Summer oh fun... Family Reunions, Backpacking, Surprise visits, Friends,Teeth, Crawling, the Works.

So many things have happened this summer it's hard to keep this updated. It seems like every weekend we are off doing something somewhere, or someone is visiting us. It's been a whirwind kind of a year.

On our way home from Kingston we pulled over on this rest stop. I love the way Shanon took this picture. It's picture perfect!


Shanon and his favorite little girl.

Next....ROAD TRIP!!!

Kids crashed out on the way to Trenton, Nebraska - one of Shanon's home towns. This was taken on the river road in Moab, right after they both puked.

Potty Break....A park on our Road Trip to Nebraska.

The house that Shanon grew up in until he was about five. When we went inside there were still his parents cancelled checks lying on the kitchen counter!! The house was definitely haunted. In this picture there is a scary face in the window between Shanon and Colton. I wish this picture was bigger so you could see it. Maybe I can blow it up somehow.

But when Colton turned around, the ghost was gone!!

Okay, so we found this boot in Shanon's old house. It is EXACTLY like the boot he wears today although he insists this was not his, I have my suspicions.

Grandma Janousek turned 94 this year! May be the last time we get to see her. She had her entire family history sitting on that table. That baby picture on the left is her mother at 13 months of age!!

Here they are! All 13 brothers and sisters of my mother in-law. Unfortunately I don't know everyone's name and the one full day in Trenton didn't leave us enough time to really get to chat with everyone. Bummer :( But we did make the most out of our twelve hour trip out there in our new Astro Van. Everyone was very comfortable.

Bailey cakes with Grandma Janousek.

Shanon and his sissy's Shandra and Shena.

One more goofy one.

Playing in the sand at the Lake by the Girlscout lodge.
Dangit! I was working the camera instead of paying attention to her eating the sand!! The next few days worth of poop should be a lot of fun coming out.

At the lake, crashed out.

Next day....headed home.
On our way home we had to stop in a little town Leadville, Colorado to see where my mom grew up and Shanon spent the rest of his childhood. What a cute little place.

A House that my mom lived in. Check out the stain glass eye in the rafters....


This is the other side of Shanon's family. Shanon's dad's cousins still live in Leadville. We made a surprise stop to say hi on our way out of Leadville.

Shanon's dad's gravesite. I wish I could have known him. Shanon thinks he would have like me. But not as much as he liked Lori. Shanon's first girlfriend..

The following events are in no particular order but gives you an idea of what we have been up to this summer.

I loved showing Alex how to make shrinky dinks. He wanted to keep going....that's kids though. You give them a little and they wants more and more. Fun stuff.

Little octopus.

Shanon took the boys backpacking on the 4th of July weekend. Alex got to go this time and they had a blast! It's amazing what a little sweat and fresh air will do for a person.
Look how BEAUTIFUL!!

Bailey trying on moms glasses.
It's been a few days now since Bai's top teeth came in AND she is now crawling all over the place. Look out!

The kids in the hood at Kens lake from left to right, Josh, Clancey, Colton, and Summer (Colt's first girlfriend).

Alex and Tacia at the Lake. Eek on Alex's face.....

Our magpie, Punkin, hanging with Ben.

I didn't want to put this one in here because I of my gut. But I can't be selfish. This is the family on the surprise 4th of July visit. It was such a surprise to see them knocking on my door that afternoon. Loved it!


Whew! That was a lot. And all the while Bai has been tired and my awesome boys have been taking care of her. (Poor babies) Now I'm off to put her to sleep and start the never ending laundry. Loves to all!!

Alex....Alex Bo Balex....

I have to apologize that my posts are so short and to the point. I really have had to allot my time well. It's an art, really. Anyway - here it goes.

Alex and I went down the river on my Uncle Raymonds property in Kingston this year. We had to duck just in time before the bridge hit our noggins and knocked us out. What a little trooper.

We went to the creamery to see where milk comes from. Very eye opening to realize what all goes into the process. We thought we were going to a mom and pop milking the cows by hand sort of place. But no. There were 150,000 cows being milked every day at this Farmers of America facility.

He decided that he wanted a mohawk for the summer. It fits his personality a little too much. This is Alex with my favorite cousins youngest son.

The next three pictures were taken by Alex. These are flowers from our front yard. I have blown them up to 5X7's and will frame them in 8X10" black frames. They will go somewhere on our walls. Maybe the bathroom. It needs a little brightening up in there. He did a pretty good job, huh!

I was proud.

Colton's Baseball year

Colton had a great baseball year. He was even lucky enough to have his Grandparents down to catch one of the games. We drove down to Monticello to see it. They were excited and wanted to see him play.

His teammate giving him kudos for catching the fly ball.

I captured him catching a fly ball in the last game he played for the season. Too bad you cant see it very well in this image. The ball is still in the air and there are three people around to catch it. Colton was the most talented one, this time.

Bailey Cakes

She is growing soo fast and learning so much. She is up on her knees now, getting around all over town. She loves loves loves being alive. I am learning how to be happy and attentive from her all over again. I remember every day what it means to be alive and I remember why it is I came here to this earth to play. The Bailey Cake song has been adopted by all in the family whenever she starts getting a little fussy. She starts clapping her hands right along with the song. It's too cute.~~~Taste of RASPBERRIES~~~YUM!

and grapes.....

She loves the feel of hair. Whether it's Alex, or a Buffalo rug on the wall, or the cat, or the dog, this is one of her favorite things. She laughs at hair whenever she feels it. See her smile?

Pretty in a dress

8 months and almost crawling....

Wow what a year

There is a big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, we have three family reunions within a months time, buying a new vehicle (new to us - it's a 2000), Chickens are getting big, Dogs are growing up, Bailey is going to be crawling any day now. Just this week she learned how to move from her belly to a sitting up position. The boys are amazed by how much she is changing and how fast. She blows my mind every day. My boys are great. Colton has a funny sense of humor. It seems to me like he is finally stepping into his body. As his eyes reach my eye level - he seems like his spirit is finally saying 'Hi mom' I love it. Alex, he is a little turkey. He even sqwaks like one. He tells me probably fifteen times a day that he loves me and he gives me kisses. He is such a sugar. It's challenging too though. I raise my voice more often than I would like. Our neighbor, Mark, put up a beautiful corrugated metal, and redwood fence between our yards. It makes it much more private and it feels like I can focus on what I want to do better.

I remember that I must focus on the good things, and remember that those times that are lesser than great are passing. If I move three steps away from them, they are gone.

Shanon is wonderful. Through all the challenges we go through, we continue to grow closer and closer every day. I love him so much for being my husband. I don't know if I show him how much I cherish him. I need to show him more. Cuddle with him, rub his feet, make him wonderful dinners, tell him every day how special and wonderful he is. I am so glad to have him to share my life

I have been wanting to run, and have slowed down my gluten intake. Not quite stopped. I haven't made it an entire day without eating something with Gluten in it. I haven't yet today - it's 9:04 a.m. It's as hard if not harder than quitting smoking.

My writing skills must improve. I am a writer. Lately I've been lazy about it and not taking the time to really think and sound it out. I use to write at least three times a week when Colton was small. He will be thirteen this year, I can't believe it.

It's Independence Day today. Shanon took the boys up to the La Sal Mountains yesterday for a backpacking trip. They will be gone until tonight. I think I'll take Bailey to the park for the festivities. Pretty sure the Parade is at 10 am I'll have to check. There will be music and I saw some camels set up to ride. Maybe we will get out picture taken on a camel. Who knows.

Happy Firework day!!