Boys in the Country

With Jared on the road so much, I had the opportunity to take all the boys to Idaho to visit mom and dad. We only planned to be there for 2 days and ended up staying 4. We were busy the entire time playing or helping grandma and grandpa. This is what we did....

Grandpa suggested we buy some dinner and go eat at Centinnial Park by the river. Great Idea! Anything with play equipment and water, is ALWAYS good!

Looking for fish.

The Blue Angels Air Show was going on this weekend as well and since we didn't quite make it in time to see them on saturday, we went sunday and parked outside the airport. I would have to say that they were my favorite activity while being there.

We also got to go to the new temple open house with grandma. I didn't get pics that day, but I did get this one before. It really is a beautiful place. All the detail that was there could keep someone very enthralled for each continuous visit!

"That way grandma!"

Grandma tried to teach Eli how to play twister. (Need I say more?)

I told dad that we wanted to learn how to syphen water in the fields...

...so, we did. Jade was trying really hard to get the rhythm. It took awhile but when he got it, he went right down the row to do the others....

...And Eli was right behind him to pull them out and yell at the water.

Ash just kept splashing the water with the pipe until he tried to suck the water out. Not very tasty river water.

I had done it before but I must have forgotten how hard it was. BUT...I did get it.

Dad was working on a house and was just about finished with it. I wanted to help him get it done faster. Jade and Ashton helped as much as a young boy could. (They had a distraction... a little beagle puppy named Tipsy. Cute little thing!)

The morning before we left, I found the "constructs" for the boys to play with. I thought they might like them, and they sure did. They couldn't really figure out how to make something with them, so I helped them.

No, I don't know what they are. But they can fly. THAT was the important part.

An Idaho sunset. I really really miss those. We had them like this every night we were there.

Gorgeous!

Thanks for letting us surprise you mom and dad!

MORE FLOWERS!

WhileI was gone in Idaho, my sunflowers definitely grew some more. Here are some more of these very cool flowers! As I've said before, it amazes me, how many different kinds there are!

This one is a "giant sunflower" I had to zoom in all the way to get a closer shot, and was still not as close as I would've liked to have been. I'll have another picture later to show just how tall this thing is!

I threw in this picture of morning glory. It's awesome how the center stigma is so white that it makes the whole center of the flower look like it's glowing with purity! Absolutely love this flower. (For those who didn't know, it only blooms in the morning. After about 9:30/10am...they're closed for the day. It took a while to get this shot. I just couldn't get my lazy self out of the house early enough.)

And the winner is?

Ok, so after a full week of voting we definitely have a favorite. Thank you to those that voted, we had a great time seeing who said what about each individual picture. By the end of the week, Picture # 2, won. Congratulations to Angela! She took that picture at the Idaho Falls LDS temple and won the hearts of many. The runner up was The Brother's. http://ollewisfam.blogspot.com/. (Even though it was a late entry. We decided that he would take 2nd. Considering the "hard work" he put into getting just the right flower/s.)
Alisha took picture #3 in her neighbors yard
Audrey took picture#1
Some have asked what kind of flowers they are....Well....I haven't answered because I really don't know. I do know that Angela's and Alisha's are a lilly, but have no idea what mine is. It was taken at the Zoo in the alligator exhibit. (SO....if there is someone out there that knows what my unusual flower is...I'd love to know, I did a web search and it looked more like the hibiscus). Thanks again for helping us decide!!!

AND THE WINNER IS....

.....drum roll please........


Actually....we have a new entry that (obviously) was entered at the last minute. Please take the time to view and comment. Even though the contest is over...we'd love to hear your input about this one!!!

http://ollewisfam.blogspot.com/

The winner will be posted in the morning. Sorry for putting if off.

We've been robbed!!!

So when I woke up this morning, I did my "rounds" around the property and found that we had had a theif visit our humble home in the night. I was shocked at first, thinking, 'who could've done this!?' And 'why'? I immediately started racking my brain on who or what could've done something like this. I came to one conclusion and it was comfirmed after speaking with the authorities. He/she was even wearing a black mask, no less!

Here's the clues I've got!

Exhibit A: Shows us the scene of the crime.

Exhibit B: Shows us the evidence left behind. Nothice the thin shredding of the husk? THAT was the tip-off.

Perpetrator at large: The Raccoon (Procyon lotor), also known as Common Raccoon, North American Raccoon, Northern Raccoon, Washing Bear or informal Coon.

After talking to animal control this morning, they just happened to park across the street after my discovery, I asked them if Raccoon were common in the area. He said that they were quite plentiful and that I'd be surprised on actually how many there are. After presenting my evidence to him he definitely thought it was this cute, cuddly, and RABID animal as the culprit. They had a trap already set up elsewhere in town and that they would bring it after that. (My thought, "they've only got ONE trap!?) Thankfully, the kids were with me while I was speaking to him because he turned to them and told them to stay away from them if they see one, that they are mean and rabid. (Tom, I may need your help with this one if a trap doesn't work! That filthy little varmit ate 7 of my corn!!! I have to admit that I take that as a compliment though, it wouldn't eat that many if it wasn't good corn. Can't wait to eat some for myself actually... if there's any left after this whole ordeal is over and done with!)

Oh! And don't forget to view the pictures below and vote for you favorite!

Photo Contest

My sisters and I are battling out a photo duel/contest. The competition is for the best photograph of a flower taken by each of us. We need your help judging the photos! (You might want to double click on the pictures to get a closer look.

Photograph #1

Photograph #2

Photograph #3

You have one week to view the photos (July 19th - July 26th) and must cast your vote by Saturday, July 26th.

After viewing the three photos, you can vote for your favorite photo one of two ways.
1) List your vote in the "Comment" section of the blog you're viewing or
2) Email your vote to the sister you know with the photo number of your choice.

You may only vote once and must identify yourself in your comment or email (we don't want anyone stacking votes).
Remember to vote by Saturday, July 26th. After all the votes are in we'll post the winning photograph and identify the photographer.
Thanks for participating.
We're really excited about this!

Hogal Zoo

We went to the zoo today. The reason being... Mykael and Jaden were invited to go to Lagoon with Aunt Launa and so to soften the "rejection blow" I took the little one's to see the animals. (In all fairness...a trip to the lagoon with aunt launa would've limited their experience with the big rides, so we will save up for a family lagoon trip.) These are our pictures of our outing today. My friend Sarah and baby "L" got to come with us and it's always nice to have company. Considering I had my hands full continuously...these turned out fairly well!

If you ask Ashton what he saw, he'll tell you that he saw a buffalo on the train.

We were on the train ride and you actually drive right through this buffalo pen. A woman behind me asked another, "How come they don't charge you?" Good question. My thought was, "probably because this train is bigger than them and moving rather fast, so I think they prefer to let this fast moving beast continue on its way.

If I were an animal...I'd pick the zebra. Just love those stripes!

Doesn't this monkey make you want to cuddle right up to it and snuggle? I love that face. So stuffed-animal like.

Not as good as Alisha's elephant picture, but I liked how "she" (all elephants at this zoo are female, one is even pregnant! 13 months along...only has 8 more months to go!!!) just flopped her trunk onto the rock. It was a lazy day in the zoo for the animals today, I guess.

I thought this monkey was cute carring around this little monkey toy.

Another lazy animal pic.

Gobble gobble gobble. Maybe someday I'll gobble for you. My family loves it when I call them every year on thanksgiving and gobble at them.

*As requested...the "Aud-o". (kind of hard to take a picture of yourself and your three little ones, with one in your arms. At least I got all the heads.)