Thursday May 31

So....we started work on the deck today.

I am so very excited!!!

This is the main thing that I really wanted to do when we moved to this house.

I am so excited that it is finally happening....and for such an awesome price!!!

We still need to look for a good deal on a door to put in the window space :)

It will be fun to have the space underneath the deck too.

I think we will move the swing that is out in the grape arbor, and bring it under here.

The deck is gonna be an L shape.

That bigger window on the left will be where we put the door.

Then it will wrap around underneath the big window on the right.

I just love it!

Madi was a great helper.

She really got in there and worked really hard.

All the kids spent most of the day outside....which I always love.

They took some time to play in the water....and the sandbox.

Always a good mix.

Toys went out....blankets...

We have junk scattered everywhere.

But that's okay....we like working out there together as a family.

Wednesday May 30

Madi and I went running this morning together again.

I am really enjoying it.

She seems to enjoy it too, cause she keeps asking me tonight if we get to go again tomorrow.

*****

We spent some time cleaning up in the house today before playing outside.

Madi and I started to weed the garden.....I shouldn't have procrastinated so much.

But the rows we have done so far look good, we just need to finish :)

No work on the barn today.

But we did move the chickens in there last night and they were sure happy girls today with all the room they had.

We also went to Home Depot where Dad spotted a really good deal on wood.....

And like we always do, we got a little project A.D.D.!!!!!

We got enough wood to build our deck for about 1/4 the price....or better!!!

We got home to late to start anything on that today.....but I am sure we will play a little with it tomorrow.

I really think this will be so great.

I would love for Elsie to freely go in and out while we are working outside.

And with the access to the backyard being all the way downstairs....that makes it hard for her.

This will be like another room added onto the house.

It is gonna be perfect.

We just need more hours in the day to build it....then enjoy it :)

*****

We made a little sandbox for Elsie today.

Well, Dad did.

This was the container we had the chicks in.....that they were majorly growing out of.

Brent got it for free as scrap metal when he picked up a tractor mower.

It worked good for the chicks, then Dad cut the bottom out and buried it into the ground (after I painted it...)

And wal-la!

Add some sand and you have something to keep Elsie busy outside for hours!!!

Awesome!!!

She was a happy girl :)

With very happy toes!

*****

Port was excited about it when he woke up from his nap.

But we headed to Home Depot when he woke up, so he didn't get to play much.

So when we got home, we let them play again....

We put it right up against a big tree, so it should be in shade most of the day.

Perfect!

*****

Cass really wanted to shoot the BB gun today.

She was pretty good.

Looks like a pro too :)

*****

Sweet Madi chose to work with Mom and Dad instead of playing.

Such a good kiddo.

Even though she gets disgusted with the chickens when they poop on top of their water can.

Good kids....good day.

Can't wait to see what we do tomorrow!

Tuesday May 29

This morning Madi and I went running....and it was really fun!

I can't wait to do it more often.

She did a great job and when we did sprints, she went just as fast as me.

I think this could be a really fun thing for us to do together :)

*****

I was helping dad with the barn when Joanne showed up.
I forgot that Elsie had speech today.

So while I was with them, Madi jumped in and helped dad out.

This girl hates heights....but loves to help Dad.

She's a good kid.

She also made bread for the family today.

And man, it was really good bread.

I told her I am gonna have her make it every time we need bread :)

Port's shirt caught on a branch and ripped.

He thought it was pretty great, cause then he could be like Hulk :)

The shirt was getting too small and was pretty trashed anyway....so it wasn't worth saving.

Dad helped him get a good rip at the neckline so he could really rip it like Hulk.

He thought he was pretty dang cool!

Monday May 28

Today we took a trip and visited Dad at the Fire Station.

We took cookies to the guys.

I took way too many pictures.....but at least I don't have to type much, cause I know exactly what we did by looking at the pictures :)

In a few of the pictures you can see Elsie in the background....taking pictures.

This girl cracks me up.

She does that all the time.

She pretends to take a picture, then turns her hands around to 'show' you the picture :)

Love that girl.

We had a lot of fun....always do.

Port can't get enough of it!

Elsie got to play 'fireman' with Dad.

Els was the Captain, Dad was the hose man and Port was the driver.

While they were playing 'fireman'....the big girls were playing on the rings and rock wall in the back of the truck bay.

Always fun stuff to do there.

We miss Daddy while he is at work....but it sure it fun to visit him at the station.

Port did a great job with the mask on.

I told the kids that a mas like that was the reason I couldn't scuba dive.....that and being under water with it on.

I am glad that some of my kids did not get some of my genes.....

Cass was no fear, of course.

Madi tried it, but didn't like it.

