Friday September 9

Last Friday Cassi told me that her teacher picks a couple kids a week to come and get a prize out of the prize box.

She said her name wasn't picked, but that the prize box had the most fabulous prize in there.

It was a dictionary.

She told me that if she was lucky enough for the dictionary to still be there when her name was picked, then she would take it for her own.

Well, little Cass got her wish today.

Her name was in fact picked.

And that book, well, it was still unpicked :)

She was so excited!

She cracks me up.

She did actually lay outside and read it for a while.

She makes me smile.

Yesterday she came home from school with a VERY loose tooth.

So loose, i thought for sure it would just fall out.

She begged me not to touch it cause if you lose it at school, according to her, then you get to have a little treasure box to put your tooth in.

I told her she better pull it out, or she would end up swallowing it when she sleeps.

Well, first thing she did this morning was show me that the tooth was still in tact....barely, but it was there.

She said that it fell out right away at school, and she got her little treasure box.

Again, she makes me smile :)

*****

My sister found a website that includes fun crafts for kids.

I saw this one and had to try it out.

I actually had all the ingredients, and it mixed up nice and quick.

I did it a few hours before the girls got out of school, so it would be all ready to go when they got home.

But I shouldn't have done that.

It kinda dried up....so I added some water and mixed it up, and it worked.

It was goopy, but it worked.

Next time I will just make it when they want to use it, cause it didn't take very long.

One small problem though.....food coloring.

It stains.

The girls weren't too bad, cause they were careful.

But Port, he was covered.

I hosed him off to get most of it off.

But that was a bad idea too.

I went inside to see what the big girls were doing, and that is when Porter turned the hose on Elsie.

Elsie flipped out.

Port got in big trouble.

He kept saying he as sorry....I am sure part of him thought he was helping, but he also knew he was causing some trouble.

Little stinker.

I guess I should know better and not leave the hose fully charged!

Playing catch up....

Kinda crazy that even though I blog everyday, I still have to catch up.
I have been putting together my blog book for 2010 and I started remembering there are a few days where I said i would get to posting more pictures later.

So I have updated 3 posts.

I am sure there is more, I just have to find them.

But for now, here are the new pictures:

July 4

July 22

and

Aug. 2

Thursday September 8

The little kids and I waited out front today for Dad to come home with the big girls from school.

While waiting, we did some Buffalo hunting.

We do that a lot.

They found some Buffalo's in these bushes.

There must have been a bully buffalo cause......

...Port got pushed over by one.

Oh man....that kid cracks me up!

*****

Madi had her first field trip today.

They had a Salmon Steelhead trip.

Sounds like she had a blast.

She brought home this fun little art project.

She put paint on an actual fish and made a stamp out of it.

Pretty fun, right?

She is loving her new school and her new friends.

I am so happy about that.

Wednesday September 7

Knock on wood......our mornings have been running pretty darn smoothly.

I am liking it that way.

The kids even have time to play around once we have everyone ready for school.

*****

After I picked the girls up from school, we went by the new place again.

We like to call it the Farmstead.

I am excited to get out there.

It really is beautiful out there.....and everything is dry and dead.

I can't wait to see what it is like when it is all green and alive :)

Tuesday September 6

There was surprisingly very little fighting today.

Which is always a great thing for me.

We got their homework done right after school, made dinner and got that eaten and Madi and Cassi took care of the little ones outside while they had some dessert so I could get all cleaned up inside.

Madi was very helpful and gave Porter a bath and read books to him while Elsie was having Speech Therapy.

Cassi bounced back and forth between hanging with me and Elsie and helping Madi out.

It was a nice and relaxed evening.

Our sunflowers have finally opened.

Out of the full row of 20 or so that we planted, we got 4 plants.

2 are about a foot tall, one is probably about 6 feet.

But we do have this one that is about 11 feet high.
Pretty fun.

*****

I am currently trying to get some blog books put together.

A little while ago I bought Groupon coupon for $45 off blurb books.

Well, I got a reminder that I needed to use it by October 1st.

So I gotta get going!!

But man, I am loving these books and I am so excited that I will have these books for generations to come.

The stuff that I would have totally forgotten, will be treasured forever :)

Monday September 5

We had an awesome afternoon today playing with friends out at Pat and Steve's in Star.

We love it there....and it made me even more excited for us to have our own little patch of heaven!

The kids did some fishing, played some games, played with fish heads (Cass and Aubree), rode 4 wheelers, fed imaginary Buffalo's (little Elsie), and just had lots of fun.

We had a yummy dinner and just hung out with great friends.

Really, nothing is better than having a great family and friends!!!



Sunday September 4

When we went out to get in the car to head to church....there were a bunch of birds flying in and out of the garage....weird.

