Gorgeous Gorge

Several weeks ago, we headed the way of cooler, crisper weather to visit grandpa. I talked everyone into staying in Manila overnight, so we could watch the Labor Day parade and the boat light parade on beautiful Flaming Gorge. We parked the trailer in the driveway of my grandma's property and made the hike up to my favorite dilapidated cabin containing the petrified cow. Also hiked up to see the waterfall.
Grandpa is a youthful 94 and was as spry as I've seen him, barring a few recent falls resulting in bumps and bruises.
It was nice to get out and enjoy the short lived nice weather and as always to see Grandpa and Helen.

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair...

Don't miss it, don't even be late. It's dollars to doughnuts that our state fair is the best state fair in our state. Even good ol Rogers and Hammerstein fancied a fair, though I doubt they indulged in fried green jello infused twinkies.
This year we enjoyed the fair with Leslie, Fraser, Eleanor and Thomas.
Kelly and Bridger rode the big yellow slide (bottom left on the slide). Bridger rode a pony by himself, spent a day in the life of a farmer, hugged a huge pumpkin, looked at a big butter cow fashioned after the Hunger Games and watched a rodeo. Farewell summer, welcome autumn!

Pop a Wheelie!

We went to the mall this weekend and for $2, your child can ride around a pen on a motorized stuffed animal. It was freaking hilarious!! These things were pretty zippy.

Mmm Brownies

I love this boy. Grimy, sticky hands and all.

Time to Purge

OMG. It looks as though Toys R Us vomited all over my house. This happened during one of those unusually silent times of the day.

The 13 Cent Guilt Trip

Mom says to Dad, "wouldn't it be cute if we bought Bridger a fish?". One hour later, we find ourselves at Petsmart. Enter fish lady, sporting fur balls in her tangled, unkempt mane, wearing a visibly dirty shirt and a perma-scowl. She is most certainly an employee of Petsmart. Her one function...oversee the fish department, which for the life of me, still doesn't explain the fur balls in her hair. Our convo went something like this:
Me: can we get one of those goldfish?
FL: mmm are you putting it in THAT? (referring to the gallon sized fishbowl in my hands)
Me: uhh yeah.
FL: *raising eyebrow* *audible sigh* "oooookkkkkaaaayyyy.".
Me: why? What would you recommend I put in this bowl?
FL: In THAT bowl?....nothing. Maybe a beta, or a fish that doesn't do anything.
Me: *wondering what she knows about fish activities that I don't*
Kelly: how long will it live in that bowl?
FL: *casting a disapproving glance at my child who is anxiously pointing and shouting "Pish! Pish!"* Ohhh maybe a year...
Me: we'll take it. Just one of the $.13 multi-colored ones, please.
FL: *sigh* just so you KNOW, if you don't move him into another bowl soon, his body will grow, but his intestines and stomach will not and the pressure will cause his guts to squish up into his head and he will explode and die. Just so you know.
She shoves the little bag containing my 13 cent fish into my hands and walks away.
I left Petsmart feeling as though I had just stolen food from a starving third world child. Then realized, it's a 13 cent fish FHS!! So. Here he is. His name is Spock. And so far, he has managed NOT to explode.

Burfday!

A couple weekends ago, we helped to ring in batgirl's birthday. It was Eleanor's big 03. B had a ball with his buddies and new found friends. Took some tumbles down the big bouncy castle and was virtually inseparable from the swing set. I've truly never seen a more exhausted boy. I'm bad with pix, so I didn't get any pix of the birthday girl and her loot, but she was adorable and I hope this is the best third year of her life. Thanks for the invite Ellie!