Fair Time

It's that time of year again.  The time when everyone starts coughing and sneezing...the dust in the air is so thick you can see it, you wonder if the weather is ever going to cool off, and the smell of cow poo hangs in the air.  Around here, that means it's Fair time.  Time to go eat some overpriced, seriously disappointing fried food and step in some animal excrement.  Oh yeah and see your kid's artwork (the highlight of course)...

Here's H posing in front of her artwork.  She won an honorable mention this year.  Way to go girl!
Here's a close up of her old lady (no...that is not a portrait of me...very funny!).

In case you couldn't tell, we are not really farm folks.  This was evidenced this year at the fair as we walked up to the cows and Sarah exclaimed, "Daddy that one is a girl because she is wearing earrings".  If they had an animal decorating contest at the fair, that girl could compete. 

Hey...Take a Hike Man!

OK...Don't mind if we do.

Last Sunday we went on a hike with the Outdoor Adventure Club from the High School. 

We hiked to the top of the Needles Fire Lookout.  You can't see it in this photo because it's hidden behind the tree on the left at the very top of that rock.

Here the girls are at the top waiting to go up the last few steps for a breathtaking 360 degree view.

There were about 40 high school students who went including this guy...

Being the chivalrous dude he is, he was sure to help all the single girls scramble down from rocks...hey, this hiking thing is kind of fun!

These little studettes and the big one in the background made it the whole way...about 5 miles in all.

Well...almost the whole way.  Daddy pitched in with a couple brief shoulder rides towards the very end.

It was a beautiful day!

Birthday Celebration

For their 6th Birthday, we took these two ladies to Hume Lake for a weekend celebration complete with fishing (they got poles for their birthday), row boating, swimming and cake and ice cream eating!

Daddy taught Grace how to cast her Disney Princess fishing pole.

Sarah was a pro with her Barbie pole.  Nobody caught anything, but the fun was in trying anyway.

This great looking bunch of kids joined us for the celebration!

Row, row, row your boat...but first put on some sunscreen!

It was a fun birthday weekend!

6 Years Ago Today...

Six years ago today, my babies looked like this...

A year later, they looked like this...

And a year after that...

And a year later...

And the year after that...

And one year later...

Happy Birthday my sweet, silly, special girls.  Stay tuned for this year's birthday picture.

This Reminded me of You

Two different family members have now sent this video to me because it "reminded me of you guys". I think for my ego's sake I'll go ahead and take it as a compliment...enjoy!

My Babies are Gone, but They'll be Home at 3

School started this week and everyone is officially in school full time this year...except Mom as Grace observed.  "Everyone is going to school, except Mom.  What is she going to do?"  Good question.  I still don't have an answer. 

Everyone was ready and excited, even Hannah.  The only one who cried was me, but I managed to hold it together until I got home.  I'm glad they were all so excited and ready to be there.

Here they are all ready to go showing off their new outfits and backpacks.  The outfits were compliments of Grandma Claudie who took us all back to school shopping over the summer.  In the wise words of one cute little kindergartner, "Grandma Claudie Rocks!"  Yes she does.

One very cute 2nd Grader

One silly Kindergartner

One more very sweet little Kindergartner

Checking out her desk

"Who cares about desks...we've got tricycles to check out!" 

No one ever accused Sarah of having her priorities out of whack.

It was a good day!

Santa Cruzin'

Towards the end of the summer, we had a chance to hit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  Rob and I both grew up playing there as kids and it's so much fun to take our kids to play there now.  There's just something about this place that puts a smile on all of our faces!

Cruisin' on the Cave Train

Bumpin' on the bumper cars

Jerry and Hannah both took their first rides on the Giant Dipper with me.  I love it and so did they!

Round and round they go...if they'll puke nobody knows!

Dippin' Dots anyone?

Giddy up horsey!

Flyin' high on the sky ride

Goodnight Boardwalk...until next year!