Let Summer Vacation Begin......

The kids got out of school for summer vacation exactly 2 weeks ago today.  Other than the "I'm bored! What can we do?" bit, all is well. Except I forgot how much kids eat. When they are in school, there is still food in my pantry....when they are out of school--you might as well call me "Old Mother Hubbard"!  I was really hoping they would all get jobs for the summer but I guess it is hard to come by gainful employment when you are only 5 and can barely read.  He can write his name so that is a plus. 
   I am posting some random pics from our summer so far......hope you all have a great summer!

The first four pictures are the kids playing with the hose.  Albert had to let the water run because he was working on the irrigation hole. The kids had a blast---way more fun than a boring old sprinkler!

Gabriel, Rollie and Sabien were dragging each other around in the pool.

Gabriel had just flipped out from under his "turtle shell". He was chasing the little boys.

A beautiful sunset from my front porch.

A large full moon from my back deck.

A beautiful rainbow after a morning storm.

This was my project. It was full of weeds and wood chips and gravel. Now I have a clean slate!

(I always forget to post before pics!)

Crazy ominus clouds above our house.

More clouds.

My sweetie, Farmer Al!  :-)

When We Were Farmers.....

On Sunday June 3rd Munga and JJ came out to the house to plant the garden.  We had terrible luck last year...we planted it on the hottest day EVER and then the garden got hailed on and flooded the very next day!  When things started to finally sprout up a lot of it was not where we had planted it. :-)

Well my sweet littlest man decided he didn't want to get dressed that day so we had help planting from "Superman". They are fuzzy pajamas...he had to be sweating! I was sweating!  When we sat down to take a break Gabriel looked at me and said, "I didn't know we were farmers but we are now."  Apparently his dad told him earlier that since he helped plant he was now a farmer.  I am grateful for the experience that we all got to spend time together and it will be something that the little boys will always remember!  Now lets just hope that Mother Nature cooperates this year because I really really want some cucumbers from the garden!!!!!!!!

Superman helping Munga plant corn.

Superman just being his cool self.

Munga, JJ and farmer Gabe.

   

How many men does it take to tamp the dirt? :-)

Taking Monkies To The Zoo

I almost forgot....I was one of the lucky parents that got to tag along on the 1st grade field trip to Zoo Montana on Wednesday, May 16th, 2012.  It was very hot but very fun.  I had a great group of kids that accompanied me through the zoo. We got to see a tiger, snakes, bears, a wolf, eagles and we even saw a peacock trying to romance a pepsi machine!  They had a blast feeding the goats and we got to sit on a gopher community to eat our lunch.  Lastly, we hit the gift shop and Gabriel found a new buddy...he named him Reggie! Thanks kids....spending time with you never gets old!

"Zoo Boy" from the news talking about the snake in his arms

Mr. Peacock showing off for the his girlfriend

all the kids flocking to the bus driver, Ron, during lunch. :-)

My cool group--Gabriel, Charlie, Jake and Natalie

The Coolies with eagles in the background

The eagles posing for me

The Coolies posing with the monkey

This peacock was actually showing off to the pepsi machine behind him

Too cute....

Jake was capturing the bears

Gabe and Reggie the Snake

I Told You I Would Be Back

Well here I am.  I have survived a preschool graduation and an 8th grade graduation. I have survived making 3 sheet cakes and 48 cupcakes. I have survived cleanup after 8th grade graduation and I have survived letting my little man go to his 1st ever sleep over with someone other than family. We all had a great time and the best part is that I didn't have to fight to get the kids ready for school!  Please enjoy the following pictures of our graduation adventures.....like any good bad mom, I didn't get a very good
picture of my 8th grader but I will be posting some when the "better" ones come to me. Have a great day!

