Pineview Pond and dinosaurs

The reservoir is so low it really is the size of a pond or maybe a large puddle. It was clean up day at the lake so we went up for a couple of hours to pick up glass and garbage exposed by the low water. We found two bikini tops and a hat. I guess those came off water skiing. Lots of beer cans, glass and Capri sun containers.

Sean found a golf ball. He cleaned it off in a stream. I had never seen these streams that feed the reservoir. Usually they are up in the trees. With the water that low you could see everything. There were a couple of people out fishing. There was a water plane that kept landing and taking off. I told Don he couldn't have one. He said he'd already looked at them.

After the lake we went to the Oaks for an outdoor lunch.

The trees were beautiful. So many colors.

Driving down towards Ogden we decided to stop at the dinosaur museum and park. I hadn't taken Sean there since he was two. He really enjoyed it. He kept saying "dinosaurs aren't real." They have all these speakers in the woods making dinosaur noises so it's a little scary. I almost got eaten by a T Rex.

Sean checking out the dinosaur foot prints.

Yep, the brontosaurus is taller than Sean.

Funny Sean story: Sean got a new Ben Ten "transporter." (or something like that) It fits on his wrist and forearm. Sean asked me what the area above his wrist was and I told him forearm. Later that night he asked Don to help him put the transporter on his fivearm.

Dewey Illinois

After the reunion we drove to Dewey to spend the night at Don's dads house.

Don has an adorable new niece named Nova Lin.

Don's dad lifting Sean up in the air and over.

Don's dad got a new paddle boat so we went for a ride around the lake that they live next to. Glad we put a life jacket on Sean because we almost dumped him in the water.

The highlight of Sean's entire trip is this turtle. We found it trapped in a culvert. It was down in the cement next to where Sean is sitting. It must have come in when the water was high then the trap door closed and it couldn't get out. Don jumped down and got it out. Sean looked at it for awhile and was scared to touch it. It's so strange, when I grew up there were turtles, lizards, lightening bugs, toads and frogs everywhere. We don't have that in Utah so it is a real novelty for Sean to have these interactions with nature.

Eventually he decided the turtle was not a threat and he gently carried it to the water. He sat it next to the water and it didn't do anything so he put it in the water and then he pushed it in the water and it swam away. "I saved the day" he said. If you ask him about his trip the turtle is the number one thing that happened. It made Sean happy and I think the turtle was appreciative as well.

Dave, Don and Sean.

Sean taking silly pictures at the airport.

Posing for silly pictures at the airport.

Illinois pumpkin patch and class reunion

I've been ready for fall and pumpkin patches since the middle of August. Our first patch of the year was in Arthur Illinois. We stopped there with Sharon after we finished having lunch at Rockome gardens.

They had lots of hay sculptures (or whatever you want to call them)

I took this picture for my brother Arthur.

Yippee our first corn maze of the year!

The pumpkin patch had lots of acres of pumpkins and squash. Needless to say we didn't pick pumpkins to haul back to Utah.

This isn't a corn maze this is a corn field down the street from Grandma's house. Last time we were in Illinois I picked some corn from this field for decorations and we did it again this year.

Saturday we went to (hm, I can't remember where we went) some town about twenty minutes from Don's mom and we spent the afternoon at the Rhodes. Ann and Tom Rhode are friends of Don's from when he was just a little kid. Tom is a doctor and Ann is a pharmacist. They live on 50 acres. Ann home schooled her kids and is into being self sufficient. There land is great. They have a pond and grow tons of soy beans.  Ann taught Sean to drive a golf cart which he thought was awesome. Tom has some really cool vintage cars in his garage which Don really loved. It was a pleasant afternoon. Whenever I go to Illinois I am always in awe of how quiet it is. Everyone we stay with lives in the country and the nights are just still. Our house is so noisy because we live near the freeway and in a neighborhood. Sean commented on how dark it is. There's none of the light pollution that we have. I always enjoy going other places and seeing how other people live. There is so much diversity in our country. Centerville is not a big city but it sure is commercial with all the stores and stuff. We have green, blue and black garbage cans. Ann doesn't get garbage service so the compost, recycle or burn.  We are so dependent on others. Heck, we have to have someone come take our garbage away.

Checking out the soy bean crop.

There were lots of frogs in their pond. Sean would clap and watch them jump in the water.

The class reunion in Champagne Illinois. There were 29 of his 70 classmates there.

Illinois

We went to Illinois to visit Don's family and attend his 35th high school reunion. We started in Lovington with Don's mom. It was much cooler in Illinois then it has been here.

We went to a place called Rockome Gardens. It's been around since the 1930's. Sharon said that at the time people out of work were given jobs building the gardens. It's been bought and sold lots of times over the years. Most recently it was bought by a couple who were saving it from being torn down and sold as building lots. Talk about a money pit. It really is an interesting place. Lots of Amish in the area. There were Amish buggy rides. Usually a 75 year old Amish man gives the buggy rides but there was a wedding that day so he was not there. Instead the owner gave us a ride and shared the history of the gardens.

At the gardens.

