real week

I've been feeling prompted that I need to start blogging again.  Not sure why yet, but I'm willing to try it :-)

This week has been the normal busy.  Monday Jane had a new friend to play.  Adelaide's mom said she had never been on a playdate before!  Now I know why I was prompted to invite her! The little girl was so excited she even packed a huge backpack full of things.  They had a great time.  I got to make dinner for a sister that had a baby and oooo and aw over the cute little bundle.  I think new babies are one of my favorite things.

Wednesday I got to speak to the YW for a dating activity.  It was fun to see them all again and dress up and get out of doing dishes ; ) Actually I still had to do them cause Braydan was busy helping with homework, piano and packing to leave at 4 am for his 11 day trip.  Kaleb didn't have scouts that day (because of pack meeting Thursday) so he did something I was very proud of: finally was brave enough to go to the neighbor boys and invite them over.  For some reason, he's always been too scared or shy to go over there.  To my surprise and joy, i looked out the window to see him playing kickball with the boys with red cheeks and happy smiles.  Yay for friends.  Which reminds me of something funny he said last night.  We were watching Lion King for our movie night and the girls started crying when Mufassa died.  Kaleb looked at us like we were so weird, but I warned him that he should just get used to it because girls cry and his wife would probably cry too.  He declared he was never getting married.  He said, "I'm going to live in the jungle with Brock and Mac." (his two amigos)

Thursday was the blue and gold thing and they did a carnival.  So glad we went!  The kids had a blast.  They had a cake walk (which was first on Jane's priority list....I walked around the circle with her until I was getting dizzy, but thankfully she finally won a cupcake), had a dressup booth,

face paint,

fishing game, ring tosses, and other little games.I love seeing Kaleb so happy with his friends.  The cubs were supposed to be in charge of the booths, but I loved how they kinda forgot about that and all ended up at the nerf shooting booth.

Friday night we had a few weird things happen.  I was about to call the kids in to start chores when Kaleb ran in yelling that a stray dog was killing our chickens. I told him to grab his bb gun and I ran outside.  The chickens were squawking like crazy and feathers were everywhere.  I yelled at the dog and he surprisingly stopped and obeyed when I said to sit.  Kaleb grabbed a rope and i lead him to our car.  I drove around the neighborhood and asked a few people, but I already knew he wasn't from around our place.  Since I walk every day, I feel like I know all the dogs in the area.  Finally brought him back home and put him in the shop with some food and water.  He was shaking all over and felt bad for him..  He let the kids pet him all over and was used to people.  I called the animal control, but they were closed so I decided to wait until morning.

Finally got the kids all in around 7 and scrambled to start dinner.  The kids were all helping and I asked Eliza to get the corn in a saucepan and heat it up.  She put it in a metal saucepan, but then she stuck it in the microwave.  Finally realized it when I heard weird noises and stopped it, but I was so dumb and grabbed the pan.  Instantly, I knew I made a big mistake!  I've been burned lots, but nothing like this.  The rest of the night I had to keep it submerged in a bowl of water or the pain was unbearable.   I tried sleeping on my tummy with my arm draped off the bed into a bucket, but that didn't last long. Ended up in a chair with a bucket in my lap.  Miraculously, in the morning the pain was gone (as long as I didn't touch it) and I could go on like normal.  Sheesh.  I am dumb sometimes .....lots of times.

Saturday after chores, we went to the library and playground and to icecream.  Kinda melted my heart when I came around the corner to the children's area (in the library) and saw Jane on the rug reading a book, Liza and Kaleb at the table deep into reading their books.  Kaleb wanted books on pottery and racoon trapping.  Jane and Eliza got Eric Carle books (with my prodding).  Eliza can read harder books, but I love Eric's art work and how he writes and illustrates his own stories.

This morning was rough without Braydan's help.  Didn't have time to straighten Liza's hair or fix Jane's dress, or eat breakfast myself, but we made it on time.  Loa (the choir director) asked me to play last minute and said I could sightread the music easy.  It was hard!  Liza turned pages for me and I tried not to be mad the whole time that people throw music at me and except me to play it without looking at it before.  I guess I should be flattered, but not when it's in front of everyone.

