4th of July and the rest hasflown by...

So I really don't know what has happened to this month... I mean just yesterday it was June and now I find my self encroaching very close to the month of August! I know we have been super busy but I can't remember what we have actually done...

I remember that we enjoyed the 4th with my my mom and Dan and Brian's parents; and that was after we enjoyed the day fishing/hiking up on the mesa.

I also remember that I ran...a lot...lots of serpents trail runs, lots of runs with Anne and Lisa and Ari...

I also remember that we spent a lot of time in the water, either at the lake or at a friends...

I also remember that we spread Bill's ashes.
It has been eight years and have been trying to find the perfect time to get everyone together and then the right time of year to get back into his favorite lake on the Mesa (Colby Horse). But since its been 8 years we opted to go for the second favorite lake (40 Acre) and with just his mom, and siblings. I was truly shocked at how emotional I became. I need some more time to process all of this and will (promise) write about it later. As of now all I can say is it was an emotional experience for all of us.

I also remember that we bought a new car... we have been talking about it for a while. I really wanted/needed something that I felt more comfortable driving over the mtns in, especially after this crazy winter and spring! Plus we needed more room for all the "adopted" children I cart around (aka Madison's friends), and it will be nice to carpool with some other families... Our friends Vycci and Danny got a Sequoia last year and we love it and all the room it provides. It isn't black but I really can't imagine a huge black beast and how hot and dirty it would be all the time. And the best part is that I get FREE CAR WASHES FOR LIFE with it!!!

I also remember some INSANE migraines. I got one last Wednesday and was pretty puny for the next day or so, then got hit with another one that next Sunday! Sunday's was a killer and had me crippled for 6 days, I finally feel better today. Needless to say I have started seeing my acupuncture lady again, and plan on never stopping that again, cuz I can NOT deal with that again especially during the school year!

Well that has been my life for the past few weeks, at least what I remember of it!

Learned: I need to find a balance between running and resting, can't drain my body like that anymore...

OH!!! and Maddox learned to swim... all by him self, I mean I didn't teach him (because he wouldn't let me) and he didn't take lessons (because his teacher SUCKED last year). He just jumped in and swam to me like it was no big deal! So impressed!

Denver Trip: Just the Kids and I

This past weekend the kids went on a spur of the moment trip to Denver. (Brian had to work.) We headed over Saturday morning and stayed with my brother and his wife. My mom and Dan were there too so it was a nice little family gathering.

We pulled into town just in time to watch the last little bit of the USA World Cup game (they lost in overtime 2 to 1). Then we all went separate ways... Mom and Dan took Maddox and Tenley to the Bass Pro Shop (they had a BLAST driving boats and seeing the fish and animals). Nate, Drew, and Madison went golfing, leaving Kristen Tessa, and I to go shopping!!!

Sunday we all got up and went to church, then home for naps, and finally to the best place on Earth (not really be we love going here) REI down town. I love REI, and this site is amazing in an old train ware house right off the Platt river. We got to watch a bunch of people tubing and playing in the river too.

Monday the kids and I headed to Vycci's and then off to the zoo. We were at the zoo from 10:00 till 3:30, and all the kids did great, even Esaias who is now two months old! The kids had their fill of fun including snow conesAfrican drumming...coaxing an elephant into the water... and posing for our special zoo picture.

This Dragon happens to be named Castor... though spelled differently than ours we took a minute to pose for a family picture.

After the zoo we went to Vycci's sisters and the kids swam for an hour then loaded up again and headed to a birthday party at the park. All the kids did incredibly well, at least until 8:30 when it all caught up with Maddox...

It turned out to be a great trip and it was (and always is) great to see my family and Vycci and her family.

Learned:a day of non stop go!go!go! combined with TOO much sugar, makes for one hard crash, rendering a 4 year old unreasonable...

I Did it ALL By My Self!

Last week I tackled a HUGE (for me) project... I found and fixed a cracked pipe in our irrigation system, and capped off another pipe, making our third zone usable again! And the best part is I did it all by my self... no help from any muscle-y man. I even went to the hard ware store and got my own supplies and sounded like I knew what I was talking about (at least I think I did).

Next project.... a manicure!

Learned: While I sure love having a husband who can do any and everything, it was nice to know that I could take on this project and complete it successfully.

