The boys have had a GREAT week! The empty lot across from us used to flood every time it rained. They finally filled it in so the owners could sale it.  Well, this year all that water went into the neighbors back yard instead!  So the city came in and is putting in a storm drain.  The kids (Payden) has been thoroughly entertained watching out the window all day long!  Landon likes watching when they do new things!  The most exciting day was when they dug a 10 foot hole right in front of the window to lay down the new pipe!  I've loved the entertainment for the boys...but it's been kind of a pain to get in and out of the driveway!

School Days!

After school is our busiest time of day!! I have to get through piano lessons.  Then we head to dance or swimming or reading night or feed the missionaries. Plus first grade brings homework of spelling tests and reading and math! 

Madilyn did the first session of ballet this fall!  She loved it! She loved being with two of her best friends!! She is such a perfectionist and loves learning all the ballet positions!

We didn't sign her up for the jazz session because I finally got her and Landon in swimming lessons here! They were stoked! ...Payden feels left out though!

The first grade teachers host a monthly family reading night! They read a book, have an activity, snacks, raffles, and everyone comes in their PJ's and brings their pillows and blankets! 

There is always something to do! As soon as I think life is going to slow down a new wave come rolling in!  Life is great! 

Imaginations!

Landon's imagination has gone wild!  There are days when I don't hear from him for hours because he's so into his playing! His favorite is Legos! I love hearing him talk and make up stories while he plays!!  My favorite was when he  rolled is play dough out and it ended up being in the shape of Texas!! He was so excited! ...I may have been a little bit proud too :)

Babysitting

A friend in the branch needed a babysitter.  She is a dental hygienist for the local dentist.  She only works 1-2 days a week.  I told her I'd watch her two little girls for her.  Landon and Addy have become best friends!!  I love watching them play!  Payden and Brynlee have their moments, but they too are starting to interact. They're all pretty funny!  I also watched a baby for a week for a desperate friend of a friend!  I felt like a real daycare!!  Somedays I love it!! Others I wonder what I'm thinking!!

First Day of School!

The day before school started I took Madilyn out for a mommy daughter date! If there is anything she likes more than anything it's having girl time with mom!! (Something that doesn't happen very often with two little brothers!) 

Subway is her favorite place to eat, and we have been waiting for a reason to try out the new one here in Stanley! We went and picked out a new novel at the library. Then went out for a "world famous whirla whip" (expect nobody really knows about them except Stanley, ND!) They are very yummy milk shakes though!!

Then...we had meet the teacher night.  I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with my first impression of her teacher. But Madilyn absolutely loves her! She has missed school twice so far and both times she would have rather gone to school!  (And she missed for fun things too...not just being sick!) She is so much happier this year! 

Landon had to wait 2 weeks before it was his first day of Pre-school. It nearly killed him! He was so excited it was all he could do to wait!  I was lucky I even got him in! We went to sign up on the first day of registration.  By the time we got there the morning class was booked and half of the afternoon was already taken!  I would have been in big trouble if I had waited any longer!! 

Landon is absolutely loving school too! He looks forward to every day and has been such a happy little boy since he started school!!

Enjoying every last minute of Summer!

We did all we could to enjoy every last minute of summer we could! 

We loved watching our garden grow! The kids would get so excited when new things started to come on!  They liked being the first to discover something new. Sadly, it didn't produce much this year.  Next year we'll have to make some changes. Even though there wasn't much, I loved canning and freezing all I could :)

There are always times when, if we want to see dad at all, we have to go run errands with him. It could be a quick fix on a truck or just dropping something off to a driver.  Either way, it's usually an hour or two hour drive ONE WAY!  The kids hate it!  But sometimes this mom needs to get out!!  Sometimes dad surprises us with a fun stop!  This time we followed a trail for a neat view of Lake Sakakawea and the bridge across it. (Sorry, me and night time pics have never gotten along!)

We did lots of fishing!!!  Landon asked me everyday...all summer...when we were go fishing next! 

We had lots of morning wrestling!

Playing in the water just wasn't much fun this year.  It just wasn't warm enough... But we tried one last round before school started! 

Just before the end of summer we ALL got new bikes!! We had so much fun taking the kids on bike trails and stopping at parks to play! 

Payden has decided he really likes food. ALL food! But mostly food he gets himself!  He's gotten really good at not eating meals because he snacks all day long...just like brother!!

Lazy Summer Days!

                        ....long gone till next year!

A day at the Lake!

Some of our friends went camping at Van Hook. It's only about 30 minutes away. I enjoy camping, but not without Ron! Jackson's and Dimick's went down and spent the week without their husbands! We went down and enjoyed their company and some time at the lake for an afternoon! 

The kids absolutely loved it!! 

North Dakota State Fair!

