So much to catch up on!

I am so behind that I don't know where to start so will just list some of what has happened....boring for those reading so this is just to document it for myself.

Victoria flys back to NE. She did great, had an escort to help her connect in Denver and to meet up with Nanny and Pops. She was so nervous she could not eat (or sleep) but she did great! They arrived in Omaha and met up with more family for birthday parties and more.

While she was gone she picked, shucked, bagged, and labeled corn, picked and canned beans, helped with cleaning the Depot with Duane and Brenda's girls, made breakfast several times, washed cars and hopefully made herself generally useful. She was very impressed by how much work the other girls did- clean all the time! It was great, I think she has a more well rounded idea of what will be expected of her here in the future. Smile.

Fun stuff to balance the hard work (partial list). Shopping, swimming in Rene and Deltons pool, putting on a play, riding a ferry?, having a girls night out at Chances R., going to a play, going to the zoo, going to the Sound of Music in Leavenworth. She had an amazing time with the activities but most special to her were the amazing people! (Her words) She loves you guys! Thanks so much for opening up your hearts and homes to our darling girl. She was made better from the experience.

In the meantime, back at the ranch, Grant had some days of really missing his playmate, fight partner. G and I did go up to VR for a few special days together. He had some friends over, but almost everyone was out of town. Bummer for him.

Grant had a great time at preps (he pressure washed all the sidewalks) and then played hard too. He also enjoyed Katie and Michael's wedding, and the fun time with Liam that followed. He too has grown a lot in maturity this summer.
Then came conventions, and now we are looking school smack dab in the face. Both kids came down with colds this weekend, so they didn't make it to meeting. They only have one more day left!

70 Year old man falls 200 feet

Gentry met this man while he was hiking along Fish Lake road. He had gotten lost, and picked up the road to orient himself again. Not long after this he fell. He is in OK condition but Yikes! He told Gent that he started out with two other fellows but one had bad health and the other had a bad attitude. Too bad he was the one who took a bad fall. Read the Story.

Sweet Boy

This fine little feller is well known for giving big hugs. Don't you just want to hug him?

Sweet Girl

Today is this sweet little munchkins 1st B-day. We are looking forward to celebrating!

She always is so perfectly clean and fixed up cute...so I really like this little snapshot of her with a smudge or two. She was a perfect little camper.

20,000 Leagues Under the Pond

We have spent many a trip going up to VR and listening to "20,000 Leagues under the Sea" on tape. It has added much to the experience that Grant can use his remote control Submarine in Huckleberry Pond. It is very cool!

Attack!!

Boys (and girl) with sticks, are a possible mortal threat to the Nautilus.

Whistle Pigs

There has been so much going on I am sadly behind in blogging and quite overwhelmed so I will just update something trivial instead of the whole 9 yards. The NEWS: VR has a burrow of Whistle Pigs, or Hoary Marmots. Grant and I saw one of them come up to the trail to the Lookie Loo, great big leaves hanging out of its mouth. Once I became aware of them, I heard them calling back and forth to each other. How exciting! They are little fur balls about the size of a large house cat...in case you did not know...

and they live in burrows, are awake during the day, are vegetarians, hibernate during the winter months, and chirp to each other, and trill when danger is near. Thrilling!

Matchy Matchy!

Tim had to do a lot of prep work on the peeling paint but already it is looking better.

And now it is all matchy-matchy with the house.

And with my car for that matter! (Beth's sister Ginny says that I am the only person she knows who has matching accessories for our house.) Funny.

Huckleberry!

Gentry did not have a successful putting-in-culvert session for our VR neighbor (the man did not have what was needed to complete the job), so he picked huckleberries to relieve stress, or more probably because he just wanted to. The pie crust looks very hopeful, not beautiful since it was made in a quick hurry but the texture looks like it might be what I have been hoping to achieve...maybe I will get this figured out? And the filling....it will be amazingly huckleberry!! Yum!!!

All I have been doing lately...

Remember this sweet little home? I have been showing and showing and showing this house, taking applications, calling references, and showing it again. I like this little house but I want this process to be over! I have had a slew of tatooed folks come through, 3-4 young working divorced women with a child, lots of calls from people who want to have dogs, (no), parents looking for thier children, or grandchildren...and on and on. Sigh. The ideal I keep looking for: A young couple, both working, who look at the big lawn with delight and ambition!

The whole bunch.

I love this picture! But then, I was having fun and even getting a couple smooches with my eyebrow flirting friend, then there is Luke, getting ready for pictures includes cleaning out the proboscis, Brian, is obviously taken with the view, Andrea and Micah have matching poses, Victoria is having sweet moments with Danny, Beth is getting ready, the back sides of the boys are a nice contrast, and Grant has matching pant legs in this picture.

Ryan and Jennifer: This would be a better looking picture if you were here too...we missed you!

Sister-in-law's

As it turned out we girls were not any more cooperative for the camera than the boys. These are the best of the bunch. Here we have Andrea epitomizing the words, "Mother of all boys!" She is tough!

And Beth is welcoming anyone else who would like to join?

They may be tougher, smarter, and younger- but I will always have the height advantage! HA! We sure had fun together.

Brothers

The beginning of the uncooperative modeling. Aren't we proud to know...who is that goof at the end?

I made them turn around...they are a clever bunch.

And oh so handsome!

Trying a little harder.

Pops, this is your fault! (Just trying to look respectable.)

Well, the lake and the mountains are beautiful and the boys...we still have work to do girls.