Panguitch Roping

Preston won 2nd place in the 5 and Under Dummy Roping

Landon testing out Preston's new rope he won. 

We love the park right by the arena! 

This last weekend we went to Panguitch for the USTRC Roping. We left Friday afternoon and had to stop in Cedar to get Gavin's truck fixed. While we were there we decided to take the scenic route to Panguitch up over Cedar  Mountain. I hadn't been up on Cedar Mountain since Grandpa and Grandma Reber sold Hatch. A homesick feeling came over me as we got to the top. It was raining a little and the smell was so good. Gavin rolled the windows down, until the kids and I were about to freeze! I loved Hatch as a child and I can remember driving up over Cedar Mountain with Nicole and Grandma in the blue Caddilac and looking at Navajo Lake. Another thing I can remember is thinking I was going to pee my pants as Grandma drove on the dirt road over the bridge and up to the house, I think she was driving 3 MPH because she didn't want to get the car dusty! 

Anyway... back to our weekend, we got to Panguich and it was raining, so we went and rented the movie National Treasure 2 at the gas station. The boys love staying in the trailer, Preston was beside himself the whole time. He was about to drive Gavin and I nuts bouncing off the walls because we were tamping in the trailer! When we woke up the next morning Preston said "Please mom can we sleep in the trailer just one more night!" Addie did awesome on for her first big camp out, she slept all night and never really cried during the day. My Dad and Mom came up for the day and it was nice to spend a little time with them. Mom is always nice to let me watch the roping while she goes to the park with the boys. 

Preston didn't want to enter the dummy roping but decided to do it anyway and won 2nd place! He was thrilled. Landon had a little stiffer competition in his age group, he roped good but didn't win a prize. All in all the trip was a success, Gavin got to take his mind off work for a day and the boys played outside away from the TV! Good Times :) 

Mr. Mantis

Because this is our families history, I had to put a note in about Mr. Mantis. This was Preston's pet Praying Mantis. He found him on Wednesday of last week and decided it would make a great friend. We put him in a bottle and Preston found some leaves for food and a plastic lid for his water. (I don't think they eat leaves but we didn't know what else to get!) He even took Mr. Mantis to Miss Janae's to show everyone at school.  I could not believe how long this little friend lived in the jar (a good couple of days.)  When we left for Panguitch on Friday afternoon, I told Preston to let him go... but he could part with his friend. He even tried to take it in the truck with us, but his dad put an end to that idea (thank goodness!) Needless to say when we got home late Saturday night, Mr Mantis had passed on. He was a good friend to Preston, and I was touched by how he really tried to take care of him. 

Swimming Video

Here is the video I made of swimming on the 4th. 

I wish I would have filmed Garrett doing the flying squirrel,

it was so funny. I did get a few of Gavin's funnier dives. 

Hope you enjoy! 

I Chopped It!

I finally got really brave and cut all my hair off. I was really needing a new look. I never wanted to do my hair anymore so everyday it ended up in a ponytail. Well now I can't put it in a ponytail so I will have to do it! When I picked the boys up after I cut it, Preston was so funny. He told me he did not like it and to go back and get my "old hair." At least he is honest (I guess). Anyway I like it, I just hope I can fix it after I wash it for the first time. 

Addie's First Swim

Yesterday was a great day. In the morning Gavin called his brother and sister and we all decided to go swimming. I was excited for Addie to take her first dip! When Gavin put her feet in she just started to cry, but then she decided she kind of liked it. She looked so cute in her swimming suit and hat. I loved buying it for her, Gavin said "I should have just bought you a doll because you are having way to much fun dressing our daughter."  I just laugh because I really am having a lot of fun dressing her up, girls are great! 

Landon and Preston had fun swimming with their cousins and Gavin, Bobby, Garrett and Aubrey did some pretty crazy tricks off the diving board. (I did my one and only trick a dive off the board a couple of times too.)  I recorded some of it and I told Gavin it was You Tube material. Tomorrow I might try loading it onto the blog. I am hoping I got the flip Gavin did right into a bellyflop! It was classic! We just aren't as young as we used to be, today Gavin is paying the price...he said every muscle he has hurts:)

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! We went to the Gunlock rodeo last night, it is a family tradition. I don't think I have ever missed a year without going to the rodeo. My Grandpa Connie hitchhiked home from California when he was in the Navy to come to the Gunlock rodeo. My dad told me last night the rodeo was started in 1945 and I bet Grandpa has been there every year. I am pretty sure dad has gone to the rodeo every year of his life too. My boys love the Gunlock rodeo, Preston must have asked Gavin or I 100 times yesterday if it was time for the rodeo. Landon rode a calf and got dumped on his head, (which I missed on film) both boys chased chickens, ate cotton candy and sno cones, caught frogs, got dirty and loved every minute.  Addie on the other hand was wondering where in the world we were, and why we were staying until midnight! Visiting with family and friends is what I love most about the rodeo. I know the rodeo itself is not that entertaining, but if it is the 4th of July I must be in Gunlock! 

Swimming Lessons

Well Landon has hit a milestone in his life, he can SWIM! It has only taken him 3 years of swimming lessons to get it! I am so grateful for Tiffany and her talent to teach, she is so great! He finally decided that he could do it and now he is jumping off the highest rock and swimming to the edge all on his own. It is a good feeling as a mother to have your child know how to swim. 

Preston was is swimming lessons also, and he is swimming pretty good, a lot better than when we started 2 weeks ago. His brother told him to jump off the big rock and he caved into peer pressure and did it. He was so proud after. Mckelle and Tiffany thought Preston was pretty funny! I am not sure if this story is exactly right because I didn't hear it but I think it went like this...Terrin is a little girl in swim with him and she didn't want to get in the water for class, so Preston being the good friend that he is said "tome on Terrin, get in the water... the more the merrier!"  I wonder sometimes where he thinks of this stuff:)