Utah Trip 2013: Rodeos and Parades

This year we decided to be adventurous and took the kids to see the Ute Stampede Rodeo in Nephi.  They all really enjoyed the show, especially the bucking bulls, the fireworks, and the awesome motorcycle stunts.

The burgers were quite good too...

But the most exciting part was the carnival.  The kids went on several super fun and fast rides.  They had a blast.  We closed the place down and everyone slept very well that night...

This is the 2nd year that my boys have been able to be a part of the Pioneer Day parade in Holden on the 24th of July.  It is very low key and only about a block long, but it is quite cute and the kids enjoy sitting on the trailer being pulled by Emerson's cool tractor, throwing candy at the crowds...

Utah Trip 2013: Horsin' Around

We also love riding horses while we are in Utah..

This year I got to go on a super awesome ride with Jake and Kristi.  I am not exactly sure the name of the trail or mountain we went on--it was my first time ever riding it--but it was a little before (west of) Maple Hollow, up in the part of the mountain where the big fire in 2000 (give or take a few years) scorched away all the foliage.  We had to deliver several blocks of salt to the cattle who were ranging up there.  It was a steep and gnarly trail, but boy was it ever amazing!  The view into the surrounding canyons and valleys below were unreal.  This is the kind of thing you don't take for granted anymore when suddenly your access to horseback riding and scenic vistas become reduced to an annual affair (if you are lucky!)  I was lucky that I decided to go on this ride.  It was cleansing for my soul... 

The boys had to get a little more riding in before we left... 

For our last day of riding, I decided to take the boys on a fun little adventure that stretched beyond the boundaries of my mom's  and Jake's yards.  I rode with them in the saddle, and took them up Ninety-Per, around the back of the cemetery, down Wood Hill, past the church and then home.  They loved it! The horse did not.  I think he felt he was being reduced to putting on a "dog and pony" since his stubbornness to cooperate was very exaggerated on this particular day.

Jack is just too cool for school! 

Max was actually too big--I couldn't fit on the saddle with him!  So, I had to lead the horse for his ride...

Utah Trip 2013: Tractors and 4-wheelin' fun!

Max and Sam love the opportunity to ride in a real John Deere tractor with Papa or Uncle Jake whenever we come visit Utah.  And since riding in tractors is something we never get to do in Pennsylvania, there are lots of pictures of this particular activity.

Paul took this picture from the window of the truck as he was passing them on Highway 50...

Despite the fact that tractors were among Jack's favored toys at the time and that he only allowed us to read him books with tractors in it, Jack was very tentative about actually climbing into one and going for a spin.  He was petrified at first when Jake climbed in with him and closed the door... 

They just went around the block a time or two, but at the end he didn't want to get out.  He thought Uncle Jake was pretty darn awesome after that! 

Of course the boys would love the 4-wheeler!  It is one of our favorite modes of entertainment in Utah. And, unlike the tractors, I can actually drive one of these so I don't have to wait for someone to be un-busy enough to indulge them a ride.  I took this picture of the three of them on a ride up Wide Canyon.  I just love the photos with the mountains in the background.  They are one of the things I really miss out East... 

To switch things up a bit, we headed to the hay grounds one afternoon to run around after a picnic lunch in the back of the truck... 

Then they got to climb in the loader...

And ride the 4-wheelers around quite a bit more.  I even let them take turns "driving" which they thought was the best thing ever.

A really fun thing we got to do was help papa cut hay.  The boys would alternate riding with papa in the swather and riding on the 4-wheeler with me...

They also enjoyed playing on the old, classic John Deere Tractor at Gramma Grape and Emerson's house...