Nothing clever to say, so this is the second week of August!

Another week has gone by, and more has gotten done. We, as always, worked on the yard, and as always I am amazed at how great and hard working my kids are. They work right along side of me, even when they know that their friends are playing. I can't say they never complain, but they stick with me and love me anyway. One huge thing that happened this week for us and know one else will appreciate this as much as the kids and I, is that we finally finished getting all the rocks we needed. So know more sifting dirt and rocks. It was not a fun job. But it probably saved us at least a couple of thousand dollars though. The rest of the summer will be mostly maintaining what we got done. We will do a little over-seeding in the thin spots of grass in a couple of weeks and  will be bringing in some black lava rock to put in our front planter boxes for that final touch and painting our pavers, but to me those are just finish work and if they don't get done it wouldn't be tragic. This week we also did some hair cuts, some playing, some Jr. High registration and Back To School night, some starting of Pinewood Derbies and some tractor driving. Another full week!

 So this is Taylar's before and after of her hair. I also got mine cut, but it was only a trim nothing picture worthy. She wanted to go even shorter. I am so glad that she likes what she likes and doesn't keep long hair just cause everyone else her age seems to have long hair, but this one(though I do think it is cute) was hard for me. I was not ready for her to go this short. She is losing her little girlness a little to quick for me.

 This was a picture to document the last day and last trailer full of rocks that we did. It was a hot and dirty, dirty job. The picture doesn't really show how filthy we were, but you can kind of tell. If you have ever been to Mona, you know that it is seldom not windy, so shoveling and sifting dry dirt is not a clean job. I am so glad to be done!!!!!

 I told my kids that if we doubled our work on Wed. and Friday, that we would go play on Thursday. First we went swimming at Burrastons. The kids finally got to almost, have the famous rope swing to themselves and I didn't even get any pictures because my camera had died by that time, dang, but I did get a few cute picture before then.

 After that we came home got cleaned up and went to the Juab County Fair. This is is the kind of fair you read about in books. The fair I grew up with had the livestock, but you went cause you wanted to enjoy the rides and concession, at least that is what you wanted as a kid. This is a livestock, FFA, showing off your crafts, food, or other like projects type fair. They have tractor pulls for toddlers, ATV races, Rodeo and the highlight, the "Demolition Derby". It is fun stuff, just different from what I had. They have a UTE Stampede here in July and that has more what I grew up with as a fair. The kids love seeing the animals and all the projects that people turn in to be judged.

 My kids, turned cowboy, who can resist! 

After the fair it was back to school night for Taylar at the Jr. High. My baby is going to be in Jr. High! So weird. Registration was the day before, which just the two of us went, but because we were at the fair right before, all the kids went with and it got kind of crazy there at the end. TJ did not want to be there, Knightin was being a pill as well, but then Audrey stepped in to save me and took him and Kelten around with them for a little bit. My kids all love Audrey! There at the end they all got a turn at getting in Taylar's HUGE locker as TJ announced. Oh to be young and enjoy such simple pleasures. We all kind of giggled, but were trying not too, when Knightin causally locked TJ in. Thank goodness it was Taylars and not some random one we didn't know the combination too. As you can probably see in the pictures, Taylar is holding/playing a cello. This is her instrument of choice for this year of Orchestra. I hope she enjoys it. I think she looks really cute with it. She is so little and the cello is big. She had to get a 1/2 size. I was looking them up and based on average size of 12 yr. olds she would be using a full sized, crazy. 

 This week TJ learned how to pump herself on the swing. I love when this happens, just another way for them to entertain themselves when I need them to. Or we can go to the park and I can read while they play. Love these things. The fun thing about her learning to pump is that we showed her how, just like with the other kids that you go "in and out". She chants this as she swings and tells Knightin that he has to say them to get it to work. Love little kids. The top picture is of TJ playing Nurse with me ( at our house we don't play doctor, we play nurse, since that is what daddy is). She was very concerned with this little cut that I got that wouldn't stop bleeding so she was taking really good care of me.

Little clip of her swinging on her own.

 Ahhh, to be a little boy who loves all things that move, and to have a very loving Uncle Roger that will let you climb up in the tractor, and not just let you sit in with him, but drive the tractor!! Roger made his day, that was all he could talk about for a while after.

 This is some of Knightins trademark art work. He draws these people all the time. If you happen to be thinking " boy that looks like it is the outside of a house" You would be right. Knightin decided that the house and garbage can would be the perfect canvas for his artwork with permanent marker. It doesn't come of that well ya know!

 I love taking pictures of the two youngest, they are so very cute, at least to this bias mother.

 This was the main highlight of my kids and husbands week. We got to start on our pinewood derby cars. It is still a month away, but when there isn't as much time as we would like with Todd, we start early so he can be involved.  I will for sure post the finished products, my kids are creative, can you tell what any of them are going to be yet??

 Last night, there was a yucky wind, rain, dust storm. Blowing things around like crazy. This morning we found out one of our trees split. This is one of my favorite ones too. It is a fruitless mulberry. It is growing so good and full. I hope we can save it. It didn't break all the way through and I know sometimes trees can be resilient. We re-staked it and put a pruning seal on it, time will tell. We won't loss it completely I don't think, the worst should be it will become a lot smaller.

These next 3 pictures are of Todd and I. That TJ drew in church today. We thought they were funny and wanted to share.

 This is Todd, He says it is him in his skirt, but I think she was trying to draw his suit. He also has a crown on, because he is a King.

 This is me,aren't I pretty. I also have a crown. I am a princess and my crown is bigger then Todds.

 This is Todd as a superhero. You can see his superhero logo on his big belly, heehee!

Today all of us that have Primary aged children recieved a envelope with pictures of the Manti temple in it. President and Sister Pinegar (Manti Temple president and wife) wanted every child in their district to have a picture of the temple to hang in their rooms. This act was prompted by Presidents Monson's remarks made in General Conference in April 2011:

"To you parents of young children, may I share with you some sage advice from President Spencer W Kimball.  Said he: 'It would be a fine thing if......parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are] infants could look at the picture everyday [until] it becomes a part of [their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have been made."

I thought that was very cool, and have wanted to do this since I heard that talk, but like so many things haven't gotten around to it. Now I have the picture, no more excuses. I don't think there could be much better things to hang on your childs wall. Taylar already has chosen to have a couple of different pictures of Christ hanging. I couldn't ask for batter kids. They are heading in the right direction.