Gonzi is here and June crazy

As a family the Weston's helped clean up the flowers from the cemetery a week after Memorial Day.  Then we had cookies and Zeppies for a treat.  It was a great service project for our community that I believe we decided to make an annual tradition.  Usually it takes the caregivers two full 10 hour days, and we did it in a couple of hours. 

Just some pictures of my handsome boys falling asleep while they were in time out because they were fighting again.  My summer is full of many many fights between the boys, but for the most part they get along and play well together. 

Dakota's baseball team on the last day of the season.

For our first adventure on Gonzalo's 4th time at our house we decided to go to Yellowstone.  Becky and Russ have a cabin there that they kindly took us to stay in and we spent the day at the National Park.  Gonzalo loved it and our boys were so young the last time they went that they were also mesmerized by it. The geysers were so active and we saw tons of wildlife and even a Bear!  None of us have ever seen a bear at Yellowstone.  It was such good luck according to Gonzi.

We also made a stop at Mesa Falls which were amazing a beautiful.  

There is the bear!  We watched him cross the road and jump in the river, at which time we got out of our cars and watched him swim across the river and all the way up that mountain.  It was such a cool experience.

Grandma Becky taught the boys how to play royal rummy while we were in Island Park.  It kept them busy the entire month Gonzalo was here, they had a blast playing it under the trees in the hot afternoons and well into many nights.

Cameron and his buddy Logan did a Lego robotics summer class.  They learned so much and had a blast learning while playing with robots.

George Whetton, our guitar teacher, let the boys borrow a guitar for the month as well as let them have extra time during lessons so Gonzalo could go with Braxton to his lessons. It gave Braxton a new found love for his guitar and he practiced more this month then he has in a long time.

I took the boys to IRock one afternoon.  Braxton is like a Monkey and I think Gonzalo was a bit frustrated at how east it comes to Braxton.  All four of the boys could make it to the top easy peasy.

It was my 20 year High School Reunion.  I can't even believe it has been 20 years!  It makes me feel old for sure.  I got to see so many of my friends who I usually only see once a year as well as many people who I haven't seen in 20 years.  We went to Maddox for the first night and the second night was at Fremont for an awesome funny assembly and delicious cookies.  It was so good to see everyone and catch up. 

We also took Gonzalo on a Rhino ride up Willard Peak.  He drove on the way up, but I had to drive on the way down because Shane had a kidney stone and passed out on the side of the hill.  It was a bit scary and we are lucky he was already sitting or he could have rolled down the side of the mountain.  Things turned out ok, Shane was just in a lot of pain and ready to get home.

Father's Day 2018.  My four handsome boys.

End of May/Roofing Grandmas

My handsome baby was in his 4th grade play where he played the part of Jim Bridger, a trapper.  He said his lines loud and clear and with a lot of enthusiasm.  He is quite the actor!

Off to our favorite spring and early summer activity.  Cameron loves to play Lacrosse and this year really got aggressive and played hard every game.

Happy Mother's Day to me.  I love the bouquet of Yard flowers the boys make for me every year and the display they put it on.  This year Braxton was too cool and too tired so he just got up for the giving of the gift, not the gathering.  I sure love those boys and am so proud to be their mother and also humbled at the big job it is to be their mother.

The roof over at our rental house was slipping in the front under the chimney, we had a roof guy come look at it and he recommended replacing the roof.  Of course, this is a giant project with 3 layers of shingles to scrape off and a new roof of decking to put back on before we started shingling.  After 2 full 14 hour days, we knocked that thing out.  We had a lot of help from Brent, Cody, my Mom and Dad, Lisa and Neil, Jake and a whole bunch of hired hands in the form of teenage boys.  It was probably the hardest project as far as sweat breaking labor we have ever done together.  Rain was in the forecast, so we hurried fast and covered it at nights.  The finished product turned out great and the rental house once again provided some income for the teenagers at our house and other boys also, but most of all provided 10 boys an opportunity to learn how to work.  I feel kids need this so much and maybe I over provide on the work aspect of life, but a busy boy is a happy boy and there is no substitute for hard work. This is the reason Shane and  I were inspired to buy Grandma's house and we have had many opportunities to work together over there.  In fact, my friend was asking us about it up camping the other day and Cameron said "I like having a rental house, we get to learn a lot of new things, and work hard, and get paid to do it."  I told my friend, 'it sounds like it is serving the purpose I intended.' (of course there aren't any pics of me picking up shingles ALL day off the ground, but that was my main job.)

I got to go to Cameron's 4th Grade field trip to American West Heritage center.  It was really entertaining and the kids learned a lot.

Sometimes 5:45 A.M. catches up with a young boy.

Both Braxton and Dakota earned special awards at school this year.  I am so proud of how hard they work at school.

The annual Memorial day BBQ with the Pilgrim Family.