Cascade Lake

Our plans changed when Heath's work schedule did so
instead of a long weekend camping in Cascade
it was one full day of hanging out at the campground and boating.
It was a very long day but so worth it.

We had an awesome time!

It was a beautiful day out with perfect weather.

Papa and Luke

Grammy & Cody and Aunt Summer & Ryan

Luke was the most daring to try everything out, while

Cody liked to hang out in the boat and just enjoy the ride.

He actually was asleep in this picture until Uncle Matt dumped water on him.

Me & Heath

Dad

We got Ryan out in the tube with us one time.

Ryan loved playing with Uncle Matt in the water.

R.I.P. Cody

He probably died from doing absolutely nothing.

This kid has some lazy bones!

Matt tried teaching me how to wake board and

I thought I would give skiing a chance again since it's been forever but

it didn't happen. After hearing me complain about it Luke said to me,

"Mom, it's okay because you did your best."

Heath didn't have a problem at all skiing since last year.

The tube is where the most fun was had by all.

It definitely brought out the potty mouths in everyone, especially dear mom and dad!

Matt and Dad hanging on for dear life.

Me and my Mom

we survived the ride and never fell off.

Hands up for a fun family day!

my country loves

My concert was last night.
I hadn't been to one in a very long time.

It was so exciting and such a fun date for Heath and I
not bad either that I got to see my two country loves.

I don't know what it is, the boots, the hat, their southern drawls

but I love 'em.

Toby Keith and Trace Adkins put on a great show.

There was just one song each that I wish I could of heard them sing but

thankfully I did get to hear one of my all time favorites,

"I should of been a cowboy"

This is my one true love though...

My first Toby Keith concert was twelve years ago, 1998.

It was a listener appreciation concert and I was able to get some free tickets.

My friend Krista went with me and we were beyond excited!

So here I am before kids and a husband when I was out looking for a man (and now I see why I never found one).

Luckily now I don't have to worry about that and Heath and I were able to just go out and have a good time, which we did.

What I could of done without at the concert was:

• The man that came alone to the concert sitting next to me leaning into me the whole night.
• The lady (forty something) that ditched the people she came with to party with the college kids in the row in front of her.
• The couple with floor seats dancing and making out during the slow songs.
• The (fifty something) lady who took her bra off and waved it all around in the air.

a new normal

Yikes, where have I been?
It's taking me forever to find some kind of normal since our company left last week. I have had no motivation to get anything done.
To make matters worse, Heath has new hours at work that is making it really hard to find our new normal also.
We are trying to make the best of it of though, it could be temporary and we are just thankful that Heath has such a great job.....but when you are used to working 7-4, anything else pretty much stinks.
Last week was a pretty quiet week week we enjoyed a lot of down time with T.V. and video games, swimming at the pool and a movie day with the girls to watch How to train your dragon again.
Our weekend was pretty packed trying to get a lot done since we have less time with Heath during the week, but it was fun and we enjoyed it.
There were some good sales happening so I officially started the back to school clothes shopping for the boys. The most I spent on any one item was $16.00 and that was for a pair of really nice shoes for Ryan, everything else was all under five dollars.
We also took the kids to the movie Marmaduke. The kids have a list of summer movies that they are wanting to see so we have been loving the cheap theaters for making this possible. They still have fun and I don't' have to feel guilty spending the money.
It has been great watching the boys at the pool and seeing how far they have come along with their swimming. I decided not to do swim lessons this year because we weren't getting anywhere with them and we were never around water enough to practice anything that they had learned. Now where we are at the pool so much they have really started feeling more comfortable in the water and are having fun. I would now consider both Cody and Luke swimmers to some degree. Cody has a very smooth stroke but it less confident jumping in the deep end and swimming to me where Luke doesn't have a smooth stroke but is very confident jumping in the deep end and swimming to me. They both love diving under for things and practicing their back flips and headstands. Ryan has played more in the water these last few times but his favorite thing is still running around with a kick board and smacking the bees that land on the cement.

Yesterday we spent the whole day in Emmett playing with friends and had a great time. The kids played so well together and stayed busy all day long, while my friend Angie and I had some good laughs reading old letters from high school and college, sharing recipes and just visiting. Right before we got ready to leave the TV was turned on and the kids all sat together so quietly to watch a show.

So that brings us to today and I can't believe that we are already half way through this week. After a quick visit and play date with my cousin we met up with my sister to get Hailey. She is going to hang out with us for a few days so we are ready for some fun.

