Miss Riss turns 5!

Our baby is officially 5! Wow. She had her birthday on May 26. Completely crazy. It was a way busy day with the school's Spring Fling, Bradys soccer practice, then Brade's baseball game...so we didn't get to do the cake thing until 8:30! What do you do? She didn't care, she was so so excited!

I had taken her to Walmart earlier so she could pick out her present from us. She picked out a 'Crawling Baby'...it is loud and annoying and she absolutely LOVES her!

Aunty Breezy made her cake. She is a rockstar. Those butterflies?? Melted chocolate! Seriously. She is Martha. She also put a Milky Way in the cupcake so you hit this carmely goodness. Mmmm. Yum. It was amazing. She totally rocks and Marissa loved it!!




Marissa gettin ready to blow out some candles.



And after. sigh. Have I mentioned that I MISS MY CAMERA!




Opening Fat Baby Suzie she got from her BFF Cailey. She always plays with Cailey's when she is at her house, so Cailey got Rissy her own. So cute.


And "Big Scary Baby" from Coltin. That is what I call it every time I see it. I refuse to encourage her to name this one....eek.


Riss and my bro Coltin.

So I am still in denial. It is surreal. Doesn't seem possible that she is 5. Makes me sad. She is such a snuggler. It is wonderful. We love her to pieces. She is our heart. Happy Birthday Marissa!

Brady's 7th Birthday!!

Brady, Brady, Brady....

I cannot believe that you are 7 already. Insane how time seems to fly. We had a million and 3 things going on for and around your birthday...and you had said for months that all you wanted was to go out on the boat for your birthday...no parties. Kinda different for a 7 year old, but we tried making it happen.

Little lucky guy had a field trip to the Animal Hospital. We saw where the dogs get washed and groomed; saw some really cool x-ray's like a lizard and some dogs; saw where they kennel and board the animals and where they do surgery on them!! It was really cool. The kids loved it.


They also had this office cat...the kids loved him.


Then back at school. Brady got to bring a birthday treat and wanted me to make brownies. Yum. I tried to convince him that Albertson's Brownie Bites would be awesome, but he didn't agree. Sigh.


Then Brade got to share his "All About Me" which he answered questions like:
His favorite color-Silver
His favorite food-Spaghetti and Meatballs and Chips and Salsa
A Special thing about himself-He is a Good Soccer Player
Favorite Things to do-Play Wii and with his friends
He wants to be a Fireman when he grows up.

He also shared some pictures of himself with the class. It was awesome. He was all up there with a pointy stick talking to the class. He did a great job!


Then we went camping. I don't know why we insist on going camping every Memorial Day. Memorial Day weather ALWAYS blows (literally) in Rock Springs. Sigh. We went out with Julie and her kids and Amy & Dillon Cox and their kids. It was fun.. (when it didn't suck at least)

Here is Brady with his tray of brownies.


Huddled in a circle so the candle wouldn't blow out while singing Happy Birthday. It still blew out. So Marcus held the lit lighter to the candle and he blew out the lighter. Whatever works, right??


Friday was so busy getting things unpacked that we didn't get the boat out. But first thing Saturday morning, Marcus, Marissa and I took it out of the campsite to the dock at Firehole. We got it in the water...soo soo excited. Started cruisin back to the beach...and I say "Mmm, something smells good." Marcus takes a whiff and stops. Apparently burning rubber is a bad smell when you are on a boat. As soon as he stopped, water rushed into the boat from the engine compartment. Nice. So so not good. We putted back to the dock and got the boat outta the water. Checking it out, the exhaust hose is completely gone. It is the weirdest thing ever. You can see the springy metal support, but the hose part is gone. So that is how the water was getting in, but we still have no idea how it burned up. A nice (pricey) little trip to the boat repair shop will fix that. I am just praying it doesn't take all summer. Sigh.

Miss Riss and Dondo..Amy's Pup. She loved hauling him around, and he was so good with her mauling him.


Dillon and AJ. The chair had blown into the fire (imagine that) and had a hole in it. AJ, being 17 and a dork, got himself wedged into it and Dillon took advantage of it. Ha ha ha.

