Goodbye Summer

Fireworks!

As you know, we were in Montana for the 4th of July this year. Mostly to be in the parade with Hodgson, but that's another post. For such a little town, Lima has an amazing fireworks display! Dillon (the nearest town of any size) doesn't have a show at all. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I don't think they have a parade either. So Lima is the place to be for Independence Day.

I must admit, fireworks displays are one of my favorite things. I oooh and aaah over every explosion and at the end I applaud like mad.

It's a very good thing that I love the show so much because I married a man who likes to be the one putting on the show. I can't let him go to the fireworks stands alone because he will spend an embarrasing amount of money.

But who cares? It is so much fun to act like a kid every once in a while and the 4th is a great time to let loose!

And what kid doesn't love to stay up way past their bedtime?

There was a very happy suprise nearly at the very end of the night. Daddy showed up! We didn't expect him for another hour or so, but suddenly there he was! It was just the best end to a really great day!

Montana in June...

...is just about perfect. Everything was so green and beautiful and the weather was just wonderful. Add to that staying with Grandma and Hodgson and you are almost in heaven!

One of the first places we visited was Spencer, Idaho which is just 30 minutes or so south of Lima. Spencer is the "Opal Capital of America". It was pretty interesting to learn about the mines and the different types of opals. We didn't spend too much time there, it is even smaller than Lima and you can only tour so many makeshift jewlery stores with little kids before they mutiny.

Speaking of mutiny, this funny ship was one of the first things we saw when we pulled in to Spencer. We spent some time looking for all the strange things on this ship like a chicken, a small bar-b-que and a rubber shark hanging way up high from the rigging. As much time as we spent looking, we never could come up with an explanation for why it was there at all.

Kent and Davis had a fun time camping. They took Kaden along with them and Davis and he explored and had a fantastic time while Kent was able to sit and read for hours (one of his favorite things). Kent also took Davis riding twice and when they came back he took Sarah and Dayton for short rides too.

While Kent and Davis were camping, Sue and I took the little kids to Rexburg. That was a fun trip. There was the coolest craft store there that I fell in love with. We also drove up the hill to see the temple. It appears to be nearing completion and it is so beautiful! It looks to be modeled after the Nauvoo (sp?) temple which I really liked. I like old fashioned looking buildings. I prefer the older LDS church houses to the new ones they build now. I can't wait to go back to Rexburg when it is all done. I want to see the grounds for sure and maybe go in to do a session too.

Post-Water Play

After we get good and soaked and good and hot, we come in the cool house and watch a movie. Ahhh...summer!

Last Day of School

I love summer vacation so much. Especially since I became a mom. I always have such high hopes for these three months. I want to plan long weekends away from home. Campouts in the backyard. Lots of outings to parks and pools. The summer just seems so full of possibilities, three whole months to fill with adventure!

Alas, what usually happens? Not much. I don't like extremes in the weather so when the temperature climbs above about 75 all I want to do is stay inside in the air conditioning. My poor bored children.


This summer will probably turn out the same way as all those before it. Especially with Maggie, I don't really expect to get out too much. There are a few things I think I can guarantee my kids. Lots of campouts in the backyard, lots of running through sprinklers, swimming at Aunt Maggie's house if she'll have us and one or two trips to Montana. Really, that's not too bad at all.

I Love Fish!

Oh joy. Oh I gotta get this thing in my mouth. Oh why don't I have better motor skills yet?

Oh yum!

By the way, look what my mommy made. Isn't it cute?

Lost Wallet...Again!

What is my problem with losing my wallet? I lost it again today and didn't even know about it until the bank called me! I guess this morning when Chance and I were packing the kids and all their "equipment" into the van, he put my wallet on top the car and then left it there. Oops! So later my neighbor down the street found it out in front of his house. I baked him some brownies as a reward for his good deed.

So now I have to cancel my Visa card again. I don't actually think anyone has it but the wallet had been run over several times and some of the cards fell out and I couldn't find that one. I get tired and annoyed just thinking about all this. I know it's just life but what a pain in the butt.

Chance is going to Montana on Wednesday after work to go fishing for the day on Thursday and then home really early Friday morning. I am going to miss him and worry about him the whole time but it is good that he's going. He never does anything for himself. I hope he has a great time. I'm thinking about sending the camera with him so that I will be able to post more Montana photos.

Speaking of photos, I am thinking about starting a Flickr account. I wonder though if I take enough photos to really make it worthwhile. I really need to take more pics anyway. That is a longstanding goal of mine. I keep thinking that if I had a nicer camera I would use it more, but I always have an excuse for everything. Still, I do want Maggie's camera real bad. (Hint, hint Maggie. Hurry up and buy a new one!)

Saturday is Haircut Day OR I Totally Rock

So on a total whim I decided to cut Dayton's and Sarah's hair today. They have been needing it for quite a while now and with it being so crazy hot, I just couldn't stand it any longer. However, I didn't feel like dressing everyone up, getting us all in the car and then wrangling two while one got their haircut and on and on and then paying for it. Soooooo, I got out some scissors and a squirt bottle and made a great big mess. But I ended up with some good lookin' kids!

"Boy Sprout"

Davis officially became a Boy Scout last night during the crossover ceremony at the Pack Meeting. Chance and I are so proud we're about to pop. But even better than the crossover ceremony last night was Davis earning his Arrow of Light award. This is the highest award a Cub Scout can earn and the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Scout uniform. Way to go Davis!

Crazy Life

What a crazy life we lead around here. And it's not that there is anything particularly crazy going on, it's just crazy with four kids running around (and screaming) all the time. Boy do we have fun though.

Don't ever buy cupcakes with blue frosting! What a mess! The good news is it washed out of everything. I was really suprised. It was all over clothes and counters and towels and I thought I was going to have to re-decorate the house around electric blue. Whew, that was close.

So last month was the boys' birthdays. Davis is 11 (holy crap!) and Dayton is 3. We had a lot of fun all month long. We had the Lindley party on Easter which is always just the coolest. Then we went for milkshakes and sundaes on the actual birthdays. Then the Hodgson party the week after the birthdays. Man in our family we can really get a lot out of a special occasion.

Speaking of special occasions, tomorrow is Mother's Day and it is our month for First Sunday. Today I am cleaning house and planting some flowers and doing a bit of last minute grocery shopping. Tomorrow I won't have to do too much and Chance is making his special fried chicken at the request of my mom. Yum!

Maggie is still not sleeping through the night. Funny that I think she could/should at only 4 months. I am so tired all the time. I think that's the hardest part for me as a mom; when the baby is not yet sleeping through the night. Thank goodness it only lasts for a little while.

Hello Again

It has been a really long time since my last post. I have really fallen out of the habit...need to fix that! Here are some cute photos that I've taken the past couple of weeks.