Outings With Dad/Steve

Here we are over half way into March and I haven't written about what went on in February.  Though we struggled with sicknesses and cold temperatures here and there, we still had some fun.  Steve took the boys to different places for a little entertainment and adventure.  Here are a few of the enjoyable outings Steve had with Carter and Nyles this past month.

He took them to a fishing pond close to us in Draper.  They haven't stocked it with fish yet, but they still thought it was fun to see the ducks.

Carter enjoying the ride and change of scenery.

Nyles looking for ducks and fish.

Steve also took the boys and Rob Daniels to the Aquarium.  Rob had the day off and had never been, so he wanted to go check it out.  They all had a good time.

They brought out the snakes, so Nyles had to touch them.  Gross!

Carrie and Lynsie came to visit from Colorado, so they all went to the Aquarium together.  Stacie, Conor, and Dave went also.

Carter just enjoying life.  Nyles, Conor, Stacie, Carrie and Dave looking up at the fish in the tank.

 

Lynsie, Conor and Nyles eating ring pops, being silly kids ;)

Carrie holding Carter, next to Nyles, Conor and Lynsie looking at the exhibit.  

Dave checking the Jelly Fish out.

Carter giving Nyles knuckles, or something ;)

Conor, Lynsie, Nyles and Carter- cute kids.

We also had Nyles take some swim lessons.  He loves swimming!  I guess the pool water was a little cool for Nyles though, so it took him a while to get in.  They also ended up putting him in a wet suit to help.  Once he got going he loved it of course!

Nyles and another boy during the swim lesson w/ their instructor.

 

Carter watching Nyles swim.

Nyles diving to get the rings.

Nyles working on swimming without the instructor.

Steve also met up with Stacie on a sunny day and went over to Wheeler Farm.  The kids had a great time getting outside, playing, and enjoying the sunshine!

Nyles going down the slide, then up the rock.

Carter eating his puffs container.  

Conor and Nyles being silly in the 2 hole outhouse.

  

Playing in the tree house.

Stacie, Nyles and Conor watching/feeding the ducks around them.

Carter watching again.

By the pond.

Having fun w/ Aunt Stacie.

Nyles and Carter taking a ride on the tractor.  Watch out Nyles is driving :)

Now playing on the tractor wheel.

Steve went ice fishing with his dad Dave, and our neighbor Ron Elmen up at Echo Canyon.  They had a good time catching perch.  It was Ron's first time EVER fishing actually!  He enjoyed it so much, he said he'd go again.  Steve may have another fishing buddy now ;)

Ron and Dave enjoyed being warm in the ice shanty while fishing.

Steve loving life!

They brought back some perch and Steve ended up cooking it for Ron to try.  And he loved it!

The next weekend Steve wanted to take Nyles and a neighbor and his boys back up to Echo, but it had melted quite a lot by then, so they continued on up to Strawberry Reservoir.

Steve double checking to see how deep the water was, just in case they could make it on the ice.  It was definitely too deep for the kids, so they left Echo.

Up at Strawberry, Nyles, Ian and Jeramy Alvey.

Nyles being silly while eating his sun-butter sandwich.  Jake loving life!  

(Ironically both Jake and Ian are allergic to peanuts too.  Nyles thought that was pretty cool).

Steve, Jake, Jeramy and Ian in the ice shanty.

One more of Steve.  Steve caught the one fish during the trip, but everyone still had a good time.  Jeramy and the boys had only been ice fishing a couple times, so they enjoyed going out again.  It was their first time using an ice shanty and a heater, which makes a HUGE difference when you're not freezing.  They thought it was pretty sweet!

Gratitude February 2017

Here is what we were thankful for/grateful for in the month of February.

Silly family pics.  Carter wasn't sure what to think. 

