The Big Third Grade!

I can't believe how fast my kids are growing up. My friends told me that once they hit Kindergarten it just flies by...I didn't understand it, but I do now. Alicyn started third grade on Wednesday this week. She missed the first two days of school because we were in Alaska. I tried really hard to get "D" track so that we wouldn't have that problem but my attempts failed. She has Mr. Yates and is so excited to have a male teacher. We were able to go and meet with him on July 18th for a while and get to know him prior to our trip. I thought that would be a good idea because then when she started school two days late she would already know where her class room is and her teacher.

She is so excited to begin a new school year.

This is in the morning just before school yesterday.

Just like Indy - Snakes, Why Did it Have to Be Snakes?

My sister Adrienne gave Zach a wooden snake for his birthday about three years ago. I really hate this thing. It might not look so real in the picture, but when you are not expecting a snake and you move something and it is sitting there it really makes you jump!

Ali and Dave have found this to be quite funny!!! I on the other hand don't find the humor in it unless they are the ones being got.

I have been so tempted to throw this stupid snake in the garbage, just so I am not worried about where it is going to show up next.

To my displeasure over the last week I have found this snake in numerous places. Ali thinks it is really funny to stash it in your bed to try to get you. Dave put it in my purse on Friday morning last week. If we have something to be mailed he will put the mail on top of my purse so I won't forget it. Well I picked up the mail - ready to leave for the day and that stupid snake was in my purse with it's head looking up at me. Yes, he got me!

Friday night Ali put it on Dave's side of the bed and then came in the room as he was about to climb in, she probably would have got him if she didn't have a huge cheesy grin on her face that gave her away.

Then again tonight, Ali put it on Dave's side of the bed in hopes to get him (he is really afraid of snakes), well I pulled the covers down and reveled the snake and I jumped instead of him. After about a week of hiding the snake they stop for awhile until I am wondering where it is and they start all over again a few months later. One of these days I really am going to put it in the trash. You can hear giggling all over the house when mom has been gotten by the snake. I personally think it is funnier if Dave is the one that jumps!

Recipe Tag

I have been tagged by my sister, Adrienne for a new recipe.

This recipe is one of my families favorites. I usually have to make double because they want it again for the next meal. If you don't want the "meat" make the sauce and serve over rice.

Hope you like it as much as we do.

Autumn Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil (or EVOO)

4 pork chops (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Sauce:

1 can 10 3/4 oz cream of celery soup

1/2 cup apple juice or water (apple juice tastes better)

1 - 2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp spicy brown mustard

4 cups hot cooked minute rice

Black pepper, coarsely ground

Directions:

In a medium skillet over medium - high heat, heat oil then add pork chops and cook 10 minutes or until browned on both sides. Set chops aside and pour off fat.

Add soup, apple juice, mustard and honey. Heat to a boil and return chops to pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until chops are no longer pink. Serve over rice and sprinkle with pepper. Add a veggie and your dinner is complete. :)

YUM!

Now I tag you! If you read this - post a recipe on your blog to share.

Rhonda, Tammy, Jaynan, Michelle T, Tricia, Lizz, Steph Y, Andrea, Christy, Hilerie, Cindy, Kristi, Kayleen, Heather, Amanda, Michelle B, Marci ----- ETC.

Zach and His Swords

Zach loves swords, he is always challenging us to a duel of some kind. He can't die though, he is a robot. You just know you are going to lose every time because of some quirky thing he comes up with.

Well about a month and a 1/2 ago he was playing at our neighbor's house, I am not sure how it happened or what he was doing but he threw a sword up in the air and it landed on the neighbors roof. It then slid down into the rain gutter so you couldn't see it. He came home so distraught about losing his sword. We told him we would get it back. Dave and I forgot about it for awhile, but not Zach. He reminded us all the time and we just never got the ladder out to go and get it.

Zach reminded Dave again Sunday morning about his sword. Dave told him that if he saw Aaron at church he would ask him if he could get it down. Ali saw Aaron first and rambled on to him about something lost on his roof...when Aaron saw Dave he asked him what Ali was talking about. Dave reminded him about the sword which Zach had lost while playing with Matthew. Aaron had forgotten about it too. After church Dave went over and retrieved the sword from the rain gutter.

Zach was broken hearted after Dave retrieved it, since it had been in the sun and weather for a month the colored handle was now silver, and the silver blade was turning black as the silver paint is flaking off. He cried for quite some time. He said he didn't want a black ugly sword, as I tried to convince him that a black sword is cool. After a little bit he came up to me and said, "mom, I am really really going to miss this sword, really a lot" and walked over and put it in the garbage can. Then he went and sat on Dave's lap and pouted for a bit.

He is on a quest to find the exact sword at a store now.

Dave and I giggled about it all night. Zach cracks us up.

Here he is hiding behind the couch, wanted to be sad in private.

Our First Trampoline Sleepout

The kids had a great time Saturday night sleeping on the trampoline. They have been asking me for two months to sleep out, I kept telling them...no, not on a school night, no not on this night or that night, for what ever reason. Well they finally talked me into it.

Dad came out with us for about a 1/2 hour and then he went back inside.
It was nice to be outside looking at the stars and the cool breeze. It was also very quite.

I must say I didn't sleep very well at all, but the kids had fun, and that was what was most important.

July Horse Show - Our Cowgirl

Alicyn with Jet waiting for the next event in the shade.