The fair was in town while Jane and Dustin were here! We took a day to go check it out and see what it was all about! People take their campers and camp out the whole week there! I'm not sure what all the fuss was about. The Eastern Idaho State Fair was better hands down!! I'm  thinking we missed a huge section of the fair! But we let the big kids go on the carnival rides...that's what it's all about anyway!! And dad won a stuffed animal for Payden!

...but pictures are on dad's phone since I remembered mine was in the car when the shuttle came and picked us up!

I have to admit, they have some awesome concerts there every year!! This year we had Toby Keith. Tim McGraw. Sawyer Brown. Journey. Brantley Gilbert. To name a few! $80 bucks for a season pass to see all 7 concerts?? Next year we'll have to jump on that!!

Fun in the Sun!

We've been having so much fun outside!!  The weather has been beautiful! Somedays a little on the chilly side!! If it would stay like this until thanksgiving I would be so happy!! Wishful thinking!! I am bracing myself for an early winter and holding onto summer as long as I can!!

If there is a mud puddle, we will find it!!  Landon begged and begged for a boat so he could sail across the pudddle in the ally. This is what he came up with!!

Somewhere I have pictures of Payden covered from head to toe in the mud!!

Madilyn's most favorite thing to do is climb the tree!! The neighbor boy taught her how to get up there pretty high!!

We play hide and seek. 

We go for walks.

 We play guns!!!

Grandma Jane and Dustin came for a visit. We had a great time!! We were outside the whole time! They taught the kids how to play baseball. I was amazed at how well they could play! Madilyn hit a home run over the roof and into the street on the other side of the house. Landon could hit right handed and left! 

Busy Busy Busy

I'm having this problem staying on top of things. Kids. Cleaning. ...okay that's all I can think of right now. But my daily list of things involving these two is no kidding a mile long everyday!!  And I swear it's the same things EVERYDAY! So...I threw the towel in! I gave in and went to JoAnn's fabric with my good buddy Makala! 

I'm not sure what I was thinking!! I now have about 10 sewing projects to finish ASAP!! <because that's how my brain works...I want them done NOW!> and guess what time it is?!? Canning season!!    Peaches are on the cupboard getting ripe. Cucumbers are fattening up. Green Beans are starting to show up! And its the tail end of the summer! I'm sad to send my babies to school this fall!! I want to enjoy every minute I can with them...not engross myself in the gazillion projects rolling around in my mind!!!

It all started with Madilyn's dress for the 4th of July!

Then I made a skirt for myself! 

I have enough left over fabric I think I can make a matching one for Madilyn!!

Then, the whole reason for the shopping trip was to make this quilt to hang in the living room. I need a little more practice picking out the fabric. I cut out and layed out a half a dozen (or more) options...and I still don't like it! I hope it will look better when it's ready to hang on the wall!!

Madilyn picked out some fat quarters so we're making her another dress and skirt...

Landon felt left out so I let him pick some fabric and we covered some toy boxes!! 

I finally added my embellishments to my kitchen canvas! (I want to change up the other 3 now!!)

I finally have some ideas flowing to decorate the basement...we'll start off with curtains. 

And Ron finally gave me the excuse I needed to break down and get my owl bathroom set. We (he and Dustin) replaced the shower downstairs. He bought a cheap one from the lumber store!! Didn't even know what it looked like till we got it out of the box. Talk about cheesy!! It doesn't even have a door!! So now I get to do my favorite thing!! Be a homemaker and make it look all better!! ...but he gets to do the new sheet rock!!

 

My goal is it finish it ALL and squeeze in Canning, back to school, yearly pictures...but right now it's time to sort the laundry so I can get a head start on tomorrow!! 

Happy 4th of July!!

We've known the Clark's since we moved to Nodak, but we've never had the opportunity to hang out with them. They moved to Burlington last fall. Makala and I have stayed in touch and decided we needed to celebrate the 4th together!! 

They came out to the Stanley parade with us! We love the parade here!!

The kiddos loved it! Payden even got with it and waved at everyone!! ...once I buckled him down! He kept running to down to the family next to us!!

Our neighbor Leah was in the parade with her Grandpa!

After the parade we went to Lake Darling for the day! We had a great time on the boat and fishing!

Then we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner!! 

The kids had fun seeing how far up they could climb the tree there!  Once Landon got brave I had to set limits on him!! At first he didn't dare go up more than a few feet!!

Then they chased squirls and raced obstacle courses!

We finished off the evening by fishing off the bank! Landon caught the first fish!! Boy was he proud!!  He actually caught 2 of them!! (Dad did catch one on the boat, but wouldn't let me take a picture!!)

I was afraid Madilyn's whole day was going to be ruined because she did catch anything!! Luckily at the last minute she snagged one up too!

We came back to Stanley and enjoyed the fireworks from our lawn!!  

We love the fourth!! And are super happy to find someone to celebrate with!!