On Friday, I had this wonderful vision of a relaxing 3 day weekend...I looked at my calendar with 3 blank holes and was so excited about having some time to get caught up, maybe watch a movie or 2, take the kids to the pool, play around in the yard and garden and just basically kick back. Yeah, I was delusional.

I decided after a solid week of 80+ degree weather I could safely put away the kids winter clothes and find their summer clothes (so if there is a freak blizzard next week you can blame me). That process is started but not finished. I was also trying to go through a bunch of stuff since there is a rummage sale at our church this week and they will take it all off of my hands. I managed to get 4 huge bags of stuff for them to sell, but geez we have a lot of junk (all very nice, usable things if you are going to the sale!). How is it that we accumulate so much stuff? I am starting to think that it would be ok to just start a large fire in my front yard and start carrying things out there. If only the neighbors would get on board with this idea!

My grandma decided yesterday to have a small party after the Memorial Day mass at the cemetery. So we attended the service and then went over to her house. I only meant to stay for a little bit, but the kids were having so much fun playing kickball with their cousins that I had a hard time getting them convinced to leave. When we got back to town, we made the mistake of driving by the pool which was filled with people - meaning that Quincy HAD to go there - I said well maybe a little bit later - OH NO! We had to go now - Daddy bought her a pool pass - that means we can go everyday -didn't I remember that? We have now been there 3 afternoons in a row. I truly love the city pool, and with a pass I feel ok about going for 1/2 an hour or whatever and then coming home...it is easy and convenient, but I didn't have it on my agenda for the day. Harper seems to like the water and is entertained by watching all the kids, so it was fun. I forgot that sunscreen on your face does not protect your back though, so I am a bit deep fried!

The boys have been on a quest to catch large mouth bass to stock our pond with. They have been trying to get out to my uncle's pond to catch some, but every time they tried it rained, or some little girl who I won' t name demanded to be taken along. Tonight they finally made it. Unfortunatley, the 2 that they managed to catch did not fare well. Colin and Cam are now over at my cousin's house for the night. They called to ask permission, I said ok - I will bring you some clothes - Colin told me he didn't need them - he was clean from swimming all afternoon....ok - but that was before the fishing excursion. He finally relented and agreed to take a shower -- I wonder how much persuading had to be done on Melissa's end - you can't sleep here smelling like fish! AAAAHHH Summer!

Nut factory

This photo pretty well sums up our weekend so far...nuts! My kids are crazy!

We are actually having a pretty good weekend. So far, we have learned about pack rats -- not the ones who live with us who collect odd objects and make their rooms messy, but the real kind --since grandma had one in her garage and she successfully trapped him using some beads! We have also used Quincy's pool pass...and although we spent an hour looking for Quincy's life jacket so she could go off the diving boards (which she insisted she wanted to do) she will not do it! She keeps getting right to the end of the board, looking at the water and then saying nooooo not now. She backs up the line, and was not too popular among the kids there! She wouldn't even do it when my cousin jumped in and offered to catch her. I am rather happy that she displays a little bit of fear - it makes my life a little more comfortable knowing she won't jump in even with the life jacket since she does not know how to swim!

Colin and Cam each had a friend spend the night last night. They were very well behaved and the only real problem I had with them was that since they spent the whole night playing video games they were not too eager to get out of bed so I could deliver them back home before church this morning. I did manage to get them home and we were not late for mass!

Jim and the boys attempted another trip to uncle Tom's house to fish for bass, but again failed in the mission because a storm blew in just when they got there. The storm didn't turn out as strong as they thought it would so they fished in the city lake again....Quincy did not catch anything this time, but Preston caught a huge monster blue gill - the biggest one they had ever seen. Colin is saying he won't get a haircut until he catches a 10 pound fish....considering that the largest fish he has ever caught was 9 pounds I am starting to think he will look like a hippy very soon!

3 Day Weekend!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! We are pretty excited to have a three day weekend! Quincy is totally stoked and has been jumping around all morning because the city pool opens today - she has been in search of all her pool stuff since very early! The other day, we drove by and the city maintenance man was working there - his kids were wading in the shallow end and Quincy saw them - she had a total meltdown because she thought the pool was open and I wasn't stopping! I hope that the water is not so icy cold that she won't enjoy it! Jim already took care of buying "her" pool pass this week!

Also on the agenda, we have finished painting the boy's old room and we are going to move Madison in. She did most of the painting herself, and didn't do too bad of a job. She used a lot more paint than I thought she should have, but then when I went to help her touch it up I realized why - the old room had been painted dark blue and it was really hard to cover. It looks pretty good. This particular shade of green is NOT one that I would have picked out, but she is really happy, so that is all that counts! It is called "picnic green" but a picnic is not what image it brings into my mind!

Colin and Cam are having friends over tonight and we want to get some other things accomplished, but right after that we are going to relax!