This afternoon was beautiful and it makes me so happy to see the kids running outside again barefoot.  The girls jumping, Kaleb practicing archery, me playing fetch with Daisey, swinging, and playing 4-square with Kaleb (he's getting too good) I came inside to do some things and it was quiet for a long time.  Finally went out and discovered the kids started a fire in the forest. They looked up like no big deal and asked if they could have some marshmallows to roast.  AGH

We are missing Braydan but glad he's having a fun time.  Can't wait for Lisha to get here!

pigs

Yesterday we got 2 baby pigs.  I don't know if we've read Charlotte's web a few too many times or what, but the kids have been begging for a little Wilber.  These "babies" were not as little as they imagined!  I think Eliza imagined feeding them bottles and pushing them in her stroller. Their size didn't bother Kaleb though.  He spent all day with them, digging a pond for them, laying in the grass watching them - I don't know who was more excited: Daisey or Kaleb. ;-)  We needed to figure out how much to feed them and didn't think we could get them on a scale very easy, so Braydan solved that problem and weighed himself and then picked up a very disgruntled pig and figured out they weigh 44 lbs.

Jane had to plug her ears because of the loud squealing!

We also have bees!

We did have them way out in the field because we thought they'd be scary, but they aren't.  We can walk right up to them and around them and they don't mind.  Our turkeys are getting big!  They are so funny.  They adopted this poor orphan rooster (behind them).

The rooster's siblings got eaten by Daisey and other predators, so one day I found him moping in the dark chicken coop.  The next day he was still hunched down in the corner, not even getting up to eat or drink.  The next day, same thing.  I finally had the idea to put him in with the turkeys and bingo.  He has flourished!  He won't leave the turkeys' side.  They make an odd looking trio, but they are happy.

 Here is part of the pen Braydan built.  It still needs some work, but it does the job for the pigs and turkeys :-)

 It makes my heart so happy to see the kids running around in weird outfits, mud boots, and playing with the animals and exploring in the trees.

kitty love

The kitty idea has been the best thing ever (thank you cousin Ashley!)  

Both girls wake up looking for kitty and go to bed wanting kitty to sleep with them.

  

They can't get enough of her.  She still hasn't learned how to hide from Jane, so I don't rescue her unless her meows became tortured-sounding.  

She potty trained herself in one day and is the easiest pet ever.

   

Jane follows her around and picks her up whenever possible.  I think the novelty is wearing off for kitty :-)

birthday babe

Happy, happy birthday baby Jane!  I can't believe this girly is one.  The kids were so excited for her. They blew up pink balloons, wrapped presents, frosted cupcakes, and then it was only 9am.  Yep, it was a long day with them asking "is it time for the party yet?" Agh!

We invited our Bosnian neighbors, Jane's biggest fans (besides us of course).

They are so nice and got her a darling dress and toy!

Before presents, we had her show off her walking moves.  She is getting it!



I think her favorite present was the ball popper.  Actually, all the kids loved it, like laugh out loud giggles loved it.

She got some baby food, her first baby doll, clothes, some money from Grandma and Grandpa Barrett,



which she was happy to share, and a few other little toys.

The Corsons joined us for cake and ice cream.  She was a little freaked out by all the singing and loudness, as you can see by her face :-)  I love her frowny faces.



Braydan helped blow out her candle and then she offered her cupcake to everyone else.





Finally she took a bite.



She surprised me by not inhaling it.  She didn't like her hands messy, so I think that impaired her feasting abilities :-)

We love you Jane Marie!  You are babbling more and say a few words, like Mamma, Dadda, boo, bye, uh-oh, and hi.  You love to wave to everyone.  You hate hate getting dressed and get really offended by the whole ordeal.  You wave your little arm when you hear music or bop up and down with a little dance.  You love watermelon.  You love your blankie and thumb.  When we say kisses and hugs, you cuddle up and put your head on our shoulder or smash your check to ours for us to kiss.  

I think your funniest little quirk is that you won't go to bed until we do scripture and prayer in Kaleb's room.  You'll even fall asleep at 7 sometimes and wake up in an hour to join us, then go right back to sleep.  So funny!  I was kinda sad that you stopped nursing a few weeks before your birthday.  I don't think I had much left and you started biting!  You weren't sad about it at all. You gulp down whole milk no problem.



