Look Who Learned to Drive the Lawnmower

Rhett has been BEGGING to learn to drive the lawnmower and our lawnmower is so super fidgitty that I have told him no all summer long.  I finally decided yesterday when it was just him and I that I would let him try.  He drives the 4-wheeler great so I figured it was time.

You could not wipe the smile off his face!! Did I dare let him mow? Well......I let him mow a small circle in the pasture where he couldn't take anything out....but no way is he ready to mow the actual yard.  Maybe with a little practice he will be a helper for next summer. ;)

Waterslide with the Greats

We got invited by Ryan's Grandparents (the Greats) to come do the waterslide again this summer.  It took us 3 tries to finally get a day with good weather that we could all do it....and as it ended up we were missing a few cousins and grandma....but we were finally able to go and had a great time!

As we got to Grandpa and Grandma Romrell's house and were loading up to drive over these two little girls, Laiklie and Kiana, decided they wanted to ride with grandpa on the 4 wheeler.  This sweet grandpa pretty much gave up his seat to squish both these two cute girls infront of him. Great people and great memories! 

 The waterslide did not disappoint! We had SO MUCH FUN!!

 Rhett

 Dallin

 Oakley and Lauren

 Dallin decided to try the little tiny, super speedy tube.  Hilarious!

 Laiklie

And the big girls again!

 

Toward the end of the day they discovered "The Train"

It was super fun to watch! They would line up as many as they could possibly fit in a train and come flying down the slip and slide and crash into the pond at the bottom and get all tangled into a big mess and they just couldn't get enough of it! They did it over and over and over again! What a blast!! Thank you again Grandpa and Grandma for such a fun day!

Harvest Time

It is HARVEST TIME at the Hawkins farm.  What a crazy busy time of year! We have had a crazy harvest this year because of all the rain. We had rain straight for a week.  We had prayers answered though and were able to get our hay cut, baled and hauled before the storm came.  We watched neighbors hay mold in the field and it just made us sick.  We have had to work on cutting grain around the rain as well.

 

 We finally had a beautiful day the other day and used it to move some of last years grain from one bin to another.  During harvest time and on days like this everybody is needed and everybody has a job.

 Including these 3! I absolutely LOVE that they squished in the tractor together to keep each other company as they worked.

 If you look really close you can see all 3 little heads bobbing in the tractor!

 The farm life is OUR LIFE! LOVE IT!

 Like I said, during harvest everybody has a job....including this little guy.  You can tell he was BORED OUT OF HIS MIND having to watch the grain and auger.  It is SO GOOD for them though!

Can you see Dale up there? These guys scare me to death.  Rhett was BEGGING to please climb up there and help Dale.  NO STINKING WAY!

 I am SO VERY GRATEFUL for Dale.  What a blessing to have him to farm alongside Ryan.  We couldn't ask for a better partner in all of this.  Family is definitely a blessing. 

 Then off to the field to cut! They are working from sun up til sun down trying to get it finished.  It makes for some very long days!

And did I mention.....that this guy is my very favorite?! I sure love Ryan and how hard he works to support our family.  I have a love/hate relationship with being a farmers wife.....but if I had to choose all over again I would STILL CHOOSE THIS AND STILL CHOOSE HIM!

Downata/Lava Cousins Trip

Last week we went with all the Hawkins cousins and grandma to Downata on Monday....stayed the night in the KOA Cabins at Lava and then went swimming at Lava on Tuesday.  WHAT A BLAST! It was so much fun!! Two full days of swimming and enjoying the sunshine and cousins! Nothing better than that!

 Oakley and Macady

 Laiklie

I loved the pictures I got of the kids shooting out of this speed slide. :)

 Dallin

 Rhett's Feet

 oh.....and there is Rhett! :)

 All the Hawkin's grandkids except JD who was at Football and baby Memory who was in eating.  After Downata we were off to Lava.

 The little KOA Cabins were so much fun! We separated into 3 different cabins to fit us all in.  This is the cabin I slept in with the big kids....Oakley, Macady, Dallin, JD and Rhett.  I ended up on a bottom bunk. That's ok.....as long as everybody else is happy, I am happy!

 The KOA had a playground for the littles.....

and some volleyball for the bigs.  It was a great place to stay!

Then off to the pools!

 A little rock climbing.

 A little diving.

 Some major sliding.

And of course the platforms!

What a fun trip! I love time spent together making memories!

Oakley Turns 14

On August 1st Oakley turned 14! I can hardly believe it! I sure don't know how to get time to slow down!! She is so much fun! We have discovered this cute little personality that she has this summer.  We have no idea where it came from.....but it has been fun to watch! She has turned into quite the comedian.  The funniest part is she thinks she is hilarious! :)

 She has a million funny faces and we are lucky to get a good picture anymore! Her favorite face to pull is her double chin face....I left those pics out ON PURPOSE! She calls it her "happy burfday" face and does it EVERYDAY...not just on her birthday! Funny girl!

 She asked to go to the Famous Preston Night Rodeo with her very favorite person in the world, her cousin Ali. 

 These two are quite the pair.  They thought they were SO FUNNY that they swiped the cherry on the top of the cake and replaced it with a pickle when nobody was looking! What a bunch of crack-ups!

 All Oakley wanted for her birthday was to spend some time with Ali.  These two are as tight as two people can be.  They are truly best friends! What a blessing to have someone who just "gets" you and loves you unconditionally!

 

  And the rodeo was great too!

We sure love Oakley.  We know Heavenly Father sent her to our house to show us just how strong a person can be.  Oakley is our Hero.  We've said it before and we will say it over and over again! We are amazed by her and the person that she is and is becoming.  We love you sis! Happy Birthday!