Crazy and Hazy, but not too Lazy!

We enjoyed our first day of summer break! There were no ballgames, so we spent some time getting the weeds out of our garden and flower beds, cleaning up the house, painting in Madison's room, patching a few places in the sheetrock that had been damaged, and grocery shopping!

Madison used some of her graduation money to buy Harper and Quincy sundresses. These are photos of her modeling it today! I know the one is really dark, but I love her little grin in it! Madison is so sweet - and she is really into shopping!

School's out for the summer!!!

Preston had his "big wheel day" today. It was his last day ever to go to preschool! We have absolutely loved the Jumpstart preschool! I know he is really excited about kindergarten, but I was a little bit sad as I drove him away from there today! He is so focused on summer activities he didn't give it a single thought! He had a great time playing with his friends, washing his bike, eating popcorn and buying popsicles from his big sister Madison who got begged to come back today for his special day!

Colin and Cam also had their last day today! They are now having a different kind of a countdown - 3 days until the city pool opens!

Colin's team played their first game tonight (Jay - Colin says these are jr high/high school colors for Santa Fe Trail-- NOT for a certain college down the road from here).

OH MY GOSH WHAT A GAME - it was the first game ever played on the new ball field that the city has worked so hard on! Colin's team (The Chick Magnets) was up by 6 runs, the other team tied it up and then a friend of Colin's hit a homer to win by a point in an extra inning. EXCITING game! They can NOT play like that again because I will have an ulcer and possible heart problems if they do!

I am so happy that the kids are finally all out of school. I always loved summer and I am relieved that our morning routine can be a little more relaxed! It is hard to get the kids up when we have been at the ball park all evening...and I like having more time with my tribe anyhow!

Quincy's big wheel day and ball games

Quincy's had her last day of preschool. The last day is 'big wheel day' where they set up a little town and the kids get a driver's license and money to visit the town's stores. There was a popsicle stand, kool-aide stand, bank, bike wash, and more! She has been looking forward to this day all year, as she remembered watching Preston's class last year! It was so worth the wait! She had a great time! Madison was a helper today - she was in charge of the popsicle store! They both had fun!

Preston, Mallory and Madison all had their first ball games. I was happy to actually get to go, and I am happy to say that Harper did a remarkable job too! Preston's team won their first game, and Preston got a couple of really good hits! It was fun to watch and he was off the charts excited! Truth be told, he started in while we were in Topeka - worried that I wouldn't get him back in time - I had to run up there to get the missing stuff for his uniform (socks etc.) and I guess he thought I couldn't tell time!

The girls' softball team played really well tonight too, and I thought it was a pretty fun game to watch...they didn't end up winning, but they certainly played hard! Madison had to pitch the whole game as their other pitchers were absent tonight. She did great! Mallory played 2nd base and she had some really awesome plays! The really cool part of watching these 2 games back to back was being able to see how much they have grown into the game!

Of course, it is now a little after midnight and I remember why it was that I never drank any caffeine during the later game - because then I get home and I can't sleep - don't really even feel tired. OH I will pay for this late night computer time tomorrow at work!!

Field day

It was k-6 field day today. Colin and Cam both had a good time - one son was actually glad that we came out - the other was indifferent. It was a little bit hot, and Quincy and I both got a little sunburned on our heads and necks.

One and a half days left of school for the boys. One day each for Preston and Quincy. I am so glad! At this point, school is just a big old burden! I just mean from the point of getting ready in the morning, getting everyone a lunch packed for field trips, and trying to remember whatever else they need. There is no learning going on, it is all field trips, field days, classroom cleaning, and whatever else they can conjure up to keep kids occupied! My kids haven't been to bed one night at a decent time because of all the summer activities already going in the evenings.

Cam had his first official baseball game tonight. I didn't get to go because the other kids all had practices in locations that they couldn't walk to. Jim is of course the assistant coach, so he went. Cam's team lost by 1, but I heard it was a pretty good game. And so it begins.....

A weekend to remember

My cousin Derek got married yesterday. I was excited about going to a party, and seeing all my cousins. Harper had other ideas - she spent most of the evening giving people this look, followed by tears of terror. The music was too loud, the people were too foreign, and she was not amused by any of it! She sat in the car with grandma for a while, and finally fell asleep, only to wake up to my other cousin letting off fireworks and the terror started all over for her, so we left! The bride and groom looked very happy, and we wish them a lifetime of happiness!








Jim took the boys and Quincy fishing today. They were actually going to go to my uncle Tom's pond, but Quincy demanded to be included. They ended up going to the city lake, thinking that she would lose interest after a few minutes and then they could go on to Tom's house without her. She proved them all wrong, and stayed the course! As a matter of fact, all evening she has been asking me when she can go fishing again!! I am sure that these little bluegill were not what the boys had in mind for catching, but when you are 3 years old, ANY fish is a good fish!












































































These pigs are getting big already, and we are starting to see their personalities. Yes, I admit that they are all unique with little quirks of their own. There is definitely a ruler (Spot) and a sad little victim (Frank).