She is so much like me :)

(As a side note, Madi asked if we could start running together....I think that will be fun.  I am excited to have some one-on-one time with her.  She did some Turbo with me this morning and she thought that was fun.  It will be fun to have a workout buddy :)

Elsie always tells Dad that she is gonna be a Firefighter, just like him.

Elsie played on the computer and practiced typing her name.

Talking to each other with the headphones...

Look at those eyes.....that boy melts my heart.

(and drives me crazy too!)

Elsie and dad playing 'firefighter'.

Port, being the driver......reeling the hose back in.

Playing in the back.....

Wait....who is that.....

Oh, me.

That's right....I was there too :)

Can't forget pictures of them sliding down the fire pole....

Porters a pro!

I just have to laugh with this picture....

She was going way fast down the pole.

Good thing Dad was there to stop her at the bottom.

Madi slowly sliding down.....she the cautious one.

And there's Elsie, being my second shooter :)

I think she just might be a Firefighter/Photographer when she grows up :)

Sunday May 27

Today turned out to be a good day.

Church was good.....uneventful.

That is always good.

We relaxed after church and spent a little time outside.

We will see how tomorrow goes.

I have a lot of plans.

We will see what gets done :)

Saturday May 26

Today's weather didn't really work too well in our favor.

Although....with all the rain, we didn't have to move sprinklers around all day.

So that was nice.

But we didn't get as much done outside that we would have liked to.

We did clean up the house, so that was good.

When we spend so much time outside....the inside kinda gets bad.

We also watched the 'Americas got Talent' that we had recorded.

Good family thing to do when it is pouring outside :)

When the rain stopped, we had a little time to work on the barn.

We got it all boxed in and it is looking good.

There is still more to do...but we are liking how it is turning out.

The barn will have two smaller roofs on either side.

This gives you kind of an idea of what it will look like.

*****

We decided that tonight would make a good movie night....

Even though we watched so much TV while it rained.

I made some popcorn that we made when we were growing up.

Sugar and spice.

It was a big hit here.

I am gonna have to make it more often.

Friday May 25

This computer is being really dumb......

So I am gonna have to post pictures tomorrow.

We had the last day of school today.

Graduation for Madi.....BBQ with Cassi's class.

Out to dinner tonight to celebrate as a family.

It was a fun day.

And now the summer begins!!!!

Woo-Hoo!!!

Thursday May 24

This morning I was exhausted.

After getting the big girls off to school, Dad sent me back to bed :)

I had a nice little nap.....

When I woke up I saw dad talking to Drew outside and porter and Elsie on the couch watching TV eating popcorn.

When they saw me Porter told me "I made popcorn for Elsie."

I thought....no way....he didn't make it.

I figured Dad got it for them and put it in a bowl before going out.

Then I went in the kitchen and saw butter drips all over the floor.

So I guess he did make it.

They were so cute cuddled up together with blankets piled up on top of them eating from their bowl of VERY buttery popcorn.

Here is a tip.

If you like REALLY buttery popcorn, only pop your corn for 30 seconds.

That way you have less popcorn for all the butter to get on :)

Pretty sure that is how Port thought it through.

When Dad came in we asked Port to show us how he did it.

He went to the pantry, got some popcorn, crawled up on the stool next to the microwave, tore open the package and stuck it inside.

Then he pushed three button right in a row.

He pushed the 'stop/clear' button, then the add '30 seconds button' and then he hit the 'start' button.

Little stinker.

We told him how sweet it was that he wanted to take care of Elsie....but we also told him that the butter is VERY hot and could have burned him and that so many other things could have gone wrong.

And that maybe he shouldn't do it by himself anymore.

Sweet kiddos :)

Snacking on some very buttery popcorn.

Both of them had yellow faces around their mouths when they were done from the butter.

Gross.

*****

The rest of the day, we worked on the barn.

I had to take Elsie to PT, but when we got back and got Porter to bed, I headed out to help Dad.

I think I help him sometimes.....but maybe I frustrate him a little more than I help.....

But we did get a lot done.

I do think he can claim that he built it on his own, cause I didn't do much :)

For dinner we all had our little picnic inside the barn.

The kids think it is pretty fun.

I am proud to say that a lot of this barn is from salvaged wood.

I know some of you will be proud and others will roll your eyes at us....but that's okay.

This is just the way we do things.

We did have to buy the sheeting....

But we got the trusses from a barn that was torn down.

And the 2x6x14 pieces of Wood....well we have found all of them laying around our place here.

There are so many of them.

Just waiting for us to build something :)

There will be an awning off of each side eventually with the chickens in the one off to the left side.

Still some work to do....but good progress I think :)