Ok who did this? What is this?

Ok I go to clean out my cooler that was open for all this rain we have been getting. I had 5 bottles of beer in there and a can of soda. And when I went to move a bottle of beer I saw this! OMG what is this?!That is what I yelled!

Look at it! It is the size of a mick golden label! Oh the yickyness of it. The kids loved it and checked it out for awhile. Meanwhile I weft the area. As I was grossed out. Ok that was putting it nicely! And then when they were done checking it out. I took care of the yucky thing in my cooler. Now it needs to be washed out with hot soapy water. Perferablly with bleach added. I am washing off my bottles good and proper too. As I am not drinking beer that has been touched by this thing! Yes I am that grossed out by some things.

What to do on a rainy day

When it looks like this outside what do you do with 3 kids who are home with you?

Well in our case you go bowling!

Why do people turn away? Really it is not worth your energy! I just take more!

The kids had a good time and we stayed dry and best of all Mini went to sleep on the way home and took a good nap once we got there! All that weight lifting she does while out bowling.

Todays plan

Today now I am working once more with Stephen on some things for his merit badge weekend coming up. I am almost done with my first mock up that will be delivered this morning. And some more pictures need to be taken for another merit badge thing for Stephen.

And I hope to take time to just sit with my kids. Mini is having a hard time with me being gone for 4 days. So I plan on sitting and watching kid shows for a bit today. Last night we watch TV in my bed and hung out. She loved it and you know so did I. Just laying there not having a plan. I should have been down here doing these mock ups. But today is another day and they will be done. And Mini loved getting some time with Mom. That made my night.

So today will be more of the same. I may take Dennis out to run with me. I may just take him to lunch. I love that for one day the day is not planned. My calander is free. It has been a long time since a day was all mine and the kids. And as a bonus we have Dennis home with us.

The boy Scout leaders take a time out

These boys put in a lot of work with me this weekend. Jerry (remember the cow suit) is in the middle. Tom on right and Marty on the left. On Saturday night we walked to the beer garden and listened to the Killer Hayseeds after my shift. Between the fair booth, Dennis, kids and working on merit badges in between I wanted to sit. No one to need me for a bit.

I called Dennis he was good. Kids were sleeping and I hung out with all the boy scout leaders. And soon the women came out too. As the night settled we laughed a lot! And in the end my neighbors were there too and so I did not have to walk home late at night alone they walked with me. But we had so much fun. But a word of advice. If you plan to drink some beer with a bunch of people. Eat first. Like more then a McDonalds hamburger on the fly at 11am. Because at midnight it makes no difference what you ate at noon.

Our fearless leader

In this wonderful cow is one of our adult leaders. He came by later to see us. But we had a snap shot of him that will live on forever. On our boys website. I am sure he loves us right now. And when it goes up on the google site I know he will love us more! Jerry you were a great cow! Don't let anyone tell you different!

Working the county fair

Stephen and I worked 4 days at the county fair. He got up at 4:30am to come work it. He worked 16 hours in 4 days. And then he went and did 4 hours of volenteer time too at the church. Not once did he complain. And not once did he not do a task asked of him at the booth. he washed tables. He did dishes. He counted back money to people. He had fun with friends.

The booth did really good with a few bumps while we figured things out. But the people love the food and it sells itself. You have to love that! I am so glad the fair is done!

Dennis and his surgery

Dennis had his hernia surgery on Thursday at noon. Stephen and I had worked the county fair booth from 5am to 9am. I came home and got Dennis and left shortly after. We had to be there by 11am. It just so happened we got a friend for his preop. Always good.

We got home out of there around 2pm. And I went and got him some drugs to take. They put a patch on his ear to make sure he did not get sick. they gave him the same patch as you Dad so you did not get sick on the salmon boat.

Anyway, the first day he slept almost the whole evening and night. He felt better. Stopped taking his meds. So Friday was a bit hard on him trying to get back in the game. And ahead of the pain. Stephen and I had to work the fair booth. Dennis learned a very big lesson here. When the doctor says tak eit this long and then see. Take it a few days then see how you feel. He slept a lot Friday too. And the weekend each day was better for him.

