Smart Off Road

David got an awesome internship opportunity this fall. We didn't even have to move our family out of town for the experience as he only has to drive 6 minutes into Rexburg! We really are blessed!

He works in research, development and testing for a company that builds mini buggies. Does this sound like anything he would have interest or experience in?

SMART OFF ROAD BUGGY... everyone wonders what they are. Well to make the long story short they finally got their "design, built from the ground up" prototype on the testing track just this past Friday. HOORAY!

Look at this bad boy!

It is a prototype so a bit rough around the edges and still needs some parts, but it is a go for testing and production.

They were hard up for models for their photo shoot, so... they settled for me! It was fun to see the things that David has been working on, like the front suspension. I can definately tell it is his work. He designed it and his boss keeps saying it is better than he could even imagine it to be. Yes, I have bragging rights!

Here's the little bopper in skeleton form. No engine yet, but hooray... a complete frame! On wheels even!

Another view of the buggy as they tested it Friday. We are taking a vote... who likes the fenders on this thing? Left side cover on top or Right side fender cover on the bottom?

For those who are technically curious....

Buggy tech information:

8" front suspension travel

8" rear suspension travel

Fox shocks all around

Now Subaru 7HP, 4000 RPM engine, soon Subaru 15HP, 7000 RPM engine (YIKES!)

Projected weight 300 pounds (and can fit in your front vest pocket! not bad!)

Drivers range from David's 5'7" and 155 lbs to Skyler's 6'3" and 210 lbs (They are pretty much Thing 1 and Thing 2!)

The Last Leaf?

We love watching the colors of the leaves change. The kids have really noticed them this fall and really enjoy playing in the piles in our yard, at the park and in the church parking lot. We keep thinking that it won't be long until the last leaf falls and the snow will be here. I'll be glad to enjoy the leaves getting tracked into the house forever if we can avoid the puddles the tracked snow makes as winter comes and never seems to leave!

Note: Zachary would be missing from the following pictures, because he is a big school kid and we were playing on a school day. Ironically enough, that day he brought home a backpack full of... leaves!

Joshua knows that if you want to play you have to first get the work done!

A pretty picture of Macey working on her leaf pile. We got a good laugh at the neighbor kids as they were working on their leaf piles too. Since they planted trees this year they don't have much for leaves in their yard, so they were hauling buckets of leaves from their cousins' house down the road! It was quite funny to see them all hauling bucket after bucket of leaves to their yard to build their leaf fort. I think it was probably their mother's devious plan to get them to expend some energy for the day. I'll bet they all slept very, very well!

Nathan loves to be outside. He loves to explore and be involved in whatever the big kids are doing. As one can see here, he was very curious about the leaf piles.

Our silly kids! They make me smile!