First Job!

I promised Bryce I would not post his picture on Facebook- but I said nothing about my blog! Hee Hee. So he got his first job at McDonald's! He has these grand illusions that he will be making $400 a week- I am so glad the real world is going to slap him in the face soon. It is hard to grow up! Proud of him for getting a job- I am still not letting him get his license until his grades are better- and it is a very sore spot with him- but that is my job to teach him responsibility! I really hope he enjoys his job- as much as one can enjoy a job at McDonald's.

I am bored

I have been wanting to replace the tub for awhile now- in fact I think I bought the new tub in January and nothing has gotten done- so I just started tearing it up- so now it has to get done. However, it is a bigger project then the "how to" sheets at Home Depot- the plumbing needs to be welded and the boys are super tall so the shower head thingy needs to be moved up- so I had to call in the professionals. The old tub was cast iron- so I am glad someone else had to lift it out! I did the demolishing part of it!

So now that this project is almost done- I also think I am going to tear apart my master bath because I have always hated it- Jen just shakes her head at me- but what else am I supposed to do to keep myself from being bored?

Camping

We had a great time at the lake over the weekend- we left Thursday and then the boys came to meet us Friday night after camp so they could play too. Bryce, of course wanted to go home so he could see his girlfriend- ug!

I am so sad that there are only a few weekends left before school starts. Why does summer go so fast and winter is so slow? We are going to camp again in August and then for Labor Day but that is it- so sad.

We had such a good time on the boat and jet ski- the Twins were standing on the tube taunting the boat driver to knock them off- it was pretty funny. Taya even flipped- she was with an adult and another child- and they were fine- but her brothers were in the water so fast to make sure she was ok- it was pretty cute.



Trey puts on some sunscreen


Dylan before he drank pickle juice- yuck!

My honey chillin

Taya and some friends on the tube

Taya and Douglas rubbing dirst on the whale

Going to camp

Every year from Kindergarten on- we send the kids to camp- first they go for 2 says and work up to a week. This year Trey, Toby, and Dylan all went during the same week- usually I have to make 3-4 trips to camp for drop off and pick up- it is about a 4 hour drive each way.

Bryce wanted to go with me to drop his brothers off- and while we were there he decided he wanted to stay. I am really glad he stayed- but that meant I had to drive down the Mt. for 2 hours- go buy him clothes for camp, and then take them back up to him. I did it-and I know he will have fun.

I sure miss them all though. Bryce is in a pre-counselor camp and will get to go water rafting. the other boys will do ropes courses. I remember going to camp as a kid and how much I loved it!


Dylan rock climbing


Sky Ranch is their camp

Toby hiking- doesn't he look happy?

Bryce and Trey at camp

Root Beer, along for the ride

Almost wordless Wednesday

Tay and I went to the zoo yesterday and this beautiful peacock was showing off. I am amazed at how stupid people are- trying to chase them and step on their feathers- I loved it when the peacock charged at a guy- he was so funny! You should have seen the guy run! Serves him right.

We have a new family member....

Jesse has joined our family- Tay just realized that she looks like her- so we had to buy her. She has played with her for 2 days- she never plays with toys that long- so that makes me happy to see her so happy.

We went to the zoo today- it was pretty fun just Tay and I- the boys are all at camp this week.

I still have not cleaned my closet- I need to because I am having a yard sale next weekend.

We took Tay to see Toy Story in 3D- it was her first 3D movie. My brother did not take his son to see it because he heard it was too stressful on children- anyone else feel that way?

I made strawberry crepes for dinner- they were so good! That is about it from us- busy summer.

Help! I need serious intervention

I hate to throw things away- and I am a stuffer- when I clean house I throw everything in my closet- so it looks like this...

Mind you this closet is 14 feet long- so that is a lot of stuffing- but I cleaned it the other day and now it looks like this:

However- I really did not throw anything away- I just moved it all to the shop for a future yard sale! I have been collecting stuff for 4 years for a yard sale!

Most people have only 1 closet- often having to share it with a spouse- I also have another closet that looks like this:

Oh my I am going to clean this one next!

However- if I need an intervention- then so does Jen- because her closet looks like this:

Lord help us- we are collectors!

because we do not have enough animals....

We went to get Taya a new kitten and she likes one and I liked the other- so we brought both home.

This is Napkin- he was found in a dumpster

This is Easy Mac- she was born in the shelter

This is Napkin's hair on the fly strip- Taya put him on the counter so he could get a fly and he got stuck to it- it was very sad or else I would have gotten a picture- so this is the best I can do!

Wordless Wednesday!

4th of July Parade

We had a quiet 4th of July- went to the parade at noon- which I appreciate so I could sleep in a little. Then a BBQ and had lots of fireworks- it was my first 4th that Jen had to work on- I do not like doing things without her- but I guess I have to get used to it.



Bryce with his fireman hat


This is what they have the volunteer firefighters do as new recruits!

Trey and his cousin Brenan get soaked!

Our nephew Ashton- but Jen nicknamed him Turtle and that is what everyone calls him

Taya with her firefighter hat on

1800 mile road trip with family!

Madison and Bryce ride the train


Dylan, Madison, Trey, Megan, and Toby go for a ride

Toby became a miner

The group at Mt. Rushmore, SD

Group shot before saying goodbye

We went a an Amazing Race style quick 1800 mile road trip in a week with 13 people. It was fun. I got to hang out with my brother, his wife, her brother, and their two kids. Sometimes the campfire stories and childhood memories were a bit much for me- there is a reason to leave those memories in your past!

We went to Colorado Springs, Durango, Mt. Rushmore, Mesa Verde, Silverton, Crazy Horse, Bear Country and enjoyed it all. I went water rafting for the first time!

I love summer- but now it is back to reality- Jen is working for 12 days straight and I need to work on this house that I have neglected.

Accents at our house

My brother came to go on a road trip with us and rented the biggest motor home I have ever seen. Things were going well and in the middle we came home for a night.

We stopped for gas and I went to get into theirs so I could direct them to our house- not sure what I was doing but I was looking down and I walked right into their HUGE side mirror- hit it so hard I knocked myself out for a few seconds. One minute I was walking, the next minute I was on the ground and 5 people were standing around me. I got some road rash on my leg- a goose egg on my head and the worst headaches from it- but more then anything I felt so stupid!

Then we went home and had a BBQ with Jen's parents and some friends. Taya wanted to show her cousin's her miniature horse- so they went out to the pasture- next thing I know Taya is on the ground and bleeding. I guess they put her on the horse bareback without even a halter on and the horse took off and Taya ran into a barb wire fence. Lesson learned for the kids to always halter a horse!

So Tay had a huge hole in her armpit and off to the ER we went- felt bad for our guests- but we had to go. She got 5 stitches, lots of road rash, and another hole got sterie strips because there was not enough skin to close it. My poor daughter. The Dr. said it was his youngest horse riding accident.



Nothing is worse then your child screaming in pain!

The following day my niece went to the ER with Strep- so three visits ought to do it! Glad we came home for a night to support our local hospital!