Trying to kill the summer boredom

This is 3d sidewalk chalk

It lasted about, umm 30 minutes,

but they still had fun.

Off again, and

In February, Nicholas got his braces off! He was so excited. He had gotten them on the day before his birthday two years ago when we lived in California. That is after having them for a few months when he was in second grade. They look good, but...
On Again,

it was temporary. Since moving here, the orthodontist was having a hard time working with someone elses appliances. So, he gave Nicholas a break for a couple of months and they are back on.
It should only be for about 6 months though.

It's Official

Well, almost official. Nicholas is a TEENAGER! How scary for Jeff and me! We celebrated his birthday a couple of days early because he is leaving for a week long scout camp the day of his birthday.

Michele's friend and mine--Sister Costco--makes great cakes!

He is sticking with the trumpet, so he got his very own, plus some books...

and this robotic thing. Here it is in the making.


and the finished product. Jeff named him MOV-E because it moves with a remote control and has a camera to make movies. He can steer it from another room because the camera connects wireless to a tv or computer and he can see where it is going and control it.

It has a long claw to grab at things, or people.

Schoools out . . .

The burning of the agendas. They get their agendas, or calendars, at the beginning of each year from 3rd grade on up.

So, as the end of the year and the end of a grade, Nicholas and his friends decided to burn them.

See the ashes?

It was a little windy. Now they have to do what MOM says, instead of their teachers.

The Desert Blossoming . . .

We went for a drive and found these beautiful blossoming cacti

The whole mountain was covered with blossoms,

. . .like a rose--from our beautiful rose bush!

The season's over

Nicholas played baseball for the school. He mostly played third base and they did real good.

They had games twice a week

and then they won the first playoff game and lost the second, so it was single elimination and they were out.

They had a great season!

Fathers & Sons Campout

They had a great time!

Jeff got to steamroller the boys in the morning.

They found lots of geods,

and luckily they weren't part of the wildfire that someone in the ward started right after they left.