Zombie Bus at Staheli Farms - October 2020

Took Mom and Dad to shoot zombies with paintballs at Staheli Farms.  They outfit a Monster Bus with paintball guns and drive you through a large open field where there are live people dressed up and popping out of hiding places. My Dad laughed the entire time which made it really fun.

 Ayden's 14th Birthday - October 2020

Ayden turned 14 on the 18th and this year we didn't really do anything big.  With Covid we didn't feel a big party would be a good idea so we are planning a weekend with his best friend Jake later in the spring.

A few things about Ayden are...

He is very mature for his age.  He wants to be as independent as possible and does not like being told what to do.  It makes it hard as a parent but we have learned to be creative.

He is attending an online private school this year called Laurel Springs School.  The beginning of the year was a struggle but he is now in the grove and is excelling in class. He enjoys being able to sleep in, wear sweats all day and not have to be in crowds (which causes him anxiety).

His favorite things this year is his dog, building and fixing computers, playing video games online with his friends, mountain biking with his Dad, eating sushi and crab legs and just being with his friends as much as he can.

This year he has survived getting his braces off, Coronavirus pandemic which included a lockdown for a few months, violence in the cities from groups fighting against police and government, a wildfire that came very close to our neighborhood, and a trip to Moab and Colorado with his Mom and Dad.

Sadly this is the best picture I have (parent of the year here).

Our New Home!

We finally took the plunge and bought us a house!  We have decided we like the warm climate of St. George compared to the often cold climate of Cedar so we purchased a home in the St. George area.  Hopefully this means that we will be staying put for at least 10 years!   

I had to steal pictures from the MLS because it was such a rush to start work on the house that I did not go in and take any before pictures.  I know.... I am a photographer.. its unacceptable!

So here are the BEFORE pictures.  The house is going to look very different in about a week when all of the work is finished and its time to move in!  I am so excited to post all of the after pictures!

Front of the house.  Not many changes will be made to the front.  I would like to plant one more tree and put rock or a border around the windows but that will be much later.

Entry way.  All of the tile and carpet has been removed.  New wood floors are being installed at this very moment!

Kitchen.  Cabinets were installed high against the ceilings and I cannot reach inside the shelves.  Not good!  So these will be lowered, the shelf between the counter top and cabinets will be removed and we are thinking on a new back splash.  The fridge will be delivered next week.

Kitchen again.  Notice how they had to lower the microwave so they could reach.  Pretty funny!

Dining Room:  Tile is no more!  I am not a lover of tile!  The light fixture will be gone as soon as I find a nice one to replace it.

Living Room:  Carpet is being replaced by wood, blinds will be added next week and I plan on replacing the tile on the front of the fireplace with a nice white quartz stone.  The entire house has been repainted and we are adding new baseboard through most of it.

This will be Ayden's bedroom.  He didn't love the butterflies and red chandelier so they are gone.

This will be the guest room.  The stripes were a bugger to paint over. 

This is the office.  The floors are going to be wood as well.

It has an unfinished basement.  Hopefully in the next couple of years we will finish it and have a nice family room or man cave for Sean.

It has two nice porches, Ayden wants to put a slide off of the top one!  

View from the back.  The back yard is not finished but thats ok.  We are excited to create something that we will love.  We are thinking a pool would fit nicely back there.

Homework

I took on a photography challenge and one of the topics was "Writing" so I thought it would be fun to capture some of our homework time.  I love watching Ayden write.  He gets serious and sticks out his tongue, its really cute.

I feel I need to explain his lack of a shirt.  He likes to chew and suck on his shirt collars so by the time he gets home from school his shirt is soaking wet and as soon as he walks in the door the shirt is off and usually stays off the rest of the afternoon.

Hiding from the camera.

Homework time

Writing about how to make a jack-o-lantern.

My smart boy!

Ouch!!!

My poor baby!!!!

The school called me the other day to tell me that I needed to come and get Ayden because he has fallen during recess.  Luckily Sean was home and kept me calm as we drove to the school.  The poor little guy was covered in blood and I could tell he had been crying but was pretty calm by then, thanks to the amazing staff at his school.

We cleaned him up and bandaged the wound pretty well and decided he did not need to get stitches but it was quite a shiner!  That evening Ayden told us that he was afraid he was going to bleed to death and that is why he was crying.  It broke my heart!  We reassured him that a cut that size would not cause him to bleed to death.  He is a little dramatic like his Mom!

Ayden's first school incident.

Rub a Dub

Ayden LOVES his bubble baths!  I truly think that when Ayden is 25 he will still be taking his nightly bubble bath!

Here are some shots that I took of Ayden having some fun in the tub.

School Carnival and Ayden's performance

Ayden's school had a fun carnival and fundraising night.  Part of that production was a performance from the kids.  Each grade performed a song and dance and I could not help it but to capture a few pictures and videos of Ayden's show.

Ayden also had a chance to walk on water in a big bubble.  He claimed that he had fun but to me he looks a little panicked.  I think maybe he may have a little claustrophobia like his momma!