Hanging out in a tee pee

Panning for gold with Grandma Sharon and Dad

We rode all around the gardens in an Amish buggy. That was a first. When I was a kid we used to go to Pennsylvania and visit Amish country so I really enjoy repeating that experience with Sean. I asked the owner how it worked with the Amish driving the buggy for tourist. He said the driver just steps away during pictures.

They had an awesome beehive where you could see all the activity going on. We bought some honey comb. My mother in law thought it was funny us coming from the beehive state and buying honey. It is funny. It's Amish honey!

Happy Belated Birthday Alex

Alex and Loreal were in St George for his birthday and it's taken almost a month before we could all get together for dinner. (Carter was here but as he often does he left before I took any pictures.)
Alex wanted crab so we had crab and salmon, a seafood festival!

Alika says cheese! She got the new I phone and is having a great time playing with it. She's feeling pretty cool.

Steph didn't feel good so she missed the party.

Alika brought a bubble maker that Sean and Taya thought was fun. It roared when it blew bubbles

Alex, Loreal and all three puppies. Sean helped frost the cake and put the candles on it. He spent Saturday night with his sisters. He was so EXITED about the sleep over that he went to bed early Friday night so Saturday would come fast. He had a really great time but was happy to come home and be an only child where he gets to lick the bowl and put all the candles on the cake without any competition. He has the best of both worlds.

Sean has been really funny lately. Yesterday he was on the toilet and asked for a book. I brought his hop on pop and he said no I want a soft book I want a magazine

A couple of weeks ago we were at Village Inn. We were sitting on a bench waiting to be seated. A lady came in with a cute baby in a carrier. She set the carrier on the floor and the baby was smiling at us She had a head band with a flower and little bells around her ankles. and bright brown eyes. She was adorable! Sean looked at her and said "That baby is NASTY!" Cracked me up. The mom just laughed. I asked Sean why he thought the cute smiling baby was nasty and he said "she has beady little eyes!" I don't know where he comes up with stuff.

World of Speed

Don never made his 130 mph. His car just maxed at 127. He did his last run with his air condition and radio on to see if it would slow him down but it didn't make any difference. He's going to have to make some changes to his car if he wants to get it about 130. It can be done, there was another guy in a Lincoln who got up to 147 who had done 132 the prior year. Don is going to have to change his chip and do some engine work if he wants to get it higher. He did go faster than a lot of the cars there. It doesn't sound like it should be so hard to go 130 but you have to do it in a mile and that's not easy.
We had lots of fun though. When your on the Salt Flats it feels like you are on a different planet. Everything just looks so bizarre. There are always funny cars there too. One guy had a car that looked like crap. The back of the car was a highway sign. He had been in a race called the lemon. You had to buy a car for less than $500 spend less than $500 fixing it and then race it. Two cars that went ahead of Don blew out their engines.

They call all the little kids at the races "salt rats." Funny term the adults are called Salters. I ran into someone I know from the grocery store and she said "I didn't know you were a salter." Gee, I didn't know I was either.

We stayed at the Motel 6. I really don't like casinos. The Motel 6 was cheaper too. It had the ugliest bedspreads I've ever seen in a hotel. Note all the little Motel 6 signs on the fabric.  The room never got dark.  Doggone if they didn't leave it on all night right next to our door and the room never got dark. It was clean but it smelled funny. The people were all nice.

Sean liked the hotel because he learned to stand on his head up against the wall. The bed was so close to the table where the TV was that he could jump from the table to the bed. He thought that was great fun too, practicing his gymnastics.

Standing on a big clump of salt. He tasted it again, still didn't like it.

Today was such a beautiful day and Don was making his runs so fast (not the long lines like yesterday) we didn't put the tent up so Sean made a tent in my jeep. Yesterday it took us until after six to make three runs today Don made three before noon.

Getting ready to go!

Yep, he's got the AC on and is listening to eighties rock. He really couldn't hear it through that helmet.

And off he goes!!!!!!!!!

Salt, salt, salt everywhere. Don washed and vacuumed the cars when we got home.

Don's 127 mph run

The World of Speed

We are at the Bonneville Salt Flats where Don is trying to break 130 mph in one mile at the annual world of speed. Most people here are from other states and some are even from other countries.
He can't stop thinkin about his hot rod Lincoln and his need for speed.
He did 107 on the first trial run where you were only supposed to hit 100. He did 127.1 on number two and 126.4 on number 3.
His last run was almost 6 pm. So he doesn't know if it was because the salt was getting sticky or his car just won't go any faster. Tomorrow's another day and he will try again.

Sean was amazing the entire day. No complaining at all and we were out at the flat a long time. We learned a lot from last year and we were prepared for the long haul. We brought a tent for shade that Sean loved. Sun glasses hats, sunscreen, chairs and cooler filled with water and pop and snacks.

Don and Sean checking out the other cars.

In the tent with the walkie talkie. Not sure exactly why we needed those as we used cell phones but they were fun. Sean had his Leapster and lap top to keep him occupied too. He said "I love adventures!"

Last minute advice for Don from his pit crew.

Helmet on ready to speed away.

just hanging out watching the races.

Next to go waiting for the signal to start.

Hanging out waiting for his turn. Lots of waiting but we were prepared and it was fun.