A belated birthday for Grandpa.

We were delayed a week celebrating my Dad's (Grandpa's) birthday due to the funeral in Nebraska.  We all got together on Friday the 29th and celebrated with presents, custard from Culver's, and cupcakes that my Mom made.  Skyler was happy to help Grandpa celebrate including opening presents, and blowing out the candle.  Note, I only said one candle, we didn't want the fire department to be called due to the actual number of candles required! :)

Ready, set....

BLOW!!

Zoo trip.

Skyler got to go to the zoo last weekend for mommy's company party.  The train was a definite highlight!

Got mushroom?

Skyler does!

After nearly 3 inches of rain in one week, things are moist and perfect to grow fungi!

Peaches.

After a week of apocalyptic rain, the peach tree split yesterday.  It's loaded again this year and I can see why the branch broke.  We probably have close to 50 pounds of peaches just from the one branch.

Even the cat had to check it out.  After all the peaches were picked, I ran everything through the chipper.  Skyler really liked that part!

Look how many!  I think most will go to the farmer's market.

And then this happened...

His mother got home last night and while I was making dinner, out comes Skyler in a dress!!

Twirling!

Pose for the camera!  I keep telling myself it's only a Kilt...  Sigh...

Rest day.

Yesterday was a rest and recovery day for Skyler and me.  I was exhausted from the past week, he was exhausted from Mommy always having to be doing something.  :)  I think his sniffly nose is just allergies, Benadryl seems to make him feel better.

Resting with Maizey.  He looks worse than he feels.

Home.

We made it back last night. I get to spend the week with this little guy!

Although it appears he has a cold or some serious allergies, sigh...

Sloop John B.

Thats my theme song for this trip!  I can't wait for it to be over.

Only in Nebraska!

Can one find a praying mantis on Mums at a Wal Mart!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

And Grandpa!  Thanks for being such a great father and grandfather!!  Wish I could be there today to spend time with you on your birthday!

Just one of the many examples of awesomeness that has happened in the last 38 years.  Happy Birthday, Dad!

A backyard hiding spot.

Skyler found the Giant Sequoia makes a great hiding spot the other day!

I think he was getting tired.

Nope!  He started calling the cat.  He wanted Eddy cat to join him.  :)

Wish I was doing this today.

Instead, I'm headed to Nebraska to attend my Grandmother's funeral with my Mom.  We're driving across the vast Wyoming plains and across the Nebraska prairie.  I'm going to miss this little guy while I'm gone.

This is his latest, he wants me to lay on the couch and he asks "May I lay on you Daddy?"

Godspeed Grandma.

And Skyler's only Great Grandma.  Beulah Gocke 1928-2014

A (hot) Sunday hike.

Saturday night, Skyler was pretending to "hike" in the house.  This included climbing the stairs repeatedly.  We took him up Millcreek canyon yesterday morning so he could hike for real.  He did really good despite the fact that it was way too hot!  Maizey dog came along and got hot enough that she laid down in the stream!  Poor puppy!

Mommy catching him just in time!  No injuries whatsoever on this adventure.

Looking down the canyon.

Old metal staves from the wooden pipeline.

looking up the canyon.

Mr. hiker.

Twinky little stream.

Twinky little bridge.

Hot, and having some dried mango.

Cooling off.  Not shown, a dog in the water also cooling.

Sweet corn.

We put up 10 cups of sweet corn yesterday.  That also means that fall is coming up real quick. :(  There's still lots of corn to eat and process, Skyler is happy to help with any of the work.

We involved Skyler (wearing his new SpiderMan shirt) and his little red  wagon.  He would haul the husked corn down to the outdoor stove and I would blanch it in boiling water.

Lots of delicious bi-color corn! 

Lots of husking to do.

A great big pile of sand!

I swear this kid can smell sand!  No matter where we go, he always seems to find some to play in.  A couple of days ago we were checking out the finished road at the new development down the street and Skyler found a big pile of sand.  Time to play!

Flip flops on...

Kicking his flip flops off!

He shouted "I'm the king of the mountain!"

"Whee!"

Sliding down.

His shorts are successfully filled with sand!

Waiting for Aunt Karen.

My sister stopped by the other night to get some fresh produce from the garden.  Skyler was boiling over with anticipation waiting for her to get here!

He even pushed the Winder Farms cooler over to the door so he could see better!

"Mmm, bagels are good!"

Especially from Winder Farms!

Cream cheese everywhere!

Playing 'til the cows come home.

This has been making the rounds this week.  Amazing!

Tug-O-war!

This has been happening lately.

He tries to get the disk from Maizey dog...

Maizey dog pulls...

Skyler pulls...

Maizey drags him across the lawn making him mad!

A day trip to Wyoming.

I loaded the truck up with the kid, dog, and wife and headed up to the Bear River State park just outside of Evanston yesterday.  We wanted to do something special for our anniversary and this was a great idea that Altair had.  The place is wonderful!  There's elk, bison, moose, deer, and all kinds of small critters that kept Maizey dog busy smelling all of their scents.

Unloading and getting ready for our picnic.

Pond for the bison.

Picnic time!  We "imported" some Jimmy John's from Utah.  Note his new toy.

Using his new toy trimmer to "trim" the grass.  This got old really fast for Mom & Dad!

Heading south.

The dog needed a cool down in the river.

Niner on the beach.

The Bear River.  The water was crystal clear and cold!

Looking for dandelions to "trim" with the trimmer.  He figured out if he hit the head of a seeded out dandelion, it would explode!

Prairie views looking West.

Heading down the path.

A Wyoming state tree.  Or just a Musk Thistle.  :

TRAIN!

More prairie meadow.

I don't remember it being this green in August ever.

Headed back.

River.

Elk.