July

As I said in my June post, we are starting our yard project.  In order to prep for this one of the things we needed to do was move the wood pile and empty our 50 gal emergency water barrel we have back by the shed.  

We siphoned water out, but then we needed to dump the rest out.  Luckily we had 2 strong young men to help do that.  

Jaxon came for a sleep over and before Jacob headed to FSY.

Monday, July 3, we headed up to the U of U with Ahyous for FSY.  

Here we are standing in line.  It was pretty efficient--especially as they were trying to process all those kids in a 2 hour window. 

 Heading to their dorms.

Checking out information

Unpacking

Jacob was excited and a little nervous, but I think he settled in OK. 

He texted us a few times and said he wanted to go home, but he stayed and had a good time.

Meanwhile, back at home, we celebrated 4th of July and had a BBQ with Jared and Stephanie.

Our numbers have shrunk in a year or so.  Steven and Hannah moved to St. George in June 2021, Josh and Irina moved to England in summer 2022, and last week Jenny and Jacob moved to Houston for his new job.  So it was a smaller gathering.  

It began here.  We went form this...

July 5th--we're relandscaping our yard.  They began in the side yard with the pine.  Next they moved to the pine tree in the back yard.  

It went form this...

....to this.

...to this. 


....to this....

This to....

....this.

Our yard feels pretty exposed at this point.  

Our goal is to enclose the side yard with the fence and try to plant a new shade tree...which will probably shade us by the time we move out when I'm 80! 😏😅

In the front we are going to rock in all of the park strips with drought tolerant plants.  Where the big pine tree was in front we will put a circular rock section to get rid of more grass in front.  

It is a huge project!

That was the 5th of July.  Then the yard has sat for a couple of weeks.  😒

In the meant time...Jason's health.  He finally went to the Dr. on 10th.  They did tests and he has C. diff.  Apparently it is highly contagious so Jacob and I have been lucky we haven't caught it.  We immediately began using precautions to keep us away from the germs as much as possible.  We were very impressed with the nurse practitioner he saw.  She was very helpful.  She even called on Monday night to give the results and get a prescription going to pick up the next day.  

On Friday, we went in to see a gastroenterologist.  She was helpful also and talked about some ways we could help his stomach in general.  

Back to the yard....the company doing it, Greg the owner, came by one day to talk about schedule.  As we were talking he began talking about air friers.  How much he liked them etc.  One thing lead to another and he bought us one and brought us steak to try in it!  It was very good.

On Tuesday we went to Airbourne with Catheys and afterward we went to get a Slurpee for 7/11 day.  Jaxon had expended so much energy he was sick!

Thursday night's bike practice was up at Snowbird--which is good since the valley was so hot!!

Saturday!  The practice bike race at Eagle Mountain.  Jacob really doesn't like this course too much, but he did it.  This year was a repeat of last year...not in the exact same way, but later in the day Jacob was sick to his stomach and threw up...like last year.  I think he gets over exerted and hot.  Once he threw up he felt better.

Ready, set....

Getting ready to ride

Coming into the finish line!

Monday morning, July 17, and they are now working on trenching for the sprinklers.  This is such a big job...I would hate to do it.  We're paying for it, but it is worth it!

We had 3 days of sprinkler layout.  Monday-Wednesday.  

Breaking up back patio

On Thursday, the 21st, Sam came to begin the cement.  This is causing overlap because the other team is ready to move on, but Sam needs to pour and has to be super careful of sprinkler heads.  The valve boxes should have been moved and then cement and finally sprinklers.  

Digging out dirt to prep for new cement in this area

            Taking off deck.  Sam was nice enough to                   pull our deck off so we could save it.

Pounding out the stubborn pieces

This area, off original side yard, is getting
cement.  Then fencing in rest of side yard.

Here is the back yard looking east.  

 

Then the front of the house where we are putting a new front step and cementing in the area under the living room front window.  

In the end it will look nice, but right now I am sick of mud and how it looks.  

On the 19th they began the demo on the back patio, side yard and front porch.

All the while Greg's team was working on the new sprinkler system.  

Then things sat for a week waiting for the cement pour. Front porch torn up, no stairs out to backyard...it was a bit tricky to get around.

We left on the Wong family camp out on Monday, July 24th.  We went to Palisade again and Irina and Sarah were in town and able to join us. 

We all caravanned together and Mylee and Grace rode with us since Jared's truck doesn't hold all of them.  

 

 

When we arrived we unpacked the cars and then went down to the lake for a little while before dinner. Jacob was already changed and ready to go to the lake before we had finished helping Randy and MarySue unpack their car.  

Jacob and Grace on kayaks with Emma and Rob 
in the water.

MarySue and Randy fixed sloppy Joes for dinner

 that night.  They were very good and we hung

 around talking with everyone.

After dinner some of us went and walked around the lake.  It was so pretty.  

  Toward the end of our walk Mylee and Emma challenged Sarah and Jannette to a piggy back race!

Jacob on the lilly pad, Jared on float, with Lilly
and Gracy in water.

The next morning Jared and Stephanie did breakfast burritos and then we headed down to the lake.  It was a beautiful day.

The girls commandeered most of the float and made a floating chain out on the lake. 

The Thursday after we arrived home (the 27th) they came to pour cement.  It was so nice to see things beginning to get done!  Work had originally started on all of this July 5th! 

The week before, when they were putting in the new sprinkler system, the Comcast line had not been sprayed correctly by Blue Stakes.  So the guys were digging and cut the line.  A few days later they came and installed an temporary line, but as they were pouring cement, the Comcast guys came to bury the internet line.  They left and we had no internet--AGAIN!  It was so frustrating.  I called and called and finally got someone to come the next morning.  We finally had internet again!

