What is it about a bonnet?

Seriously, there is something about a bonnet that just chokes me up!

I don't know what it is,but at Pioneer Days I was smitten by all the bonnets about!

It is just...so...so Laura Ingalls Wilder!

Aww.........Pa!

Honey? The milk cows are out.

I get a phone call from Kim the other day. It sounded something like this:

"Honey? Um...the boss just called."

"Yes?"

"And , well the milk cows are out."

"O.K.?"

"Um...could you and the kids go get them in."

"(dramatic pause) Yes, we'll go get them. Where are they?"

"Well, I don't exactly know. Maybe just wander around a bit, they couldn't have gone to far."

At this point my mind wanders back to a little gathering at my friend Jenie's house a couple of weeks after high school graduation (1989). A bunch of us freshly graduated know-it-alls were discussing what kind of man we were going to marry. In all my 18 year old wisdom. I informed the group that my tall basketball playing lawyer of a husband would be a such a great guy. We would live in our beautiful home at the end of the cul de sac.

There are no milk cows in cul de sacs!
I've visited one the other day. Not a single ding-dong milk cow in the whole area!


Back to my life where I take a deep breath and assemble my team:
one 12 yr old trumpet player
one 9 yr old sissy pants
one 6 yr old sassy mouth
one 5 yr old heathen

Me and the sissy pants jump on the four wheeler and the rest get in the mule and off we go.
I start driving....and somehow get to thinking that I really am the cowgirl that should live at my house. I tear up the mountain looking for the two escapees. Then I happen to look back and notice that in my haste to be a good cowgirl I drove right past the milk cows. Trumpet player and his crew already spotted the cows and have them turned back to the barn. I do a 12 point turn around and sheepishly follow the youngsters. The cows do pretty good and we get them back in thier pens relatively easy--considering that I would still be wandering the mountains looking for the old gals!

I'm glad that somebody around here can get things done, because heaven knows that it sure isn't me!

Moral of the story:

I don't know the moral...just make sure that the gate latches next time you come out of the milk cow pen, or you could be reminded that sometimes 18 yr old know-it-alls never do grow up!

Where did I go wrong?

It all started out so innocently. The sweet well-mannered children reading thier library books on the front porch. One last read of the stories they have come to love over the past week.

Practicing thier reading like thier mother had told them. We head to the library to get more books to fill thier cute little heads with educational dreams and visions.

After story hour they hand out inflatable guitars---so as to stimulate thier creativity and love for classical music.

Or not......

This is what I get when I step out of the suburban.

And then this. Then Kennedy says, "Wait for it....wait for it..."

"Oh ya!", she yells. "Rock and Roll Baby!"

This could very seriously affect my chances for mother of the year!

Splash from the past.....

Swimming lessons were in June this year. The three littlest went. Since Kort was only 4 I had to ride the bus to Missoula with them every day. The pictures are a little blurry...sorry. Kort and his little gang of buddies

This is Kort's sweet grin, after he threw some little toy into the pool after everyone had already got out of the pool. His teacher had to swim on out to get it. He's a charmer...for sure!


Kassidy did a great job. She is a little bit scared of the water, so I was a little nervous. She was brave and did everything they asked of her.

Kennedy hadn't had very much experience in the water either, but she surprized me...

by totally jumping of the diving board!

They all loved it! Since I can't swim a lick, it sure puts my heart at ease as they get better and better in the water!

Hello?......Is anyone out there?

I haven't died. I know it's been awhile. I've been here, there and everywhere. I got some good pics that I know you'll love. Give me a couple of days and I'll get back at it......OK a week that is my final offer. School starts next week, football has already started and I'm feeding cowboys next weekend. After that it's all about blogging!

I don't want to go in the canal!!!

When I was little, we went to my grandma'a house every sunday and had popcorn. There was always and uncle or five there. If I was to sassy or just the mood struck them, they would threaten to throw me into the canal. I can't swim, so this put the fear right into me. I do recall several times being dipped into the irrigation ditches and into grandma's sink full of soapy water. All of my dad's siblings got together for the first time in a long time. They asked me over to take a picture. My dad is in the middle in the white-right behind my mom in lime green. One of them asked if they would make the 'blog'.

Well, I don't want to go into the canal, so...here they are!

P.S. Watch out for the one on the far left...he's the worst of the bunch!

P.S.S. Don't ask about the dog....once again the guy on the far left! What a trouble maker!

Life of the party!

My husband is quite the character. He is always the life of the party. When you live with the life of the party, your embarrassing moments become the life of the party. So, it is with great honor I present to you...the pink water shoes.

My husband packed his own self for camping this year and forgot to pack extra shoes. So when he got his little toesies wet when he went fishing, the only shoes were my pink water shoes. He wore them for two whole days.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow!

Happy Anniversary!

On our anniversary this year, Kim was at Trek. So I spent the day at home packing for his family reunion--with his dad. I know very romantic! It was whole week later when I finally saw him again( 4 days at trek and then 3 days at the reunion before he came to meet us there)

Some husbands bring flowers. Others jewelry. But my husband brings pizza! And that is exactly how I like it! We have always lived out in the boonies. We have never lived in a place that I could have pizza delivered, so I love to get pizza for dinner. He pulls into camp with a hot pizza. What a hunk!

P.S. Later that afternoon, Kade( 12 year old son) walks by my pizza box and chuckled to himself. I asked him what was so funny. He said,"It's funny that Dad brought you 'hot stuff' pizza, cuz that is what he calls you sometimes!" I didn't even think of that!

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get away from my children!!!

A poor chicken just happened to walk through my mom's yard when we were there. Somebody grabbed a butterfly net and the chase was on.

I didn't know how agile a chicken can be.

My kids ran and ran and ran after that poor chicken.
(Please notice how black the bottom of my son's socks are. You can never come back from that!)

Kass almost had him, and then he ducked into the bushes.

We finally treed him and couldn't reach him anymore.

Poor chicken.