Taylor's Eagle Scout Project

Taylor did his Eagle Scout project this last Saturday.  Yeah!

He'd planned to do it over the summer and at the end of a super, super busy summer for him he hadn't done the project.  And then school started and I worried that we'd get to next summer with it not done again.  Then I saw a post on facebook from Cottonwood Heights city requesting a scout to do an Eagle project for their emergency preparedness department.  Taylor contacted them and met with the lady in charge to find out about the project and it sounded like a perfect project.  Very needed but not too overwhelming in what it required.  And there was a short turn-around for the project and a quick deadline, which is always good in helping to get it scheduled and done.

flier Taylor made to give to youth in our ward
and his friends

A big part of the project was building this contraption.  The project was to cut specially printed caution tape ribbons for the city for emergency preparedness.  These ribbons are distributed to residents to use in the event of a natural disaster.  They tie the ribbons out in their front yard to signal - green they are ok, yellow they need help but not emergency, red - someone is not breathing or has severe bleeding, black there is a fatality.  So Taylor needed a contraption to hold the rolls of ribbons and then they needed to pull off the ribbons and cut them and staple them together with the printed instruction card supplied by the city.

contraption Taylor and Paul built the night before the scheduled project

Taylor with his "unit Leader" Spencer Grider

Taylor getting everything all set up before everyone got there

The contraption with the ribbons all loaded up and ready to go

What a good looking scout :)

Jared and Kamryn got to help out for a little bit
before going to the Primary program practice

Taylor with Bart Fisher, new YM President

Paul helping out at one of the stations

Taylor's friend Whitney folding ribbons to go in box

The ward station crew
Paul, Andy Smith, Gabe Maxfield, Spencer Grider

Mallie, Becca, Chandler and Taylor enjoying working together

the friend station

Mallie and Becca did a great job folding and boxing the ribbons

The work area
Everyone did a great job getting the project done in 1 1/2 hours

It was so great that Grandma even made it out to help on the project

Merrick Maxfield and baby Jaxson even helped out 

Taylor loading up the next spools of ribbons

Some of the finished product

Grand-dad helping out with cutting the ribbons

I mostly did support - first-aid and picture taking
but i did get in and help some of the time


 Everyone that helped on Taylor's project:

Lindsey, Leah, Grandma, Taylor, Ethan
Mallie, Becca, Luke, Whitney, Kate, Paul, Granddad, Spencer, Grant, Chandler
Not pictured that were there during project: Gabe and Merrick Maxfield, Bart Fisher, Andy Smith, Jared and Kamryn Adams

Homecoming Dance

Taylor was lucky that his 16th birthday was the day before the homecoming dance so that he could go.

He quickly decided to ask Mackenzie Rothe, a friend from his French class last year.  We found a fun idea online - he wrote out the sentence "Mackenzie, will you go to homecoming with me?" one word on each card and then at the football game he had his friends deliver them to her one at time.  Each word was written on a card and had a treat with it.  At the very end he personally delivered a sweet tooth fairy cupcake to her. She said yes :)

playing chauffeur for the evening

Since none of the group could drive yet, I was lucky enough to  be the chauffeur for the evening.

I tried to play the part - didn't participate in their conversation, just drove :)

After picking up the couples, I dropped them off at Red Robin for dinner.  Then they headed to the dance for a couple of hours and then ended the night with dessert and games at our house.

Sweet 16 on Friday the 13th

Taylor is sweet 16

(i don't know about the never been kissed part

and he says he's never heard of that)

 With his friend Leah and Elizabeth

showing off 16

For his party we had the company  Tactical Action Games  come put on their super awesome laser tag games!  Its "like nightgames for adults" and is a blast.

taylor's super great friends

 It was a fun party and i'm so glad Taylor has such great friends.  One reason he has great friends is because he is one himself.
He is a great young man.  Here's proof from someone besides his biased mother:

I got this text the other day from a teacher/friend at the elementary school
where Taylor has been working after school this year.

And then this postcard came in the mail this week too.

Taylor is so fun to have around - has a great smile, can be super helpful, does what's right and makes me happy. I love him!!!

Labor Day Campout

**Warning: Photo overload :)

We went camping with my sister's family over labor day weekend.  We don't normally go that late in the season but it was the only time we could figure out for both families to go.

Taylor and Brooke couldn't come with us due to school and work and we missed them.  Luckily we did have Jared and Kamryn with us.  We went up Friday morning and luckily got a spot because someone had cancelled last minute.  We couldn't believe how full the campground was that late in the season.

Paul teaching the kids how to put up the tent.  They got good practice because we had to do it twice because we had to move spots after the first night because it was reserved by another group.  Luckily we could move to another first come first serve spot that had opened up in the morning.

A note here - thank goodness my sister took lots of pictures because I hardly took any.

Paul serenading us around the campfire

happy anniversary

 For the first time ever, Paul and I celebrated our anniversary during our camping trip.  It was our 22nd anniversary and one of the best yet!

Kamryn and Kierra hanging out under the trees during the rain

daddy and daughter fishing

We spent our anniversary out in the boat catching fish :)
We also saw a bald eagle fly over the lake, catch a fish and fly back to a nest to eat it.  COOL!

cousins playing games

 Kyson caught a fish and kept it because he wanted to eat.   It was fascinating for everyone to watch Paul show/teach Kyson how to gut and clean the fish.

family photo at Washington Lake

Byers family at the lake

having fun roasting hot dogs

the back of the van makes a good place to eat
when its raining

going for a Sunday "walk" to rock lake,
our favorite hike while we are up camping

 
 

silly hikers

Paul at Rock Lake

The Byers kids were CRAZY -
wanted to swim in rock lake when it was cloudy and cold

crafts in Susan's trailer

 This group went on the hike to Provo River Falls.  Its a cool hike, I've heard (never been on it cuz I always driver the car down to meet them at the end).

Kamryn is a fast little hiker and Paul had to stay with her
to keep an eye on her

walking thru the pipe

While one group was hiking,

Dale and I drove the rest of  the kids down to the falls

and we had fun hanging out

while we were waiting for the hikers

Big sister Kierra helping Jake across the log

funny girls

 Just when we were getting worried about the hikers cuz they'd been at it for about 3 hours
I spotted Paul at the top of the falls.  They loved the hike and wished they'd had more time to enjoy all the swimming spots along the way.
 

It was a great camping trip and we can hardly wait to go again next year, especially because Justin will be home and can go with us :)