says. 

A couple of weeks ago last Saturday we took off for a short ride up to powder Mt to see the snow.  We lost our way and ended up on the freeway heading north.  So we decided to go to Bear Lake.  We stopped at Beaver Mt. since neither of us had ever been there.  They still have a lot of snow and their not that high in elevation.  We got to Bear Lake and then we headed for Soda Springs Idaho. 

The water spout is on a hourly timer and we just missed it but we walked all around it and over it.  Its really cool place.  It is all man made.  They just wanted some hot water.



From Soda Springs we drove to Chesterfield Idaho to get some gas, but it was late and the town had closed for the day.  In truth its now a ghost town.  When the railroad was coming through there, Brigham Young sent a group of Saints there to settle because trading trails went west, east north and south from there.  But to their despair the railroad went on the west side of the valley instead of the east and left them high and dry.  There are a number of homes there built of brick, a beautiful school and church.  They also have a large cemetery as many of the decendents come home at the end.  It ended up a 317 mile short drive but worth it. 

PS, there were not any fresh raspberries at Bear Lake much to the disappointment of Mom.  

I love tulips. Actually I love most all flowers. Tulips do have a special meaning to me though.  When David went to Holland he sent pictures of huge tulip fields.  Well, then he sent some tulip bulbs so I could enjoy the real thing.  We planted them in front of our house.  It was so fun.  There were all different colors, even some that looked like black as the one above.  I have really enjoyed them this year and put fresh ones on the table all the time.  This is the last of them and had to take a picture and share.

Just updating what has been happening in our lives

Our herd of eight Chickens has been reduced to four, one roster and three hens. Three different dogs took a liking to four of them.  I'm still trying to decide whether to get some more or just go with what we got.  The three hens are 100% layers every day.

Jake and Liz went to Seattle Washington on their honey moon  They were gone a week.  They had a great time and last Monday the 30th of April they moved to an apartment in Riverdale.  Were now empty nesters again. 

Patsy keeps saying everytime we pass kids playing soccer that she misses those days.  Well, with Savanna and Sara playing now were back in the game.  Sara played to night and it was fun to watch her.  She's a very strong player an is right on top of the ball when it comes near her.  Savanna takes right after her mother too.

Our yard is covered in yellow this spring.  I've sprayed half the front and they went away really good but cold weather came back after one day of warm so on the next couple of days I should get all the rest. 

Lincoln asked if I would pay him to pick all the pretty yellow flowers and I said I would.  He did a great job, I think he has close to a hundred in the wagon.  Grandma said way to go Link. 

Jack played his first T Ball game to night.  It was fun to watch.  Jack is a good hitter and puts them out there.  He likes to run the bases too.  Way to go Jack. 

The weddings over, but it went so great.  Aren't we a handsome group?

The three Musketeers



Ande receiving instructions from Savanna

So this is what weddings are about?

Liz got Jake good.  This is after partial clean up.

Afton says its time to clean up and go home.

Our little band of Chickens

Last April Jake and I stopped at IFA and bought eight baby chicks.  Seven hens and one Rooster.  The grand kids love them at once since we raised them downstairs for the first month.  They got to hold them while watching TV.  They grew and started laying eggs the first of September last year.  Two of the hens are Ameraucana's and lay beautiful green eggs.  Just on the outside.  The yoke is a dark yellow orange in color. 

Five of the hens are Rhode Island Reds.  These lay brown eggs.  Out of the seven hens we get between five and seven eggs a day.  Even durring the cold winter days they were steady layers.  They were pampered by having a heat lamp on the coldest days and heated water.  These chickens definitely do not pay for themselves.  We do keep all our families in eggs.  The grand children like them and that makes it all worth while.  Besides that they are part of our food storage in a way.  Five eggs a day would keep us alive for awhile.

Today I gathered seven eggs, one from each hen.  Notice the one on the lower right.  This one hen egg always has a ring around the middle of her egg.  Like she takes two halves and put them togather

This is our Rooster.  He's an Ameraucana same as the other two.  I'm hoping that a couple of hens will be setting hens.  I would like to raise several dozen chicks this summer and in the fall put them in the freezer. 

During the winter they were kept in the chicken yard but now the gate is open and they have the full run of the yard and pasture and the next door pasture.  When they are locked in the yard the feed bin goes down fast but being out where they get bugs, worms, grass, seeds and whatever the feed lasts a long time.  Last week Jack and Afton caught and held them and let them eat grain out of their hands.  I think Jake likes them the most.  He wants to go our a buy a couple dozen right now.  I think we'll wait  and let the hens raise the chicks and not have to worry about heat lamps and boxes and all that other stuff.   

Invitation Pictures

On Tuesday about five thirty Jake and Liz came and wanted to take pictures for their invitation.  They didn't have a spot and I couldn't think of one close be that was good and hadn't been used a lot but I love Antelope Island where I go biking a lot.  We headed for there and hoped the sun would still give us enough light, but if not and they liked it would could come back another day. 

Liz is wonderful and very photogenic

I love this old rock with so many holes in it.  We have many pictures with our grand children here.  It is a lot different from the other side but it was to dark. 

Jake and Liz having fun doing this.  I know they will be a happy couple..

May light and goodness always be found between them all their lives.

The Rail Road Project

Our son Jake as of February 9th is engaged to marry on the 9th of April.  Liz has been staying at our home for over a month now.  Liz is from Buenos Aires Argentina and Jake and Liz have corresponded with each other for the last two years and the know each other well.  We are excited to welcome Liz to our family. 

Jack, Lincoln,  Grampa  and any one else now have the beginnings of a Model Railroad down in the spare room.  Savanna likes to play with it also and is very good at putting the cars on the track. Lincoln and Jack have their own cars.  I think Ethan and Eli, maybe Ande will have some fun playing with the train as well when they come in a couple of weeks.  Looking forward to then.  well have to find a couple of cars for them when they come.  The boys and I should have some new track laid by then. 

This is our layout so far.  Sometime later it will go around the whole room.  The track that is on it now is so bad the trains wreck every other time around.  The kids still have fun playing with it.  I have one engine and few cars to with it and the kids have two engines and some cars that they can play with anytime.  We started this just before Christmas and the boys learn fast how to run it well.  Once we get some new track laid we will start with some buildings that the kids can put togather and paint.  Its a long time project.  Lack of funds slow it down. 

We don't have a horse in our back yard so Grandpa has to provide the ride. The kids have fun anyway.