Car Wash and Cleaning

Where did this summer go? We only have a week and a half left in WY and then home again home again jiggty-jig. The girls are excited (and so are we) to see their friends again and our "big house" as Hadley calls it. We have spent many a day at the library here in Story. We never went in Louisville but will need to now that Hadley has the "book bug." She loves to read and has a few books memorized word for word and likes "reading" them to Joni (who likes listening).

Last week Andy decided to wash the car himself and so we made it a family fun event. There was a hole in the hose that Joni thought was awesome and so she was soaked before we even started.

And this is the look she gave Andy when he sprayed her with said hose. She has the glare down and we are working on "happy faces" so her eyebrows don't get stuck like that.

Andy washed, Hadley helped (kind of), Joni played in the water, and I had the awesome job of scraping the tree sap off the hood.

Hadley helping....

Joni playing...

After our car was finished, Hadley decided that McQueen needed a cleaning too.

There isn't much sidewalk up in the mountains but we do have some concrete steps going into the cabin that work great for sidewalk chalk.

We went Cheyenne last weekend for a Hands in Harmony reunion and my sister wanted to go to the mall so the girls got to play in the play place they have there (a really really awesome one actually). Louisville has 3 malls and no kid play areas!

She is a climber, that is for sure!

Playing dress-up :) This is Snow White for those of you who don't have your Disney Princesses down.

And then checking herself out.

Back to the Hands reunion. Courtney and I were both in a sign-language performance group when we were in Junior High/High School. The group itself has been around for 25 years and so they had a fund-raising reunion last weekend that Courtney and I went to. They played all the old songs and Courtney remembered them (being in the group 5 years longer than me helped). I on the other hand didn't remember the signs and choreography to many (my excuse--it's been 12 years!)

The old hang-out group. It was great to see everyone and laugh about all the good old times we had together.

Martha, our wonderful leader. She has been doing this a long time (25 years to be exact) and it is no easy feat.

When the girls were little-little the vacuum was a thing to run in fear from. Now, it is one of their favorite toys.

We are going to Steamboat this weekend for a wedding and then we leave next Friday. I'm not sure I'm ready to get back to a fixed and busy schedule....it is so relaxed here. Andy has been reading his plethora of books for this semester and we are sorting and packing and getting ready to head out. Soon and very soon! Love to you all!

More Summer Fun

Updating the blog every week has been fun. I know that when we get back to Louisville we will be posting more zoo and swinging pictures so the variety this summer has been great.

Joni just looked so cute and small sitting in this chair at Shaun and Courtney's house. Put some food in front of her and she is good to go!

Playing in the creek. I was trying to get a good picture of the three of them because they were all wearing orange shirts that day....easier said than done.

You can kind of see the water that I am splashing Hadley with....she loved this game....get wet and run.

And jumping off the rock into the creek....

Last weekend we went to Dayton (a tiny town north of Sheridan) where Sarah and Isaac live. They were having Dayton Days and so we went to see the parade and had fun at the park where all the festivities were happening, and we got to spend time with wonderful friends. This is Grace's pink mustang that was a huge it. Hadley took a spin with Will.

Then Joni rode along with Grace.

Everyone is ready, sitting in the shade, waiting for the parade to start. All three girls made out great with a bag full of candy each. We love small-town-candy-throwing parades!

The transportation to the park.....the girl on the left is another one of Grace's friends.

They had face-painting, lots of good bad-for-you food (Indian Tacos and shaved ice....yum), and other goings on.

Mini-golf for the kiddos. Hadley got a hole-in-one but she may have picked up the ball with her hand and placed it right next to the hole and then hit it in.

And this is what the ride home looks like. It was such a fun day though!

Hadley found the hair-bow container and helped herself. Then she thought Joni should have some too.

Playing at the park while Dad ran some errands.

We head to Cheyenne on Friday to see my mom for a couple of days then only 2 weeks left! :) :( Love to you all!

Kitties and Cows

Last weekend we drove to Wibaux, MT (population 480) and then drove past it to the ranch where my grandparents live (population 2). The girls had a blast playing with the kittens and "feeding" the cows. The weather was great and it was surreal seeing MY children play in the yard and run through the same pastures I did when I was their age.

Being out in the middle of nowhere can seem isolated, but it is also peaceful and makes for some great pictures.

Not that I know where it is, but I'm positive we have a picture of Courtney and I doing this exact thing.

There were many a toad (not frogs, toad per my grandma) up there this year and Hadley and Jo were all about playing with them.

Going to check on the cows. Hadley thought we were going to feed them but since God pretty much has that under control with growing the grass and all, we just got to watch them instead.

The ride was a little bumpy but I didn't hear any complaining!

The great thing about sitting in the middle is that you don't have to drive and you don't have to open the gate....

...Hadley didn't mind though.

We let the girls get out and play while Andy and Granddad fixed a gate.

And since there was water within 10 square miles, the girls were playing in it in record time. Don't worry, we wiped their hands off with a rag we found in the back of the truck. Good to go!

My husband....the comedian.

Another toad.

The girls fell in love with Granddad even more when he spun them on this chair for 20 minutes as Grandma watched nervously from the background.

They have 3 little kittens that Granddad feeds every morning in the house. It was by far Hadley's favorite part of the day.

For those of you who don't know, my mom loves cats and we had many growing up. Well, this is how we acquired said cats....Courtney and I would go stay in with Grandma and Granddad for a couple weeks and then we would come home with kittens (always 2 at a time). The first thing Andy said (pretty sure we hadn't even gotten out of the car yet) was that there was no way any cat of any size was leaving the ranch with us. He was right and we don't have any kittens with us, but it wasn't to say that Hadley didn't try. :)

Drinking "coffee" out of her special mug from Grandma.

Jo loves baked beans.....

HP Restaurant Part III--Pasta Bar and by far the best HP Rest. night thus far. Homemade everything....noodles, alfredo, pesto, and marinara. SO STINKING GOOD.

My mom is awesome and let us borrow her pasta machine. You crank the dough flat, then you crank out the noodles.

The finished (almost) product.

Making the pesto...

A full stove.

mmmmmmm

yummy yummy in our tummies!

See....

More to come soon! Love to you all!