FULL MOON

This is through out telescope with my camera. Not too clear, but we had fun looking at the moon.

We survived the first two weeks of school.

FUNDRAISERS: for those with children in school, you will understand this fully~~~~I HATE FUNDRAISERS!!!! We are completing the first one-for Sara's band. Some very overpriced cookie dough. I really hate having Sara asking neighbors to buy this stuff. First~they brainwash the kids-having them focus on the cheap little prises they get for selling this stuff. Then, they make them set a high goal of what they need to sell-peer guilt if they don't. Then they go on heavy about what a great deal it is for the consumer.....basically they are asking kids to sell their products for them at incredibly inflated prices so the school gets a small portion to go towards a goal-in this case the band field trip. I refused to buy the stuff!

This is the one and only fundraiser that I will do because if you know Sara at all, she does not know how to take no for an answer and she does the selling herself, while dragging her sister with her to the neighbors, don't worry, I know all of them very well and they take my cell phone with them.

On the way home today they noticed a mouse, or at least the back end of a mouse, in my neighbor's yard. We helped her bag it since she is a single mom who freaks at these little partial gifts her cats keep bringing her....we are going to buy her a shovel with a very long handle tomorrow :)

FINALLY~~SCHOOL

I don't think that either girls slept too well. I was shocked out of sleep when my alarm went off...no more sleeping in. We had been getting up at 7 for a week, even this weekend, to help the girls, and I guess me to, to be able to function before the sun.

This year the girls are going to two different school. Ruth-6th grade- is going to a new school that is directly behind Sara's school-7th grade. Ruth's begins at 8:00 still, and Sara's is 8:45. So, Ruth and I got up, got ready and I did the carpool thing...the same girls I was carpooling since K-see the photo from this year vs. 2 years ago...oh my! I did enjoy last year when they rode the bus, though I did miss them a little.

Then it was Sara' s turn. When I returned with the carpool, she was already up, dressed, and had done her hair and had breakfast, and made her lunch....I guess I taught her better than I thought since I did not discuss her morning routine...I am impressed. Her best friend K'Asha met at our house to ride the bike to school and they will meet up with their friend Keanna half way there. I guess I need to get a basket for Sara's bike since she will be carrying so much stuff.

Summer vacation ends

Today it was the trimming of Sara's hair, they both had to have their nails painted, and the checking of the backpacks....again. Don't worry, I got Ruth's hair trimmed last week. I don't dare trim hers because it is so VERY think.

Lunches were discussed, and Jeff took the girls swimming to help wear them out to help them sleep, and they played 4-squares into the evening...also to help them sleep better.

Wardrobes were approved....Sara had to go with her second choice so she would not be sent home for inappropriate length.

The last day of "mom...mom...mom...mom...mom...mom...mom...mom...mom...mom........." and you KNOW what I am talking about!!!!

BUT....also the last day of free hugs and kisses all day long and smiles and wanting to spend time with mom....maybe I will miss them more than I thought :(

New dresses

Today we picked up the dresses that the girls will wear at their cousin's wedding in November. I will need to hem Sara's dress unless I can find some good heels. Ruth~~~I do not think I can really ask her to put on about 10 pounds and get 2 inches shorter. I had to order a larger dress so maybe it would be long enough. We will be looking for some really flat flats and I will take in the dress in the bodice.

VACATION IS OVER

We arrived home yesterday evening after our two day drive home. Colorodo was wonderful as usual, except this is the first time since the 60's when we were doing this that is was COLD and for those silly people, NO! we did not mind the cold after 105+ for so long here at home. We actually slept with the windows open, the fan pulling the cold air in, and many blankets on us....we wanted to feel the chill.

We left Saturday and drove most of the way.

the rest of the week . . .

Well, it will take too long to tell you day by day, so here is the rest of the week.


On Wednesday the girls and 19 of their cousins went white water rafting. It was an all day thing and they came home exhausted yet pleased.



On Thursday, much to the pleasure of the girls, we spent in town shopping. Yes, you will see many bags in their hands, none in mine.....such a mom. After dinner we had a "happy birthday to everyone" which included a cake. Then in the evening we had a very long talent show which even included my dad telling a dumb blonde joke....no offence to all of the blondes in our family.


On Friday the entire extended family got into our cars and drove the long ride to the top of the mountain, had lunch, then returned. The girls were exhausted and fell asleep on each other in the back of the car and being the mother always looking for future blackmail items....aren't they so very cute...I had to take a photo, of course Jeff took the photo since I was doing the downgear shifting dance heading down the mountain.


