Mr Batty

I opened up our patio umbrella yesterday, so Aiden and Kyler could have a little snack on the table-and this is what we found:

That is right a bat. Our neighbors the Mitchell's have bats living in their attic (they migrate through twice a year and they have been stopping at their house) and one must have decided our umbrella would make a nice cave.

If you double click on the pictures you can get a better look (if you want). I was okay with it until it started flying around the yard and then it was pretty creepy. It flew around and didn't want to leave so it landed on...

The fence and stayed there all afternoon.

And then about 5:30pm these boys couldn't resist anymore and poked it with a stick. Then Mr. Batty (as Eliza called him) decided he'd had enough and left. I kept the umbrella open all night so that it wouldn't come back to it's cave. So far this morning I haven't seen him, so hopefully he is back at the Mitchell's. :)

Day After Day

We have been having a lot of fun...

Jack has been riding his new bike (despite the look on his face, he does really like it)




The kids are soaking up the sun (the one afternoon this week it didn't rain).

Eliza and cousin Abbie have been playing tons of dress up, and even helping Jack to look beautiful, too.

Taking a walk up to Bridal Veil Falls. The Provo River is moving mighty fast.

Aiden jumping from rock to rock beneath the falls.

And Eliza and Abbie looking adorable. We have been having a relaxing week, with the weather and our fun visitor. It's been great.

Bingham Copper Mine...Check

My wonderful Aunt Jean has been trying to check off some sights around Utah that she goes by all of the time and never stops at. A couple of months ago she went to the Golden Spike Monument (where the east railroad met the west railroad), and today it was the Bingham Copper Mine. We had a fun group with us. My sister Tricia and her four kids, Aunt Jean and Aunt Jane, and my Uncle Reed. It was perfect.


Here is Hallie, Eliza, Abbie, Jace, Natalie, Jack and Aiden in front of the big 12 foot tire. Each tire costs $25,000, each truck has six and the tires last about a year. (Aren't you glad I read the sign?)



Here are Aiden, Hallie, Abbie and Jace looking at different rocks underneath microscopes.

Here is Jack admiring the shovels. I think he really liked them. :)

Here are Jace, Eliza, Aiden and Hallie in front of the big mine.

Here is the HUGE hole. It is so deep it can be seen from space. It's true, I saw the picture in the visitor center. Although I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be when I saw the picture, I was expecting something grander. But it was still neat.

Here are Jean and Jane with Russell, Jack, Abbie and Eliza. My aunts are the BEST. They are so sweet and kind and they tend to spoil all of us rotten. :) They let the kids all pick out a souvenir from the gift shop. The kids thought that was awesome. Thanks Jean and Jane!

Here is Jack checking things out below.

He liked the big trucks, and he liked climbing the rail.

After the mine we grabbed some food at Chick-Fil-A (My other sis Megan and her husband Kenny met us there-my sister's LOVE Chick-Fil-A!). And after lunch this was Eliza. She as so sad...

And then so was Jack. This photo is blurry, but it shows the fun times in the car on the way home!

Jean said the next stop may be Cascade Springs. Who's packing the picnic?!

Discovering Summer

We went to the Discovery Park today. It was the perfect day. Not very hot. The kids ran around for about two hours and had a blast.


I got Aiden and Kyler to stop for half a second to get their picture. There is a spinning thing (I know great description) at the park and Aiden spun around so much that he threw up. I warned him, but I guess some things you have to learn the hard way. It did not slow him down, he puked and then started running again. (Last Friday Kyler puked when we went to the zoo, I must make these boys sick!)

Here are Eliza and Paige. I love how they both posed with their hands on their hips. So cute.

I couldn't get Jack to stop for even a second to get his picture. I followed him around for two hours. The Discovery Park is a great place, but it is not a place where I could bring a book and find a bench. You have to follow the little ones around to make sure they are safe. It was fun to watch Jack explore. He is all BOY!

Here is Aiden at the top of the volcano.

So summer started a week ago. And I am already tired. :) Here is our week by the numbers:

Floods in the sand box: 4

Baths after the floods: 12 (each kid after each flood)

Trips to the zoo: 1

Movies: 1 Up!

Trips up Provo Canyon: 1

Fires in the fire pit: 1

Trips to the park: 3

Hours on Webkins: I don't want to admit it!

Times I have heard "can I call a friend?": 30

Number of snakes seen: 1

Popsicles eaten: 20

We have been trying to keep busy. And I think we have been.