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	Steve	Penny	Nyles
2/1/17	Mark Gasper's phone call, good friend	Steve did dishes for me.	Go to Grandma McGrath's house
2/2/17	Medicine for his back. Saw and leaf blower.	Steve went to Kohl's for me and got pizza/dinner.	Medicine helps him feel better.
2/3/17	Health insurance.	#1 in SLC powerrank for January.	Went to Dr to feel better.
2/4/17	Got to go ice fishing again w/ Dave and Ron.	Sun was shinning, melted a lot of snow. Nyles, Carter and I went for a walk, Nyles on bike.	Doesn't hurt to go pee (feeling better after UTI).
2/5/17	3 hours of naps, 1 in morning 2 afternoon.	We had all 6 kids in our primary class, enjoyed teaching them the Gospel.	Family party.
2/6/17	Nyles can do his buckles on carseat. Did fireworks w/ Nyles.	3 more days of work this week.	Carter took a good 2 hour nap.
2/7/17	Wind finally stopped.	Steve made yummy dinner (steak) and got me flowers just because and did dished too.	Doesn't have hiccups.
2/8/17	Sun was shinning and got to be outside w/ boys.	Beautiful day, excited for spring to get here!	Went to Wheeler Farm w/ Conor.
2/9/17	Went on a walk to the Draper pond.	Balloons for my birthday tomorrow, was a surprise.	Found his play knife.
2/10/17	For Penny	I was shown a lot of love on my birthday	Brownie's for mommy's birthday.
2/11/17	Nyles enjoys fishing even when it's slushy.	Steve cleaned out and organized the garage, let me sleep in yesterday.	Got to go ice fishing again.
2/12/17	Had Stake Conference and were able to listen.	Beautiful sushine, hearing others testimonies strengthens mine.	Carter and us all had a good nap.
2/13/17	Our 2 boys whom we love so much!	We have been able to write down the past 14 days what we love about Nyles and Carter.	The hearts he's found on his door every morning this month.
2/14/17	Penny is my Valentine.	The cute birdhouse Nyles and Steve made me for Valentines.	The birdhouse we made.
2/15/17	Able to go to the temple.	Prophets to lead and guide us.	Blade got fixed from the fire (pretend).
2/16/17	Had wet suit for Nyles at swim lessons.	Beautiful sunset.	Glad to go to swim lessons and got swim goggles.
2/17/17	Compound miter saw.	Steve started working on the window trim.	Blade helped him up after he fel on the carpet.
2/18/17	Drs. Jeremy came over and helped give Nyles a blessing.	Medicine to help us get better. Nyles had pink eye. Went to movie Moana w/ Dave, Joann, Stacie, Phill family.	Drs and Blade feeling better after crash.
2/19/17	Survived teaching primary by himself.	Went for a quick walk to park as a family.	Piggy and PJs are washed.
2/20/17	Family- has Pauline/Chris over for dinner.	Holidays-paid time off.	Found his toy sword.
2/21/17	Caulk-hides mistakes.	We were taught correct principles growing up	Took a bath, got paint off from preschool.
2/22/17	3 of the 4 window trims are done.	Thankful we got our flu shots this year.	Mom came home a little early from work.
2/23/17	Tax refunds.	Steve helped Nyles make a bird feeder.	Went to swim lesson. Had one on one w/ the teacher.
2/24/17	Good to see and visit w/ Carrie.	It's Friday! Get to spend the next 2 days w/ Steve and boys.	Got to playat aquarium w/ Conor and Lynsie.
2/25/17	Our neighbor Ron-helps us w/ our cars.	We all pitched in to help clean and do laundry, made it go faster. We live close to many stores.	Made road in the snow w/ his truck in the backyard.
2/26/17	Sleep-slept in this morning and took a nap in the afternoon.	The gift of the Holy Ghost, and family/sisters who are close. Rose/Pauline and families came over for dinner.	Medicine.
2/27/17	Sudafed.	Music-makes me happy.	His helicopter.
2/28/17	Birds came to the bird feeder -fun to watch.	Priesthood blessings- Dave came over and helped Steve give Nyles and Carter one.	Pretended to be a fireman, got out all the fires.

Steve Hunting and Fishing Fun

Duck and Goose Season came to an end in January, but not before Steve got in a few more hunts.  He went back up to Idaho for another hunt as well.  This time he took a previous mission companion Eric Seamons.  Eric currently lives in Logan and is going to school at USU.  Steve ended up having to drive up to Logan to get him, but then his wife met them off the freeway on the way back.  They stayed w/ my parents, and met up w/ Mark Gasper again to take them to the good spots to hunt.  They had a great time of course, and Eric can't wait to try it again this Fall.  Here are some pics.

Mark Gasper and Eric Seamons waiting for the geese to come in.

Eric w/ his first goose.

Steve and Eric w/ the geese they shot.  My dad in the background.

Steve so happy w/ their success!

Steve w/ my dad.

After limiting out on geese they went after ducks.

Steve loving life!

The canal they hunted ducks on.

Eric w/ a duck he shot, now back at my dad's shop.

It was pretty cold up there too.  Made for some pretty cool pictures.

Old spider webs covered in frost in my parent's porch.

Once duck hunting was over, Steve switched to ice fishing.  Steve picked up a new ice shanty for Dave, and has been getting it broken in for him.  It's more light weight, assembles and dissembled quicker, and it easier to carry (comes w/ a bag and strap).

Steve set it up in our living room.  Nyles LOVED it and played in it all day!

He took it up first to Echo Reservoir w/ some friends-Dave Thomas, Rob Daniels and Dave Mensen.  Though it was below freezing temperatures, Steve said it was nice and warm in the shanty w/ a space heater.   Steve, Dave Thomas, Rob Daniels and Dave Mensen.

Steve made a contraction to put all his ice fishing poles, pulled by the toboggan.  

The ice shanty on top.

The following week Steve went up w/ Nyles and Zach Hannay to try it again!  They had a great time and caught a lot of perch.  They had to hike over to the lake quite a ways, but it was worth it.

Lots of people fishing!

Zach and Nyles.

Nyles enjoying a sun-butter sandwich.  

Steve, Nyles and Zach.

Catching lots of fish!

Nyles is "hooked" on fishing, just like his dad! :)