He Did It!

Adam passed his trade and business management tests for his Nevada roofing license on Saturday. We already have the application turned into them so we just have a few more things that need to be done and we will be set to do roofing projects in Nevada. On another good news note, we found out on Friday that we are all set with our Arizona license, so that was exciting news for us as well. To finish off recording about the rest of our week's adventures the boys and I met up with Wynn and Phyllis at Smith's Mesa on Wednesday and finished helping plant tomatoes, corn, and some zuccini. It took us a little longer to get up there than I had planned as I ended up making a lunch that we all shared and enjoyed up there. I snapped a few pictures of these hard working boys. Tyson and Lincoln thoroughly enjoyed packing water in little buckets for grandma and grandpa. Wynn had a good little system rigged up for getting the water out of the tank in the back of his truck since you have to haul it up there in order to water. On Friday the boys and I walked over to the church to help with the cleaning and then we went out the flat that afternoon and I cleaned up the floor of the meat shop so that it would be closer to being ready to put the sealant down. It was a hot day to be out there working but I didn't mind it too much and Gage came to help by picking up the nails with the magnet. At around 6 p.m. I went to the church farm and participated in our stake's peach thinning assignment. Since Adam was in Vegas for most of the week then I had to keep us busy with things to do. On Saturday we watched Stuart and Heidi's kids, which Tyson and Lincoln enjoyed having them here. We drove into Hurricane to Snokaps and enjoyed that treat at a picnic table under a shade tree in the heat of the day. Lincoln went to a birthday party for a little girl from his nursery class and wowed everyone with his dance moves and his conducting ability while singing the Happy Birthday song. He is quite the entertainer. After that we all went out to the flat to kill our pig, skin it, and get it in the freezer (Well, Adam, Ben, and Daniel did all of that and I'll spare us all pictures of it).

It looks like a Building

This past week Adam and I took a quick trip to Las Vegas, but not for a vacation or getaway, but to get our fingerprinting done and turn in our Nevada roofing license application. It was a there and back sort of thing. Phyllis was very kind to watch the kids for us as we knew they would not enjoy the trip one bit. On Friday Adam paid his workers to clean out and organize the shop. Heidi had come out to do some riding lessons for some girls and so Tyson and Addy hopped on for a return ride. I think was still taking a nap during all of this which he would be very upset to have missed it. After taking the pictures of the kids on Di, I came in the house and Susie asked me if I had seen Addy while I was out there. She did not know that Addy had found herself wedged in between the kids on a horse ride. On Saturday we spent the day once again working on the meat shop (The project that seems like it will never end :). Today was quite the day for progress on the project. We sheeted the walls and then continued on in placing the trusses. It was a team effort by Daniel, Ben, Adam, Mark, Zac, Susie, and myself as the wind started to pick up during that part. It really looks like a building now.

Loading Hay

This last week on Monday evening we unloaded the metal break that we hauled all the way from Oregon. I worked on sweeping and cleaning up the shop so that Adam could some how maneuver the piece of equipment into its designated spot, which there is not much option for. It was tricky to get it in through the shop door, but we were successful. On Saturday evening I watched my neighbor's boy while her and the rest of her family went to her graduation. We went out to the flat and helped in loading the bales of hay out of the field. I drove the truck while Josh and Jarom rolled the bales into a line so that it was easier for Ben and Daniel to load the bales on either side of the trailer to Adam and Jared who were stacking on the trailer. Tia kept an eye on Lincoln and Tate in the back of the truck and Tyson hung out on the trailer. I tried to snap some pictures of our load afterwards but it was too dark. On our second trip out to the field I made Tia drive since she had never done it before (neither had I), and we both had a great experience. It was funny because Tate was being such a busy body that while the guys were unloading the first load, Ben put Tate on these big bales that Wynn had there and he was stuck and couldn't go anywhere. We thought it was pretty funny.