On the way to do pig chores, Madison was of course driving. This guy crossed the road in front of us. She stopped - she didn't want to hit him! Mallory jumps out and starts taking pictures of him. He was not too thrilled with us I don't think.



This is Harper's latest look - suck the lips! Aside from weddings (which she apparently hates) she is a happy little thing!




When the fishing party returned - Colin comes in the house grabs some unseen items and says "mom, whatever you do, don't come outside" --- mom radar goes blaring in my head. I of course ran out the door to see what was going on. This is when I see my adult husband - and my boys painting a skunk stripe on Jim's car - with the leftover (INTERIOR LATEX) purple paint from the boy's room. My guess is that the first big rain will wash that right off! And forget going to the carwash!!









Now I believe the weekend is officially over - what else could we possibly do??

New room

The boys have mostly moved in - as you can see we still have to get some trim put up and finish the ceiling (jobs for a much later day). Cam still doesn't have all his dresser drawers in, but the weekend is coming so maybe...

I am pretty pleased overall with how it turned out, I didn't know Jim could do these things!

Now that the boys are moved, the next step is painting their old room for Madison. She picked out some wickedly green paint...I am saying retina damage might occur. I hope to clean up the rest of the stuff from up there and start stripping the old border this weekend (you know, in between the baseball practices, baseball camp, weddings, church, hogs, and the Old Navy flip flop for $1 sale).

Cam's adventures and more

Cameron visited a one room school house today for his class field trip. Mallory and Madison were filled with jealousy, as this is one of their all time favorite trips. Cam on the other hand, was not impressed! He said that the teacher was the devil herself and that he could never have survived living "way back then." He had to dress as if it was the late 1800's and they walked to the school and had lessons from that time period. He had to bring his lunch in a pail and it had to contain foods that would have been eaten then. (I had to go to the store last night and buy a huge can of nacho cheese so we could have a can to send his lunch in- we will be eating lots of nachos for a few more days!) Needless to say, this will not go down as a favorite of his (and he definitely did not come home and re-live the experience by watching the entire series of Little House on the Prairie like some other people in this family did).

We more than made over his bad day by purchasing him a trombone tonight. They decided to move beginning band down to 5th grade. He is so excited! We spent a great deal of this evening listening to him "play" his new instrument! Actually, it wasn't that bad for someone who has never touched anything like it before! The band teacher told the music store owner that at the very least should be sending us a Christmas card! We now have a flute player, a clarinet player, a trumpeter and a soon to be trombone player. I guess we need a drummer, guitarist, and maybe a saxophone and we can have our own family band! The Jackson 5 have nothing on us!

This week has reminded me of when I was in first grade and I used to look at the clock and wonder if I would live to see the end of the day. I have felt that it should be Friday for several days now. I think between the rainy weather and the fact that we have been trying fruitlessly to get caught up, it has just drug on forever! Work is piling up in my office - because it is so wet contractors can't work, that puts people (including me) on edge a little, but I can't control the weather! Good news though - the boys have moved into their new room. Mostly anyhow! I still have to sort through some clothes and toys and probably haul a huge load to Salvation Army or someplace, but they are sleeping in the basement. I will have to take some photos tomorrow. The weekend is looking like a lot of work, so maybe I shouldn't be so anxious for it to get here! We will also be attending 2 weddings this weekend and a whole bunch of ball practice make-ups as they have been rained out for several days now and games start next week.

Another big day

Madison took and passed the most important test available to a 14 year old. She got her driving permit today. She can now officially drive to and from school, work, or anywhere with a licensed adult over 21 in the car. Of course, this meant that she had to drive us home today. I got a good chuckle out of the grin on my dad's face as we passed him on the road....maybe he thinks this is payback for teaching me to drive?? For her first time driving any distance on the highway and in town, she did a pretty good job.

Mallory decided she wasn't ready to take the test today. She wants to study a bit more. I thought that was a pretty mature decision. Plus, I am not sure how much of this my heart could take in one day anyhow!

8th grade graduates

Our girls officially finished grade school today. We are very proud of you Mallory and Madison!!

swine weigh in and a 5 month old

Today was swine weigh in day for Osage county 4-Hers. Uncle Eric was a tremendous help in getting these guys to Osage. We just got a couple of new pigs last night - Madison got a duroc (red pig), Preston got a Hamp (black with white stripe) and Quincy got a very sad looking little blue butt hog. Preston and Quincy's hogs are going in the f-r-e-e-z-e-r but we aren't going to share that information with them! They think they are raising a hog to sell, and we are going to keep it that way! :)

Quincy loves pigs. There is just no way to get her to not love them...much as I have tried - she comes home every day covered in pig slobber and other pig excretions. But she will be a very good pig showing queen someday! She named her little pig "Frank" and she was squealing with delight when he showed up last night!

close-up of Frank

Results of the weigh in -

Mallory's York (Boog) was 120 pounds

Madison's Duroc (Raider) was 88 pounds

Cameron's blue butt (Baroc Obacon) was 77 pounds

Preston's Hamp (Zebra) was 55 pounds

and Colin's Spot - (Spot) -a whopping 165 pounds. He will begin his diet tomorrow - as soon as we get a new pen built for him!

