Catch up

I didn't realize it has been so long since I posted. We have been so busy around here I still have a huge list of stuff to do- I probably should be doing now! I think this will be a quick wrap up of everything, well most of it, some of it is to personal to share.

We spent the rest of spud harvest picking, freezing, and canning. I made 12 more loaves of zucchini bread, but only 8 made it to the freezer.....hmmm I wonder what happened! I canned 40 jars of salsa so far, my sink is full of tomatoes right now. I made 15 jars of freezer jam, with Kami's help. We froze our corn, beans, peas, and I still have broccoli and carrots to do. The onions have been picked and need drying. I have 3 bags of apples from my parent's tree to dry. Honestly, I haven't started yet because they are so good we are eating them!

Kami helping me make raspberry/peach jam.

The girls spent harvest playing in the dryer box. Who knew something so simple could be so fun. They even decorated it. Kami cried when we threw it out, it stunk!

They got to play in the snow. They build a fort complete with bedrooms and chairs. They got mad at me when I made them come in because they were blue!!

Ky has been so busy some days I don't see him for more than an hour, let alone talk to him. He does homework all night (until 12:30 every night). He doesn't have all the wood cut, he is trying like mad to get it done in his spare time (if he has any). I am afraid it will not be done before it snows. He has had to turn down 2 jobs now because he just doesn't have time to do them. He is so stressed I know he will be glad when this semester is over. His BIM instructor is brutal with his work load, this is the same instructor he has for Auto Cad. I feel for him, he is so stressed. I keep trying to get him to take a couple of hours so we can go out and relax, but he just doesn't have it. This has made it hard on all of us. The girls have stopped asking me "where is dad" and "when is dad coming home" they just know he is busy.

Ash got her retainer yesterday and wow is it pink! Her head gear is working wonders and she has already moved up to the next notch. She sounds so funny, I was teasing her in the car yesterday, but she gives it right back! She got to wear her costume to ballet last night, she loved it. I spent three days searching the house looking for Kaite's costume! She likes to put things in weird places, like her church shoes in the cupboard under the bathroom sink! I finally found everything yesterday and hid it from her!

Last week I went to the girls' assembly and watched them both win the reading contest for their classes. Kaite was so shocked and happy. I am kicking myself for not having the camera ready and getting her expression, it was awesome! She won by 800 minutes reading 1740 minutes. Ash won by less than 200 minutes reading 2491 minutes. I am sure proud of them. Kaite wanted to win so bad. They got to ride the fire truck and have ice cream sundaes. Kami was upset that we didn't get to go too.

This wasn't the great expression, but it was the only shot I got of her. All the winners.

We had fun over spud harvest, but I am glad they are back in school. They were driving me crazy, plus I love the peace and quiet!

A couple of Sundays ago this happened....
I broke my starfish pendant I bought in London. I was so sad this was my favorite thing I bought over there. Sometimes I feel like this is life now and I am trying to find all the pieces! Oh well I know it will get better. Plus I know what to put on my Christmas list!

Next week I have 2 posts planned. I am going to try to get all the Halloween stuff posted in a timely manner!

Chillax

Chillax is one of Mar's words. She says it all the time and somehow it has caught on with us. The past couple of weeks we have been chillaxing. We have been enjoying spud harvest and SLEEPING IN!! We have also been trying to make our house smell better. We have had a smell problem lately. First Ash brought home the stomach flu from school, yuk! Second Ky finally shot our elusive skunk! Sounds like good news right.....except that he shot it five feet from the house! He was so happy to get that skunk he put 23 rounds in it. Our house smelled so bad and he got sprayed a little. I put bowls of vinegar out and that has helped some, but I still get a whiff of it every now and then (like last night). I finally went to wally world to stock up on my favorite fall and winter candles, so yummy. I have been burning this one as much as I can.

I have been addicted to ebay lately and have found some good stuff for Christmas.

I have also been enjoying my new dyer. I have to stop myself from drying each load three times, habit. I also love that it is not eating my clothes!

Chris and Chantelle spent last weekend with us. The boys got the rest of the wood and us girlies watched conference and visited. Ashley chased Chelsea around the entire time.... Ash is the only one who can hold her for an extended period of time. I also finally finished my cross stitch that I have been working on forever, I only work on it during conference.

