Long time between posts= long posts

Seeing as it is fall and I have a ton of leaves to rake I thought I would compost some of them into the pumpkin patch.  I love running the rototiller which was handed down from my father and from his father-in-law.  This old thing is a beast a really can tear up the ground and now hold an even more special place to me since my grandfather passed away last week.  Every time I use it I can think of all the times he used it and really will enjoy it even more.  I have been having some issues with it and finally it stopped working half way through the job.  After lots and lots of carburetor troubleshooting I finally ran a compression and found the compression was much too low, so I was forced to tear into it and see what was the problem.  Right away I noticed this head gasket looked a little worn.  After a couple day I got off my butt and finally got a replacement from the guy around the corner (less than $3) and put the engine back together.  The thing started right up and really has some power now.  It was dark when I finally got it running but I had to try it out, so I donned the headlamp and went to work.  Tilling the soil is great therapy.

 

Pretty obvious where the air was escaping.

 

Last week I had a job about 10 miles from the in-laws so we headed out early and spent the week at their house.  It is so nice being able to see your kids at the end of the day and I know they had a blast a grandma and grandpa’s as well.

The boys love to play the piano.

James just let one and was letting us know in this picture.  Auntie Paula's glasses were a lot of fun to play with.

Seriously cute.  The sliding glass door was licked clean by the time we left.

Having fun with grandpa petting the cat.

Again on the Piano

and with the Cats....again

Since work does not have to pay for me to stay in a hotel and I also have a food allowance I could  go out to eat with the whole family at a nice place and it did not cost me a dime.  So nice to have a good meal and say thanks to the in laws for housing me in such a practical way.  James liked the ribeye bone.

James got these car tracks a while ago and has been having a great time playing with them.  Mom and him set this one up and I was really impressed with Brenda's building skills on this.

 

Brenda had some MOPS get together game night last weekend so I got to take the boys to the mall and the play area there.  Since it gets so dark so early it is kind of hard to play outside.  I detest the Mall normally, but this one here is not busy so it is actually tolerable.

Playland time

I thought I had posted this picture before, but guess I forgot.  My mustache is much bigger now.

 

Two weeks ago we also got the opportunity to have a couple of my co-workers from San Jose who now live in Helena over.  It was a blast catching up with them and having our kids play with each other.  We had the other people we worked with in CA that are up in Spokane on a job over for dinner as well and it was so much fun catching up and seeing people from the past.  It is really amazing the people you run into at various parts of your life and you never know when you are going to run into them again.  It really is a small world.

That little girl is so cute.

James is unaware that this train is actually broken.  We got it and it never worked so he just sits on it and pushes it around.  He loves to push his brother and goes around about 100 times without stopping.  I have no idea what I would do if I had that energy.

Brothers having fun.

James is getting more and more daring.  He loves to wrestle and jump off things.

Not always a smooth landing, but fun to watch.

The boys again...and yes I realize this is now a kiddo blog.

Brenda just hanging out and being herself.  Sunglasses inside is probably not needed, but when you look this good who cares.

 

While down in Sunnyside I got a chance to ride in Jims new speedster and actually got to drive it.  There is a lot of fun to be had driving old model T’s and they each really seem to have a personality.  Each one of the rides a little different and all of them turn heads wherever they go.  James had a blast riding it as well.

I will spare you my political rants this time.