Grandpa's playground

We love to go to Idaho and visit Grandma and Grandpa Beutlers farm.  My kids look forward to our family reunion every year and this year is no exception.  We got an extra treat this year and was able to go up early to Doug's class reunion, so the kids were able to visit and play in "Grandpa's playground" before the big reunion!  Grandpa owns a farm in Dayton where he and Grandma used to milk dairy cattle and grow an assortment of crops.  He has sold off a portion of the acreage, but has kept what my kids view as the most important part, the gully.  Grandpa has a dozer and has made a circular trail through the trees next to the stream in the bottom of the gully and up along the edge of the fields, then back down to Grandpa's fish pond, which the kids love to take their motorcycles and four wheelers on.  He has made a pond where he has planted trout for the grand kids to fish.  It is a child's dream and the kids love it.  In addition to having the trails, he also has motorcycles, a four wheeler, a "put-put"  (old time) tractor (which he uses to pull 1/2 water barrels with grand kids in them) and has recently added a jeep to his collection of toys that he lets us go down to the pond in.  It is quite an adventure for us all. 

In the beginning, on the trip up it is tradition to stop at Smith and Edwards south of
Brigham City.  They have a little bit of everything, and they have some of the best treasures for the kids to
find, and the best prices on canning supplies and western wear around.
It is a must stop every trip!!!

Happiness is. . . . Cody and Mady getting along.  Cami and  Dalyon
are riding in the back of the truck on a mattress and watching movies,
and this trip I get to ride shotgun with Doug driving.   Austin usually takes this spot,
but he had to stay home thistime to take the ACT
and Eric had to stay home to work on his Eagle project. 

This is part of the trail that Grandpa has made with his dozer.  It goes in
a circle so you can get some good riding in.  There are lots of hills and
trees and dips.  It give the kids good experience on their bikes.

Dalyon standing by Grandpa's fish pond.

Dalyon climbing on his dozer, parked by the fishpond.  Grandpa and
Uncle Brett and Uncle Mike and their kids were cleaning out the pond and cutting
down old trees in preparation for the up and coming reunion.  They work very hard
so that we can all have fun.  While we were there Cody, Doug and
Dalyon helped out too!  We really appreciate all the hard work! 

More of the trail that goes around.  It is so cool and beautiful.  The
tempreture was quite cold this trip, but by July it should be just
right.  Sometimes you can see deer or other animals down here, and
always you can see their tracks. 

There must be several hard working beavers in the gully because every spring
there are various beaver dams in the stream.  Grandpa tries to get rid of them
so the water can flow better.

Cody, Dalyon, Kyle near the fish pond. 

Doug and I went down in Grandpa's jeep.  I'm not a skilled
four wheeler yet so Doug drove us through the trail, but I
jumped in the drivers seat as soon as we were up on pavement. 
I have wanted a jeep Wrangler since I went to Rick College but it never
seemed practical.  I'm grateful to Grandpa for letting me drive his. 

Here we all are in the living room watching Sunday morning cartoons before
we came home.  There is Grandma, Doug and Cami, Katie and Whitley, Cody and
Logan (new best friends), Mady on the couch in the back, and Grandpa and Lilly on
the side couch.  What a relaxing time.

Here is Grandma and cute little Whitley.  She wouldn't
come to me so I taught her to say "Hi Aunt Tonya" and blow me a
kiss instead.   I should be her favorite Aunt soon.    Hahaha