One last summer fling...

With school just around the corner, we figured we'd better cram as much fun as we could into the last few days of summer vacation.  Luck would have it that a random conversation led us to discover a fun little water park in Colby, KS.  It was about 1 1/2 hours from home which is way better than the 3 hr drive we had considered to get to the next closest one!  Since we are nearing the end of the season, I think the locals have had just about enough and there was hardly anyone there most of the day!

We pretty much had the run of the slides and there were never more than 3-4 people in front of us each time!! And climbing 2 flights of stairs every 5 minutes makes for great exercise too!

Nate had a blast!!!  And even Gail got into the fun... except he made WAY bigger splashes on the slides...

Ally is ready for the Olympic diving team!  Between slide rides, she went off the high dive a few times and loved it!!

Both kids loved the lilly pad jumps.  It was harder than it looks!

And who doesn't love the LAZY RIVER!??!

I was there too but somebody had to take pictures!!! :)  Hope you are enjoying the end of your summer vacation too!!! ~J

A birthday fishing party...

 My baby is 7.  Can you believe it?  I don't know where the time has gone.  Seems like just yesterday he was waking up in the night always needing something.  Wait..... That WAS yesterday!  So he may not be the best sleeper in the world, but he's still my baby and he still turned 7.  When you have a b-day during fair week, things get a little hectic so we had an on-going b-day week to try to make it special.  First and foremost was a fishing party for him and a few of his friends....

Catch of the day!!! (Can you see it?!?!?)

Thank goodness the fish were biting that day.  It hadn't occurred to me that 6 little kids might get bored and restless in about 5.6 minutes if the fish weren't biting right away.  I neglected to think of a plan B ahead of time if this was the case so luck was on my side that day.

Fisherman Brett

Things were a little slow at first so they had to chill out in chairs...

The fish were teeny tiny itty bitty little things but it didn't dampen their enthusiasm each time they hauled one out!  They were lined up to get the fish off the lines and new bait put back on!!

The b-day boy and one of his many catches!!

Most of the fish made it back to the water in time to grow for another day.  At least we hope anyway!

Friendships built over a fishing pole.... nothing can compare!

Cousins!!!

And of course we had to have snack time because fishing is VERY hard work ya know!  Despite the 106 degree day, I think a good time was had by all.  And special thanks to neighbor Mike for helping bait hooks for 2 hours straight!!  You're a trooper!!

Weekend Entertainment... ranching style

Some people might go to the movies or the mall on a Saturday afternoon, but we had much BIGGER plans... we headed out to the middle of nowhere to check cows.  I have to admit I was a little impressed with all the different activities we came up with in our little road trip.  Here's just a sampling of our afternoon

One of the calves thought a dip in the pool (aka stock tank) might feel good but  the kids coaxed her back out.

We searched high and low to make sure all the cows and calves were accounted for.  (Think scavenger hunt in a few hundred acres).

Ally got to practice her photography skills and try to capture some shots for  her 4-H project.

We actually checked cows while we were there...

A little father - son time.  Wonder what they are talking about?!

Bath time for one of the babies!

Canyon jumping... it should be a new olympic sport.

Watch out below...................

Not to be out-done by her brother....  Ally takes the plunge!

We found a wild blackberry tree on our way out and picked a few for the long ride home!

 So if you ever find yourself bored some weekend, give us a call and we'll see if we can't entertain you for a little while!

A girl and a horse

There are few things in life that can match the bond between a little girl and her horse.  They can share secrets, a good cry, a hug, or a long talk.  I've seen Ally and Paige do just about all of this since the horse has come to live with us and I sometimes wish I'd have had that same opportunity as a kid.  I have no regrets though because it makes me appreciate these moments all the more.  I can see the life lessons we're all learning and wouldn't trade it for the  world.

Here are just a few things we've learned lately...

If you stray from the path, it's ok to let go of the reins.  Your best friends will always lead you back home!

Your attitude flows directly to those around you.  If you want others to cooperate, you'd better show them your're a team player! 

It's ok to spend $70 for a new pair of shoes every 6 weeks...

Never run when you can jog. Never jog when you can walk. And never walk when you can stand still.

Love those who love you back, especially if they give wet, slobbery kisses!

No matter what... always have fun.  The friends you make along the way are worth more than any ribbons or trophies you'll ever receive.

What have you learned from your horse lately?!

Nine year olds and jigsaws...

I know it sounds like a dangerous combination, but with proper supervision, it actually turns out to be really cool.  Ally really wanted to do some woodworking in 4H this year so I started searching for beginner wood plans on the internet several weeks ago.  I found some boring basic plans that would work but then I came across the perfect plan... a vintage step stool!  It didn't look too hard so we decided to give it a shot.  The plans came from Ana White.  You can find the step by step plans here.

Here she is with all her wood supplies before she made the cuts.

Measure twice... cut once.  At least that's what my dad taught me.

She had a little help but did a great job with the power tools!

Sand Sand Sand... then sand some more!

And when you get tired you grab the electric sander!

She needed a little muscle from her dad to help put all the wood screws in!

The FINAL product!!  She did two coats of paint and distressed the edges to get the "vintage" look she was going for!!

I know we haven't practiced math facts like we should have this summer, but looking back on this project I realized we did fractions, math, measurements, and problem solving without even realizing it.  And I got a new jigsaw out of the deal so everyone is happy!!