Farm Life

Meet "Horse Rider" the horse that Ty named (he think it's his). His real name is Randy, but that's just awful, right?

Grandma bought the boys mucking boots; they wore them everyday.

Robbie's bunny, Black Widow. He died a few days later, but Robbie found solace knowing he would see him again in heaven.

Can't get enough of the 4-wheeler. Jimmy called it his tractor and demanded rides ALL day. He would find the keys and carry them to us. He was obsessive. And Robbie, well, he learned how to start it, shift it into gears and just . . . drive.

Grandpa Stuart doing his thing . . . driving his 60 year old tractor with ease; it's like breathing to him.

Rob and Matt designed and made this chicken coup for the new chickens.

Ty pretended this propane tank was a blue whale that he was riding.

Ty's bunny, White Widow. (They named the other bunnies Zoom and Sticky.)

Chasing the chickens . . . naked.

Ty tried to lead Horse Rider to the alfalfa (or as Robbie would say, "Alpha Alpha") but it was really Horse Rider doing the leading. Good thing he's a good horse!

Wedding!

After three years of friendship, my brother Daniel and his new bride Janessa Erekson finally decided to make it official! They got married in the Manti Temple on August 18th! (Johnny is is none of my pictures, because his sweet wife, Chelsie, had their first baby the night before . . . Annabelle Lydia Wilde)

RM

Matt, Rob's little brother, just returned from the Guam Micronesia Mission, where he spent two years on the island of Pohnpei. He learned the language without any formal help and has some amazing stories! Our flight came in just five minutes before his, so we got to surprise him as he walked off the plane!

And then it was off to see the rest of his family, and his best friend, Jake.

Safe Seat

Robbie had is first "issue" at school yesterday. He was eating lunch with his friend and started playing around with his juicebox; thinking it was empty and full of air, he squirted it in Roman's face. The lunch ladies made him go and seat in the seat of shame, politically correctly called the "Safe Seat." Then he had to write us a little note saying that he had made bad choices that day but that the next day he would do better. He was mortified! He ripped up the note I was supposed to sign and threw it away. He finally told me what happened with tears in his eyes. He was so afraid of getting in trouble and still embarrassed about the day. Then he dreaded Rob getting home, thinking once again, he'd be busted! He stayed in his room crying--so scared. Really? We've obviously kept Rob's childhood mistakes a secret; his poor mother was practically a student in the classroom, always having to come and sit with him. Anyway, after some tender talks from Mommy and understanding from Daddy, Robbie realized it would all be okay.

School

I am so sad . . . school has started and that means my babies are gone! Robbie started Kindergarten at Kellybrook Elementary and is Mrs. Mason's class. He is one of four LDS kids in the class and also has his neighbor friend, Roman, in there with him. I asked him what he was most excited about, to which he replied, "LUNCH!"

Ty is now in preschool with Miss Kathy. He was most excited about getting to watch a movie after lunch (while he waits for me to pick him up).

Saving the Fairy Princess

My grandma, Grandma Harp, is so creative and fun! She created a story walk for the kids that was just darling. They found "dragon eggs" and a note from a captured fairy princes begging for rescue! The kids had to look for clues (like sparkly peices of the fairy's dress) to guide them along their journey! They had used a magic stone that made them swords to slay the dragons they found along the way. They sailed over the desert on a hot air balloon and sailed across the sea on a pirate ship. Grandma had a treasure box full of special tools to help us along our journey like a gorgeous compass. It was great fun, until the end, when Ty was sure the whole thing had been real and was scared to death. We watched a nighttime movie on balcony (How to Train Your Dragon) and Ty was positive that he saw dragons flying overhead (they were the airplanes). It was so sweet.

Finding the dragon eggs

Reading the randsom note

Delivering the "Dragon Slayer" swords

Searching for clues . . .

Ah Ha! Found one! A piece of the dress!

Killing one of the many dragons hidden along the way!

The treasure box!

Holding on to the magic thread so we don't get lost in the wind  . . .

Another dragon!

The pirate ship

After saving the fairy princess (who resembled Tinkerbell but surely couldn't have been her), the rescue party was given gold coins (filled with chocolate) and treats as a thank you!