Discovering Our "Backyard"

We got adventurous today (and bored). So we decided to go to this awesome pumpkin patch at the Baird Farms to get us some awesomely big and cheap pumpkins (seriously, no matter how big it is, it's $2, or if it's a smaller one, $1!)

Quinn walking in his "new" cowboy boots to one of the patches.

He liked this one, but we decided to try looking at others first.

Trying to decide... hhmmmm...

He found the perfect size! (meaning he could hold it). We let him get it, since he was so excited about how cute and little it was (his words)

My happy little boy

We got 3 huge pumpkins, 3 medium, and one baby size, all for only $10!  After we got home and started putting them on the porch, we realized just how large our porch is, and figured we should have gotten another $10 worth...

Posing for me so I could show off the sizes.

"Mom.... are we done yet...? I'm going to hold my baby pumpkin for comfort while you take yet another picture" (my words for him lol)

Then we decided to take a drive up Santaquin Canyon. We've been meaning to for a long time now. We wanted to see what kind, if any, camping was available for next summer (since this summer's trip was ruined by fires), and to look at the colors before they faded. It was an awesome drive!

We stopped at this dam to get out and walk a bit. It was so cool! The water behind the dam was perfect and still, we saw a fish swim super super fast downstream, and got to throw rocks...

Perfect wading spot, if it wasn't for the cold.

Throwing rocks

They are so handsome!

Quinn loves me!

There was this little hollow just behind us, so we decided to explore it.

Aww...!

Josh's idea for a shot: Quinn and I looking back towards the water.

Our happy little family. Quinn kept not smiling just as the camera went off.  And when we giggled and told him he needs to smile longer, he got really upset, so we had to stop.  We should have brought treats to keep him happy... we didn't realize we'd be gone so long, and it was dinner time.  BUT, we kept going up the canyon.

Quinn excited to throw more rocks in the water.

Josh took a little hike across the dam and up a huge rock (per Quinn's request).

"Hey, ya'll!"

We found a ton of awesome camping spots (free ones, not stupid "official" camp grounds where you have to pay), and the road just kept going... it even turned to a dirt road, and that was a TON of fun (minus the increase in Braxton Hicks from the bumpiness).  Near the top, there was a turn off for a Utah Lake Overlook. We couldn't see it, since we were in the clouds at that point, but we got out anyway for a break.

Quinn was very hungry, and very done at this point...

Daddy and Quinn running out to play in the cloud. Quinn thought it was really neat.

"A Walk in the Clouds"

After this, the road finally joined up to the Nebo Loop about 5 miles up from Payson Lakes. So we turned right, and headed back down to Payson and then home for dinner.  It was seriously the best drive we've had in a long time!  We realized (by his extreme enthusiasm the entire time) that this is what Josh's Heaven will be like.  :)

New Porch!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Our previous porch was at a 6% slope.  That's a bad slope, just ask semi drivers!  And the few people who have fallen down our steps because of it's slope...  With winter coming up when I will be oober pregnant, we decided to fix the porch so I wouldn't fall down it.  We also wanted to do it before school starts for Josh.  So here's how we did it:

We decided to build over it.  This is Quinn figuring out where to put the posts for us :P

Josh dug holes for these neat deck post holders (they'll keep the wood off the ground, helping them last longer).  It took forever to make sure they were in the right place, and to dig through our rocky soil.  So we started Thursday night, and got two holes dug and filled with concrete.  The next morning we did the next two.

Once the concrete was cured, we were able to put in the posts - and yes, we wrote our name in the cement :)

Once those were in, square to the house, and cut to the right height, this is how it looked:

We couldn't put the other two posts in yet since the concrete hadn't cured completely, we started building the top platform.  Yes, it's perfectly level, as opposed to the concrete porch we are building over.  Notice any difference between the two?  yeah, it was 6 inches higher.  Crazy!

Another view of new porch over the previous one.  Awesome crack!

We had enough daylight to put up the railing on one side.

My little poser :)

After work the next day, we were able to get the other side done.

Looks pretty, doesn't it?

After a really stressful Saturday, we were able to get the stairs in.

We had to change plans a bit as we were building because my original measurements of the old porch were a bit off, and I needed to figure out new dimensions for the stairs - which meant we didn't have all the wood we needed.  But we made it work.

Josh absolutely loves this joint where the stair frame we made fits onto the post and the rest of the porch :)

Almost done!!!

After the walnut stain and sealant. 

I love how dark it is.

Finished product over the old porch *shudders*

LET'S REVIEW:

This is what our house looked liked when we bought it.  Gorgeous, right?  Or not...

And after a few renovations, this is what it looks like now!