You still love peek-a-boo and tickles.  Your hair is super curly, little ringlets in back.  You have 5 teeth.  You love pancakes.  You are the best sleeper.  You love the stairs and sneak to go climb then when no one is looking.  You are a happy little girl and we love you so!

A Dyer Fix

Even though our drive home from Montana was somewhat miserable (only 1 stop in 10 hours people!), we had a wonderful motivation to hurry: The Dyer Family.  

Oh the Dyers. My heart almost broke last year when we had to leave them behind in Washington.

And a year later . . . I'm not much recovered.  

kids running to the park. . . these kids have had many walks to the park together :-) . . . although, not in such hot weather :-)

You know when you meet people that are so much like you that they turn into your family away from home? And who you can talk to easily and laugh with and cry with and who love you, even with all your weaknesses?  And trust me, the Dyers have seen me at my worst!  Friends who understand you and even know what you're thinking sometimes!?  The Dyers are the best kind of people!  I always feel happy and uplifted when I'm around them.  

Amber and I bought these cute shirts when we were pregnant together. So fun to see them model them a year and a half later :-)  

It was so fun to have you Dyer family.  We love and miss you dearly!

Montana

Oh man, so much for my one-post-a-day deal.  I knew I should have kept writing on vacation, but I was. . . well  . . . in vacation mode.  Now it's a huge long post.  Yay!  

We started our trip with a crazy route to Hamiton, MT.  I knew we were trying to cut miles, but I didn't realize that meant taking a one-lane dirt road in the middle of nowhere.  

Braydan loved this drive.  At one point the road took us to the very base of Mt. Borah!  

I was so happy when we drove into the Bitterroot valley!  Phew! I always marvel at how beautiful it is there and feel a special spirit there.  

I will just mention some reunion highlights for lack of time.  My favorite was the hike up Blodgett Canyon Saturday morning.  

Jane kept playing with my hat! including pulling it down over my eyes :-)

It was so fun seeing cousins hold hands and everyone help each other make it to the top.  

I also loved remembering Grandma Blodgett hiking this with us when she was 80+.

Kaleb's favorite thing was catching huge toads at Lake Como.  

I heard one of the little boy cousins say, "he's the luckiest kid in the whole world!"

Those toads came back to the hotel with us . .. and then all the way to Billings.

Eliza's favorite was the talent show, watching the little girl cousins dance.  And Braydan's was eating fast food almost every meal.  Seriously, our hotel was right next to Dairy Queen and I think we went there 3 times one night.  

I take it back, my real highlight was our impromptu cousin night in the hotel hall :-)  I'm so glad we did that cause the weekend went by too fast and not much time for visiting everyone.

After an awesome testimony meeting and going to the cemetery Sunday, we left for Billings. We did lots of things, but here they are in no particular order: 

We visited Grandma.  She is getting hard of hearing and walks a little slower, but she still came out with her hoe and wanted to help us weed.  She also patched Kaleb's jeans perfectly.  AND she hosted a wonderful dinner at her house.  It included KFC chicken, store-bought potato salad, store-bought rolls, chips, ice cream, root beer, and her famous jello salad, but hey, it was a big hit.   

We worked in the garden, both Mom's big one and Grandma's little one.

Picked yummy raspberries, 

Rode horses.  I think that a love for riding horses must skip generations because Eliza asked to go with Grandma every day.  I never did ride once this time!  Yipes. Sorry Mom.  Kaleb is more like me.  He rode a little, but then wanted to do other things.

Roasted marshmallows in this antique stove

Lots of 4-wheeler trips, always chaperoned by Ruby of course. Kaleb loved to ride out to the creek every day to check his traps for crawdads and minnows.

Family picture attempts.

  

Josh really wanted us to meet a girl he was interested in so we had a casual park/tennis night where we could evaluate her.  Kidding.  Kind of.  She passed so far.

Riding the tractor with Grandpa

Shooting pop cans with Grandpa

Favorites:
playing games at night
watching beautiful sunsets
family music/talent  night
**Special favorite: family spotlight night ; )
Dad sharing family history stories under the stars
Making 50 burritos :-)

I love you family!  Thank you for having us!