He was supposed to go back to work today but well he decided to take one more day to lay low. And I am glad he did. He looks better but he seems to still be moving really slow and an hour in the car driving to and from work is not the best plan for today I am sure. Anyway I expect him to be back at work in the morning. And he is feeling better and his belly button is now all flat. No more bump sticking out of it. The doctor said it went great and if he flollows rules he should not need to come see him again except for his 2 week post op.

Now the kids with all this have spent a great deal of time laying next to Dennis. For them this is been a good thing. More time with Dad and he is in bed most of the time watching a show or sleeping so might as well crawl up there and hang with him!

Setting up for the county fair

The boys worked together and set up the tent.

They moved picnic tables under and then got up the tarp. All this the people eating our food would dry if it rained. Shaded if it was hot and in nothing else a place to sit after walking. We were a bit nervous setting it up as we were in tornado watches while we set it up. But it was 2 days before the fair opened. And the next morning we knew we would have people in to eat our food. The workers setting up would come and we had to be ready.

catch up

Ok so the county fair is done. I can stay home most of the day today. Dennis is doing much better. And so I can play catch up. I have 2 mock ups I am working on today for a racing team. And then I will deliver those. So I can get this blog all caught up in the time my machine goes.

So watch for the posts they are coming!

Dennis

He is sleeping again now. he is in more pain today. he skipped a pain pill. Never a good plan. I think we got him back to feeling ok. I have to run Samantha to the eye doctor here. Stephen will keep an eye on Dennis. I told him to keep his butt down. We will see if he listens or not.

He slept almost all of yesterday afternoon. Then was up for a bit last night and then slept again. So he thought he felt good till he missed that pill. But I admit whenhe is in pain he is much easier to keep down on his butt. Anyway he is good. I am off to run to the eye doctor.

we are back home

Dennis is home and sleeping. he is doing good. Will update later

Busy Busy here

We are busy here. This week is all about boy scouts. Stephen had his meeting last night. We also set up for the fair that started today. Tonight he started his cycling merit badge with a 6 mile bike ride.

Tomorrow Stephen and I have to be up by 4:30am to go to the fair to work. Then I am taking Dennis to surgery. They will fix his belly button right up they say.

Then I will be taking Samantha to the eye doctor Friday morning and then off to the fair again for another 4 hour shift with Stephen.

Sat is more of the same. Stephen works a 4 hour shift in the afternoon. I work one in the evening.

Sunday we work again and then Stephen is working for 4 hours at VBS. He will be setting everything up. So monday will be a day of sleep here. Dennis will be alloowed back to work. Stephen and I I think will just pass out and get some sleep!

Then it will be time to hit the books again to get ready for our little trip down to camp. He still has 5 things to do for camp. ANd he has to get his bag already again. So it will take us the 2 1/2 weeks to be ready I am sure. The drafting merit bagde may kill me yet. I will let you know how it goes.

He is all ready for the space exploration badge. We have done most of the work for citizenship in the community. He just needs to sit and do the writing. Tomorrow I am hoping he gets at least one of the things out of the way. So we can be down to 4 things. We will see.

ANyway say a prayer for Dennis and I will update when we get back. I do not expect to get home with Dennis before 3pm. Good night!

boys will be boys?

Mini put her hat on Stephen. He let her then he let me take a picture. I love that he is ok with laughing at himself. I love that he lets his little sister make him look funny. I love that he lays so nice with her. I really love this goof ball!

twitch was not in the mood for a picture.

I got him anyway. He hung out on my lap while we watched a fire with friends.

And a fire we had. And it got to sit up by it till late and just sit and relax. it was nice having a night to not run. Dennis had to work late so he did not get to join in. But other then that I could not have asked for a nicer night.

The boys crashed out on the floor. There was nothing left in them. I had to work hard to get Stephen to wake enough to head upstairs. I can not just pick him up and tuck him in anymore.

The girls had made their own way up earlier. And I followed these boys up and tucked myself into bed. Dennis was still not home. But he got in and we got to hang out Sat and Sunday together.

Getting ready for camp

Stephen is headed to camp in a few weeks. He has some homework to get done ahead of time for some merit badges. He had to draw a space station he designed on the moon or mars. He of course drew it for mars.