Cody has cracked us up lately ever since he learned how to set the timer on the microwave and now he sets it for everything all day long! I have to watch how I word things because if I say, "in just a minute" he will run in and set the timer. He also asked one day just out of the blue at what age kids go through puberty and what that means, which I gave him an age range and told him that is when your body starts to change and he seemed pleased with that so far. He also informed us that he learns 90% of his information from books, 5% from asking questions and from people and the other 5% from the television. We also had to laugh when he used the word maximize in a sentence. He was talking about his upcoming birthday (in October) and said that if he had a friends party and family party this year then he would maximize the number of presents he would receive. Cody explained to Luke today that to get their temporary tattoos from McDonald's off that you have to use baby oil or rubbing alcohol. Tonight when Luke and I were visiting he told me that to take the tattoos off you needed baby gas (baby oil) or beer (rubbing alcohol), funny how fast the story can change.

family time

Every December and July Heath's mom makes a trip out for a visit.

This year our niece Leigh Anne came along too.

We enjoyed our week together.

We went swimming at the pool.

We played at the city park.

We enjoyed snow cones 2 times (blueberry, candy apple & rainbow our flavors).

After hearing his older brothers talk about "brain freezes" Ryan was paranoid about getting one.

The boys were super excited when they found out they would be making a trip to ToysRus with money to spend from Mawmaw Teresia and Grandma Simpson.

Decisions, decisions...it's so hard deciding.

The best part, leaving the store with your loot.

Ryan knew exactly what he was wanting, a remote control monster truck and two Toy Story 3 figurines.

Luke got a new Lego Hero guy, a Toy Story 3 magic 8 ball, and added to his mighty beanz collection.

Cody knew it was going to be Lego's all along but had troubles deciding on which set.

Everyone had a little fun asking the 8 ball some questions!

Luke did get into a little trouble for asking some inappropriate ones.

Cody was so proud to build the whole set on his own without any help, that was a first for him.

See that little piece of heaven in the lower corner?

Heath couldn't wait for his mom to get here and make him that cake!

We played with some goop,

ate many popsicles and

the boys chewed bubblegum all day long.

I went to the movies with Amanda, we watched Eclipse and loved it.

I also had a movie date with Heath and watched GrownUps and didn't love it so much.

We also started running together which has been good. I can't say that I'm in love with running yet but it's fun having something to do with Heath plus I need the exercise.

So far...1 1/2 miles.

Saturday we headed down town to the Farmer's Market.

This was our first time and we loved it.

So many tasty looking things to choose from but we decided on

Bacon Rosemary bread, Dutch Apple Pie & Cookies & Cream Fudge.

So yummy!

We also stopped by a couple of parks.

Cody and Luke played in the fountain while Ryan squirrel watched.

Ryan also liked to chase them from tree to tree, Luke tried to stop him.

Cody wanted me to take this picture and have it say, "Goose Xing".

Ryan told us that he knew what game they liked to play, "Duck, Duck, Goose"

Teresia loves the boys and spoils them rotten and can never say no to them.

This does drive me crazy sometimes, but I do understand

because she only gets to see these sweet boys twice a year to love and kiss on.

She sometimes calls them baby doll and Luke told her that it was okay because they were used to it and he thinks it's funny.

She hangs out with them all day long, watching, playing, listening and talking to them.

She is a wonderful grandma to the boys!

We were getting hot and tired at this point.

Ryan had noticed some freckles on my shoulder and called them, "burn dots".

Ryan also loved to help Teresia make biscuits.

We celebrated my mom and Tucker's birthday at a Chinese restaurant.
We made a trip back to Sawtooth Winery where Heath and I were married.

It was our first time back since our wedding.

10 years ago.

The scenery is so beautiful.

The boys loved having Leigh Anne here.

She is so good with them and played with them constantly.

Shooting each other with the Nerf guns was their favorite thing to play, I still have bullets

everywhere in my house.

Ryan always so sweetly called her, "Le-un" all day long.

I got her hooked on playing Scattegories and by the end of the week she finally beat me.

I really feel like I got to know her more, so that was fun.

She is a sweet girl.

She asks a lot of questions of why and how things are done here differently from back home and comments on the way I pronounce things and phrases that I say.

She asked if I thought people could tell she wasn't from around here (definitely yes) and

asked if people say, "awe shucks and oh fiddlesticks" (not so much).

She is too funny!

Look how our family has grown in the last ten years.

Luke loves taking pictures with my camera.

The happily married couple.

Tereisa not only spoiled them with gum, candy and happy meals,

they also got a new xbox game the day before she left

which they are playing as I am typing this!

Here's to another 10 years, babe!

and a Happy Birthday to my momma today!