Monday, July 31, the sprinkler guys came to rip out the park strips and start prepping them.  

Tuesday, August 1, the fence guys came back to pull out rest of old fence.  While the sprinkler guys were grooming the park strips and section of main lawn we are xeriscaping.  

In the middle of all of this we discovered that there is a wasp next under the shed and they were all over the place.  So I had to call pest control to get it sprayed.  We may need to empty the shed and tip it to get rid of the nests.  Ugh!!

So July was a busy month with yard work.  Not everyday, but in spirts.  I kind of wish it had started on the 5th and just kept going, but that was not possible.  We leave for our cruise this Friday, Aug 3 and return on the 13th.  The yard should be finished that following week.  Greg, the sprinkler guy, is waiting for me to get back to do plants.  I hope there are plants left to pick!

June

June started out with a dribble...a line of sprinklers, against the back of the house--the valve was bad and causing all of the heads to dribble (and later leak a lot!).  

We went to the water shut off and closed the line.  What a pain!

This prompted our decision to redo our fence and the sprinklers.  I have been spending time getting bids.  It is a lot of work!

Saturday, June 3 was Mallory's bridal shower.  Chris and Jen were in town and it was fun to see everyone.  

All of us hanging out.  

Cousins hard a work on their phones

The following Monday, the 4th, since Chris and Jen were in town (they were doing a Bramwell family reunion in St. George later in the week), we all got together at Heidi's to swim and do a BBQ. 

 

Jason had an eye Dr appointment 2nd week of June.  Looks like he can finally get cataract surgery.  Only problem is, for our insurance, the Dr. only operates 2x a month at St. Marks.  If we could go to IHC he'd get in much quicker.  He would love to have his eyes done before we go on our cruise in August.  For now the surgery is in September.  Bummer!

In between all of this I have been getting bids to redo the yard.  Sprinklers, cement work, new fence.  It takes so much time and money!  Just hope it turns out well.  Work should begin Just after 4th of July.

Hanging out with B.   
       

Saturday, the 10th Jacob left for scout camp.  They headed to Colorado.  Hope he is having fun!

All aboard!

Some of the bike team members
are in scouts too.  They brought 
their bikes to do the 200 mile challenge

We celebrated Father's Day a week early since Jared and Stephanie need to take Emma to Weber for her next week as an FSY counselor.  I made the same cake it took for Mother's Day.  Did not turn out as well!

The 12th - 16th I was a shift coordinator volunteer for the Old Testament tabernacle that is being hosted at our church building.  My shift was from 12:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.  That was the week Jason was  in Iowa for work and Jacob was at scout camp.  That worked out nicely since I didn't need to worry about dinner etc. for the week!

Here we are standing in front of the gate of the tabernacle.  I was working with Keith and Sheri Palmer from the 30th ward.  They are so nice. It was a long afternoon each day, but I enjoyed it. 

After Jacob got home from camp, the next day was official Father's Day.  We went over to Randy's for dinner and a visit.  No pictures.  

The next week, on Thursday, Jason and Jacob left for YM camp.  They headed out and went straight to the Star Valley temple to do baptisms for the dead.  

Rich Cutler, Jen Higley, Grey Higley, Ethan Memmott,
Nate Ridge, Brad Watson (Bishop), Sam Watson,
Jim Ward

Matthew Ridge, Scott Holt, Jacob, 
Avery Roper, Kaspian Spillett

Graham Cutler, Avery Roper,
Max Sollis, Grant Combe

Star Valley Temple

Ueseli Isileli, Jaxon Ward, Sam Smith,
Matthew Ridge, Hollis Carlson, Max Sollis
Grant Combe, Scott Holt, Rich Cutler, 
Todd Combe

Hollis Carlson, Brad Watson, Max Sollis, Grant
Combe, Scott Holt Rich Cutler, Todd Combe,
Jim Ward, Avery Roper, Graham Cutler, 
Jacob, Nate Ridge

After the temple they went to their camp site and set up. The following morning they went out for a hike in the rain before heading to Jackson Hole to do a river raft trip. 

Everyone in the bus headed out to river:

Again it was raining, but everyone got a wet suit and they headed out.  Jacob and Scott were on the front of their boat.  

Here we go!

Into the rapids!

Brad Watson, Ashton Bennett, Kaspian Spillette,

Tyson Forbes, (woman from other group),

Jacob, Scott Holt.

Jason, Ethan Memmott w/head down.  Others are from another group.

That night they went back to camp, dinner and next day headed out and down to Lava Hot Springs.

Meanwhile, back at home...On Thursday I had Activity Day Camp.  We went to This is the Place State park and had a really fun time.  

We had boys and girls along with Amber Spillette, Monique Roper, Drew Hobbs and Mac Allred as chaperones.  

We walked through the park doing what the kids wanted, had lunch, tried to finish up things we may have missed and then did the splash pad.  

It was not crowded at all and fun!

The boys got home late Saturday afternoon.  

That afternoon was also Meilin's 1st birthday 

party down at Hannah's sister's home.  

The next Tuesday was Jason's 54th birthday. It was pretty low key.  The past month he has not felt good generally.  His stomach has really bothered him and he has lost weight.  Trying to figure out what is going on.  

Jason didn't really want anything, but we had been to Costco earlier and he saw a shirt he liked.  So I bought that.  

Jacob and Jaxon have been hanging out quite a bit...here was when I went to pick him up one night.  

On to July and the project that was mentioned at the beginning of this post!