There's a Snake in My Boot . . . or Driveway!

So, last night, Benson and I were driving home from the adult session of General Conference, and we pulled into our driveway. Benson stops his truck and then backs up. I have no idea what he's doing until he points out a snake coiled up in the center of our driveway. We get out to take a look at it in the light of the headlights, and sure enough there, lit up, is a RATTLESNAKE, ready to pounce!

So, obviously we have to kill it! But what's in the truck? Benson then remembers that he has this tiny little 22 in his truck. When we bought it, the salesman said that he has that exact gun to shoot rattlesnakes with. . . bingo! We call Dallin to bring us some scatter shells, so the bullet won't ricochet back towards us.  

The kids get in on the action, and watch Dad take 4 or 5 shots. Nice form, baby! The snake is obviously hit and injured by this point, but he is still moving. 

So Dallin wants to get in on the action! But he's scared of the snake and starts beating it all over, with the head of a shovel. 

Benson, feeling sorry for the snake, chops it's head and rattle (for a souvenir, of course!) off with the shovel,

 And throws it in the bushes! I don't think I will be exploring in the scrub oak for awhile!

Top Golf

    Benson has discovered something recently that he quite enjoys, Top Golf. So he wanted to take us and share with us this new found fun! 

It reminds me of bowling, only with a golf club, golf ball and a driving range type setup. Oh, and to make it even more fun, there's a menu to order food off of. 

Ashlynn took to it quite quickly and won the first game. With me in dead last.

 

Here's competitive Ash, checking the board to make sure that she is still in the lead!

 With great coaching, I'm sure, Talie's swing and game improved.

A guy next to us gave Dallin some tips, and told him that he had a nice swing. (Apparently this guy was coached by the same guy that coached Tiger Woods), and said that we need to get Dallin into some golf lessons. Dallin Woods perhaps?  (Although he did hit one ball into the ceiling, which came flying back to where we were sitting! When Benson asked the waitress if we could have helmets, she was utterly confused. Apparently, she hasn't seen that trick performed before).

There's Benson, checking the scores, hmm, I wonder where Ash gets her competitive nature from...?

And on the second game, I totally kicked butt!! That's right, I lead with 75 points! (I won't mention that it just happened to be because of a lucky bullseye shot worth 20 points...)

Well, I think this photo says it all, it was a fun morning outing with the big kids!

Then we came home to do yard work, which Peyton quite enjoys!

Tuesday, everyone was in school or work except for Tanner and I. Since we had one full day before he starts kindergarten, what better thing is there to do than climb Castle Rock!?! So we drop Kennedi and Peyton off at school and off we go!

I love the flag and the star on top of the rock, that are reminders of the free, promised land that we live in and that Christ is the reason for our celebration of Christmas. And I LOVE that Castle Rock continues to stand for these truths!

Had to match Tanner's selfie!

Tanner is always cracking me up! As we were hiking the rock, here are a few thoughts he shared with me: 

We hear a siren, "Phew, they're not after me, I sat in my carseat the whole way here!"

and

Tanner is a typical 5 year old little boy, and every potty word just cracks him up, so recently, to try to get him to stop saying them, Ashlynn told him that potty words are bad words and we can't say them in heaven. Apparently, that's been on his mind, because on Tuesday, he says, 

"Mom, will we have a house in heaven?"
"Yes, Tanner, in the scriptures Jesus tells us that he will build us mansions for us to live in heaven with him."

"How long will we live there?"

"Forever!"

"Sigh, I don't think I can keep my bad words in for that long!"

 Then we met Dallin at the Ortho's for a long appointment and a chance to talk to the ortho. to see how his progress is going. I go back there, and there is Dallin with his braces OFF! But it didn't last long, they threw them back on and told him to continue to faithfully wear his rubber bands! I'm sure he was SO disappointed!

Before

After!

A much needed Kindergarten haircut! Tanner probably lost 5 lbs.! He is cute; he just jibber jabbers the entire time he gets his hair cut. I'm sure he's telling the lady all of our family secrets!

And then, that night Ashlynn makes a buddy as he is crawling out of her bathtub drain! I don't even want to know what he climbed through to get out of her drain! She brought him upstairs and he hops off of the pink container, right onto Tanner's head!

1st Day of School 2016/2017!!

I can't believe that summer is already over and another year is ready to begin!! I must be having too much fun, because time is flying by!!

This week was full of first days for everyone, accept Talie. 

Ashlynn started first, getting to the bus stop at 6:55 on Monday morning. (Talie did Ash's hair and makeup - and she's lookin good!) Ash is going into 8th grade at Mesa Middle School. She is in the Panda pod, and has every class, except one, again with her friend, Cambria. It's going to be a great year!

Peyton was next, getting driven to Castle Rock Elementary School, where he starts the 4th grade!! with Ms. Bryant, who is very nice and does lots of science projects!! By the 2nd day of pickup, he was already responding that his day was good! Another good year ahead!

Kennedi went with Peyton. She is in Ms. Zelem's class, who is already her favorite teacher (no surprise for Kennedi)! She was nervous at first because all of her close friends that she talked to before school started are in a different class. But, of course, she walks in and finds a class full of her other closest friends and is ready to tackle the 3rd grade!! 

Tanner, my baby, is in Kindergarten! The school went to full day, everyday kindergarten, but did give a half day pick up option, which we are currently doing. Monday was just his meet the teacher day, with a few other kids. His teacher is Ms. O, who he continues to call, Sister O, and she is from the South. When I picked him up from meeting the teacher, he said, "Mom, I want to go to FULL day kindergarten, because I like how my teacher talks!"

Dallin is a BIG junior this year! I can't believe he'll be ready to leave us in two years! His first day was Tuesday & it seemed to go smoothly, besides most people surprised that he was back this year - they all thought that he was moving to St. George. He's driving, playing tennis and getting his braces soon! I'm excited to see what other fun things will fill this year!!

My FAVORITE picture!!

And, Wednesday was Tanner's first day of Kindergarten! He's so lucky that he's surrounded by a big brother & sister at CRE! He told me that they walk him into class in the mornings, give him a hug, a kiss and tell him that they love him before they head off to start their own day!! What a great way to start a day! That makes a Mama cry;).