Ramblings

Here I am again. It has been a great week. We have had Cenzi here for the week and the kids have enjoyed getting to spend time with her. She has introduced KwinLee to a somewhat different "girl" lifestyle. They have played with their stuffed animals while swinging swords and wearing capes. They have talked about Hannah Montana while shooting hoops and playing make shift baseball. Do you see tom boys in their future? Cenzi has even sat down and read stories to the little boys, making their day. Unfortunately, their is not enough of her to go around and everyone wants to be with her.....

We went to a free early viewing of "Journey to the Center of the Earth". The kids really liked it and it was entertaining to watch them. Cenzi laughs every time she thinks of the young teen age boy saying, "I got dibs on the Mountain Guide" and Spencer was fascinated with the dinosaurs and lava. KwinLee liked it when they rode the T-Rex skull down the mountain through the grapes. Hyrum just said it was really cool. A few of the scary parts would come and KwinLee would lean forward and whisper in a very loud way, "Mom I'm Scared!" I would tell her it would be ok. As for Hyrum, when the scary parts came along, he would just put his face closer to the popcorn bucket and start shoveling it in even faster!

I was able to take little Hyrum, who informs me on a regular basis that he is not my baby anymore he is my big boy, to Costco all by himself. This is something I have not done in years with just him and only him. That kid talked so much I could not believe it. He had my undivided attention and was not going to let one second of it go by without sharing with me his insights on life. He was a little disappointed when I did not let him get a watermelon, (because mom I yuv them) but yuved it when I bought him his very own slushy!

Reed has found a new love, the passenger seat in the swather. Buzz has been knocking down some serious hay and for an hour or two here and there has taken Reed out with him. The first time Reed went he did not speak for the first few rounds because he was so fascinated. But after awhile he used his big boy work voice and conversed with Buzz in his own little way.

We went the to lake on Thursday and the kids played in the water. Except for Reed of course who ate sand again and drank that lovely lake water. Can we say Giardia. He has been suffering from bug bites that swell up and make his body look somewhat disfigured. Last night at the kitchen table I about started crying when I looked at his face and saw a huge swelling between his eyes on the bridge of his nose. He looked like a Cling-On, you know from Star Trek! This morning he still looks pretty rough and the swelling is putting pressure on his optic nerves so his eyes are doing funny things to top it off. Sure hope the Benadryl starts working soon!

KwinLee and Spencer will be especially sad to see Cenzi go. They have had so much fun with her here and I have to say, we kind of wish we could keep her for awhile longer. But I know how it is living without your baby and your mom. So I can't blame them for wanting to be reunited....

Well, now that I have bored even myself, I guess I will go and do more chores!

We LOVE the Lake!

Hyrum are Ham
Don't Fall Spencer
Give me a HUG dad!
Eating Sand
Reed and Mom

One night as Mike was up in the mountains and I was needing to get out of the house for a break. The kids propositioned me about heading to the lake. I made a quick spur of the moment decision and at 5 pm we started packing a dinner, gathering swim stuff, and putting on our bathing suits. At 5:25 we were pulling up to our favorite beach. Yes, you read that right, I had dinner for6, kids dressed and in the car and we were at the beach in 25 minutes. Conveniently the beach was on the way home for Mike coming out of the mountains and he stopped to join us. We had a lot of fun. Reed, Mike, and I were more toe dippers while the other three braved the cold. I remember the days when a little cold water would not slow me down! Yeah, those days are so over.....

Cow Camp 08'

I have a similar picture almost in the same spot from fall last year!
KwinLee, Hyrum, and Ol' Bean Dip
Moving Cows!
Setting up the Tepee!
Reed around the camp fire!

Well, we made it. The cows are tucked nicely away in green pastures far, far away. The kids enjoyed their camping experience, we stayed dry in our tent, and only had a few wild events. The little boys call cow camp "horse camp" because of all the horses that are there, parked in the middle of camp. Try keeping your two year old away from all the HORSES....

I was able to stay aboard my horse, others were not so fortunate. We were witness to a few bad horse wrecks, a bad cow wreck, and me roping a calf, once again on the first try. I put a bet out that if someone would pay me $100 I would even ride, not walk, my horse across the cement York Bridge. Not one offer, so like all the other good cowboys, I got off and led my horse across. No slipping off into the drink for me!

Yesterday, Buzz took Hyrum and Reed off the mountain to run an errand or two. Meanwhile, Mike, KwinLee, Spencer, and I moved 60 pair to their own beautiful pasture, where we all got off and gently walked our horses up a very steep, rocky, foraged hill, with a cliff off of one side. See, once again I am such a rider that I got off and walked. We made it to the top for a spectacular view, then rode the "long way" back to the cabin. Where we being the only ones back there, enjoyed a quiet lunch together. We also got dry, for it rained on us as we hiked up that muddy, slick mountain. At one point I was chasing a cow and had to climb a steep embankment, my boots with no traction were spinning under me, my borrowed horse gently nudged her head under my behind and gave me the boost I was needing. Us girls, we stick together.

Our first night found us trying to get our little Reed to fall asleep in the new, exciting atmosphere. Our tent was just a little ways away from Buzz and Sharon's, every time Mike and I would fall asleep, Reed would get out of his bed and start wandering around our big ol' tent, talking to himself and making lots of noise. This brought giggles from our neighbors. The next night I threatened Buzz a night with Reed in his tent, and conveniently he was in bed way before we were even to our tent!

So many events, including a tepee setting up. Smores around the camp fire, card games, and a lot of food. I know that once again it was such a great success with our kids, that starting tomorrow, we will probably get asked on a quite regular basis "when is cow camp?"