BBQ

This spring we have had weird weather. As has everyone! With Travis gone I had to strap our grill down to the deck so it wouldn’t blow away. Then we had this... This bird worked hard! Don't hate me but I'm a weakling when it comes to birds and I made Travis get rid of it and clean the grill when he was home last weekend. Sorry Bird!

Surgery

Warning Pictures may gross you out! Travis had Surgery to repair and old ankle injury from High school earlier this year. Travis broke his ankle playing football. Since then he will constantly roll his ankle. We have had a few scares in the past when we thought he had broken it again. Early this year he rolled his ankle again walking out of the girls’ room. He could hardly walk for weeks. So we decided it was time to get this fixed for good. Travis went in for surgery early February had several screws drilled in to the bones to hold the graft in place. Very painful but well worth it. Travis was on crutches for over a month. Talen started to catch on and wanted to be just like Dad. Sorry I can't figure out how to turn the picture.

Fishing and Time with Dad

Last September Travis finally convinced me to get a fishing license so I could go with him and the girls. Taydem truly loves fishing. We have taken them down to the river a few time and they always catch a few little cat fish. Taydem has really gotten into it, to the point she loves ripping the worms in half and baiting her own hook. We found a pond not too far away that stocks weekly. Every weekend that Travis is home the girls always request a fishing trip. They put forth the effort to get up extra early and get to the pond at sunrise. Last weekend I caught my first, a rainbow trout! I didn’t know what to do and Travis was up at the truck with Talen. My first instinct was to not touch it so I just let it hang out in the water while the girls went running and screaming for dad. I'm sure everyone around us loved that. After fishing we go for a walk/bike ride... this is how everyone ended up that last little stretch. The girls dumped their bikes and hoped on for a ride.

Grandpa Summers

Just before Thanksgiving our Grandpa Summers passed away very suddenly. It was very hard on Travis. He grew up working cows with Grandpa. Taking summer vacations up to the cabin. He was always one he could talk to and keep Travis on the Straight. He was an amazing Grandpa and an even more amazing Great Grandpa. Grandpa was very active all his years and Grandpa and Grandma always made a great effort to make it to all the Great Grand kids’ special occasions. Any time they drove down south we would meet up at McDonalds and enjoy a lunch. Our kids know them as the MC-D Grandpa & ma. Grandpa was very much loved! He will be and is greatly missed.

Halloween 09

Gardener Village to see the Witches... Can we say DIVA! Pumpkins... G-pa & G-ma Mortensen came down from Idaho and his brother Jason and his family were over for a fun night out trick or treating. Cousins, trick or treating what could be more FUN!

Christmas 09

There were a lot of great things about Christmas. Lots of Gifts, screaming in excitement and the most important visiting family. G-Pa Yost opening his DS from all the kids... New Christmas PJ's We are still talking about Talens excitement and determination after he opened his first present to use that present to open all the others...

Taylyns Birthday

This happened about 7 months ago but I feel it's about time I get this updated. Taylyn turned 4 October 27. We had a wonderful day. Taylyn wanted to ride the ponies so we all headed out to Thanksgiving Point. Well with the blizzard and below freezing that day they shut down all outdoor activities. So up to South Town mall we went to ride the "ponies" there. After the fun ride and a dizzy mom and dad we had a trip down to Mrs. Fields and filled up our Tinkerbelle buckets with yummy cookies. Taydem had school that day so Taylyn had all afternoon to lay around with dad and relax. That night we made cupcakes and tried to do fall colors. Butterfly Masks... That Saturday we had a few friends over and enjoyed cake and Ice Cream. Let it be noted that she was the one that wanted the spider. She had a fun 4th birthday and says a belated thanks to all for the awesome gifts.

Finally...Yard!!!

I love it when DH gets hooked up at work. For the first time in 4 years we have a finished back yard. Befor... Travis and I spent a weekend gathering rock from around the city, saved us about $2000, almost lost a finger with Trav laughing at me. Our Rocks... With 4 truckloads of top soil about 3 loads of fill dirt, lots of equipment and a free sprinkler system it’s now finished. TAAADAAA... LOVE IT!!