Running the Speed Barrels Event

Ali - Pole Bending Event

We had a great day on Saturday, despite the heat, which kicked my fanny. Ali did great at the horse show this month and had a fun day.

Cousins Emily and Ty did fabulous too and it was fun to cheer them on and watch the wonderful progress & improvement our kids have accomplished over the summer riding.

Emily running the Speed Barrels event

Ty running the Barrels event

Zach was sick so he just took it easy & rested in his lawn chair in the shade.

Ali running the barrels pattern - She loves to lope, (which is a slow run) and did that a lot during her events. She just loved it!

After the horse show the kids always insist on going to the park next to the arena. They love that park!

Independence Day

I love my country! I am so blessed to live in the United States of America! When I lived in Argentina, and have visited Chile, Peru, Mexico, Honduras... I have always wondered why my Father in Heaven sent me to live in the United States, and have the opportunities and privileges that I have when others deserve it just as much??

We had a fun 4th of July and again more fun with family and friends. What a great holiday to celebrate and remember why we are so fortunate. I am truly grateful for those before us who established the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, along with other important issues and freedoms. For those who have fought so bravely now and in the past, so we can be free and live how we choose. I feel so much for those who live under a dictatorship and don't have the freedoms we have. How Sad! I hope they one day can experience life as we have.

We started off our celebration on Thursday, Zach had his 5 year old check up and is just in perfect health. When he was 5 months old he contracted the chicken pocks. He was not immunized at 1 year since he had had the disease. Well in talking with our doctor she said that it would be good to give him a booster because we are not sure how well his body at that young age would have gotten the antibodies. So he started his day with a shot in the arm. He then went to work with me for about 4 hours and we had a good day together.

After work we went to the Riverton Parade, and the Riverton Park. I told the kids they could have $10 each to play and they decided to go on a few of the carnival rides. They had a fun night with their cousins. The next morning my sister's Adrienne and Andrea ran the Riverton 10k. My mom told us the night before that anyone who came to watch the race, she would buy them breakfast at the park. I asked the kids if they wanted to sleep in or get up at 6:00 to go and watch the race and eat breakfast....they opted to get up, and were excited about it. I wish it were that easy every morning, especially after a late night. So we went back to the park to cheer on the runners in the wee morning. Andrea & Ade did a great job! Zach helped himself to the banana's they had for the runners to eat. Have to get that potassium back.

While at the park we watched a portion of the ATV rodeo and walked around looking at the booths a little. The ATV rodeo was pretty funny, they did competitions that my sisters and I all did growing up - except we were on horses of course. Brett is the one that heard the revving engines and gravitated that way so we followed. He was a good sport at the parade in 103 degree heat, so we went to check out the fun in the dirt with him. We got back home at about 10:00 am, just in time to see the Army plane fly right over our house. After that we went to my sister Hilerie's (Kenny) house for a BBQ. Dave and I decided to take the kids to the Riverton park once again for the fireworks. They were amazing, lasting almost 40 minutes and they had what seemed like 3 finales, until the real one came along and it was fantastic. The whole sky was lit up and it was great! We were able to sit by our friends and neighbors Mary & Tyler Fuller & family - who I grew up with in my home neighborhood. Zachary fell asleep before the fireworks were over and we thought it was funny that he could sleep with all that racket and booms. Alicyn fell asleep in the car before we made it home, after all they did wake up at 6:00am to cheer on the aunts.

Schofield Reservoir

On June 27th we were able to get away for a weekend of camping and fishing. The fishing was really slow, but we had a nice time together away. I tried to draw a hopscotch for the kids next to our table on the concrete...haven't done that for awhile, and it was messed up, still they had fun hopping on our down time. When the wind kicks up on the lake we usually get off, since it is hard to fight the boat with the wind.

We were also able to make a trip to Price to see Dave's grandma (Grandma Bliss). We took our camera to get the usual pictures with her, but she isn't doing well and we decided not to capture that on camera. She is 94 and we had a nice little visit. After a bit I asked her if she wanted us to leave so she could take a nap and she told us yes, which made us chuckle. Usually she doesn't want you to leave.

Zach was really worried about all the bugs that were landing on us and in the boat. He was really distraught when Ali rubbed one off her and it took off. He wasn't sure it had enough energy to fly all the way to shore. He held one for about 15 minutes telling Dave to drive closer so it would make it. If it landed in the water it might drown or a fish might eat it. He is very entertaining. One thing I love about owning a boat. It is great quality family time. My kids can't get out and walk away from me, (or Dave) lol!

Another fun weekend!

Amazing Sister!

My sister Adrienne, is my inspiration...when I grow up I hope to be like her. I am so proud of her and all her accomplishments.

She was on the front page of the Blackfoot Idaho newspaper yesterday. How exciting. She is the one with the grin on her face in the middle (#30) and sunglasses. She must be enjoying herself.

She participated in the 10k for the Bingham Crisis Center 5k/10k charity run/walk!

Saturday, June 26th.

Way to go Ade...

Another fun thing she is doing is a cooking class every Monday in her home, during the summer for local kids that have signed up...she is a great cook and earned her degree at a culinary art school in Denver. She has been the head pastry chef for the Hyatt Regency in Houston Texas, and other fun places. Her favorite job was at a local restaurant here named Helen's...that no longer exisits. Since her blog can only be viewed by an invitation, I share some things on my blog so I can brag a little about her. ;)