Gooseberry Falls

The boys went up to Gooseberry falls last friday morning. We had a nice group heading up and they had a really good time. I will post the pictures from there tomorrow. It is late and my timer is going off soon to be done cannign for the night.

Troop 111 court of honor

The boys put a skit on for us parents. The boys laughed and laughed. I did not understand it. Either did the other parents around me. But we clapped anyway. And those boys loved putting it on for us.

we had a really good turn out for the court of honor last Tuesday.

Stephen got 4 merit badges and the Tenderfoot rank

The Elk River Dog

Yea he was a catcher. Notice it was not raining that day. it has been raining here since Tuesday night. I am done I tell you! Done!

making salsa

I started with all my bell peppers I grew in the garden. And I added hot peppers also from the garden.

Tomatoes from the garden, and look what you get! Oh I love salsa! And I even added salt. Larry will be happy. But I am bummed out as I thought the yellow and purple peppers would keep their color and it would give my salsa a neat coloring. Nope they all cook to green.

My helper all afternoon. As it has been an all day affair here. I forgot to take Stephen to his volenteer work tonight. I swear my mind is gone. But with a helper like Mini you know the salsa is good!

for Nancy

I know you wonder

I have not been posting. Not that life is not busy because it is here as always.

We are getting ready to send *gasp* 3 children off to school this fall. Mini and I will be home together each day. Well 2 and 3 days a week. I am sqeezing in all the time with the kids we can. Stephen and Dennis are off at boy scout camp this weekend. Samantha is headed to a friends cabin.

The 2 little ones and I will be alone. The A/C is broke so I can see a lot of sprinklers in our future. I do not have much fro plans this weekend. I finished my sewing project this morning.

I sent my camera with Dennis to camp. With a low battery oops! I have the spare sitting here. So I will have to take shots with the big camera. I looked at it today and it has 16 photos on there, from December. Yea we do not take many with that one as it is not on me.

I am getting Samantha ready for camp as she goes next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
And then Stephen and Dennis work for a boy scout brat stand next weekend.

We are planning a trip Labor day to see Lisa my sister. And on Labor day I plan to walk the bridge with her. Yea it is like 5 miles accross the Mackinac bridge. And I will be pushing a stroller as I know the little ones will not make it. But Lisa has always wanted to do it so on our way home we are going to walk the bridge.

So really that is the most of it. When Dennis gets home I can download my pictures from this week. And I will update on all the happenings we did. Until then you will get my ramblings.

Girl Scouts go to work out

We had the girl scouts to the YMCA for a Zumba work out. Funny is what I am sure we looked like. There were 6 girls and 2 leaders. Yes me being one of them. We worked out for an hour then went swimming. The girls had a good time and we got to get them together here during the summer. It was the first time Samantha and I had been to the YMCA here in town since it opened. It is a nice place. I can just imagine what the poor instructor thought when we all walked in. But she has way more energy then me that is for sure!

My other firemen

Of course after Stephen Samantha needed to try it.

And then Matthew.

Which was just funny!

As he had a hard time walking in just the pants and boots

But God he is cute!

National Night Out

Mini loved driving the truck

All the kids and the 2 firemen.

Matthew got to climb in and play too. He wanted to check out the oxygen tanks.

I told you she liked driving. She hung out in there a long time.

See what I mean?! Like 4 other kids came and went and there she sat. Good thing those guys were not in too big a hurry!

Stephen as a fireman

You know for a kid I never seem to get pictures of he is in a lot of them right now. And I love that! Anyway Tues last week was National Night Out. The fireman came and figured Stephen would like to try on their uniform since he was only a few inches shorter then one of them.

They squeezed his feet into the boots. As the guy only wore an 11. He was just laughing that a 12 year old had bigger feet them him. Got him all suited up and had him run a lap around the truck.

He is growing up way to fat for his mother. I wish I could just hold time still for awhile. In a few weeks he starts middle school! Where has the time gone?!

bowling

Look at that form there on my son! Oh Matthew loves to bowl!

We went with some friends and the kids love to bowl with them.

And compete. Yes they see who gets the highest score. It is fierce I tell you! Of course I make my kids bowl with no bumpers. LOL handicap them is what I say. Matthew has bumpers yet. But he is getting better all the time.

more tomorrow

I am done for tonight. I am tired and it will not load pictures for some reason. So I am headed to bed. I have to be up early.

Headed home to Minnesota

Stephen and I left right after his Space Exploration class. It was 11:30am and I loaded the car while he was in class. And we were out of there!

He went right to sleep. And I knew I would not be stopping for lunch till he woke up. He slept 2 hours so we made it into Iowa before stopping for lunch.

Traffic was moving and we made good time.

Loved this building. Aren't you glad I can drive and take pictures?

The windmills in Iowa were just a moving.

But this was a sight for sore eyes. To make it back to our state.

Dennis visited with us and talked to Stephen on the way home. Stephen was so excited to tell him about our weekend.

Stephen also got good at self pictures. He was having a grand time taking pictures.

Yes I was that trilled to be driving 600 miles after only being there 36 hours.

It got to a long day in the car. I think Stephen was bored of me. And the fact that I had only brought 3 cd's to listen to. We got home a little later then planned as 494 and 35 we closed for construction so I had to go around to get home. But we got home in time for a run with Dennis.

Sat pm in Nebraska

In the afternoon we loaded a bus and went to city hall. Steve the instructor talked about how it is run there. The kids got to do a mock meeting.

AND play the players. And vote. Our boys did it opposite of the real meeting in case you care.

Stephen was the treasurer. He loved having the money!

I loved the brick work they had in there. I have a video of Stephen's speech but it must be too big as I can not get it to load on here. So no power point talk from him. Unless someone can help me.

Sat am in Nebraska

In the morning we ate breakfast and got ready to load the buses to our classes.

Stephen's first class of the day was his drafting merit badge. We got to see how they us the design software. And make changes to home plans. Stephen was so tired he fell asleep once. I had to nudge him back to the living.

But he did good and I think he liked it.

But he was a tired boy all of Saturday.

So was I! Well tired girl I should say. And we still had one more class to go! YIKES!! Help me!