Father's Day 2013

We had a wonderful Father's Day this year.
Because we have such wonderful fathers to celebrate.

The kids were so excited to give Greg their presents.  Earlier in the week, Enoch and Kate attended a neighborhood day camp where they made gifts for Father's Day.  They traced their hands and modge podged it onto a canvas.  On the back was a questionnaire about Greg.

About my Dad!
by Kate

My dad's name is Dad.
He is 41 years old.
He is as nice as an apple.
My Dad spends his free time playing with us and our dog.
He loves my mom because he likes to go shopping with her.
My Dad loves me because he teases me a lot.
My Dad's favorite food is Brussels sprouts.
His favorite movie is Princess movies.
His favorite color is gray.
My Dad thinks its funny when I tickle him.
I like is when my Dad and I go somewhere I like to go.
My Dad's favorite sport is BYU football.
He is 5 feet tall and weighs 8 pounds.
I love my Dad because he plays with me a lot.


About my Dad!
by Enoch

My Dad's name is Greg.
He is 41 years old.
He is as nice as nice.
My Dad spends his free time going to work.
He loves my mom because she's nice.
My Dad love me because I'm fun.
My Dad's favorite food is pizza.
His favorite Movie is Star Wars.
His favorite color is blue.
My Dad thinks its funny when he tickles me.
I like it when my Dad and I play.
My Dad's favorite sport is BYU.
He is 5 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds.
I love my Dad because he's funny.

I love to see Greg through the kids eyes.  I know he can do no wrong according to them. 
We have started a reward system for getting jobs and homework done.  For each token they earn, they get 10 minutes of an activity of their choice.  I was listing some possibilities:  TV time, computer time, Wii time.  Enoch asked, "Instead of those, can we have Dad time?"  Greg spends all his free time with the kids, but they always want more Dad time.
Speaking of Dad time, Enoch and Gavin are in love with Greg's Father's Day gift.  Yes, they picked it out.

 

A really cool chess set!  The boys were really excited to find it and couldn't wait to open it.  Gavin gets a bit frustrated with Greg that 'he is sooo slow' and Gavin plays too fast so Greg always wins.  However, Enoch is becoming a real pro.  The other night after a match, Greg said, "Not too much longer and he's going to beat me."   Enoch really loves it.  He keeps asking me to play with him during the day.  I don't play chess so he is now teaching Kate how to play so he has an available opponent while Dad is at work.

Later that day, my parents were able to come over for dinner.  We had Greg's favorite dinner:  cream cheese chicken, rice, peas and watermelon.  It was very good.  After dinner, we visited and gave Grandpa his presents.  He got some handmade cards from the kids and a book I made with pictures from our recent trip to Arches.  And then, Bavarian Dessert.  Greg waits all year for that.  I don't know why I only make it on Father's Day.  I guess it keeps it special.

We were also able to visit with Grandpa Dee that evening.  He got a Costco jar of chocolate-covered almonds - his favorite.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful Dads in our lives!

Chalk Art Festival

At my sister's recommendation, Greg and I took the kids (Gavin was at Youth Conference) to the Chalk Art Festival at the Gateway this morning.  It was so much fun!  The kids loved it.
We got there a few minutes before ten and I'm so glad we went early.  At about eleven, things really started to get busy.  We walked up and down the street and were amazed by the artists at work.  We couldn't believe the things that they could do with chalk.  The pictures were beautiful.  Kate liked the ponies, Enoch liked the postcard of Delicate Arch, Greg liked the Despicable Me pictures and I thought they were all good.

 After looking at the pictures, we picked up some goodies from the sponsors - lots of chapstick, pencils, coloring books, reusable bags, etc.  Enoch spun a wheel and won a t-shirt.  It was fun for the kids.  We also walked through Blickenstocks, a fun toy store.  The kids had fun looking and not touching!
We then hit the fountain.  The kids all wore their swimming suits and were so excited to try them out. Enoch immediately ran out and got wet, very wet.  Kate took more of a dainty approach and skirted around the water, occasionally getting slightly splashed.  Guard walked around with Dad and would clap every time the water would spray up onto him.

 

We finished the fun with a yummy lunch at Malawi's Pizza.  I love low-key Saturdays with my family!

Scattered Thoughts

1. Enoch has firmly decided that when he grows up he wants to be a chemist.  Out of the blue today he said to me, "I will probably die young because I most likely will blow myself up in my lab."  I wasn't sure what to say to that.  I just stared at him.  He then said, "It's okay.  I'll be sure to invent something really cool first."   At least he is comfortable with his own mortality.  Everyone start praying now.

2.  Kate wants to eat corn on Pioneer Day, but not Cheerios because pioneers didn't have Cheerios.

3.  Whenever Gavin starts to act like a grumpy teenager, Greg calls him surly.  Usually Gavin starts to laugh and the situation is diffused.  The other day, Gavin was acting up and Enoch said, "Gavin is being shurly again."  So, now when Gavin's grumpies come out, we call him Shirley.  Lucky kid.

