Just Some Pictures

The Motorcycle: Part 2

I finally got the motorcycle running. It was actually pretty easy. Motorcycles are pretty straight forward when it comes working on them. I didn't find it as complicated as a car engine. I did most of the work myself but I did get a little help from my neighbor. I still don't have a kickstart, so i have to push start it to get it running. I cleaned out the old gas in the tank and the carburetor and replaced the battery, spark plug and air filter. It's still running a little rough and it dies on me after a few minutes of riding it around, but I think that's because it hasn't been ridden much in the past 20 years (it was last registered in 1987). It seems to be getting better though.

Anyways, it's a fun bike and I can't wait until I get it tuned up. I even took Brooke for a ride down the street the other night!

The bike when I started taking it apart.


Cruising around my yard!

I've Been Tagged

4 jobs I've had
1. Mom
2. Merry Maid
3. Pizza Hut cook
4. Pool Cleaner

4 movies I could watch over and over
1. School of Rock
2. Zoolander
3. Chicago
4. Mr. and Mrs. Smith

4 places I've lived
1. Bozeman, Mt
2. Logan, Ut
3. Arcata, Ca
4. Cedar City, Ut

4 favorite TV/reality shows
1. Survivor
2. Lost
3. That 70's Show
4. Super Nanny

4 of my favorite places I've been
1. Cancun
2. Hawaii
3. Lake Powell
4. Disneyland

4 favorite foods
1. Chocolate
2. Mexican Food
3. Subway
4. Anything sweet

4 websites I check daily
1. Hotmail
2. Blogs!
3. Myspace
4. TMZ.. yeah, yeah, I know....

4 hobbies
1. Piano
2. Read
3. Make cards
4. I don't really have time for many hobbies

Music on Main

Well, we've been going to Music on Main for the past three years and it's about time we took some pictures of the event. For those of you who don't know what Music on Main is, it's a live music festival of sorts. Every Thursday from the beginning of July to the end of August they close down a few streets off of main street and have a mini music festival. They have food and drink vendors, kids activities, such as face painting and birdhouse building. To top it all of they have live music. We try to make it every Thursday. We have loads of fun. Lot's of dancing and socializing. This is the last one we'll attend this year (I'll be out of town next week). So, until next year, so long!

Sister and I hanging out

Mama and Maddie

People dancing

Some of the crowd

Getting Colder

Is summer over already? The temperatures have really been going down. This morning when we got up the house was so cold - 59 degrees. Poor little Sierra's face was purple. We all had to bundle up in some warm clothes to make it through the morning. I guess it is time to go out and buy Sierra some warmer clothes. She doesn't have very many warm clothes that fit her - especially pj's and socks. She has one pair of socks that fit her and they are red. I don't think she even has anything red for those socks to go with. I am excited to buy Sierra some boots when it snows. Hopefully it won't snow for a few more months. I am not ready for that yet. The leaves haven't even started changing yet, but I have a feeling that they will soon enough. Yesterday I saw two bald eagles flying. That is a good indicator of the changing seasons. The bald eagles migrate through here in the early spring and fall. I guess I better get used to the cold mornings - or at least prepare myself by wearing warmer pj's.

Books, books and more books

When Jake got up this morning, this is what he found when he peeked in on Sierra. She pulled ALL of her books off of her bookshelf and slept on top of them. I guess sleeping on books is a little more comfortable than sleeping on a mattress.

Visitors

Jake's Grandpa and Grandma Jones came for a visit. It was exciting to show them where we live. Jake showed them around town and took them to the houses that he is building. This morning, Jake and his grandpa went fishing - they even caught a few. It was really nice to see them and we are so glad that they were able to see Sierra and Madison.

The Motorcycle

Jake is the proud new owner of a motorcycle! When his grandparents came to visit they brought up their old motorcycle to pass on to Jake. It just needs a little bit of TLC and it will be as good as new. He loves it! Sierra loves it too.

Real Hair

I now have real hair. It wasn't an easy decision for me to get rid of my dreadlocks, but it was time. I am sad to see them go, but it is exciting to have a change. It took a lot of man hours (days) and lots of labor of love (Big thanks to Lena, my Mom, Jamie, Tami and Nikki!!!) to comb these babies out. I am so glad that we were able to comb them instead of cut them off (Thanks to Tami for that one!). I am still not used to brushing my hair every morning. I have to make a conscious effort to remember to brush. But it sure makes washing my hair a lot easier.

Before combing.

After combing, before the cut.

The Zoo

If you read Jake's earlier post you know that I took the girls and went to Logan for a week. While we were down there we decided to go to Hogle Zoo in SLC. I had lots of fun. Sierra was a little cranky because she didn't get her nap and Maddie was cooking - it was hot. But I still enjoyed my time doing something fun with my family.

Keeping Busy

Man, it sure is quiet and even a bit lonely without the girls. Brooke took the girls to Logan, Utah to visit Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the family. They'll be gone for seven days.

It's only the third day and I find myself pacing trying to find things to do. I've already mowed the lawn and trimmed it, split wood, cleaned the inside and outside of my pickup, cleaned the terminals and connectors on my pickup battery, gone fishing, gone for walks with the dogs, picked up the house, swept and vacuumed the floors, did the dishes, and threw in some laundry. I do need to buy a few groceries today.

When the family is around, sometimes I feel like I have hardly any time to do anything. When they're gone you don't realize how much time the little ones consume. I don't know what I did without them. I must have been lazy before we had the kids because back then I still felt like I had too little time to do anything. I miss the girls.

I think I'll go to the gas station and buy a soda.

Two Month Maddie

Maddie is two months old today. She is so much fun - always smiling. She is pretty good at holding her head up, although it is still a little wobbly a times. She is beginning to laugh a little - she gets so excited when you smile and talk to her. It just makes her day. We just love our little Maddie! :)

R.I.P. Doobie

Last night we lost our dog Doobie. He was a great dog. He was very obedient and very smart. Doobie was just over 6 years old. We will all miss Doobie very much.

Last night I let the dogs out one last time before we went to bed. I jumped in the shower real quick and when I got out a huge thunder and lightning storm rolled in. It was dumping rain. I realized the Doobie didn't make it in the house with the other dogs, so I jumped in the car to search for him. For those of you who don't know, he is TERRIFIED of thunder storms and pretty much any loud bangs for that matter. I drove up and down all the neighboring roads calling for him. After about an hour I was pretty sure that he was gone for good, so I decided to check the highway to see if he was there. Sure enough, the poor little guy was right on the side of the highway dead. Someone had run him over.

I felt terrible. I drove home and told Brooke of the bad news. We decided that I should do the right thing and go fetch him off the road so that he could have a proper burial and not just picked up and taken to the dump. I got a nice little box and a few shovels and headed out to go get him. By now it was a little after midnight. I didn't want Sierra to have to see mangled little Doobie man so I decided to go out back and bury him. We buried him out by the garden next to a nice wild rose bush.

We will really miss having him around. He was lots of fun and a really good dog. He has been part of our family before we were really even a family. Sierra is going to have to settle on tormenting one of the other dogs instead. We love you little man. Rest In Peace little guy.

Smiley

I just noticed that I haven't posted any pictures of Madison in a while, so I thought that I would put up some recent pictures of her.