Long weekend!

We had a nice long weekend filled with fun activities! We all went to ArtFest friday and enjoyed looking at all the art, visiting with artists (including my high school art teacher), eating yummy food (huckleberry ice cream, soba noodles, sweet & sour chicken with rice, and funnel cake!) and playing on the playground (the kiddos played with Dad while Mommy enjoyed the art at a more leisurely pace than the children allow!) Mommy worked at an auction on Saturday while Nick and Gabby and Daddy went to the Cow Plop (a fundraiser for the school behind us...they make a grid on the play field and a local farmer brings in a pair of cows...people buy the squares in the grid and if the cow 'plops' on your square you win $...they also have carnival games for the kids - Nick and Gabby each won a goldfish!- pizza from David's pizza, ice cream, a beer garden, music and more) Chad played soccer Sunday morning and then it was back to ArtFest where the kids got to partake in the kids art activities (we missed them on Friday) They made fish prints, painted, made wood sculptures and created sand candles. We also listened to some music and watched Gabby dance on the grass. I think the highlight of the weekend for the kids was a visit with our puppies. They will be home in a few weeks (we'll take them home when we get back from our vacation at the beginning of July) They have grown so much in the last few weeks and were full of fun and mischief.

The kids had a blast...and I think Bingo and Lucky did too!

Gabby holds Bingo...look at those cute speckles on his tummy!

Lucky...he's a mellow little pup! (maybe he and Nick will balance each other out!)

Bingo dozes in Gabby's arms

from left: Bingo, Lucky and sibling tussle with their toy

Gabby and her Bingo

Lucky sniffs around

I think she's in love.

Gabby runs to join in the fun with Bingo

A boy and his dog

Bingo

tails a'waggin!

Fish Story

Chad went to cousin Spencer's bachelor party the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. They were camping at Lake Roosevelt, so he was gone the entire day and then spent the night. So, the kids and I went fishing with my dad. It was their first time fishing and they had a blast. We rented a little boat and spent the entire day fishing...with a little break for a ride around the lake and then about an hour of swimming and playing on the beach. We went home with 14 fish. I threw almost all of mine back, but we kept almost every one the kids caught.

They were so proud of themselves!

the boy in the bubble

I had to share these fun photos. Nick was playing with our huge bubble wand and decided to see if he could get his head inside a bubble...

He's so creative. The other day he was making a kick stand for a toy motorcycle...I swear, he's a little genius. I looked at him and said, "You must get your smarts from your mommy." Gabby patted her head and said "Nooooooo...we get them from our brains!"

fence me in...

Chad spent much of last weekend working on the new fence. We're fencing in the 'parking spaces' we had behind our yard, off the alley. This area is a couple steps higher than the rest of our yard...so now our yard will be bigger and have more interest! Chad's been digging holes and setting fence posts,

which can be loads of 'fun' in our rock infested soil...

and by rocks, I mean small boulders.
Nick and Gabby have been helping him out and are having a fabulous time doing it.

Nick installing his 'own' fence post.

"Mom, now is not the time for photos..."

Gabby helps by hosing off the patio

(hosing off the bubble solution she and Nick dumped there)

Lions and Tigers and Bears...oh my!

I took the kids to Cat Tales Thursday...it's a zoo/rescue for all sorts of wild cats (and a couple bears too!) They have a great little tour where they tell you a little bit about each animal..where they came from, special facts about the species, their personalities, names, ages, etc. The kids really enjoyed it. Their favorite was the white tiger. They also got to pet a snake! There is a little petting zoo too, where they can pet chickens, goats, bunnies and geese. It was a fun way to spend a couple hours of our day.

tulips for mother's day

The kids each picked out a lovely bunch of tulips to present me on Mother's Day. I meant to capture them on the camera that day...but forgot. So here they are a few days later...a little weary, but still beautiful. Nick and Gabby also gave me a bundle of drawings and ushered me from bed into the dining room for a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and iced chai tea...yum. Chad gave me a sweet little home made card and money for a life jacket

(I need a new one for the canoe!)

sprinkler fun

It's that time of year again...time for a little run through a refreshing fountain of sprinkling water. We haven't yet found all the parts and pieces of their swimwear yet this year...but the kids have been having a bit of sprinkler fun anyhow. Yesterday, Nick and Gabby had quite the time frolicking in the water...I can't, however, show you ALL the photos...Nick, at one point, decided he would like to feel the sprinkle of water on his rear. I'm sure the neighbors were thrilled with his exhibition. Luckily, I was right there and his pants were returned to their appropriate position in a right hurry.

a little break after the sprinkler...