{Mowing}

So we have the smallest patch of grass in our backyard. And we don't need to mow the lawn very often, so we have the old push mower nothing fancy and gas powered here.

We were cleaning up the backyard and it needed to be mowed so K volunteered to do it. You need a lot of pressure to mow back there so he decided this was the best way to do it. I say as long as it gets done. (and he liked doing it too! I think he found himself a new job at our house!)

{Logan}

During our short trip to Draper, I made a quick drive to Logan to visit some dear friends who I don't get to see too often. It had been at least 2 years since we had been in Logan, but even longer since I had seen all of these friends. Plus Jennie had added a new member to her family, this beautiful little Abbi. And I needed to get up to visit before she was too big.

It was a great day and a wonderful visit with everyone. Thanks for such a great time!

{Return Missionaries}

We traveled to Draper Utah, for a quick weekend trip to welcome home our Grandma Walker and Grandpa Will. They returned after serving an 18 month mission to Rome Italy.

We were excited to see them and to be able to attend their church meetings where they spoke of what they learned while being in Rome all that time. We got to visit with them and help get everything ready for the luncheon at their home after church.

We are so happy to have them back in the States again and only a car ride away.

{Rain}

We don't get much rain here, it being the desert and all. So rain to us is like snow anywhere else. We get out the water guns, buckets or whatever items the boys want to collect rainwater in and send them out to play.

Another Sunday afternoon in the rain.

{Summer Swimming}

So we have a great family in our ward who is constantly giving and giving to others through sharing their house and their yard, which has a great backyard with the best pool for our boys. She insists and reminds the boys each week at church that we should come swim whenever we want at her house. She leaves the key to the gate for us and has taught me how to turn on all the water features, lights etc. She tells us when she is going out of town reminding us to swim even when she is gone. It is wonderful having her pool around the corner and pretty much available whenever we want.

We swam there at least once a week for a few hours and went a couple times in the evening for FHE.

The boys love it there and we are thankful for all the great memories we have made this summer while we swam.

{E's Bobcat}

E finally got his Bobcat award yesterday night at pack meeting after we missed June's Pack meeting. He is happy and thrilled to be going to scouts and has enjoyed the meeting he hs been too.

Yes he isn't in his uniform because it is a swimming pack meeting.

{more...can you stand it?}

So E was our map guide. He would find the rides and tell us where to go. He loves to always have the maps whereever we go. He would study it in line and was very upset when i lost one...but his big brother found another just for him that was even better.

Small World and frozen lemonade...

Toon Town We rode the roller coaster and crazy car toon ride

Buzz Light year ( the second time)

Splash Mountain at 10 pm which made us cold and wet and made E very mad and miserable even though he was the one who wanted to go on it.

Splash Mountain was the only ride the boys hated....it is probably good that Matterhorn was closed b/c of problems....and the line at Space Mountain was huge. (even with a fast pass we couldn't ride until 11:30 pm)

Overall the boys loved it and would love to go back again. We will have to save our pennies this time and get a two day pass so we can hit California too.

They were exhausted after a full day there. We really ran them ragged and being the great parents we are didn't feed them dinner until 11pm....to our defense no one was hungry.

We love spending time with our family and love family vacations!

{More and More}

Sword in the Stone...

Dumbo...

Carousel...

Teacups.....

{the Island}

After the boys convinced us to row a canoe around the island (instead of taking a boat like all the smart people) we had lunch before going to explore the island. They were excited to explore since a friend had told them about it. They went through the passage ways, up to the clubhouse, down the the bridges and all over the island.

K & C went to the haunted mansion while E & I went and climbed up to Tarzan's Tree house.

Then we headed to Pirates of the Caribbean and more....

{more rides}

Driving....K and E!! YIKES!!

So they were really happy after riding the Star Tours ride (which made me carsick) and Buzz Lightyear ("it's like being in a videogame Mom!!"  E's quote after the ride). Then we stumbled across the car driving ride while deciding if we were going to wait for the Submarine....the submarie idea went out the window when the boys realized they would drive and C and I would ride with them.

At the end of the driving we had to wait in line to drive up and get out to which K says "I hate this traffic" and almost hit the car in front of us with his impatience.

Let's just say that they aren't the best drivers and don't have the idea down that you don't have to jerk the steering wheel around or slam on and off the gas....I think C will be giving the driving lessons when the time comes.