Butter Makes Everything Better

Today I made my first batch of butter. I picked up some heavy cream at the local diary, then I literally just whipped it up!

I have made whip cream before, and for butter you just keep whipping until all of the sudden the whipped cream looking stuff turns to chunks with what appears to be water but is actually butter milk!
Next you have to wash the butter to get all the butter milk out of it (the butter milk is what makes butter turn rancid quicker). This step requires a bit of muscle, as your mixture is the texture of firm butter and you have to mix in ice water and mush it around, rinse and repeat. You continue this process until the ice water drains off clear. I used my mixer for the first several washes then used a spatula to really mush it around.

For my final step I added just a bit of salt and stirred again. And Voila...BUTTER!!!


I pressed it into my old butter container and put it in the freezer till we use up what is in the fridge. I ordered a butter bell from a friend who does pottery, so when that comes in I'll put it in there!

...and I was going for subtle....

I have PINK hair... yeah I know... totally crazy...right?

Here's the story! Last week at the lake Alison and I saw a girl with the cutest hair.. black with blue under layer and blue bangs... WAY cute! So yesterday we decided to do it too.

At Sally's we got the bleach kit and picke out our color, Alison chose blue, and I chose a deep red because it looked more subtle (ha ha) than all the other colors.

It was kinda like de-ja-voo bleaching Allison's hair. Years ago she used to go platinum blond and I would always bleach it for her... Now here we are (almost 31 and not yet 30) bleaching and going for crazy hair color like we are 17 again!

When we finished and I saw the color of mine I almost freaked out...almost.... everyone said they liked it (including Jim, Seth, and the kids) and Allison LOVED it -- recommending that I keep it for a day and if I still was not sure about it we could change it later.


Allison's turned out just how we were planning (though it took an extra session of blue dye). In the end I think we both would have been completely happy if we could have traded hair.


It is the next day, and it is growing on me. It is definitely wild and bold, but it is kinda fun and crazy for the summer.

It seems that I am making a tradition of doing something completely out of character for myself each summer. Last year it was a nose piercing, this year pink hair, next year...who knows!!

Learned: It is kinda fun to do something out of the ordinary, and hair (for me) is a great choice because I know I can always change it.

Something Old

I have had this old sewing machine since my grandma moved out of her house a few years ago. I love it and have wanted to put it in the house somewhere, but we have a small house that is overcrowded already. AND I wanted to find the perfect spot for it. Needless to say it has since sat in my garage..., buried under boxes of books, sitting dejected behind many other forgotten treasures.

Alas yesterday was a special day, the day it found the beginning of its purpose...

I unearthed it from is lowly spot in the garage, and hauled (it is quite heavy...)it into the house. Then disassembled the tangled web that was the computer/phone/modem/wireless router, cleaned the disgusting accumulation of dust from every surface in that corner, as well as ever surface of the sewing machine, and tossed the old computer desk making room for the antique sewing machine...

I dreaded reconnecting all the wires, sure that I would mess up and not be able to use the phone or Internet... amazingly I did it!
I am not sure if this will be the final placement of this piece of furniture or not, but I am so happy to finally have it in the house where I can enjoy its design and sentimental value.

Learned: Sometimes you just need to DO it and not worry about it being perfect.

Dead in the Family

Reading the newest book in the Sookie Stackhouse series was a lot of fun. It was a quick read that I enjoyed over the weekend at the cabin. I was so taken away by the story that I didn't even notice the amount of sun I was getting on only one side of my face... OOPS!

This story finds Sookie on the mend after the Fae found and tortured her in the last book. Trouble still persists for Eric (Sookie's love flame) after the hostile take over of his state by the Nevada vampires, and he is concerned for himself, his faithful employees, and of course Sookie. After consenting to let the Shreveport Wolf pack hunt on her land during one of the full moons, a fresh body is found buried in Sookies back yard and Sookie finds herself in typical trouble. Someone is trying to frame her, or frame the wolf pack (who happen to be seeking societial freedom), or possibly discredit Eric in preparation for a take over of their own. To make matters worse for Sookie, strange fae have been tracked through her woods, and at the worst time Eric, has a visitor who only adds to his current troubles.

Learned: Once again I was well entertained, though this one seemed to take a bit longer to get into the action, I enjoyed the story on the way.. I give it a 3...