Bitter Sweet

Monday and Tuesday I watched my neighbors boy most of the day while she studied and had her class for her Nursing Degree. We worked on getting Adam’s truck cleaned Monday night and then on Tuesday Adam took an overnight trip to Winslow Arizona. The rest of the week was bitter sweet. Susie and I loaded our kids up on Tuesday afternoon in her car and traveled to Sondra’s house in Pleasant Grove where we stayed the night. Her and Spencer were so hospitable to us, feeding us dinner and a yummy crepe dessert and Sondra waking up at 4:45 to make us some sandwiches and a bunch of yummy snacks for our trip as we headed out early to Oregon. Thank you Sondra for those snacks, we didn’t have to stop for any the whole way as they were sufficient to tide us over. We arrived to Oregon only to find everyone gone to school and work and found Thursday to be the same. We celebrated Logan’s birthday with pizza and a cake. On Friday we attended the funeral of a very dear friend to the family, Ruth Oxford. This sweet lady has pretty much been a part of our family since I can remember. I was told from one of my sisters that when my mom was in her car accident and had to receive care at home which involved some enema’s and such that Ruth was there to provide that for her and that when Ruth’s health failed after a tumor caused her to collapse and she was now in that similar situation that my mom returned the care and that is just how the relationship between these two was. When I had some issues after giving birth to Tyson and Lincoln, Ruth would offer her bedroom for us to stay in when we came to visit so that I could have my own bathroom. She has always been a very giving and selfless person. I am glad to see her be able to leave this life from the condition she remained in after her tumor and happy to know that she is with her dear husband (Big George). She is much happier where she is at now and someday it will be a great reunion with both of them. My Mom and sisters MaryJane, Lillie, and Susie sang at the funeral (found out that morning that we were singing) and some close friends to Ruth gave the life sketch and spoke. It was a good service which I was glad to be home for. Originally the main reason for us traveling this past week to Oregon was so that we could listen to my sister Lillie’s farewell talk today. She is leaving on Tuesday with Susie for Provo and will enter the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on Wednesday afternoon where she will begin her missionary training before going to the Olongapo Phillippines mission where she will labor in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ for the remaining of 18 months. She did a great job on her farewell talk and although we didn’t get to see much of her as she was the closest to Ruth and was very much involved in planning the funeral service, I am glad that we made the trip to support her in her decision to serve the people and the Lord. We left right after sacrament meeting as we had to hook on to a gooseneck trailer that we spent most of Saturday loading (as Adam arrived late Friday night with Daniel and the trailer to take home equipment he had purchased from an auction in Nampa the week before) and travel the soon to be long trip back to Southern Utah at a steady 65 mph. (not excited about that). On Saturday evening we did go out to eat in Nyssa at a small dining place to celebrate Susie’s birthday on Friday as we didn’t get to do much to celebrate it then and then Adam and I stopped by Alan and Tami Peterson’s place and had a relaxing, enjoyable visit with them (although we did interrupt their movie they were watching, sorry about that, however it was nice to visit and get a break from our kids).

Bidding Online

The main event this week was Adam bidding online for some metal break equipment, a few heavy duty tables, and some heavy duty finger racks. He was pretty successful on his bidding and came away with what he wanted. Tarek and Vaughn were kind enough to pick the stuff up for us as we hadn’t planned on going to Oregon until next week for Lillie’s farewell. Adam spent some time on some injectors on his ’95 truck and then on Saturday I had to assist my Webelos on their Day Hike while Adam took the boys with him to Smiths Mesa to check on the cows.

Meat Shop Progress

This past week we went to the flat to help grind the meat and make hamburger from the cow they killed last week. It took all of the afternoon and evening to grind and package it all. Wynn and Phyllis gave us some to take home which was nice to build our meat supply up a little more, since we had a little left that my brother-in-law had given us. Thursday and Friday Adam was sick at home in bed. I worked all week to get my house ready for the pest control guy to come on Friday. It’s interesting how it takes me so long to get my house ready for him to come and then he comes and is in and out in 15 minutes and then it almost takes me another week to get my house back together. I always have a greater feeling of security from pests after it is all over. On Saturday we worked all day on the meat shop continuing to frame up the sides of the shop. The picture is proof of the status of it. Mark and Adam were there the whole time with a few family members showing up towards the end to install the west wall and finish up a few things. After that tiring task Adam and I headed over to St. George to attend a reception of the daughter of one of the architects that he does work for. It was nice to go do something with just the two of us even if it was to a reception that we only knew the father of the bride. Take what you can get.