Dillon caught a bass. Brady was holding the line in case he caught enough for us to eat. Didn't happen...oh well. Brady was cracking me up holding that line.

This would be my baby...yep, she is going for a ride with the little boy, Jaden, from the neighboring camp. Talk about 4 going on 16. Ugh. They were cute though, it made me laugh.

Since we had no boat (sob) the kids started digging holes and trenches. They were cracking me up. They were covered from head to toe with this chocolaty milk sludgy stuff. And Marissa held Dondo.

Amy and Dillon brought out their tether ball. They had a blast playing with that thing. I have a tire and pole to make one here. I can't wait!!

Julie and Amy Jo.

This is Julz' twisted ankle caught on tape! Poor thing. She hobbled around for the next 3 days. It was so swollen and purple. If she wasn't so darn competitive....ha ha ha.

I love campfires. They make me happy.

On top of the boat breaking/burning...our trailer water never worked. Still don't know what is wrong there. The generator that I bought a WEEK AGO doesn't work! Are you freaking kidding me! I swear. We have had some crappy luck lately. I thought it only came in 3's... we are goin on like 12. Sigh.

But anywho...it was a lot of fun. Still need to take the Birthday boy to buy his new bike. Lucky.

I am still just in shock. Seems like yesterday that I was calling Marcus telling him that I really WAS in labor almost 6 weeks early and that he really DID need to come home. He showed over an hour later. I guess he didn't believe me. 3 hours at the hospital and our little 5 pound 5 ounce bundle was here. Wow. We love him so so much. His little personality kills me. It has to be middle child syndrome cuz he reminds me a lot of Jed and how he acted. Nuts. Still such a mommas boy and I love it. Happy Birthday Brady!!

Brady's Firefighter Field Trip

First of all.

I MISS MY CAMERA!!

Kenna's just doesn't quite do the trick. Sigh.

I went on a field trip with Brady's class last Thursday to the Fire Station. It was so SO cool. Mr. Danhoff is awesome. I think it was a great field trip and I learned a lot.

The kids learned not to play with candles and to remind parents to test their smoke detectors. Firefighter Don said that 80% of kids will not wake up to the alarm. How scary is that. I know Kenna and Brady are in that group for sure. They are HARD sleepers. He said to test it while they are sleeping so that you know, as a parent, how long it takes the kids to wake up. Scary, and something I hadn't thought about.

Brady got chosen to make the phone call to 911 to let them know that there was a fire in his 'home' and that he needed the firefighters to come. He also told the dispatcher that there was no one in the home and the fire was in the kitchen.

Then they used Disneyland smoke to fill the trailer. Way cool. The kids had to crawl on the ground under the smoke into the bedroom.

Once in the bedroom they had to touch the door (which was actually warm to the touch - how cool is that??) then go to the window to climb out.

Then the kids got to try on some of the firefighters equipment. This is Brady and his friend Graydon.

Then a firefighter dressed up in gear...complete with the mask and oxygen tank. He walked around to show kids he wasn't a monster or Darth Vader and not to hide from him if he came into their bedroom at night. I thought that was a great idea. I can totally see how kids would freak out not knowing who or what he was.

Then we had a visit from Sparky. I was a little nervous about that. Brady is TERRIFIED of characters and is the reason we haven't gone to Disneyland. Don't even get me started on how he freaks around Clowns. But guess what! He did great. Didn't freak at all. You could tell he was a little nervous, but was fine. Especially once he saw all of his friends were excited to see him.

Check it out. He even gave Sparky a hug!!

Brady has already gone to Albertsons to visit the bakery. He is going to the Animal Hospital Friday and gets to go to Indian Days next week. How stinkin cool is that.

**CruNcH**

So here I am...minding my own business on Thursday night. Heading to the store to get Brady some corndogs then pick up Marissa from my moms house. Green arrow...I turn left and then "what the hell??" Didn't even see it coming. Suck.