Rollie's preschool graduation cake

Preschool cake....again

Waiting his turn at the famous preschool track meet

Dad was Rollie's race buddy

Maddie spruced up for graduation

Gabe got bored and decorated Munga (Grandma)

I got the graduate and JJ(grandpa) in one picture

Heading over to get his diploma

1 of 2 8th grade graduation cakes

 

                           Cake #2 of 8th grade

                           

48 cupcakes for 8th grade graduation

8th grade graduation class motto (LOVE IT!)

Emily actually getting her diploma (I don't claim to be a professional photographer)

oh, and we ate another smurf!

Why I Love Summer Vacation

    My fellow blogger Autumndasey listed her reasons for not liking summer vacation.  While I definitely agree with her on many points there is are still a few reasons to love it.  My first and foremost favorite would be that after I get my hubby off to work I get to have a nice quiet cup of coffee by myself.  During the school year my biggest fight is getting everyone (mostly the oldest) out of bed and ready for school.  Actually they get out of bed easy enough but then they enter a time warp. The next thing I know someone is crying about something forgotten as we rush out the door.  On summer vacation we don't have that problem.  I would have to say that my other favorite thing about summer vacation is watching my kids play....when they are capable of entertaining themselves.  My 2 oldest spend their days fighting or hanging on me telling me how bored they are.  My 2 youngest love to play outside and they seem to enjoy each other's company (so far) and they don't tell me how bored they are on a regular basis and their ideas to cure boredom don't usually involve me having to consider a loan shark. (my girls are full of expensive ideas)  With my boys I just need to keep a watchful eye so they don't destroy the yard, my house, their bikes or each other.  Every summer that we get through that won't create a "remember that summer when I broke.....(insert arm, leg, finger etc... here)" or "remember that summer when I burned ______ down" is considered a great summer by me!  I took a few pics of my little ones playing in the sprinkler on that one day when it was hot.  They had a blast, it was free and no one got hurt....great summer so far!

The Potty

Even with 4 kids they still surprise me everyday.  I am a little surprised that one of my boys never came up with this logic! ☺




A LITTLE THREE YEAR OLD BOY IS SITTING ON THE TOILET. HIS MOTHER THINKS HE HAS BEEN IN THERE TOO LONG, SO SHE GOES IN TO SEE WHAT'S UP. THE LITTLE BOY IS SITTING ON THE TOILET READING A BOOK. BUT ABOUT EVERY 10 SECONDS OR SO HE PUTS THE BOOK DOWN, GRIPS ONTO TO THE TOILET SEAT WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND HITS HIMSELF ON TOP OF THE HEAD WITH HIS RIGHT HAND.

HIS MOTHER SAYS: "BILLY, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? YOU'VE BEEN IN HERE FOR A WHILE..

BILLY SAYS: "I'M FINE, MOMMY.. I JUST HAVEN'T GONE 'DOODY' YET."

MOTHER SAYS: "OK, YOU CAN STAY HERE A FEW MORE MINUTES. BUT, BILLY, WHY ARE YOU HITTING YOURSELF ON THE HEAD?"

BILLY SAYS: "WORKS FOR KETCHUP."

Aren't Kids Priceless??

Would you just look at the expression on the ' other ' little girl's face!
That is absolutely priceless!

THIS IS TOO SWEET FOR WORDS!!!

A six-year-old boy told his father he wanted to marry the little girl across the street. The father, being modern and well-schooled in handling children, hid his smile behind his hand..

'That's a serious step,' he said. 'Have you thought it out completely?'

'Yes,' his young son answered. 'We can spend one week in my room and the next in hers. It's right across the street, so I can run home if I get scared of the dark.'

'How about transportation?' the father asked.

'I have my wagon, and we both have our tricycles,' the little boy answered.

The boy had an answer to every question the father raised.

Finally, in exasperation, his dad asked, 'What about babies? When you're married, you're liable to have babies, you know.'

'We've thought about that, too,' the little boy replied. 'We're not going to have babies. Every time she lays an egg, I'm going to step on it!'