He did label it and he has a page of writing to go with it. I am telling you boy scouts is keeping us busy. Stephen and I will be working the county fair here later this week. Then next week he has a few days he is vollenteering for VBS to help with his Citizenship in the community badge. So we will not be slowing down with boy scouts anytime soon.

Someone asked when my next weekend off was. It is Aug 22nd! Yes this is the next weekend that I have nothing on the calander! And 4 of those weekends are something for boy scouts and the weekend after that is boy scouts too! And in there we have a week for girl scout camp.

No owrries we will not be bored this summer!

playing at the park

We met up with the Crosby's for some fun at the park last Thur. We had a picnic lunch and some fun running and playing. A quick game of kick ball and then it was time to come home and put some children to bed for a nap! I wish I had been one of the children but I was not.

But they were tired. Mini of course tried to get out of the car side ways before we left the park. Fell out of said car in her carseat. Face planted onto the tar. She wanted to come see me. And since I had not buckled her in yet she thought why not. Now why she chose to get out by leaning I will never know. But she got some scrapped up knees, a bloody lip and all was well in a minute. Her mothers heart took a few to settle down but she was happy as soon as I held her.

Anyway we got home and we took naps and we hung out at home the rest of the day.

swimming

We went to Tia and Kents for supper on Wednesday night. The kids got to swim.

And swim they did for over an hour.

Stephen is under there. Do not ask why. I never figured it out.

But he built this structure to play under and swim with and he had a good time playing under it too. Tia was like here is a boy scout doing his thing. Because he focused on it for a long time getting it just right and then playing.

A hoody

Mini found a dress in her closet. It has a hood. Of course she is all into wearing it! God she is beautiful when she is not whining!

Off to bowl

We went with Rachel and her girls to bowl on Tuesday. The kids had a good time and we just had the big kids in one lane and the small kids in the other.

home coming

When we got home on Sunday afternoon, we saw this.

A letter taped to our door outside in the back.

And 2 beautiful lilac bushes

Not simple purple ones but a red one

and a purple lined in white. Dennis and i are so blessed to have neighbors that really like us. Why sometimes I have to wonder. Could be I feed them. But they knew my bushes I planted are taking forever to give me flowers. They knew 2 died the other winter. I have 5 left but they are still years away from flowering. These 2 plants will go in the ground this weekend. And next spring I will have flowers. Oh how I love lilacs. The scent, it wraps around you. I can not wait till Spring!

And then it was time to leave

It was time to leave. The driveway is a mile long. And though no one is tired and no one wants to leave this is what a mile does to a body.

Well not this body you know someone had to drive!

And this is what 10 miles does to a body. Yea it was quiet till we hit stop and go and a cabin fire down in garrison.

gardening cabin style

Dad has a garden at the cabin. It has corn that is knee high, that is if you stand on the right side of it. He carries the water to water it. the deer love his garden. He has tomatoes, well there is one that he says is a tomatoe. I am not so sure, it is strange shaped and I think it is a cross for a tomatoe and a potatoe. He has some of those to. Bumper crops I tell you! Of course he has to go up to harvet come fall and he has to go up to water in between. I should have thought of that!

We had beautiful weather at the cabin. We got no rain and it was sunny and nice with a breeze everyday. You could not have asked for a better weekend to spend at the cabin, swimming, fishing, and sitting by a fire.

Hanging out by the fire

I am a serious girl don't you know. I have to keep my fire hot dog ready.

Of course I am supposed to have the camera and nopt a happy clicking husband too. Notice I was trying to feed my children by roasting a hot dog. I got distracted by that man of mine clicking away with that camera of mine!

Laura hung out at the fire with me a lot too. We took our fire build seriously. That brush held no hope with us around.

Mom sat there too. She made it fishing once. Joe took her out to little Bow and they fished one afternoon. They did not get anything. But the fire it drew us all. It had 3 or 4 people all the time sitting there. A couple pair of gloves to throw on the wood. Or you could do it without but then you had black hands from the pitch. I am telling you I can not wait till the next time I get to go up there.

Mini and the puppies

Gizmo and Twitch are Mother son. Gizmo is much better with kids. She is 2 1/2 years old. Twitch is not that into Mini. Except is she is giving love to another puppy not being him.

But when she would reach for him he would back off.

But get right back in there to make sure she did not give her love away. Reminds me so very much of a cat!