Zach and His Swords

Zach loves swords, he is always challenging us to a duel of some kind. He can't die though, he is a robot. You just know you are going to lose every time because of some quirky thing he comes up with.

Well about a month and a 1/2 ago he was playing at our neighbor's house, I am not sure how it happened or what he was doing but he threw a sword up in the air and it landed on the neighbors roof. It then slid down into the rain gutter so you couldn't see it. He came home so distraught about losing his sword. We told him we would get it back. Dave and I forgot about it for awhile, but not Zach. He reminded us all the time and we just never got the ladder out to go and get it.

Zach reminded Dave again Sunday morning about his sword. Dave told him that if he saw Aaron at church he would ask him if he could get it down. Ali saw Aaron first and rambled on to him about something lost on his roof...when Aaron saw Dave he asked him what Ali was talking about. Dave reminded him about the sword which Zach had lost while playing with Matthew. Aaron had forgotten about it too. After church Dave went over and retrieved the sword from the rain gutter.

Zach was broken hearted after Dave retrieved it, since it had been in the sun and weather for a month the colored handle was now silver, and the silver blade was turning black as the silver paint is flaking off. He cried for quite some time. He said he didn't want a black ugly sword, as I tried to convince him that a black sword is cool. After a little bit he came up to me and said, "mom, I am really really going to miss this sword, really a lot" and walked over and put it in the garbage can. Then he went and sat on Dave's lap and pouted for a bit.

He is on a quest to find the exact sword at a store now.

Dave and I giggled about it all night. Zach cracks us up.

Here he is hiding behind the couch, wanted to be sad in private.

Our First Trampoline Sleepout

The kids had a great time Saturday night sleeping on the trampoline. They have been asking me for two months to sleep out, I kept telling them...no, not on a school night, no not on this night or that night, for what ever reason. Well they finally talked me into it.

Dad came out with us for about a 1/2 hour and then he went back inside.
It was nice to be outside looking at the stars and the cool breeze. It was also very quite.

I must say I didn't sleep very well at all, but the kids had fun, and that was what was most important.

July Horse Show - Our Cowgirl

Alicyn with Jet waiting for the next event in the shade.

Running the Speed Barrels Event

Ali - Pole Bending Event

We had a great day on Saturday, despite the heat, which kicked my fanny. Ali did great at the horse show this month and had a fun day.

Cousins Emily and Ty did fabulous too and it was fun to cheer them on and watch the wonderful progress & improvement our kids have accomplished over the summer riding.

Emily running the Speed Barrels event

Ty running the Barrels event

Zach was sick so he just took it easy & rested in his lawn chair in the shade.

Ali running the barrels pattern - She loves to lope, (which is a slow run) and did that a lot during her events. She just loved it!

After the horse show the kids always insist on going to the park next to the arena. They love that park!

Independence Day

I love my country! I am so blessed to live in the United States of America! When I lived in Argentina, and have visited Chile, Peru, Mexico, Honduras... I have always wondered why my Father in Heaven sent me to live in the United States, and have the opportunities and privileges that I have when others deserve it just as much??

We had a fun 4th of July and again more fun with family and friends. What a great holiday to celebrate and remember why we are so fortunate. I am truly grateful for those before us who established the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, along with other important issues and freedoms. For those who have fought so bravely now and in the past, so we can be free and live how we choose. I feel so much for those who live under a dictatorship and don't have the freedoms we have. How Sad! I hope they one day can experience life as we have.

We started off our celebration on Thursday, Zach had his 5 year old check up and is just in perfect health. When he was 5 months old he contracted the chicken pocks. He was not immunized at 1 year since he had had the disease. Well in talking with our doctor she said that it would be good to give him a booster because we are not sure how well his body at that young age would have gotten the antibodies. So he started his day with a shot in the arm. He then went to work with me for about 4 hours and we had a good day together.

After work we went to the Riverton Parade, and the Riverton Park. I told the kids they could have $10 each to play and they decided to go on a few of the carnival rides. They had a fun night with their cousins. The next morning my sister's Adrienne and Andrea ran the Riverton 10k. My mom told us the night before that anyone who came to watch the race, she would buy them breakfast at the park. I asked the kids if they wanted to sleep in or get up at 6:00 to go and watch the race and eat breakfast....they opted to get up, and were excited about it. I wish it were that easy every morning, especially after a late night. So we went back to the park to cheer on the runners in the wee morning. Andrea & Ade did a great job! Zach helped himself to the banana's they had for the runners to eat. Have to get that potassium back.

While at the park we watched a portion of the ATV rodeo and walked around looking at the booths a little. The ATV rodeo was pretty funny, they did competitions that my sisters and I all did growing up - except we were on horses of course. Brett is the one that heard the revving engines and gravitated that way so we followed. He was a good sport at the parade in 103 degree heat, so we went to check out the fun in the dirt with him. We got back home at about 10:00 am, just in time to see the Army plane fly right over our house. After that we went to my sister Hilerie's (Kenny) house for a BBQ. Dave and I decided to take the kids to the Riverton park once again for the fireworks. They were amazing, lasting almost 40 minutes and they had what seemed like 3 finales, until the real one came along and it was fantastic. The whole sky was lit up and it was great! We were able to sit by our friends and neighbors Mary & Tyler Fuller & family - who I grew up with in my home neighborhood. Zachary fell asleep before the fireworks were over and we thought it was funny that he could sleep with all that racket and booms. Alicyn fell asleep in the car before we made it home, after all they did wake up at 6:00am to cheer on the aunts.

Schofield Reservoir

On June 27th we were able to get away for a weekend of camping and fishing. The fishing was really slow, but we had a nice time together away. I tried to draw a hopscotch for the kids next to our table on the concrete...haven't done that for awhile, and it was messed up, still they had fun hopping on our down time. When the wind kicks up on the lake we usually get off, since it is hard to fight the boat with the wind.

We were also able to make a trip to Price to see Dave's grandma (Grandma Bliss). We took our camera to get the usual pictures with her, but she isn't doing well and we decided not to capture that on camera. She is 94 and we had a nice little visit. After a bit I asked her if she wanted us to leave so she could take a nap and she told us yes, which made us chuckle. Usually she doesn't want you to leave.

Zach was really worried about all the bugs that were landing on us and in the boat. He was really distraught when Ali rubbed one off her and it took off. He wasn't sure it had enough energy to fly all the way to shore. He held one for about 15 minutes telling Dave to drive closer so it would make it. If it landed in the water it might drown or a fish might eat it. He is very entertaining. One thing I love about owning a boat. It is great quality family time. My kids can't get out and walk away from me, (or Dave) lol!

Another fun weekend!