Jabber

A lot of things going on around here lately.  The kids started school last week and we are as busy as ever with school, homework and soccer.  For now the kids each have one page of math homework a night, reading for 20 minutes and are supposed to work on math flash cards.  It doesn't sound like much but on the days that we have soccer practice, it's go, go, go to try and get it all done.  It makes me feel like a mean old naggy mom because from the time they walk in the door I'm pushing them to hurry up!  This is how our evenings go on soccer nights (Tues/Thurs).

3:40 - Home from school.  I usually let them relax, watch TV, play on devices or whatever for a little while.  They come home starving so they have a snack.

4:00 - Homework starts.  Kyla's is super easy for her so she gets it done right away (if she hasn't already done so in school).  Mason's is much more difficult and usually taken around 30 minutes.  Kyla does her reading and if we have any time at all, I try to get Mason to get some of his reading done so he doesn't have to do it after soccer.  (haven't been lucky in that department though).

4:40 - Mad rush to get the kids dressed for soccer, water bottles filled, etc.

4:50 - Run out the door to the first soccer practice.

5:00 - 6:00 - Kyla's practice.

6:00 - 7:00 - Mason's practice.

7:15 - 8:30 - Home from soccer.  I guess the kids need to eat dinner.  Showers.  Packing up school stuff for the next day.  Rush, rush, rush.  Want to let the kids relax a little before bed but there usually isn't much time and Mason may have to finish reading. 

8:30 - Bedtime if I'm lucky.  My poor tired kids. 

Trixie has been home for 9 days and she's already gained over 2 pounds.  She's such a little chub-chub, eats all day long.  I can't believe how smart she is?  I taught her to sit yesterday!  She was potty trained right away and has only had 2 accidents in the house ... both were my fault because I got busy and didn't take her out when I should have.  As for sleeping, she has been sleeping in her crate and doesn't cry at all when I put her to bed.  It's been a little rough because she wakes up so early, I let her out to go potty and then I put her back in and let her cry it out (like I did with my kids).  The problem is that she keeps me awake.  Last night was the best night so far.  Went to bed no problem and didn't wake up until 5:45 am.  I let her out to potty then put her back in the crate.  She cried and barked for 10 minutes or so and then fell back to sleep.  Since I was awake, I got up at 6:15 and woke her up (so she knows I'm in charge).  The biggest problem we're having with her is that she's digging up the back yard!!  Not sure how we're going to handle that one.

Picking out our Trixie!!

When we got back from Yellowstone, we went out to Chuck's house to look at the puppies and pick one out.  We were given first choice.  Well, we found a nice mellow puppy that all of us loves and put a string around her neck but wouldn't you know it, Chuck called us a few weeks later and let us know that the string came off and that we'd have to pick one out again.  No biggie.

 

So basically, we have no idea which one of these little sweet babies is Trixie.  They were all almost all so sweet. There were a few Roscoe's in the mix.  Chewing on our tennis shoes and rough housing with each other.  We knew we wanted a female and if possible, a nice calm one.  I couldn't stop myself from posting a ton of pictures.

 

 

 

 

Sally, the momma is so sweet.  I could have just taken her home with me.  Boy, she sure does look tired though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great picture, huh?

 

 

Handfuls of love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at that beautiful face ... I love the eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love this one of Mason. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just chillin'.  We want that one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fun With Friends

Summer time ... fun time.  Here are a few pictures of the kids with their buddies. 

BBQ at Tim and Jenny's.

 

 

Jack took Mason to a Rivercats game.  A cute picture of the boys with Dinger.

 

 

 We had Jack over for a sleepover.  We hung out at the bookstore for a while followed by ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery.  Yum.

 

Cole and Kyla sitting on the deck ... must be talking about something really deep, huh?

Our big reader

One of our favorite things to do has always been going to the bookstore to read together.  Kind of makes me sad that bookstores seem to be going away because of e-readers and such.  Anyway, back to the subject.  My Kyla is a huge reader now.  Why are they growing up so fast!?!?   I could listen to her all day.  She read a few books on the way to Yellowstone.  She loved Kiki and Lulu.  Such cute books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eppie's Great Race

We are all so proud of Brian.  He has been working out so hard and this year participated in Eppie's Great Race.  It was a 6 mile run, 12 1/2 mile bike and a 6 1/2 mile paddle in the kayak (down the American River).  Phew.  He's crazy. 

 

 

Pretty sure he wanted to kill me when I made him take this photo.  He just wanted to relax.

 

 

Ok, last one.  Can't help myself. 

 

 

It was the 40th Eppie's Great Race. 

Grand Teton National Park

OK, Grand Teton National Park.  Beautiful, yes, although it doesn't compare to Yellowstone ... not even close.  We only spent one day driving through it on our way to Jackson Hole which was just right.  My photographs don't do it justice, so much more beautiful in person. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mason being silly ... hanging out at the Visitor Center. 

 

 

View from the deck of the Visitor Center. 

 

 

Wow. 

 

 

Just a pretty flower I couldn't help but photograph.   

 

 

Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Really is a neat place to hang out.  We had dinner and found a little microbrewery to hang out.  We were happy, Kyla was happy because she could finally watch a movie on her Kindle (The Lorax for the 100th time) and Mason was happy because the Home Run Derby was on TV.  Aaaaah, back to civilization. 

 

Yellowstone - Part 8. Miscellaneous.

The entrance to Yellowstone from Montana.

 

 

 

Kyla is so STRONG!!

 

 

Family vacations definitely bring you closer.  Kyla and Mason were two peas in a pod, besties ... never fought once.  They played together tons, talked a lot and even when they were on their devices, were cuddled right up to each other, often sharing the same pillow.  Love them.

 

 

They finished all of their tasks and got their Junior Ranger Patches.

 

 

The wildlife sightseeing tour.  Was fun although we didn't see very many animals and had THE MOST annoying kid in front of us.  We laughed tons about that afterwards.

 

 

 

Dude, how tan am I?  Freakishly tan in this photo ... weird. 

 

 

My boys ...

 

 

Random photo. + or - 10 minutes.  So cool.