It's America

     What a nice break from the heat we have when we get to go to Kingston for the Fourth of July. 

Getting better with age

   While we were in Kingston we celebrated Ben's birthday.  I had everyone name some of the things that they though of when they think of Ben.  They came up will all kinds of things.  Fishing, Boats, motorcycles, biking . . . .  just to name a few.  Then I copied the list, split everyone up into two teams and invaded the town of Kingston for a camera scavenger hunt.  You had to take pictures of as many things as you could on the list (which total 20 per list)  in an hour.  It was a lot of fun.
   We met back at Grandma Luke's house to show the Judge (Grandma)  the pictures.  Since she didn't go with us she had a good time seeing the pictures that we did take.





 Then of course cake.  (My favorite part) 

   After his fishing trip in the morning up the river with his new gear from the angler shop in Circleville, the kids attacked him with silly string.








   Later mom sent Ben and I up Marysville canyon to dinner at Hoovers.  Ben spotted this dear as we were heading up the canyon.  We had to turn around so Ben could get the shot.  She sat there for a while watching us watch her.  She was so pretty. 

   
   All in all I thing it was a good day for him.  I love my man.

Mrs. Heath

Mrs. Heath was a great 2nd grade teacher.  Porter will miss her.

Family Evening Green Valley Park

At the first of every month the whole Fox family gets together and does something fun.  We take turns planing it which includes cooking the meal and the activity.  Jarron and Alivia planned this one.  We met at the Green Valley Park where there is a long grass hill.  I efforts to protect the grass Jarron put down a large piece of vinyl.  Providing a towel and ice blocks is all that we need to have fun.  Mom was so excited that we all let her go first.  Thanks Jarron for the fun time. 

If at first you don't suceed, try, try, again.

Who can help trying to catch popcorn in their mouths.

Practice makes perfect.

We had lots of practice. Can you not tell. 

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday.

My oldest is TWELVE.  Holy cow.

I always take them to lunch for their birthday, he chose Judds for the soup.  Soup is his favorite. 

After his Bishop's interview that night we went out for icecream. He opted for no Party but to take the money I would have spent on the party and give it to him instead. He was rich and with all his money from family gifts and the party funds he bought himself a IPod. 

It's Fishing Season!!!!

The water is still cold but the fish are starting to bite, and ready to be fed.  And who better to feed them than my guys.

Ben's bag was to small so he graciously handed it down to Mason and then naturally had to get a bigger one.  After hours of excitment, packing the bags, they were ready.

 Kade, who is not a fisherman, even felt the thirl and went fishing with Ben and out out fished Ben. Ben was OK with that just because Kade was with him. 

  All of this makes me smile.  I love my guys out fishing.

Ups and downs

         For Mason's 10th birthday we went out into the desert south of St. George and let the kids loose.  With a bike theme, my original thought to do cupcakes and to put finger bikes on top for party favors but after looking for hours in all of the cheep stores, I found nothing to put on top of cupcakes that didn't cost $15.00 each. Standing in my kitchen I set my mind search for a ssolution.  It hit me. "That would be cool" I said aloud.  Kade and his friends looking at me like I was crazy.  I told them my idea.  Three12year old boys ok'd the idea so I knew it WOULD be cool.  This was the final product. 

If you can't tell, its a bike chain

Birthday boy Mason and best friend Izak "Come on mom, take the picture so that we can go"

Porter went down almost every hill the big kids did. He couldn't get up this hill.  Thank goodness he had an assistant, Grandma, to help him haul his bike up the hill. 

Ryan, Kade, and Grandma

The dads (Alex, Ben, Ryan) had just as much fun as the kids did.  They ended up taking the older boys on a 3 mile trail ride.



"Mom, watch me." Porter said



Matthew and his friend Colton, also our neighbor, looking for flags that were hidden so that they could get an arm sweat band

Watering hole/Grandstand

How many bikes can you fit into the back of a truck?  15 bikes in this truck.

          The kids were thrilled with the party favors, their own water bottles to keep and arm  sweat bands.
          If you judge a party on how much fun people had and how much time spent there, this one was a hit.  We were there for 6hrs returning with  exhausted kids with cute sunburned cheeks. 

Rock and Roll

 As I sat bloging last night I was inspired to learn how to take better pictures.  Who better to practice on than my own kids.  So before Mason could call his freind to play I made him be my first subject.  I wanted to practice on settings and lighting and other things.  He insisted I take pictures of him with him rollerblading.  I thought perfect.  Motion shots.  I took lots of pictures.  Thanks to digital camera's you can see instantly your screw up and can delete them. I managed to get him to do a few still shots. 



Porter was my next subject.  He came up stairs bragging about getting 99% on guitar in Rock Band. If that is not a true rocker I don't know what is. 

This is going to be so much fun. 

Snowman season

  Porter needed work on his bow so we went over to Grandpa Fox's. Grandpa got out his archery stuff, explaining things to Porter the whole time. They put the thingys, thats what I call it, on the string to hold the arrow from going up or down so aiming would be propper. After they completed the task they took it out to try it out. Grandpa had the perfect target, a melting snowman. Porter delighted at the thought and took aim. Hitting him. After a few shots and some fun talk with Grandpa Porter took the arrows out of the snowman, fidgeted with them for a bit, I asked if he wanted me to hold them he said "Nope I am just trying to wipe off the blood." I looked down and the "blood", snow,  he was trying to wipe off just kept twisting around the arrow. I just laughed. Grandpa helped him wipe the blood off the arrow, smiling the whole time, like a proud Grandpa who's grandson just got himself a two point snowman 

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