Hey There!!

We have been kind of busy, so I apologize for not keeping you up to date on our exciting lives. LOL I'll just kind of summarize and then may come back later if I remember a funny moment with one of the boys ~ Okay?

Last weekend ~ no camping, we worked. Chris finished the rock around the whole shed, we built a ladder for the camper bunks, built the seat for the $3 bench I got from a garage sale, sprayed the yard for weeds, cleaned up the yard south of the house along the terrace and I only have pictures of one of those things. (This is one of the reasons I haven't posted sooner because I always have intentions of getting pics of all of these things to show you and then I wouldn't take the picture and then wouldn't post) So, I present to you "The Ladder" ~























One thing that was on my To-Do list for Memorial weekend was finishing my bag donations to the benefit for Axel. Well, the weather was beautiful so I didn't get that done. I have to admit that I started on these very early and then after cutting my arm, I was a little hesitant to "get back in the saddle". I finally finished them this week and dropped them off on Friday (of course the deadline was supposed to be Thursday, but that's the story of my life ~ always a true procrastinator!) My cousin, Sylvia, is one of the coordinators for this benefit because it's her son who is a really good friend of Axel's (the boy with cancer) and she said they are getting a TON of things donated for this benefit and I am so happy for the success of this!! The whole time I was sewing my "bags" I was praying that I didn't have to go through something like this with one of our boys. I can't imagine and my heart truly aches for Axel and his family and friends. On a good note, Sylvia also had the tickets for the benefit so I didn't have to track them down somewhere so I was happy!

Okay, now here is the picture (finally) of what Ken helped Chris work on when he was over here. The new "skirting" on the trailer. Before (I never think to take the before pics) this was painted 2x4's and the paint was chipping and looked crappy, the wood was getting old and rotting on the bottom, but they were built so the insulation was built into these wooden sections. After reviewing things, they decided to keep the insulation and wood and used this tin to dig down into the ground (in some spots it was about a foot down) and hopefully keep the mice out from underneath the trailer.

I feel pretty good that I haven't missed packing a lunch for Taite on all the field trips he's gone on these last few days of school! I haven't been able to attend all of them with him, but some I was able to catch an hour or so with him (we've been really busy at work. . .) The boys have 4 more days left and we are ready!!! It's hard already to get them to bed at a good time because it's so nice out! When they are getting ready for school in the mornings, Brayton always asks me "Mom, what is the temp supposed to be?" so I have to look it up (you'd think I would just start watching the news) and then let him know. The other morning he said "So, I can wear shorts, right?" (yes) "Can I wear black socks with my shorts?" (NO) :~)

Last weekend the forecast was for really warm weather on Sunday or one of the days so the boys decided they were going to have a water fight (never mind that it didn't warm up like they said it should). Brayton found his trunks and was getting ready to head outside when he asked me to find his goggles and he had some questions for me.

1. Do you wear underwear with your trunks?

2. If he is wearing a tie-dyed shirt and it gets wet will the dye get all over him?

(I think there was one more, but I can't remember it) I laughed at his questions and helped him to figure out the tie-dyed one because we wash it with other laundry and he answered correctly!

I went to Oxbow Park with Taite on Friday and it has been a long time since I was last there! We will have to go back, but of course on Friday is when I needed my camera because the group Taite was with got some special treatment for raising money for the cat display they are going to build. First they got to see the two new wolf cubs that won't be "officially" on display at the zoo until late July/early August. They were very cute and the kids did a perfect job of not going near the kennel (they are treated very much like wild animals there ~ no naming or anything!)

Then they directed us over to the Black Bear and treated us to a viewing of her dining. To keep her mind and body active, they put the bear in back and then hide her food all over so she has to go scavenging just like if she was in the wild :~) They do give her popcorn, marshmallows and peanuts in addition to fruit, but they said she definitely doesn't get that everyday because they have to watch her diet so she doesn't get too much sugar or salt. It was super cute and I should've had a camera!!!