Children's Thoughts On The Ocean

1 - This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly, age 6)
2 - Oysters' balls are called pearls. (Jerry, age 6)
3 - If you are surrounded by ocean, you are an island. If you don't have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (age 7)
4 - Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She's not my friend any more. (Kylie, age 6)
5 - A dolphin breaths through an asshole on the top of its head. (Billy, age 8)
6 - My uncle goes out in his boat with 2 other men and a woman and pots and comes back with crabs. (Millie, age 6)
7 - When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes when the wind didn't blow the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would have been better off eating beans. (William, age 7)
8 - Mermaids live in the ocean. I like mermaids. They are beautiful and I like their shiny tails, but how on earth do mermaids get pregnant? Like, really? (Helen, age 6)
9 - I'm not going to write about the ocean. My baby brother is always crying, my Dad keeps yelling at my Mom, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy, age 6)
10 - Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves in to chargers. (Christopher, age 7)
11 - When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin, age 6)
12 - Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Divers can't go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. (Becky, age 8)
13 - On vacation my Mom went water skiing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water fired right up her big fat ass. (Julie, age 7)
14 - The ocean is made up of water and fish. Why the fish don't drown I don't know. (Bobby, age 6)
15 - My dad was a sailor on the ocean. He knows all about the ocean. What he doesn't know is why he quit being a sailor and married my mom. James, age 7

Bedtime....Always Fun!

School is finally in full swing.  Having said that, I think my kids are still on the summer schedule.  Around our house, bedtime is 9:00pm. (My husband wishes it was 7:00)  I have come to the conclusion that if I want my darlings in bed by 9, I'd better start herding them in that direction around 7:30 and then maybe, just maybe things will fall into place.  My children are the masters of distraction.  When I say it is time to get ready for bed, they head towards their room and then shut the door and get lost in the TV.  When they are that quiet I forget (for only a moment) where I have sent them and why but, nonetheless, am enjoying the peace and quiet.  When I finally go back to check on them I get crazy because they haven't done one thing that I have asked.  Seeing the crazy in my eyes they hop to (or pretend to) and get ready for bed.  Apparently they have a condition that doesn't allow them to go to sleep unless I have tucked them in. (and it has to be ME, not even Dad will do at this point...I think it may all be part of their devious plan to avoid bed) After many mooches and hugs and tucks (and I say MANY because if I give an "incorrect" hug or mooch we have to start all over) I finally get out of there and by now it is usually past 9:30.  What procrastinators......(I think I have worked with people with this same condition!)  Funnily enough, it doesn't end there.  After I get them all to bed and have made it to bed myself, there is nothing like the feeling you get when you are just drifting off and you open your eyes and you have your nine year old 2 inches from your face.  She has, yet again, heard noises and wants to sleep in our room.  I tell her that there are 3 other people sleeping in the room with her...if the boogy man does show up she needs only to outrun her brothers and sister that I don't care but she has to sleep on the floor.  I only let my kids sleep on the floor in my room.  You would think that this would discourage them from it......not my kids.  When I get out of bed in the mornings I get to run an obstacle course of bodies.  All of my kids sleep with their blankets over their heads so if I happen to step on someone I can usually tell who it is by the noise they make.  I have accidentally step on a few of them and you would think that would discourage them....not my kids.  And don't even get me started on what it is like trying to explain to the husband why I am "not in the mood".....it is very hard to get the romance going with all of your previous "creations of love" just waiting to question your every move......I can't wait until bedtime tonight....maybe I will start the proceedings at 6 tonight......

Yes, Virginia....I Am Still Alive!

Hello again! To all my loyals....yes I am still alive! I don't really have a lot of words to say but I am posting some pictures of what has been happening with us this summer! I hope you enjoy them and I also hope that I will be finding more things to write about...I miss writing my blog!

Gabriel's 4th Birthday

Gabe helping Dad take down the Christmas lights.....in June!

Can you see my black eye?

Madison's 9th Birthday

The swimmin' hole

Slip N Slide

I want one!

The cousins!

The ladies love the cool guy!

Candy Scramble at the kart races!

Vacation sure wears a guy out!!