My new hobbies

So, a few new hobbies for us!   

I've learned how to needlepoint / applique quilt.  This was my first attempt! 

We've spent some time enjoying the fall covered mountains (dreading the freezing cold). 

We evidently have a new hobby of visiting Instacare.   Not to get my stitches out, nope, we took those out ourselves.  This time (13 days after my stitches) we visited the Logan Instacare for Fred to get some stitches!   We were up visiting my sister and helping put a new door in.  She was weed whacking her yard and flipped a rock at her glass door.   You might say bad luck runs in the family.  :{   He slipped with a chisel and off we went to Instacare.   It was a very pleasant experience though.  :}   35 mins in and out!   We still made it perfectly to enjoy the Pumpkin Walk which was our main reason for being up that way.  

And my final hobby of the month....... Hanging out in the bathroom!    But, we are up to successfully peeing in the potty at least 2 times a day.   Not on his own, but I'll take 2 less diapers any day!  

This morning "Dolly" was using the potty too.  After Tad went he had to show Dolly.  :} 

Come on, that's funny!  

Mini Fred

I realized the other day just how much Tad looks like Fred when I saw this picture.  

I showed it to Fred and he said "When did you take that picture of Tad?"  The little boy in the blue shirt and tie is Fred at about 3 or 4 years old.  Such a mini Fred - in more ways than one! 

And it was going so well.....

Actually, the whole roofing project didn't start out well.  We ordered shingles over 3 weeks ago. Delivery day came and went.  Fred called and they said "didn't your daughter tell you they were backordered?"  "We don't have a daughter."  Well, it'll be another week.  Delivery day came and went again.  Fred called.  "They were supposed to be on the truck but they weren't"  Fred's reply was something about ordering them from another store.  "No, we don't want you to do that."  So, we got a discount!  But it was still going to be another week.  They finally called and suggested we use a different distributor, same cost, matching color, same warranty, and they'd be here Friday.  Um, of course!  The "garbage truck" as Tad called it, came Friday morning and lifted the shingles to our roof.  (I HIGHLY reccommend splurging for this service for anyone who plans to roof their own house.  80lb bundles up a ladder?  No thanks!) 

  

By lunch the first day

Our parents have been lifesavers!   They've kept Tad so he's not trying to climb the ladder.  They've kept us fed for 2 days!   And Fred's dad has been up on the roof with us.

It seemed to be going pretty well.  Fred, Dad & I working on the back part to get all the cutting around vents done first.  Evidently I did a little more cutting than I should and ended up.... in instacare.  :{

I drove myself so Fred and Dad could continue working.  Crystal joined me to keep me entertained while I waited 2 hours for my 4 stitches.  The doctor said he could either do stitches or just put a splint on it so I didn't bend it. I chose stitches since it was the first day of our roofing project and I knew I'd be moving it ALOT.  The funniest part is when they asked when I had my last tetanus shot?  Um, the last time I was here, check my chart.  :}  Really, about 4 months ago, when I had my toenail ripped off.  Nice that I'm making quarterly visits to instacare.  

My "goodies" in a Biohazard bag!  :} 

Nashaela & Paul came to help while I was gone.  Fred told them someone needed to cut, once one of them said they would, he said "Now I'll tell you where Marcinda is...."  He's funny.  They came back the next day and helped in the morning. Then Crystal came to help in the evening.  We were exhausted and sore, but got the roof of the house done in 1 1/2 days.  

Sunday we took off to watch Conference and recover.  Monday, Fred and I were back on the carport roof working.  It's raining today (Tuesday).  I guess it's time to catch up on the inside chores.  Which for me, do NOT include doing dishes for 7 more days!    

A Perfect Fall Day for a ride.

Trucking out day with the sheep.  I always look forward to this day.  Sometimes it's bitter cold, but Saturday it was PERFECT!   The trees are changing colors and it was a beautiful drive up to the Uintahs.  We saw a lot of deer and even a cow and bull moose.  

 

We left early and hoped Tad would fall back to sleep in the truck.  He didn't.  He actually jabbered most of the way.   We start with Sour dough pancakes and then join the fun of loading sheep onto semi trucks.    Everyone helps in one way or another. Grandpa and Fred helped hold the canvas and gates, tackled sheep that jumped out.  I got the easy job of chatting with cousins and eventually recording numbers as they branded the sheep we were keeping (I got sunburned on one side because it warmed up so much.  Even after I jumped the fence to equal out my burn, it's just the one side of my neck!). 

