Before & After (well, it's more during than after)

Remember what our front steps/yard looked like before?

Our new steps (that you've already seen) Just giving you another before picture.

After!!
(Okay, it really is during, because it is not finished)
Ben is amazing is all I can say. He has done a fabulous job with the wall. And he has the back pain to prove it! Our sidewalk slopes a lot as you can see, and Ben has kept the wall completely level. Really, it's amazing. You should come by and tell him he's done a wonderful job, he likes that. :-)

Both of the boys love to go out and help dad. Ryan is really good at grabbing tools and holding the measuring tape, and digging. Ethan is good at getting dirty.

Do you see that sweet curve?

Thanks for being so handy Ben!


Another Kelly Story:

I've been getting after Ben lately (which he loves a little nag every now and then) about being nice to the neighbors. He likes our neighbors, it's not that...it's just, when he is out working in the yard he is busy, and just doesn't think about saying hi to anyone. So if someone stops to talk with him, he may sound a little short (maybe rude) when I promise he's not a rude dude (he does not even realize he's being short...I promise!), he's just busy!

Anyway, he decides to take my advice while he was working in the yard. He actually waved to a random neighbor (he did not know this neighbor) just to be friendly. Well, this neighbor stopped his car, turned around, pulled into our driveway and said to Ben, "Wow, you look like you have your work cut out for you, hey by the way I have some gravel in my front yard that needs to be moved to the backyard." And then he ASKED BEN if he could move it for him with Ben's tractor thing (it's my cousin's small bobcat that Ben has been using).
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?
He really just saw that Ben was super busy, then asked Ben to do stuff for HIS yard! HA!

Ben and I are all for helping our neighbors/friends out when they need help. But we are not all for being taken advantage of because we are friendly/nice.

Now I'm mad at this guy, because I know Ben will go back to being his "unfriendly" self. So he does not have to deal with what happened again.

SIDENOTE: Ben really is a nice guy. Come say hi! When he's outside working, that's what he's focused on...is working...he's not thinking about much else. (I'm sure a lot of guys are the same way).

p.s. Ben told this guy to shove off. Just Kidding, he said in a friendly way that NO he could not do it. But he could give him my cousins' phone number and the random neighbor could PAY my cousin to do it. The neighbor was not all for that idea. ;-)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone!
I'm am currently answering the door for all our cute trick or treaters, so I thought I'd blog so I can stay close to the door. We usually go to Tooele trick or treating but this year we decided our kids needed to be in our own neighborhood and go with their friends. I'm so glad we stayed, we've already had a few primary kids come specifically to our home to see us!

Ryan had his Kindergarten Halloween Party yesterday (Friday). I went and helped with his class. Here is Ethan and Ryan making sucker ghosts. Ryan's Teacher is Mrs. Marquard (sitting on the table). It was so fun to go help!!

Ben took the day off yesterday also to work on the yard (pictures coming in next post), and to spend time with the family. We used our Groupon at Fat Cats and the Pizza Factory. We had a really fun time spending time together. Then we came home and carved pumpkins and watched The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. What a great day!

Ryan showing us his bowling skills.

Ethan had to pick up the heavy ball by himself and roll it down. So cute! Ben and I let Ryan and Ethan go for our turn too, they were having so much fun!

And here are my super cute boys before they went out Trick or Treating.
Ryan is Indiana Jones & Ethan is a purple dragon (this is where Ethan would growl at you).

They're so sweet. I love my boys at this age (Ryan age 6, Ethan age 3)! I want to bottle them up and give them kisses all day!

hApPy HaLloWeEn!

bOyS

Ryan & Ethan at the Pumpkin Walk

(Love the Photo Lindsay! One day we'll get our family photos done too!)

Halloween Party sans Kids

We went to a super fun Halloween Party friends of ours threw. We dressed up, ate yummy food, played crazy games, and stayed up late (we're getting old, staying up late is a big deal).
Ben was supposed to be a Black guy from the 70's (because that was the only kind of wig he found), but his make-up did not turn out, so he looked more like an Aboriginal. I was a polygamist with my neighbors. I was Paul's second wife (next to his wife Courtney of course). :-) It was hilarious.

Look at all that yummy food.

My sister wife.

The crew (missing a few who showed up late).

The cake I brought (my Aunt made it, awesome right?)

Playing twister (Ben's bum was in the air).

Jello eating

They were all Minute to Win it games. Ben also ate a chocolate covered cricket, and I ate Head Cheese! (if you don't know what head cheese is, click here, it's disgusting). I had to down it fast with a soda. I was feeling pretty sick...ew!

Technically Courtney & Paul won the prize for best overall costume, but since it was their party they gave it to me (you know, being only the second wife and all).

And we won this cute broom stick for our awesome cake!

My Girly Fix (Sorry Ethan!)

Ethan let me paint his toenails the other day (much to Ben's dismay). I should have painted my niece's toes when they were over last week to get my "girl fix". Oh well, Ethan helped me out. But right after, he said, "Mom, paint is for girls, wipe it off!" (but he will still tell me my toes look pretty, and that's what matters.)

Benson Grist Mill

My Dad invited us to the Annual Pumpkin Walk at the Historic Benson Grist Mill in Stansbury this last weekend. I'm so glad we were able to go. The kids had a blast!

Front to back: Ethan, Cousin Jaxon, Ryan, & Cousin Shad.

Aunt Summer, Ethan, Ryan, Shad & Jaxon in the "city".

Scarecrow Ryan and Pumpkin Ethan.

The Mill.

Waiting for the Candy Cannon to be shot. Ethan apparently thought it was going to be loud.

Pin the nose on the pumpkin. Ryan got it right on, and was even spun around!

They had fun kids games, and fun Halloween crafts for the kids to do.
We had a great time, and can't wait to come back next year.

Looking at the bees.

p.s. it is super weird going back to where you grew up and running in to all sorts of people you know.
It's nice, and not so nice at the same time.

Pizza Party

Ben and I love our calling as CTR 6 Primary Teachers. We have 16 kids in our class, we love it though. We had a primary class pizza & ice cream party at our house last week. We had 15 kids show up, it was awesome! We think they all had a really great time (or at least that's what they told us today at church). We're grateful for all of our cool kids! And love when they say hi to us at the store/bus stop/driving by/come by our house etc.