Randoms from last week

In no particular order...

My favorite girl with my favorite spring flower obsession.

We were all ready to put down grass seed.  

But, then our friend Kevin Cooper had some extra sod from a neighboring job.  He started laying it on my side yard...because he's kind and generous like that.  It was so blasted beautiful that Steve and I changed our minds, and decided to bit the bullet and put down sod.  We are SO excited to have a lawn this summer.  The sod is being delivered this Saturday, and to save money Steve and I are laying it ourselves.  Tomorrow is going to be a long back breaking day...and I CANT WAIT!!  I'm can't wait to see green and not have quite so much dirt on my floors all the time. 

Grady watched Kevin work because that is Grady's favorite pastime.

Let me just say it again...WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR OUR LAWN!

Our ward had a youth fundraiser this week and Steve brought me home what I wanted most.  He placed the highest bid on this super cute rag quilt my friend Cheri had made.  I had seen her working on it and knew if we were supporting our youth through auction...this is what I wanted.  It's soft and heavy and comfy.  The best quilt!

 Steve filled the punching bag with sand and the kids have been constantly pounding on it.

The sound from the garage is a little annoying, but the kids are moving and getting energy out.  I'll take the noise.

Grady also got the stomach flu.  So blasted sad.

 Andrew's eagle project was completed and this is a picture of the donations collected.

Hygiene kits, shoes and clothes for Guatemala.

We delivered everything to the Youngs last Saturday as they are the ones taking it all on their dental service trip.

Steve went camping with the scouts last weekend.  They were rained out Saturday morning so Steve brought the fish they caught home and grilled it up for the boys.

The weather was nasty so they ate in our garage.

Good place for fish and fish guts.  

Lame picture of my computer screen, but I got an email stating that Carter was being recognized for reading 500 points over his AR goal.  Awesome work Carter Dean!!

Colby Turns Double Didgits

Two evenings before his 10th birthday Colby came down with a wicked case of the stomach flu.  It was the worse case I've ever seen as a mother.  This boy was SICK SICK SICK.  Around 11pm I told Steve if he didn't start slowing down being sick, I was going to take him to the hospital.   Luckily, he was able to get a little sleep and was feeling a little better by morning.

Colby skipped church on Sunday and ran a fever most of the day.  I won't go into further details but he was still showing symptoms of the flu all day too.  By Monday morning, he kind of felt like eating.  Happy Birthday Colby...an English muffin is all you got! 

He also felt good enough to open his one and only present.  (Some presents cost enough that Mom and Dad can only afford to buy one.  Legos don't come cheap!)

Hurray for Legos and a sick day to stay home all day and build.

Legos are pretty popular around these parts.  They make almost all the Dixon kiddos happy!

The blanket came out and the set was built by noon.

Colby spent Tuesday and Wednesday home from school too.  This virus was a doozy.  

But Tuesday night he begged for his Birthday meal.  30 count chicken nuggets were on the menu.

He spaced them out over the next few meals.

Last night everyone felt up to celebrating for reals.  Colby ordered a scotcharoo cake with extra topping.

Let's get a closer look at that cake shall we??

It was hands down the ugliest cake I have ever made.   And after the stomach flu in the house...it looked even more disgusting.  (details of my true feelings are being filtered...but use your imagination.) 

But Colby was thrilled with his cake and that made the ugliness worth it!

Best picture...ruined by a photobomb finger.

It's good to be TEN!

Andrew was gone at drivers ed and missed the celebration...but ate treats later.

Happy Happy Birthday Colby Love!

Eagle Project, Landscaping and random pictures from the past few weeks or so

Andrew's been busy working on his Eagle Project for the past few weeks.  He's been collecting supplies and donations for dental hygiene kits for a service mission to Guatemala.  He's collected toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, floss, kids sandals and kids clothing.

This picture is only a small amount of what he's collected.  Don't let that grumpy face fool you, Andrew is pretty excited about getting this finished...as am I.

Andrew had 3 scout friends over Tuesday night to put the kits together.

 They were able to complete 333 kits.

All the donations he's collected go to my friend Susan's house tomorrow...thank goodness.  The pile of stuff is taking over my dining room.

 The main reason I haven't written anything down in the past two weeks is because we have been slaving in our yard.

15 yards of compost was delivered to our home a few weeks ago.  We spent hours the next two days moving this poo pile and spreading it all over our property.  The kids were troopers and there was minimal yelling from me.  (ok...maybe not minimal) The kids and I finished most of the compost moving and spreading as Steve worked that Saturday morning.  He was proud of us when he got home as most of the job was finished.

Saturday afternoon, Steve worked all that nasty stuff into the soil.  I was inside clean thank goodness.

 

The next step in Operation Dixon Yard was the flowerbeds...aka the fun part.

We purchased bags and bags of potting soil to add to the compost we already added, and then I went shopping for plants. 

This is totally the fun part!

 By the next weekend, I had most of the flowerbeds in and have been hand watering them as our water pressurised irrigation has not been turned on nor our sprinklers officially finished.  (The guys were supposed to be here this morning, but they canceled until tomorrow.  Oh Brother.)

The kids have taken turns going to the flower nurseries with me and have tried to swindle me into buying various non-plant items.   Snert the dog was the most sneaky of the hopeful purchases.

 I can't say how much I love spring and flowers.

 I think my kids found their happy place at the nurseries too.

Moss Greenhouse was their favorite and kept them entertained as I shopped.

 This most recent Saturday, Grady fell while running with a large C clamp in is hands while in a store with Steve.  I honestly thought his thumb was broken  Steve X-rayed it at the office and couldn't find anything that looked suspicious.  We are just watching it closely.  The thumb is turning different shades of purple and yellow and Grady is still favoring it.  

This picture doesn't do it justice as Grady's palm is dark purple and bruised.  Poor little kid.

Um...my boys need haircuts.  Bad. 

Favorite gift of 2016 were these beautiful eggs from my friend Judy.  

Colby had his recorder concert last week.  This is the best picture I got of Colby.

 

Grady "loved the concert" as you can see.

I had to include pictures of Andrew's speech while running for Junior class Treasurer.

His friends are pretty hilarious.

 Donald, Ted, Bernie and Hillary did a fantastic job.

Grady got a loved strider bike from a friend.

It's the best and he loves it.

I have to include this picture just because Saylor and Gradys' beds never look this nice...only when I change their sheets.  I thought I'd take a picture and prove their beds are made every so often.

Teenage boys find weird places to rest.

...love the pink socks Andrew.