You're Smart Too

Enoch's Cub Scout leader told me this conversion that she overheard between Enoch and Preston on the way to day camp.

Enoch:  You're really smart.
Preston:  Yeah, I am.
Enoch:  What do you know?
Preston:  I know where all the temples are in the world.
Enoch:  Wow!  That's cool.  You are really smart.
Preston:  You're smart too.  What do you know?
Enoch:  I know how to build a bomb out of baking soda.
Preston:  Really?  That's cool.

That's awesome.  Sweet Preston knows all the temples and my kid can build a bomb.  Is that cool?  I don't know.  I do know that Enoch has been watching too much MacGyver. 
I think I'll go hide the baking soda.

Gavin's Eagle Court of Honor

Today is one of those days that you know will eventually happen, but when you are in the middle of an Eagle project you wonder if it will ever happen!
It did!

 We are so happy!

We are so proud!

 We are so glad it's over!

Gavin did a wonderful job with his Eagle project of painting the lockers in Lehi Junior High School's band room.  This was his project.  He did it.  Greg and I helped when we needed to, but Gavin was in charge.  I really felt like he earned it.
Now it was my turn.  I had only been to one Eagle Court of Honor.  I had no idea what I was doing when I planned Gavin's.  Gavin told me to make it short and have awesome refreshments.  Okay.  That's what I did.
The program:

Welcome: Greg Fowler

Opening Prayer: Karlyn Fowler

Presentation of Colors: Varsity Scouts

(Gavin's two counselors in the Teacher's Quroum Presidency, Braden Pittard and Easton Fielding, and his good friend, Matt Lemmon, posted the colors.)

Pledge of Allegiance: Enoch Fowler

(Enoch was so excited to have a part.  He did a wonderful job!)

Call to Eagle's Nest

Musical Number: The Star-Spangled Banner

(Spencer Fix, Gavin Fowler, Asa Nielsen)

 (Spencer and Asa are two of Gavin's great friends.  They were so wonderful to help us out.  All three did a wonderful job and sounded great.  It really added to the program. Scroll to end to hear their song.)

The Scout Oath: The Eagle's Nest

 

Thoughts on Scouting: Scott Randall

Thoughts on Gavin: Dee Fowler

Presentation of Eagle Scout Award: Tony Blackham

(Tony Blackham is the 2nd counselor in our Bishopric.  He has been a great supporter of Scouting in our ward.)

Changing of Neckerchief & Slide: Tresa Fowler

(I admit - I cried.  Such an important day for such an important young man.  I am so proud of Gavin and everything he is.)

The Eagle's Remarks: Gavin Fowler

Eagle Mentor Award: Gavin Fowler

(Gavin chose to give his mentor pin to his grandpa, Dee Fowler.  In his remarks, Gavin said that his Grandpa had always been there for him to help him and be the best example.  It was very special.)

 (Greg getting his Father's pin.)

Scoutmaster Minute: Kent Besaw

Retiring of Colors: Varsity Scouts

Closing Prayer: Gayle Randall

After the program ended, we ate our awesome refreshments and visited.   Grandpa Dee was great and brought his soft-serve ice cream maker and I provided dozens of toppings.  Everyone had a great time making their own ice cream sundaes and enjoying the company of friends and family.

 What a great day!  We are so proud of Gavin!  We love him so much!

Rank Advancements:

Scout – Sept 6, 2009

Tenderfoot – Nov 17, 2009

Second Class – Jan 12, 2010

First Class – May 19, 2010

Star – Nov 16, 2010

Life – Jul 19, 2011

Eagle – Mar 23, 2013

Merit Badges Earned:

Forestry

Environmental Science

Geology

American Heritage

Citizenship in the World

Personal Management

Chemistry

First Aid

Citizenship in the Nation

Weather

Fingerprinting

Family Life

Crime Prevention

Wilderness Survival*

Tracking

Law

Swimming

Traffic Safety

Pathfinding

Bicycling

Personal Fitness

Oceanography

Pulp and Paper

Emergency Preparedness

Basketry

Wood Carving

Pioneering

Communications

Scuba Diving*

Railroading

Engineering

Citizenship in the Community

Camping*

Dog Care

Pets

Leather work

Salesmanship

Energy

*Gavin's Favorite Merit Badges

Cruisin'

Guard is a walker!
He had been toying with the idea for a few months now, but he finally decided to become a full-time walker.  He has been stepping for months and running along furniture, but he can now stand up without holding on to something and take many steps in a row.  He is so happy and proud of himself. 
He still has that drunken, bow-legged strut, but he is fast - and so cute!

It's Fun the First Time

Aren't big brother great?!