15

Happy Birthday to my beautiful MaKady.  Can't believe she is 15.  Time has surely flown by.  She is a joy to be around.  She is lovely and kind to everyone.  She has an old soul.  She loves anything vintage.  We sometimes joke about the fact that we both think we were born in the wrong era.  For her pictures this year she wanted something like you would see in the 1950's.  So we found this dress and shoes online, borrowed the pearls from Tabi and went to Judd's Store one early morning.  I am truly proud to be her mom.  Happy, Happy birthday MaKady dear.

 

Back to School

I don't know about your kids, but mine were sure ready to go back to school.  We had a long summer.  Fun but long.  So when school started early this year (August 14 for MaKady and August 15 for Paige) we were totally ready.

 

 MaKady is a sophomore this year at Tuacahn High School.  She seriously loved it so much last year and couldn't wait to go back.  I've said it before and I have to say it again, it was well worth our move down here so that she could attend that school.  It has been amazing for her.  I'm hoping this year that she will have as much fun as last year.

 

Paige is in 4th grade this year.  She actually has the same teacher this year that she had for half of last year.  Last year she started out the school year with one teacher whom she loved but by Valentines Day he had some "personal problems" that weren't resolved so he left the school.  However in his place they hired a permanent - substitute teacher.  At the end of the year they hired her on for the next school year and she opted to move up to 4th grade with most of the kids in her class.  Paige was so excited.  She loves her teacher and so far both girls love school.

Roos n More

There is a little interactive zoo down in Moapa Nevada that everyone has been telling us about.  So one morning we got up and decided to drive there.  It is in a remote town between Mesquite and Las Vegas that you really don't even know is there.  We pulled in to the parking lot, paid our money and went in.

There are a lot of different animals there.  Most of them are in cages but the workers take them out and you are free to look at them, pet them, and even hold them.

MaKady loved this little ant-eater.  It kept sticking its head and arm out and wanted her to pet him.

Lucas was pretty scared of the animals, but with Jared holding him, he was willing to get close and pet them for a second.

I had to laugh at this goat sitting up in the trough.  He was just hanging out in there. 

This little monkey was so cute and friendly.  Lucas was too scared to pet him because he was a little hyper, but the girls thought it was pretty cute and funny.

Check out these Guinea pigs.  They were huge, like the size of a full grown rabbit.  I have never seen them that big before.

The Binturong - also known as the bear cat was the nicest animal.  Very tame.  It was like an old dog.  Just wanted to hang out.  It spent most of its time sprawled out across MaKady's lap, just chillin.

Isn' this baby monkey adorable?  It was even wearing a little diaper.

This baby Kangaroo is only 7 months old.  I guess they are born and just chill in their moms pouch for several months.  They said they just pulled it from her pouch that morning. 

It was a fun and educational day.  The kids loved it.

Fair Week - Part 3

On the last day of the fair - Saturday, we took the kids to the Demolition Derby.  It was loud and hot and so much fun.  MaKady said "I love this".  Paige was super happy that we kept giving her money and it was her job to go get us snow cones and water.  Lucas loved the cars and trucks, but he really loved the tractor!!  He was really mad every time the cars would crash into each other though because as he said "now those guys have to go to the shop to get fixed."  I couldn't help laugh.  During the truck part he apparently had picked one that was his favorite, well that particular truck got smashed to bits, the front tire came off and everything.  He was literally sobbing for "my truck, that's my truck, now he's broken, oh no."  Poor thing.  But he sat very still for the entire 3 hours and he loved it.

He wanted to take a picture of himself.!

The fair was also the only time this summer we were able to see any fireworks.  We had fire restrictions during the 4th of July so all the fireworks were cancelled.  Then it rained on the 24th of July so they were cancelled then also.  It was a fun way to end our summer vacation.

Crab Omlettes

My brother and his wife live in Alaska.  You know the place where they get fresh shell fish whenever they want.  They know how much my hubby loves crab.  So my brother caught a bunch of crab, cooked it, shelled it, packaged it, and shipped it to my mom - hahaha.  I know right?!  Jared was super jealous.  Lucky for him my mom is the most wonderful person and she has no problem sharing.  So she brought us some.  We made omelettes.   They were amazing.

Fair Week - Part 2

After we saw the home art exhibit we went over to the Sea Life encounters.  They had some baby horse shoe crabs and some small Stingrays that you could touch.  

 After the sea life exhibit the little kids saw these horrible, horrible bubble things.  I am so claustrophobic and I have asthma.  So all I could think was there is no way we will be doing that.  How can anyone breath in there? But Jared is a sucker when it comes to the kids so they asked if they could try it and he couldn't tell them no.  Paige and Lucas both wanted their turn. 

 Paige went first.  Basically they put you in a giant plastic bubble, blow air into it and the roll you over the edge into the water.  Then it's up to you to move around and get yourself around the pool.

 They loved it.  They were only in there for a few minutes but they had a blast.

Next up that night was the City of Fun Carnival.  Typically we go to the carnival during the Ute Stampede, but since Jared was out on rotation during the stampede this year we didn't end up going.  So tonight it was finally our time to go.  I love the Carnival.  Not so much the rides as the food.  I love a good lemonade and a hot funnel cake and just to walk around and watch my kids having a blast.