We even taught Tad how to herd the sheep into the corral.  Later he got to help at the front of the line poking the sheep so they'll climb the ramp onto the trucks. 

Since he didn't get to Mutton Bust during the State Fair, we put him on a couple of sheep while we were there.  His smile was pretty big, he thought it was fun. 

My little cowpoke

 

Climbing the fence with Grandpa. 

Playing fetch with the dogs. 

 Tad was beyond tired after being up for 12 hours, but we let him ride a horse before we left.  He liked it until the horse moved.  I rode with him for a short ride and he bounced up and down "Yeehaw".   Another year and he'll be going by himself for sure. 

Within minutes of getting in the truck he was asleep, even on a bumpy dirt road.

We ended the day with a quick shower and off to join Fred's family for his dad's yummy turkey meatballs.  Now we're looking forward to next weekend and General Conference.  Did I mention Fall is the Perfect season?! 

September - month of the State Fair (& camping)

We took Tad camping for his first time in the camper over Labor Day weekend.  Whenever we're working on it he loves to climb the ladder up to the top bed.  He was more than happy to climb in and out all evening (without any accidents!). 

We cooked stew for dinner and tried to get Tad to roast marshmellows.  He didn't want anything but the chocolate!  For some reason, he kept crying during the night.  I got up a couple of times to make sure he was covered.  Finally, I put him in bed with Fred & I.  He slept, we didn't, he's a bit of a bed hog!  The next morning he was ready to play again.   Fred took him down by the river to throw rocks in while I sat peacefully by the fire and read my book!  We had planned to go tubing in the river, but it was too cold and windy.   

 The weekend before Labor Day the State fair starts, at least for those of us working!   I LOVE the State Fair, it's work, but I get to spend time with Lauralee, I get to compulsively organize,I get out of the house for a few weeks, and do a little playing.  And this year, I got a private quilting lesson!  (I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it.  Hopefully I'll have my first one to show you before the end of the year.) 
A day of set up, a day of entering exhibits, a very long day of judging exhibits (we were short judges and didn't have ribbons so we had to do double work).  After Labor Day weekend we have 2 1/2 days of setting up exhibits.  Then my reward for working- 3 days of rodeo and showing Tad the animals! 

He'll willingly pet them this year!

Farmland with Crystal

Of course the Butter Cow Sculpture!

Rodeo with Tad and.... Tad!
He was pretty confused for a little while as we tried to explain that both of their names were Tad. 

 



We got to hold the baby pigs this year. 

Tad was distracted by every tractor or trailer that he could climb on.  Oh, and he got his own cowboy hat so he'll leave daddy's alone! (This was another moment of confusion for him when he saw both he and dad had a hat.  He was looking at both trying to understand.  I love this 2 year old stage of figuring things out.)

We tried signing him up to Mutton Bust (ride the sheep during the rodeo- for you city slickers).  I'm guessing he wasn't picked because of his age.  When they weighed in to register, the 4 year old before him weighed 39 lbs.  Tad weighs 38 lbs at 2!  The only requirement to sign up is they had to weigh under 50 lbs.  He might not make it for next year!  (We're guessing he'll stop gaining weight and just get taller actually.)    

Grandpa and Fred were cheering at the rodeo.  Tad joined in.  Fred cups his mouth to yell, this is Tad's version.  :} 

After 3 days of fun it was back to work.  Ending with an evening at the hypnotist with my sisters.  When everyone else is done having their fun, we come in one last day and spent only 4 hours taking it all down. 

Tad had fun staying with Grandma and Grandpa.  He now requests often "Grandma, Grandpa house".  He's learned to say the last word of each page while reading books with Grandma. And, thankfully, Grandma worked on potty training.  He'll go for her, but when I try, he still won't.  Grandpa spoiled him by blowing bubbles on the front porch with him every day. 

This kid has become pretty fun lately.   He learns things so fast!   Like how to steal the beaters while I'm making a salad and lick them clean.    

And he can almost do up all of the buckles on his carseat.  Lucky Dolly, gets to go for a ride! 

My favorite is after Dolly is securely in the seat he says "Here go Dolly." 

Unfortunately, he's finally started saying "No" more often.  I'm grateful it's not a firm, defiant "NO".  It's a "No mom, No nap." :}  Sometimes when I ask if he wants a nap he says "Stop it, No, Shhhh."  But once he lays down, he always takes his naps without a fuss.