Proxy Falls with Keely and the Wheeler's

                                    Jack Patterson...One of our little Explorers.  This was taken at the lava fields.

                                                           Can you say "MISCHIEVIOUS"?!

                                                                       Daddy and his boys

                                                               All of us, including baby number 4 :)

                                                                           Best Buds

                                    Despite the rugged terrain, the boys kept up with the adults pretty good!

                                       Jesse took the easy ride...and talked to Daddy the entire time..."Tree!", "Fall"...Whatever he saw, he talked about.

The funniest story from the hike came from Jack.  On our return hike to the car, Jack was getting a little tired and so, was holding Matt's hand.  He said, out of the blue, "Daddy, be careful.  Don't fall and die.  Because if you die, I will just have a Mommy.  And she will never let me play with knives again."  How right he is! 

Grant's first field trip

                                                                                                       Then, it was Jack's turn...

Grant riding the giant slide at the Ranch

  Jesse saw no difference between himself and the Kindergarteners, he played right alongside them the entire day.

 Miss Keely was along for the ride...literally.  This picture was taken during our hay ride and feeding of the cows.

                        Each of the boys got to pick out their very own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch

Grant's First Day of Kindergarten

                                                         Grant is pretty proud of his lunch box

                                        The whole family was invited to spend the first hour with Grant in his classroom...that was nice, but the goodbye was not...

"We didn't chop anyone's heads off!"

Recently, we have really been trying to help the boys understand birthdays and birthday parties.  This is important because Grant starts school in just one month and Jack just turned 4.  We want them to see and understand the difference between parties that please Jehovah and ones that don't.  We had the opportunity to have a "party" yesterday which consisted of having a BBQ with a visiting pioneer couple and a visiting circuit couple.  We enjoyed several relaxing hours spent in our back yard which included a yummy meal, playing basketball, upbuilding and funny conversation and the boys spent some time running in the sprinklers.
This morning, Grant says to me, "Mom, that sure was a nice party we had here yesterday."
 I replied, "Wasn't it?!  It is because we know Jehovah that we can have parties like that.  You see how much fun serving Jehovah can be!  Do you think Jehovah liked our party?"
"Oh yes" replied Grant.
"Well, WHY do you think he liked our party?"  I continued.
"Well, we didn't chop anyone's heads off!"  concluded Grant.
So, we will continue to try to help them understand birthdays...if only it was that simple...  Parties where we dismember and behead the invited guests are bad...anything else is acceptable!!!  Ha ha

Day at South Twin Lake

 Jack is happiest when he is with his Daddy doing....ANYTHING!!!

                                               Grant...his last summer before entering school!

                                                                               Jesse!

                                 Jack does not like the "fuss" that is required to get a picture taken

Grant's Hospital Stay the end of June

We had to take Grant in to the ER in the month of June because he had a low grade fever and severe neck pain.  They suspected spinal meningitis and he spent one night in the hospital.  After all that, it was not meningitis but remained a mystery.  He made a complete recovery, thankfully!

 Grant was well suited for hospital life...a woman waited on him and his every desire, someone brought him jello on a tray, and his family sat by his side, thinking every comment and smile were wonderful...But, his favorite part was this...(scroll down)

He LOVED that he had an IV!  We explained that it was like he had a small straw in his vein that was putting vitamins and water in his body to help him get better...He thought it was pretty cool...

June 2011 District Convention

                                            Our Lovely Children (did you catch the sarcasm?)

 Matt had the priveledge of working with the chairman's office during the convention, so, we arrived each day before 8 am!  I have always wondered who in the world the brothers are talking to when they print in the KM that doors open at 8 am.  I was one of those people this year!  This is what we looked like waiting for the doors to open...

 So much for getting a great shot of the boys in front of the stage...Jesse would have nothing to do with it!

                                                                     some dear friends...