The afternoon the family went to a presentation on bird banding. They had feeders in the woods and as the birds flew away, they were caught in the pockets of the very fine nets. They were immideately removed. They identified the species, usually a humming bird, measured it, weighed it, then put the band on its leg. Did you know that a bird's leg does not get any larger around after it hatches....thus they will not outgrow the bank and injure themselves. After the humming birds were removed from their restraint, they placed them in a volunteer's hand, and it just layed there he said because the bird did not know that it was free until he gently bumped the hand and the bird flew off.


That evening we had a kickball game-Sara was the "pitcher", followed by volleyball. After dinner was dancing---square, line, chicken dance, what ever.






On Saturday it was laundry, the first to the craft shop, where Ruth finished her dog, Sara made 5 pairs of earrings...for her future pierced ears, and I made a mosaic picture frame for one of our 500 photos that I have taken. In the afternoon the girls did archery again. In the evening the extended family gathered in the cabin in front of the fireplace and told what we made, bought, or what was our favorite thing that week.

whoa horsie!!!

After family photos this morning, we went horse back riding....yes...I went too. I asked for a ladder to help me up...bad leg...but instead I just got a huge shove from a girl. I could not say that this was the most graceful thing I would have liked to have shown off!!

After horse riding, and once I could walk again, I took the girls for archery lessons. I was amazed at how good they were-no one was wounded-and they actually hit the target a number of times. We may need to look for someplace CLOSER to do this.

G0-Carts

It is the tradition that we go go-carting one evening after dinner. Today we we were not sure if this would happen because of the daily rain, followed by a beautiful double rainbow, but we were lucky and we made it. Ruth, Sara and I had a blast. Then the 20's-AKA generation 3-did some batting cage fun....only 1 injury resulted.

Settled in and ready

MONDAY MORNING

We settled in well and got some sleep. We decided to go to the craft shop and begin some projects in case we needed an entire week. Ruth began painting a ceramic dog, and Sara began a mosaic jewelry box.

Traveling time

We are heading out tomorrow at 5am for our family reunion. This first day will be about 12 hours, the second day about 7. We have packed a ton of DVD's for the girls to watch, and got a new batch of motion sick pills for Sara~~hopefully it will make her sleep too. My parents are coming into town this afternoon and staying at a nearby hotel, where I will take the kids to swim for a while and hopefully wear them out. Tonight is the ritual of the packing of the car, AKA mom's stress point will be broken-----look out world. It would be better if it wasn't so VERY hot outside. I now pay the girls to do most of the packing and thank GOD they are now old enough to really help and young enough to not know how to get out of it.....


I can not wait to sit out on the porch with a good book, stare at the mountains, and read....a little piece of heaven on earth.

Back in August.....

DOGGIE FUN

We are having fun with the dogs.

Notice all the are together...Jessie, Cooper and Puff.

Mermaid

Today Sara decided to get into our pool to cool off. She did not want to get her hair wet, so she got a red shower cap and put a rubber band around it. It worked fairly well. She is good at improvising and finding something that works for her needs.

Afterwards, she gave up and just got her hair wet.

LIGHT

Today we replaced the entry light. I guess that since I could not reach the 20' to clean the light in 6 years, then just get a new one :) We switched from gold to black. Luckily I put low wattage bulbs in or it would have been enought light to land a plane.

BRIDAL SHOWER

Yesterday my sister Lisa and I drove to Houston for our niece Jennifer's bridal shower. Jennifer's sisters Ashley and Megan co-hosted the shower. The food was WONDERFUL and Jennifer got a lot of things to begin their household. Jennifer has wonderful friends who were at the shower.

I have to admit I loved the 24 hours with adult conversation only. I do believe that every summer we will re-establish the girl's weekend out where no kids or males are allowed. We used to go shopping, but I think we will just go somewhere, probably my mom's, and visit ie-talk.

FINALLY RAIN

Today we had rain--after almost a month













do you see it? There is a drop! That's all!!!!!!!

Today we rose again early and headed for our destination. The 4 carloads of family, along with too much luggage, stopped in Loveland at SAM's to purchase the food for 41 people for a week. My sister made separate lists and we were off. It took 3 flats and one shopping cart at SAM'S to get it all, and now.......it needed to fit into our cars. I really wish I had a picture of this! We rearranged the luggage, stacked it up, sat on it, held it in our laps, just short of strapping it onto our hoods.....we looked like a bunch of back hills folks.....maybe like the Beverly Hill Billies, without the mansion, or the dog.

We arrived and there were a number of family already at the cabin who gratefully helped unload everything and the girls took all the luggage upstairs to our room.

We have used this cabin many times over the years. Upstairs is 4 bedrooms, sleeps 14 with 1 bathroom. Downstairs sleeps 6 with 1 bathroom.....of course this is the main house and everyone is there all day.....1 bathroom downstairs. We did fairly good.

JULY 4TH

God bless America!

We are having a quite 4th at home.