Cute Kids

Like random pictures of cute kids? Then I hope these give you a smile!

One cool Cait

Darla!!

Grandpa's famous 1st birthday ball present

I love toes in the crib. I have a picture of Andrew just like this.

Josh and cousin Owen - good buddies.

Hanging out at the new house before the move.  The boys are great models for pictures.

And of course, Andrew. I think this one takes the cake.

The Move

We had so many people show up to help on moving day. many of the elders who came to help were the same ones who helped us move in. It was touching to realize how different my perspective is on those men now. When we moved in I didn't know them at all. Now, I not only know but also love them. Several neighbor kids came to "help" as well, and we had a good time comparing toes and taking pictures.

The move went very well. We borrowed a large horse trailer and several people donated trucks for the day. We were completely moved including the storage shed by dinner time. Thanks Mayfielders for your help. We miss you already!

Binky dilemma

We were in a hotel room one night, (the boys are in their underwear for bed) when we decided to give Caitlin a little test. Which binky did she like the best? Watch and see. This is our favorite video when we need a laugh.

Last moments from mayfield

We will take some very nice memories with us from Mayfield. The stairs of death , the ever present spiders, the mystery doors, and also the great neighbors, the fabulous yard, and the wonderful charm of the old place. I snuck some pics of Mike reading to the boys one night. It was precious and cozy, even at the top of those stairs!

Just before we moved Mayfield had the 24th of July celebration. It is Mayfield's big day and everyone int he valley shows up for the parade. Robert Sorensen, our neighbor let the boys ride in the parade in his kiddie train. They had a blast!

A summer of Hammer and Nails

This summer has been full of home improvement projects. We did a lot of the work on our house including shingles, paint, install of cabinets, trim, tile, and vinyl. But was that enough construction for us? Oh no. Jon and Carrie remodeled their bathroom this summer as well. It was nice to take a break from my projects and help Carrie out with her projects. She was so helpful with the nail filling and caulking and painting in Gunnison. So we extended the skill developing party to her place. We gutted the bathroom, threw all the stuff off the porch, and started from scratch. We built new walls, cemented in the new tub, installed new flooring and sub flooring, rewired, put in an exhaust fan, (The Jaussi's attic is a place I would be glad to never go into again) put in a toilet, installed a door, put up trim, sheet rocked, and other odd and end things. Heather came and helped us one day which was really good bonding for us handy girls. Carrie has finished up the painting and hardware, and now has a nice new bathroom.

My brothers were a great help this summer as well. Joe and Daniel were the shingle kings, Daniel threw up the cabinets like it was the easiest thing in the world, and Jon provided much needed moral support and humor. Thank you so much everyone! Thanks also to Karma and Becky for taking the kids so we could work. We are so blessed to have such supportive and loving family. That is really what it is all about. Love you all!

Jon, me, Dad, and Heather.

Joe is so great. He always has such an upbeat attitude and great work ethic. We couldn't have done the shingles without him. It was good to have and excuse to make him visit. ;)

I felt triumphant after installing the vent through the attic and roof. It was SO hot up there I was dripping. Not so glamorous, but I was proud of myself. So go ahead and stink it up guys, because you have air flow!

Carrie had so much fun learning that she could do things. She is an empowered woman now. Yes that is a sledge hammer, and she knows how to swing it.

Thinking through the wiring.

Just the guts after ripping everything out.

What a summer. And just a side note, Heather and Joe built a huge deck and playhouse at Heather's house in Canada, and Daniel ended up building a fabulous garden shed for his parents. Everyone has been busy with their hands and power tools this summer. Hopefully our ambition will keep us young.

Ice cream

I truly believe in the power of ice cream. It brings people together, calms the nerves, settles the stomach, forces smiles. Is there anything that a good dose of ice cream can't fix?

UP

One perk of being a teacher we have found, is the summer conferences. While the days are a bit of a pain for Michael, the evenings are like a vacation. Free hotels, meals, and travel. We went to three this summer and had a blast. While we were "vacationing" we visited the up house in Herriman. It was part of the parade of homes and is an exact replica of the house in the movie. It was so cute! Mr Fredrickson and Russell were sitting outside and chatted with us. They gave the boys a balloon and let us pose for pictures. We were just waiting for the whole thing to float away!

Heather

I love my sister! She came for a visit in July and we had such a good time together. Even though she is 9 years older than me, it feels like we are such good buddies. We went shopping in Park City where she introduced me to her favorite ice cream chain. We stuffed ourselves silly with a shared calzone at the italian place, and bought all kinds of fun things including rockin' sunglasses for her and the kids. The next week she brought Mom down to Mayfield to help me pack and see the new house. It was so neat to work along side my sister and mother. It was very nice to have some quality girl time with them. Heather, you are the best. An all around awesome gal. I love you sis!

Done!

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