Preston named this little Hamp "Zebra" because he is black and white striped of course!

And Harper has a birthday today - 5 months old! She spent her birthday watching a pig weigh in! Lucky little thing! She really is a great baby! So so easy going and happy! We are very blessed that she has the sweet personality she does! She melts my heart with her little squeals and coos! To say that we are all crazy about her is a severe understatement!

A big thanks for the end of this day!

I am happy to say that the boys room is almost finished. This was Colin painting the first layer of purple. It is really, really dark, but all 3 boys love it. I could not see changing it now since they are all so dang happy about it!







Harper started eating food this week - she likes something with a little more flavor than rice cereal. So far, she loves graham crackers and applesauce the best! I think that graham crackers have made her happy because her gums are so swollen still...feels good!

If I had to do this day over again I would flat refuse! It was an all-out awful day. Every single thing I tried to do was botched, messed up, fried, or whatever you want to say (actually several other words come to mind, but this is a family friendly blog). I think I just tried to do too much in one day today...it all needed to be done, but probably either I needed more help, or I needed to make 2 trips to Topeka. It is done now, but I am not sure how or how well!
I took the 3 little ones to walmart today - Quincy starts yelling "MOM LOOK- there is a SCARY MAN" at the top of her lungs. He really was scary, and I don't mean dirty, or extra hairy, the guy really did radiate the willies....but this is a good reason NOT to yell out at him! Anyhow I was torn between telling Quincy that this is a person, and that all people are God's great creation, and being very happy because she actually might have a smidgen of sense about being scared....maybe?? Of course, she wouldn't let it rest so I finally whispered to her - "the man is scary because he spanks loud little girls right in the store with his big stick" that seemed to get her to stop. From there we went to the doctor's office to get Harper's 4 month shots (since she will be 5 months old tomorrow). I had to mop the waiting room floor 2 times with wet wipes - once for puke and once for poo that seemed to have been in a hiding water gun someplace in Harper's pants. I have never seen a kid mess her pants, hit the floor and not get her own clothes dirty...oh no, because I had extra clothes for her - she had to hit the shorts I was wearing. We still had more errands to run, but I decided that since the day was going so well I should just come home. I then went to Casey's to get the girls phone minutes (because I forgot in walmart) and the guy somehow jammed up the cash register - with my debit card number in it - I was in there panicking because I was supposed to meet the pig guy who was delivering Madison's hog. I was in there for 30 minutes while he figured it out. I shouldn't have worried about missing the pigs because I had plenty of time. A lot of other things happened too, but they are so numerous I don't want to bore anyone anymore! I bought the floor paint for the boy's room today, but I have decided that after all the woes of the day I should not use anything that is oil based, for fear of blowing up or something! I am going to bed!

Final track meet and more snake adventures

Mallory and Madison had their final track meet of 8th grade today. They had a good time and say they are both happy and sad that it is over. The little ones, grandma Nancy, and I went out to watch. We were sure glad that Madison was doing shot and discus today and those are early events, which meant that we didn't have to stay out there too long...I got sunburned as it was! I don't think that Madison placed today, but she did have fun! Mallory was working very hard, and even got blisters from running the rake in the long jump pit! The rest of this week is just play time for them - as they wind down their year and prepare for graduation this weekend. Parties, a field trip to their reading teacher's farm, turning in books and graduation practice...sounds like a pretty tough rest of the week?!?!

On Saturday when we took care of the hogs, Colin and Cameron caught this snake in my mom's yard. I have really never seen one quite like it, and we are still not really sure what type it is, unfortunately, when catching him he was injured and didn't survive. Today, Preston was going to get some dry straw, and he yells "Hey there is a baby black snake over here!" Of course, Colin and Cam go running over, only to find a little snake which Colin proclaims is not a black snake. Colin gently stepped on him with his boot, and then scooped him into a bucket. After examining him we are 99% sure he was a baby rattle snake. He had no rattles yet, but he did have fangs, and the typical triangle shaped head. He was a vicious little thing! I am thankful that Preston saw him first! I don't really like to kill snakes, but in this case, we made an exception. I am a little bit nervous that he might have some brothers and sisters hiding out somewhere nearby! Sorry, but I had left my camera at home...no photos are available for documenting this event!