Our Lincoln Turns 2

Monday was Lincoln’s birthday. I can’t believe that he is 2. Lincoln was given a tower of rice krispie cupcakes that started to fall while we waited for Adam to come in from helping with the cow. Lincoln was a little confused at us singing to him, but loved the attention. He shared one of his toys with Addy. They were so cute lying on the floor on their tummies driving little cars and a tractor around. As I mentioned earlier about the cow, we went out to the flat for Family Home Evening, in which the activity was for Adam and his brothers to kill one of Wynn’s cows that was barren. The brothers were discussing how she didn’t look barren to them and looked somewhat pregnant, but Wynn was just sure that that was not the case. After killing her my nephew Zac came in the house and told us all that the cow was pregnant and we were thinking how horrible that was and then my niece came in later and corrected the confusion that she really wasn’t pregnant, so we were glad to hear that cleared up. Tuesday night apparently Larry (the family dog) was in a fight with some Husky dogs, I don’t know if you could say he was technically in a fight, but more that he was getting picked on and having to defend himself. I asked Phyllis about it on Wednesday and she said the following is what happened:
She found Larry on the back lawn/driveway area with 2 Husky dogs on top of him having pinned him on his back with him, “fighting for his life, for what it was worth” (I just loved how she put that last part). She came running in the house yelling that they were killing Larry. Daniel, Tim, Jimmy, and Jared were downstairs playing video games, so Daniel ran up the stairs and out the door to handle the situation and after kicking the dog and it not doing much then he grabbed it and threw it off of Larry with that dog turning to bite him in the process, but missing. Daniel told Tim to kick it which he did with great force and Phyllis had to tell him to stop. In trying to find Larry outside in the dark they were unsuccessful, but after coming in the house they found him under the table bleeding in a few places. The police came out shortly after Daniel and Tim found one dog down by the pond and resisted to shoot it when Phyllis told them not to. The animal control said they knew who the dogs belonged to and the owners came out searching for the other dog. So Larry lives again for others to tell another story about.
Wednesday I escorted my two little boys down the road to the top of the field in front of the flat where g-pa was doing the water. Tyson was determined that he wanted to help g-pa with the water so he dragged a big shovel all the way there and tried to copy what g-pa was doing. Lincoln was right in tow with one of g-ma’s hand trowels ready to do the same. Lincoln was prepared to start marching back to the house when we were done, but realized the offer to ride in the back of g-pa’s truck was much more inviting. These boys are farmers that is for sure. I know I have to make sure to keep an eye on them more as Tyson recently climbed in the backhoe, started it, popped it into gear, and released the emergency brake. As soon as Adam had realized that the backhoe was moving he went running from the upper part of the driveway towards the backhoe only to find that Tyson had popped it into neutral. He pays attention way too much as to how machinery is ran, which worries me. When the boys wanted to use the forklift to hoist up the cow to hang it over night they couldn’t find the key. We asked Tyson about it and he said it was in his new pants at home. When I got home I checked in all of his dirty pants and couldn’t find it. I noticed that my ring was missing on Wednesday when I was walking down the road with the boys. After looking in the bathroom when I got home and any other possible place that I could have set it I began to get very worried that it was lost and decided to pray about. During my prayer the thought came into my head to ask Tyson, which I approached him about after he woke up. I said, “Tyson, mommy lost her ring and is very sad about it, do you know where it could be?” He got off the bed and walked to my closet, lifted up Adam’s boot and there it was on the carpet. I remarked, “I wonder how that got there!” I then thought that since we were on a roll then maybe he would know where the forklift key was, so I asked him about that. He said, “It’s in my yellow pants!” (which I swear the kid does not own any yellow pants) I went to transfer the laundry and at the bottom of the machine was a single key. I asked Adam if that was it and then took it to Tyson so he could return it to Adam and see his excitement for getting it back. So, beware my child is obsessed with keys and just about any machine on wheels.