{13 Hours, 25 rides, and 160 pictures}

So after an earlier bedtime the boys were up bright and early to go to the park.

After figuring out the night before where we should park etc. we were prepared with our backpack full of frozen waters and juices and snacks for a great day.

When we went to redeem our tickets they gave us volunteer pins to wear and the workes would thank us for volunteering and chat us up about it. Also C pointed out that if i was in front and my pin was visible we were always sent onto the ride without waiting like others....very cool.

We got to the park at about 9 am and the boys had already decided that Indiana Jones was the first ride. Considering our kids have never been on a roller coaster or any kind of real amusement park ride they wanted to try everything.

E picked the safari boat ride next to Indiana Jones as the next ride and off we went.

We figured out the Fast Pass system at home and were so glad we were informed and ready to use it it got us on a lot of rides and let us use or time more efficiently instead of all those lines!

Waiting in line for the Rockets....

{Downtown Disney 2}

After buying our custom picked out container of Legos, and shopping a few more stores we also let the boys drive the boats at the entrance of the area. They loved that and would have stayed there much longer if we would have agreed.

So when you drive the boats thru the obstacles and under certain parts horns blare, fountains begin and all kinds of stuff. It was pretty fun!

{Downtown Disney}

So it has been years since C and I have been to Disney. And so much has changed. We did our reasearch and figured out a few basics and we were off.

When we got to California and got all settled we went over to see Downtown Disney and scope out the area. And we found the greatest store of my little boys' lives (and the big boy too)....LEGO store.

{Vacation here we come!}

So we are headed to Disneyland with our free volunteer a day get a day tickets!

We are packing up K and his injured foot and going for it. The boys have never been and this is our big vacation for the summer. I hope it is all they expect it to be!

Mickey here we come!!

{Puzzles or Models?}

This summer the boys have been doing these puzzles but they are more like models.

We found them at a craft store and they come in sheets of wood that you pop out, then thier auntie and uncle gave them more and now we have many of them. Sometimes they are a bit more challenging and they turn into a family project but they love them.

Here is one of the many...we have dinosaurs, cars, dragons, ships and more!

{Fireworks on the 4th}

So with our injured K we loaded into the car and went to a local casino to watch the fireworks...yes the local casino. We live in Vegas remember? and the greatest places to watch fireworks are either on the strip or the local casinos. They are always amazing.

We found a really close parking area and propped up K's foot, let E watch standing through the sunroof and sipped on our Slurpees. It was a great show and we ended up closer than we ever have been! It was a great show and also a great night out!

{injured}

So we came home from date night with the boys still awake and one with his foot/ankle brusied swollen and propped up with ice.

Apparently we have had our first serious trampoline injury. It seems he has either fractured it or sprained it really bad. K can't put any pressure on it and is slowly limping or crawling around the house.

Looks like Disneyland is on hold for at least another week.

As long as he gets well is all that counts!

{Canada Day}

Happy Canada Day to all!!

I wanted to find a great picture of the 4 of us in Canada but since my computer is being crazy today I found this little song to share with you all!

{listening}

So one of my new favorite things to do is to work in a different room than the boys are in and listen to their conversations. They are so funny and don't even know it half the time. Maybe it is not nice of me to listen to it all but they aren't quiet about it and it's just their everyday banter with each other so I figure it's fine and a privilege of being their mom.

So today....E is doing something and K wants him to get something for him.

E..."I'm not your servant. Do it yourself." That comment wasn't made rudely or anything just very matter the fact.

K..."Are you sure?"

E..."Sure."

K..."because you used to like being my servant."

They are growing up and E isn't as willing to do everything his brother asks now....life is changing.

{Ruined your Fiesta}

So seeing as it is summer and our boys would sit in front of the tv and play wii all day long we have had to set a few rules around here....which basically limits the hours of using items that require electricity.

So because of my rules the boys are back to being brothers....meaning they play board games, create stuff with paper and all my packing tape, read books, have Lego's scattered all over the house and are having fun with stuff they forgot they owed.

So yesterday they were playing Othello....a game they had forgotten about and i hear the following conversation.

K:  "I ruined your FIESTA!"

E doesn't say anything.....so I ask "What is going on?"

K: "You know he was having a party because he was winning and I totally just ruined his FIESTA!!"

So little did C and I know that we are raising children who are picking up the Spanish here in Vegas....I guess you could call that one small advantage to living here....now we have to find like 99 more to convince ourselves we like it here.