The toolbox.

Two weeks ago, Skyler and I were watching "This Old House" just like I did with my Dad 35 years ago.  On their "Ask This Old House" segment, a little 4th grade girl wanted to make a toolbox with Tom Silva.  Ding!  A light went on in Skyler's and Grandpa's heads!  Grandpa went out and bought the wood the next day.  Turns out, he also bought most of the tools needed to fill said toolbox!  Thanks Grandpa!  Skyler is taking the toolbox (no tools) to show and tell today.  :)

Cross cutting the board to length.  Skyler decided that he would rather have Grandpa use the table saw.

Laying out the sides.

Using a plane to smooth cuts.

Note his flannel shirt matched Grandpa's.  That wasn't planned.

Drilling the holes for the handle.

Tools!

Finished product.  I ordered a small "S" brand so we could brand his first initial to be just like the show.

Fall colors in the Valley.

Utah's Fall has been spectacular this year.  Blame it on the wet Spring and lots of rain in September, I'm not complaining!

Rabbit brush out at school.

Sunset from our front porch.

Our Capitol Pear tree out front.

Skyler's silver leaf maple out back.

Farewell garden.

We stripped the garden off and I plowed it all under Saturday.  It's always bittersweet, sad that there's no more growing season, happy to use the moldboard plow!

Good soil conditions this year.  Can you spot Skyler?

Straight 12" furrow.

Mommy likes her filters on her phone.

Almost done.

Closeup of the rolling action in some sod.

Last pass.

Cleanup crew.

Leaf cleanup that is.  I started blowing leaves Saturday after we got back from the dog park.  Skyler came wandering out and I handed the blower to him.  I then got out the backpack blower and we really got some work done!

Carefully blowing the peach tree leaves away from the iris.

On to the sumac leaves.

He looked a little like "Pig Pen" from the Peanuts comic strip.

Teamwork!

Saturday morning dog park fun.

Everyone needed exercise and fresh air first thing Saturday.  Dog park to the rescue!

Dancing.

Sniffing. 

Sitting.

Love!

Congrats ladies!!  Hard to imagine that this wasn't possible 10 years ago.  What a great wedding!

A day of play.

Skyler got to spend the entire day with Artemis yesterday!  They even went over to G&G's for a bit while Mommy had an MRI.

We 3D printed her a Moana "heart of Tefiti" on the printer.

Skyler gave her a horsey ride.

Artemis gave him a ride.

He attempted to take her down the stairs!  Fortunately I was there to stop them.

Team Black & White; exterminator edition.

Last Saturday, I let the cat out and I went outside to water down a turn of the new backyard mtn. bike track.  (more on that later)  I caught the cat in motion out of the corner of my eye and he had caught a mouse!  14 year old Eddy cat still has it!  I walked down to investigate and the dog must have heard me say "mouse" and she too wanted out, and in on some of the hunting action. :)

Eddy dropped the mouse in the grass.

Maizey investigating.

Pounce!

Done!  Great job.  They both got a treat after we went back inside.

School is cool!

Skyler is loving school lately!  He's excited to go in the morning and sometimes, doesn't want to come home when I go to pick him up in the afternoon.  :)

A botany lesson.

Taking turns reading their Halloween stories to the class.

Presenting their 3D cities yesterday.

Skyler and Artemis writing on the board.

Toothless.

He lost his other tooth Sunday evening.  Mommy was wiggling it and "pop", out it came!

A bit of a tear on his cheek.  :(

A Fond Farewell to the Boeing 747.

Although I never got to fly on one, the 747 has been a favorite of mine since I was probably 8 years old.  :(



Skyler and I are both home sick today, so that will make for a long day.

Mountain bike fail.

Mommy and I wanted to hike Mueller Park yesterday but Skyler insisted that we bike it instead.  Twist my arm!  The bikes were already in the back of the truck so we set out.  Skyler did pretty good the first quarter mile or so, but once we hit the trail and it got steep, he was not happy!  After several minutes of prompting him that "he can do this" and a snack, we had a mountain meltdown on our hands!  Turn around!  34 miles roundtrip in the truck only to ride a total distance of 1.5 miles, sigh...

Gorgeous October light!

Up we go!

Walking the steep section.  Note his face!

Coming back down.  Mommy's hands were cold!

Doing it!

Happy little stream.

More from Cross E Ranch.

Our insurance agent hosted all of his clients Friday night at Cross E Ranch for the annual "Farm Bureau Hay Day".   Mommy invited Otto and Skyler was thrilled to see him after a few months of them being in different schools.

Checking out the signs.

Piggies spooning!

Petting a Hampshire Hog.

Skeleton in the outhouse!

Turkey!

Delighted by the turkey!

Acting like the turkey!

Bounce!

The best agri-tourism destination in Utah.

Goats.

Sunset.

Good day.

Jordan River.  New iPhone takes great low light pictures.  :)

Otto and Skyler headed to the corn maze.

Bale maze.