Trafalga FUN center

Last Monday my kids were off school and Susan's kids were off track so we had a day where we could go to Trafalga in Lehi and use our pass of all passes. We had never been there before so my kids didn't know what to expect. Luckily it was a nice day so we could enjoy the outside rides and mini-golf.

The kids loved going on this frog hopper ride over and over. Just watching it jerk up and down made me feel sick. I think the most fun for them was the coupons we had for tokens and playing games. They all had fun playing the games and collecting prize tickets. And then taking forever to decide what (junk) to buy with all those tickets. They all had a blast and want to know when we're going back again (probably never)

Fall

I love the beauty of fall.  I'm always sad to see summer go and have it get colder but I do love the colors of fall.  Paul and I have been able to go out for walk/runs a few times over the last week because he's finally taking some much needed time off from work.  We have really enjoyed the weather and scenery - its so nice to be out in the sunshine running instead of the dark early mornings when I go with my friend Jenny.

Another Ute Game

Paul was given 4 tickets to the Utah vs UCLA game.  I chose not to go (I know, crazy right) since Brooke had her wisdom teeth out that day and I felt like I should stay around and take care of her and not abandon her.  So Paul took Taylor and Susan's 2 boys - Jadon and Jaxon.  Their seats were as far from the field as you can get but they didn't care - they all had a great time.  It was a great game even though Utah didn't win.

He's Legal Now

Taylor finished his road driving and passed his road test with a perfect score!  His teacher said he was one of the best drivers he'd ever gone out with :)  Luckily 2 days later there was no high school that day so I made an appt for Taylor to get his official "temporary" drivers license.  It is awesome that you can make an appt to go to the DMV - we were in and out of there in 10 minutes.  Someone at Paul's work asked me if I was nervous for him to get his license and I said not at all, I'm thrilled.  It is so great to have another driver around to help out with getting the twins places, doing errands and most of all driving himself wherever he needs to go.

15

Paul has worked for Layton Construction for 15 years.

His boss recently had a little celebration to honor him at work

He invited me and Brooke came along too.

It was nice to see so many of his co-workers congratulate him

for his years of hard work.

 At the milestone years - 5,10, 15

the company also gives a nice gift

Paul's boss enlisted my help in getting Paul

an actual gift instead of just a gift card

I think Paul was pretty surprised when one of the project assistants

walked in with this guitar case

It had a beautiful 12 string guitar inside

 Paul with his boss, Steve

and the new 12 string guitar

 Congratulations on 15 years of hard work !!!

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!!!