A Work In Progress

Luke is working so hard on the backyard. It is such a huge job, and he has been doing all the labor himself. He is amazing! I took a few "before" pictures so we'll be able to see the difference when everything is finished. Here's one of the photos; I was standing by the gate at the northeast side of the yard when I took it. I'll post some more "befores" when we get some "after" shots. If Luke makes it that long, that is. :)

We do have one project that is almost finished. Luke built a shed in the orchard last fall, and we're almost done painting it. Aside from putting in a window, it's pretty much done!
Before...

After...

It's starting to come together. A few more weeks, and we'll be able to enjoy it!

Congratulations, Dylan!

On Thursday, Dylan graduated from preschool. He did a great job during his program and is looking forward to Kindergarten. Way to go, Bucky!

No Training Wheels!

Dylan is officially huge. He hasn't mastered starting or turning, but he can stop and get off by himself. He is so proud!

Have You Seen Me?

Myrtle Spurge is pretty common in our area--I hate to admit it, but Luke and I even have one growing in the backyard (not for long). It has recently been listed as a noxious weed in Salt Lake County. And let's face it. Who wants a noxious weed in their yard? Not me. So, on Saturday, REI is ready to take this spurge off your hands in exchange for some really cool native plants that are enviromentally friendly. It's a win-win for everyone. If you'd like to read more, click here. See you at REI!

San Rafael Swell

We spent the weekend camping at The Wedge in the San Rafael Swell in west central Utah. We had such a great weekend! Here are a few of the highlights...
It was wet most of the weekend, but rain has never stopped us. The kids put on jackets and went exploring.



There was a really cool dry wash near our campground that we walked along for about a mile, and the kids and I stopped for a photo:

There were some really pretty cactus and desert flowers:

Izzy and Hannah found the perfect "rock kitchen", opened the Fossil Cafe, and served lovely meals like this one:


We found some awesome pictographs. Too many to post, but here is one of our favorites. We think they are angels or spirits of some sort.

We saw Utah's little grand canyon, as well as genuine Allosaurus and Stegosaurus bones at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry (yes, Dylan freaked out).


Izzy thought a town named Elmo was the most hilarious thing she'd ever heard of.

Goblin Valley was our last stop before the weekend came to a close. It was amazing!



We live close to some of the most amazing places on earth. We are so spoiled! I really hope Izzy and Dylan are making memories that will stick with them for a lifetime.

Please Vote!

My incredible cousin Kaysie is a finalist in a mother's day contest. She absolutely deserves to win, but she needs votes to make it happen. So, I'm asking anyone who has a free minute to help out. The only day to vote is today--May 4th. So, go here and vote for Kaysie! Thanks!