Summer Fun

This Summer we did lots of fun things. We went to a few Baseball Games. Chance got a couple of game balls and Jack actually caught a foul ball and won us a Free Dinner!
We brought one of Chance's friends with us one evening. We got to see a last minute Bases Loaded, Walk off Homerun - to win the Game!!

Pretty exciting!

This was Fourth of July celebration
$1 Hotdogs and Fireworks - does it get any better?

We also got a new game called "Dance Revolution".

It's hysterical to watch!

Trust me - if I knew how to put video into a blog, you'd be dying laughing right now.

The kids did plenty of swimming, too! Chance can do all kinds of crazy tricks off the diving board. Of course I don't have any pictures of that.

This is the look I got when I said

"Chance, guess what - school starts next week!"

"Turtle Surfing" & More!

The kids got to go on this overnight camp-out at a Safari! They actually stayed in tents IN the Safari!Doesn't Kadi look thrilled?
This is called "Turtle Surfing!"
The turtles actually crawl around and the kids try to stay on ..... weird.
I don't know why I don't have pictures of Chance - he was there, I promise. He was probably off trying to get in and ride THESE guys:


"Safari Jack"

He just kills me.

Chase turns Double Digits!

Chase had her first big "Slumber Party" for her tenth Birthday!
She made out like a bandit!
This was a big hit - a Nintendo DS in Pearlized Pink ..... spoiled rotten...
We made crafts of course - we're girls aren't we? We made these spiffy Pool Flip Flops & Pool Bags. Afterwards, they all went swimming at the neighborhood pool with them!
Cute, aren't they?

(No, the floor is not dirty - we just don't have any flooring right now - so that is the house's foundation - just ignore it, that's what I try to do.)
Then we had a yummy cook-out. Jack made burgers because the girls say "Mr. Jack makes the BEST burgers EVER!"
Lots of good "Girl Bonding!"
And, of course - making s'mores! Girls gotta have chocolate, don't they?

Good CLEAN fun!

Oh - my gosh! School is about to start again, and I haven't even shown you guys the pictures of the Last Day of School! Eek! Anyway, here goes!

As you know, the kids walk home from school & stop at our neighborhood park right by our house. Well, it is a neighborhood tradition that on the last day of school, everyone brings shaving cream and the kids have at it! Pretty Funny!

Love/Hate Relationship.

Sometimes I HATE my house!! When I first saw my house over three years ago - I just loved it. It's this funky-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-type house with floor-to-ceiling windows and weird angles.

When Jack first saw the house, he said "It's attractive. And very odd. Just like you.

It's perfect for you."

What it really is, is a huge PAIN IN THE A__!

(Which some people would say, is also just like me. Stop smiling Mom.)

Anyway, three years of continuous 'remodel' later (and an on-going lawsuit with roofers), and still, 5:00 in the morning, we wake up to "drip,drip,plunk,plunk" all over the house! Then there's the next three days of pulled-up carpet and fans blowing everywhere, and the oh-so lovely musty aroma that comes with your house being drenched in three inches of rain.

It's enough to make me crazy. (Yes, I think that's what's doing it.)

But, the best part about my house - the part that really made me want to move here - is "Our Forest". The house is wedged into a greenbelt filled with tall trees and a creek, that we call our forest. I love our forest. In the winter, when all the trees are bare and it snows, it looks like a beautiful painting. In the Spring, when all the trees turn green and full, it looks like a lush paradise (to me).

This is the best room in the house. It's a great place to relax and enjoy a cold beverage.

Right next to the deck is our "Fire Pit", which the kids absolutely love!

I mean, making s'mores in your own backyard?

Does it get any better than that?

So, until Jack whips this house into shape - and finally ends the 'remodel hell' that is our life, I think I will stay outside on the deck. And enjoy a cold beverage. Or two.

CUBMOBILE RACES - WHAT A HOOT!

Jack, being such a good Dad, helps out with the Cub Scout group that Chance is in. When he heard there was going to be "Cubmobile" races where the kids help build a wooden race car and then race them in the street - he was absolutely giddy! For weeks, he planned out the car - scoping out the best wheels, etc. Then he & Chance spent hours & hours working on it - with their tools spread out all over the driveway. It was the cutest thing.... in a manly way, of course. Then, raceday arrived...
Darnit -where is my screwdriver???????
A few last minute adjustments...

And, they're off!!
They start the boys up on ramps and then let them go downhill. The boys steer the cars with their feet and they have a handbrake for the end of the course. They run several "heats" and have time-keepers that compile the "stats". They race the "winners" against the "winners" and keep eliminating cars until they get down to the fastest ones, which they then race for the Championship Trophy.
The boys had a blast! Even the Big Ones.
And when you work hard, and you have fun .... sometimes you end up with something like this:
Yep, that's my Little Man.

Although, just between me & you, it was my Big Man who fell asleep that night with his arms around that trophy and a big grin across his face. (Shhh.... )

Bailey has graduated - we are so proud!!!

Bailey squeaked out of Highschool with a 3.4 GPA, which is pretty good considering she took about a year off from any kind of homework or studying. (She was far too busy aimlessly "cruising" around town with her newly-licensed 'bff' Katie and learning how to text-message at the speed of light.) We are very proud of her. She's going to be working part-time and enjoying her summer - then all set to start College in the Fall! Chase was at a Girl Scout event, so she missed the graduation ceremony, but Chance & Kaden came to cheer Bales on! They sure were happy to escape the audtiorium afterwards, though - and enjoy the fresh air outside before we took Bailey to lunch to celebrate.

Is it lunch-time yet?