Well, we must have trapped one when we shut the door.

Later on in the evening...we noticed one left inside the garage.

It took some time for the little guy how to figure out how to get out of the garage.

He kept wanting to fly in through the house door.

But he got out.

It was weird though.

Wonder what they were doing in there?

*****

We decided to watch a movie tonight as a fam.

We got Soul Surfer last night, but didn't watch it.

So far it is a good one....and the kids are pretty interested in it.

*****

So, just like I thought, Elsie didn't go to class today.

I figure there is no use in pushing it or making a big deal out of it since she will be going to a new class in a couple weeks anyway.

But I sure hope we can figure something out when we get to the new ward.

If only we could get Sister Roll to move with us :)

Saturday September 3

We had the Young girls over with us this evening.....I owe Heather big time for taking the girls for so long, for so many days, while we were packing stuff up.

The girls played for a few hours before we had dinner.

Then after dinner, we headed to the pool.

Maybe the last time at the pool.

They usually shut the pool down after Labor day....so who knows if we will get a chance to get back.

So the girls....and boy....made the most out of it.

The little four didn't last long in the pool, cause it was pretty chilly water.

But the four oldest would have stayed in there all night.

They had a lot of fun playing several games with each other.

The little ones ran around back and forth on the grass area.....and hung out on the chairs.

Everyone was happy with what they were doing.

Love Elsie's toes in this picture.....cracks me up!

Love my boys.

Really love my boys :)

Elsie would run around behind dad, and then come up to him, whack him on the shoulder and tell him to watch her......he would....then she would do it all over again.

Dad stole my camera cause he said that Elsie looked pretty cool standing there in front of the sun.

I LOVE how the picture turned out!

Port wanted glasses like Elsie had.

He begged dad for his....he kept saying 'But I eel ive it back to yoo!'

So dad let him take them....

I love his face in the glasses lens....

He uses some pretty great expressions when he talks, especially when he is trying to convince you of something.

*****

We got home....had some ice cream....

Then the girls played their own version of  "America's got Talent".

And they are some pretty talented girlies, that is for sure :)

*****

Tonight was the first Bronco game....

The kiddos all had their blue and orange on today.....too bad I didn't get a picture.

They were all pretty cute.

Elsie kept throwing her arms in the air and yelling 'GO BRONCO!'

Dussy boy.....I know your precious Cougars played well today, but you can't tell me that you weren't checking out Boise's scores.

We know you are a true Boise fan deep down in that heart of yours :)

Friday September 2

I think we have a clever little boy.

Don't get me wrong...he is trouble.

But clever.

Might not be the best combination in a few years :)

A little back story....Port loves to go out in the garage and just sit on the 4 wheeler.

There is vent tube coming from the gas tank lid.

Port likes to take it off and misplace it.

He is always good about knowing where to find it......but he must have misplaced it.....

So, today when Dad was putting together a First Aid kit.....Port noticed these yellow tubes which are nasal pharyngeal airway....a rubber tube you stick in someones nose and into their throat.

He must have seen a similar shape to these and his missing 4 wheeler piece.

Port snuck one....and kinda backed up and away and then bolted to the garage.

When Brent went to check on him....he had a very proud smirk on his face and told dad that he 'Fix da 4weeler'.

Isn't that just the cutest thing ever!

Well, I sure think it is cute.

And like I said...pretty clever.

What are we gonna do with this boy???

*****

And today....we decided to stop in at the Idaho Youth Ranch on the way to pick the girls up from school.

I went specifically to find some old cowboy boots.

Brent thought it would be along shot....I did too.

But guess what?

There was exactly one pair of cowboy boots there.....and they were my size.

And they were only $6.50.

Nice!

Thursday September 1

The hour between 4 and 5 has become our break down hour.

Mostly for little Elsie.

She has been doing so good at school.

Very happy, participating in everything and staying very active.

I am very happy and excited about all that.....but we pay for it later :)

She is EXHAUSTED!

It would be so great if I could talk her into a little mini nap after school, but she won't go for it.

I am sure her little body will get used to all the activity....

I just feel bad when she is so sad.

I mean, doesn't that face just break your heart???

This was after about a 30 minute crying breakdown.

Poor girl.

Even more exhausted after all that.

*****

Things have been going really smoothly otherwise.

All the driving around, getting to different places at the right time, has been surprisingly hiccup free.

Which has been nice.

The mornings have been going smoothly getting the kids all ready for the day.

I am liking it.

And with me having scheduled times, it has helped me get the things done that I need to get done, when I have time to get them done.

It has been a nice thing.

*****

It isn't looking very likely that we will be able to move our closing date.

Still don't know for sure yet....

I sure wish we could!

Oh well, I will just have to be patient!