James won a new bike

So about 2 weeks ago Gene and James went on a Sat morning to get doughnuts, for breakfast. (I was still sleeping, big suprise thier right?) James talked Gene into entering a drawing for a bike.
They didnt even tell me about it. I get a phone call today saying Gene has won a bike. Since James was the one to make him enter(you had to be 18). The bike goes to James.















We had to put the bike together. We made it a family affair.

James having a fun time helping his dad.

It is finally put together. He is so happy. A little big but he will grow into it. So exciting.

I told you it was a family affair. Kelty hanging on the 4-wheeler just watching.

Jesse hanging out on the garage floor. After bath and all to. What a mother I am.

FIREMANS KIDS WATER PARTY.....

Can you tell who the party was really for the kids or the firemen?
















Yes that is 3 streams of water for the kids to play in. From fire hoses.














Jesse's loving the perks of being a firefighters son.















How high can it go?
















Uncle Joel walking away trying not to get wet. Not very many people came home dry from this party.


















Ok so maybe these people came home dry. I wonder why?















Playing in the water and loving life.

Whose the biggest kid of all.

Really Gene I am holding the camera. He just aimed lower and got my legs wet. I knew I wasnt coming home dry from this party.

More fun. It was so hot that the water on the asphalt was actually getting hot to where you had to have your shoes on or it would have burned your feet.

Wonder where the water fight started? Wonder no more. My husband and Al Duke made sure we all got wet.

This is before the water fight. Relaxing and eating Ice cream in the pool can life get any better than this?

Hanging out with friends and cousins in the water. Thier life must be so hard.

A boy must have his toys. Just glad I dont have to pay for these toys.

Just another picture of the fire trucks.

So have you figured out who the biggest kid of them all is?

Yeah you guessed right MY HUSBAND. He was the one the whole time on the end of a fire hose making sure we all stayed nice and cool. Isn't he so thoughtful???????

Boys.... Do they ever grow up??????

So awhile ago we had friends over for dinner. They all happen to be Gene's high school friends. They all married great women so this story has a happy ending. Any ways after dinner and we are all sitting around talking. Gene preceeds to tell his friends about this explosive he has just discovered. And guess what, we just happen to have all the ingredients in the garage to make this thing. They are laughing while they are mixing it up. I am thinking ok how much money can I quickly gather to bail these boys out when they get caught.




This is Brian running when he saw me with the camera apparently he has some respectable job he would like to keep? He didnt want any proof that he was here.












Doc ever so proud to be mixing it and making this little explosive.













Gene just sitting thier watching as Brian is running for the door.

So I have a couple of questions.

1. Do they ever tire of making things blow up?

2. Do they grow up? Notice the little girl taking it all in. You would have at least thought they would wait till the kids went to bed.

3. Will they still laugh like little kids when one gets a stupid idea and watch as he makes a fool of himself?

Ok so the pictures suck but you get the idea. My husband is the biggest kid of them all it was his idea. He always seems to come up with them then make someone else do the dirty work.

Just a little FYI. This did not work. Apparently we don't have the right stuff to make this in the garage. sigh.......

Canning

Whats a better way to start school than canning.

After the kids got of this is what I set out about doing today. I love canning I have decided it gives me a sense of selfworth. I don't know maybe I am dumb. Maybe I have come to the grips

that canning is just a part of me. Who I am what I am and where I am going to be someday in my life. I am not sure. When I was younger I hated canning season, not that I did anything mind you. I just hated the smell the whole idea of it. I love it now. The smell the taste the feeling the look of my storage room when all my bottles are full.

But I would not be where I am today without my mother and all her hard work and effort to get me to this point. She pushed, pulled, prodded, told me we are doing this today bought the stuff and showed up on my doorstep and said you ready to can? I owe what I am all that I am to my mother she makes me want to be a better person. She makes me want to achieve more and do better and be a better person.

Well in the spirit of all this I better get of my lazy butt and quit blogging and get to work canning.

What's next salsa, pears, peaches, applesauce. Bring it on I am ready.

First day of school

First day of school. James is in 3rd grade, he got Mrs. Manning. Love that.

Kelty is in 6th grade, she got Mrs. McKee. New teacher fresh from BYU. Love that new ideas new things to learn. Yeah for us.

Jesse just wants to be as big as them and go to school to. He starts next week back at Teacher Lynda's oh yeah love that idea.

Mom doing what a mom does best. Drive the kids crazy with pictures.

How am I old enough to have a 6th grader?

James so happy and loving life and the fact school starts.

ROAD TRIP

Ok for those of you who know me. Know I love road trips with no kids.
Well I got to do one this year. Just me and Gene and the big open road. Well between Springville and Victorville CA. We had to take a piece of equipment down to Victorville Ca. I am game. So after unsuccessfully trying to get Gene to take the kids with us and make a family trip and hit Disneyland, while we where only 1 1/2 hours away from their.
I send my kids of to different family members and babysitters and of we go.

Well fortunately for me we are pulling a trailer so for me that means I can't drive. (can you see the tears?) So this is how the big open road looked to me both going and coming.




It was awesome.

Unfortunately for Gene this is what it looked like for him. HAPPY DAY.

So we drive to Primm Valley Nevada, on Sun. To stay the first night. It was great no kids and an outlet shopping mall all to boot. I mean what girl would be sad.

Then on to Victorville on Monday. Mind you as we are finding this guys shop where we have to leave the equipment, I am scooping things out. (I was told to plan on being at his shop for like 2-3 hours. )

I don't see much but a Target, Walmart, Sears. Not much but better than hanging out at some guys shop and watching them talk shop.

Well when I went out to tell Gene I was leaving the guy said oh we are done so of we go back to Vegas baby. And this time no kids. (see earlier post)

We had a great dinner at the Mirage it was so yummy. Love Vegas cause we where so not dressed to be at this fancy of place but when you are on the strip who cares right.

Then my husband took me to see Blue Man Group. Loved it, loved it. It was great and yes we had to be the cheesy people who after have to have their picture taken with the BLUE MEN.

Crappy shot but awesome show.

While we where in Vegas we had to stop and see this cute little thing. This is Gene's cousin Emily and Madison. She was born around the 4th of July. So stinking cute.

It was a good visit with them and I got my baby fix for a while so I am good.

Then we hit the road home and it was back to me sleeping.

Yes I took my blanket Gene freezes me out so it is just easier to take blankets and pillows then try to fight over the thermostat.

Well that is our 3 day road trip.

I saw a lot of the back of my eyelids which was really needed for me.

Gene saw a lot of miles pass by.

My kids where home playing with cousins and friends could life get any better than that.

Thanks to my in laws, my parents, my sister and my niece. Cause I wouldn't have been able to go without you guys watching my kids.

Disclaimer. Sorry Katie we didn't get to see you. Next time I promise I am taking you up on that empty room idea when my kids are with me.

Before the wind storm

So this is a picture of my cousin and his daughter Shea. What I want you to take notice of is the barn behind them. Then read the next post.

Wind storm

I am obviously having some blogger difficultes. Whats new right? Well tonight I get this phone call from my dad saying one of the barns fell down. So I went up to see, wow did it ever fall down. The picture before this is one to show you what the barn usually looks like. For some reason I couldnt get them all on the same blog post. I know, I know spazzy Camille is back. Enjoy.