Old Pics

Here are some cute pictures of Gavon just before our camera died. He calls Paul, "Dadden," and he calls his shoes, "Aboot." It's so cute to watch him laugh and play.

Shaydenism and The Glass Castle

Shaydenism
Last week I was working in our garden with the kids picking peas and lettuce. Gavon would only get the top little bit of the lettuce, but he sure had fun picking it and putting it in the bucket. There were a lot of flies, bugs and mosquitoes. I kept getting bit and said, "Ouch, these mosquitoes keep on biting me." With the biggest eyes, Shayden said, "Mosquitoes have teeth?!" I thought that was so funny.

The Glass Castle
I've been reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. I absolutely love that book. I carry it around with me, and everywhere I go someone will say, "Isn't that the best book?" It's so interesting to me, and is worth reading over the dad's swearing. Kami let me borrow it, and she let my mom read it, who wanted to throw it across the room. Crystal read it, and my aunt and uncle Richard and Irene.

What a crazy way to live, but they love their kids so much. It's an interesting thing, because you want your kids to be as independent as possible, but wow. I'll have a lot more to say when I finish the book. I'm only 1/4 the way through.

Loves to Glue

Lately Shayden has been repeating everything I say to other people, and asking, "Why?" to pretty much everything. She is starting Preschool Head Start next month, 8:30-11:30. She is very excited. The other day, I was trying to fold laundry while Gavon was sleeping, and Shayden was just talking away, playing by her bedroom. I was thinking how glad I was that she could have so much fun playing by herself for a while so I could get chores done. About half way through one load I heard a big RIIIPPPPP. Hmmm...I better go check that out. She had been ripping small pieces of paper and using glue to decorate the wall. Cool huh?! We transferred her art to a bigger piece of paper for an easy clean up. Way to go Shay!

Mantz Reunion 2010, Monticello, UT

The very first day we went down to Monticello, Shayden dropped our camera, and now it just beeps and won't turn on. All of these pictures are from other cameras. We all had a blast. Paul was sad to go home.


Hiking Butler Wash. This was a cute little arch we climbed into to see some old Indian hand prints. Great Grandpa Mantz is helping Shayden climb down.
Wave running at Recapture. Annika is coming in, and I'm just about to get out of the water.
Gavon stole someone's chair! Who can get mad at such a cute kid, though.
Brotha and Sista.
Gavon was drinking water like crazy. He is on Paul's back. Laura just had surgery on her foot, and was catching a ride home.
Southern Utah rocks! This was the Butler Wash trail just 20 miles south of Blanding. It had some really cool Indian ruins.
Go Jon!
Everyone that did the hike.
Jon showing off some leg. This is at Recapture again where the kids got soaking wet. We had a lot of fun with you guys.
Daddy, sister, brother. I like Paul's pose in this one.
This is where we stopped for a quick lunch before a nice storm rolled by.
This is so cool!
Mantz grandkids. It seems like Celia caught all their personalities really well.
Shayden and Garick
Waiting to go down.
Let's go!
Swimming at Recapture.

Paul sure loves his family and he was able to see all of them. We also went to the Blanding Parade on Saturday, and ran the 5k that morning. Lynette ran with me and I got a 25:09. We drove home before the fireworks though, so we'll have to make it to some awesome 24th of July fireworks.