I am still not really sure. I know they ran the red light, and with me turning, we pretty much hit head on. I was going really slow, but he was booking it trying to get thru the light. Miraculously, no one was hurt. My airbags went off and I smacked my head against the door and had a headache for 4 days straight. Have some funky bruises on my legs from who know what, but nothing big. Brady was in the back in a seat belt and was totally fine. He also hit is head on the door, but wasn't even sore the next day.

The other car had 4 people in it. No one went to the hospital. There were two kids in the backseat, both in carseats, but neither carseat was buckled into the car. So so lucky. I remember finding that Marissa's carseat had been accidentally unfastened once after going to Walmart. I was sick. Once kids start buckling themselves in, that happens...they hit the wrong button. So scary.

Marcus had gone to take a friend out to the Gorge to show him where to camp for the weekend. I couldn't get ahold of him. Of course. I did text him. It said...'Got in a wreck. Not my fault. Were ok. Just had Brady.' Marcus loved how I stated it wasn't my fault before I said we were ok. He said he is an asshole...but not THAT big of one. Ha ha ha.

Had my(Kenna's) camera in my purse, here is a pic from the scene. Prob a good thing I really didn't check the car out at the time. I may have freaked.

We even made the Saturday paper. I love how it is all about the traffic. Made me laugh. But this was my first look at how it really looked. Eek.

Then yesterday we went to the tow yard to get all our stuff out of it. Dang. I am surprised I didn't have an engine in my lap. My poor car. I am sure it is totaled. The kicker??! It was paid for. Of course.

So...now we are car shopping. I am thinking I want a SUV again. Maybe a Crossover.

When I was talking to the car rental place she said that since I had a minivan she would get me the biggest car they had. Really? I was flashing to images of a big Lincoln Continental or something. Ick. I told her "Common, I have been driving a minivan for the last 4 years...cant I have something fun??" I got a 2009 Chrysler Sebring. About as fun as you are going to get from the rental place. It is cute though.

{yesterday}

was busy!!


Ken Doll had Frontier Days out at the fairgrounds. They dress us like mountain men/Indians/cowboys/outlaws/pioneers/ or some type of 'frontier' person and pan for gold, go to jail, go to school and learn all about that time period. It was really cool. They even had a hide/skin thing of some type of animal the kids had to take a rock to and try to get some of the meat off. Gross. That wild game smell is so funky. They also had a station where they could churn butter and grind wheat. I loved all the hands on stuff they were able to do.

For all by Bear River City friends....do you remember this song?

Now we all join hands and we circle the ring.
Now stop where you are give your partner a swing.
Now swing that girl behind you.
And swing your own. (something something)
Now alama-left with the corner girl.
And dosey-doe your own.
Now we all pomade with the sweet corner maid.
Singing Oh Johnny Oh Johnny Oh!!!

The classes totally learned that dance!! I was so excited. Here Kenna is Johnny Oh dancing.

Daylin and Kenna

Then it was time for Brady's first baseball game. He was so stinkin excited. He is on the Cubs and is Number 1! Nothing can be better than being Number 1 when you are 6 (almost 7). He thinks he is pretty cool. He looks absolutely adorable in his uniform.

I/we were a little worried that Brady was going to be like THAT kid from Sandlot that runs the ball instead of throwing it. He is just funny like that sometimes. But he did really good. He caught a grounder and threw it to the pitcher. It was awesome. He was pumped.

Here is little man up to bat. He didn't make contact this game...but has in practice, so I am sure it is coming. Some of those little guys have quite the swing. It was crazy.

And here is Miss Riss being a 'butterfly'. She would have Chris hold her up and she would flap her wings. She was being hilarious. She is so fun.

At the same park, there is a 'rope swing'...it is like a zip line and it is a blast. Kenna stripped off her Indian costume and spent a little while on the swing. They love this park...it is one of our favorites here in town.

She is a nut.

So that was my insane yesterday. Today is mellow. The kids actually have NO after school activities! I am not kidding when I say that is the first time in at least 2 months. Ahh. What are we going to do with our night?!? I am sure we will figure out something.