I am trying to rest myself so we can start plowing through the garden stuff over the next couple of days. My mom brought me back a couple boxes of tomatoes, peaches, and plums. So I will be making jam and salsa the next couple of days. We also have to get everything picked before it SNOWS, yep snow is what they are saying for Friday, ugh!

I have made a list of stuff I want the girls to get done next week before they go back to school, I hope we can accomplish it. Kaite is bound and determine to win the reading contest and ride on the fire truck! She is doing pretty good.

I am kind of glad fall is in the air. I will really miss those warm summer days, but fall generally means a slow down for us.... I am so ready for that!

Happy Birthday Harriet!

September...so far

I am a little surprised to find that September is almost over. Here is what has happened so far. Labor Day found us with some house guests for Missy's baby blessing. Gene, Taylor, and the boys came and stayed with us. We spent Saturday on the water boating. We had so much fun!

All the kids (Ash, Paul, Sean, Cole, Kaite, and Kami)

Ky water skiing

Gene water skiing, I couldn't believe how good he was especially since he hasn't been in years!

Taylor on the tube, Ky whipped her pretty good! I think she had the worst crash of the day.

Gene and Cole

Ky and Kami

Me on the wakeboard

Ky on the wakeboard

Gene even tried the wakeboard, he didn't like it much but did great.

Ky on the wakeskate

Paul and Kaite

Sean and Ash

We found the most awesome secluded dock. The kids and dads swam to shore and played in the mud for like an hour.... I think ALL the kids loved it! Taylor an me enjoyed some nice relaxing girl time.

Kaite and Sean riding up front

All the kiddos

We wore Kami and Cole out.

We had a good weekend visiting with them, we always do. I think the girls enjoyed their last weekend before school started. Monday they headed out and we spent the day hanging out. We took the girls to Gator Jacks, which they totally loved! We went to the park and rode the carousel one last time. We also did a few more things but I can't remember what....
The next day was the first day of school. The girls were so excited they got up so early, they love their new classes.

Ash started ballet that week too. She loves it so much and is even in the advanced section of her class. They have already started practicing for their Nutcracker performance in December.

I have had to do some juggling since both girls are in class at the very same time, so far it is working.

That weekend we hit the water one more time. Mar brought her boyfriend Cory, and George even came up to go with us.
Ky wakeboarding

George and Kami

George water skiing

Ky water skiing

Kaite

Kami and Kaite sitting on the tube. FYI they don't get to ride together.

Cory, Mar, and Kami. We found that same awesome dock and set up there.

The girls love Cory

Mar and KaiteCory on the tube. I wish I could load the video because it was hilarious!
George on the tube
Mar
She was totally wiped out!!! And she had the best wreck of the day (I missed it) on the wakeboard.
Cory was a ton of fun, we have enjoyed getting to know him better.
We have spent some time at the barn watching movies and hot tubbing with them. Cory is fun and good for Mar!
The next week was Ash's birthday. Since I already posted that I will just post her friends party.
Ash wanted to party at the barn this year. Kami helped me make the cake.

Of course it didn't turn out like I wanted, I just didn't have the time to devote to it this year... she like it anyway.

Silly girl

I can't believe how much pizza they ate!!
Kaite had a birthday party to go to herself so she joined us later. She had fun at Lilli's party.

The girls all played Just Dance 2. Thanks George for letting us borrow that remote!

The girls did not like me videoing them or taking picts!!Ash invited Kenadee, Abby, Azlyn, Shelby, and Shaylon (she was the only one who couldn't make it). They had so much fun playing games and hanging out. I even got the new Barbie movie to calm them down before I took them home.

That night Mar and Cory came up and we played some more wii. This video is hilarious... Cory kicked Mar's butt bad on the Barbie song!

Cory and Mar

Ky and Cory, I am really disappointed that this video wouldn't load. I even left it for 5 hours and it still wouldn't load. They were so funny to watch!

That night we finally let the girls get in the hot tub, they have been bugging us like crazy, but we did turn it down to 98. They had so much fun, but it was so cold!
The next day we got up for more fun. We went to Chelsea's 1st birthday party.

Chelsea eating her cake

That night me and Ky went and helped with the S&R derby. We kept the hamburgers and hot dogs stuffed and served. There were so many people, but we have so much fun with that group. Poor Dawn was wiped out before the derby was over.
This past week Kami went to the dentist for her first visit. He said her teeth look great except that she has bonked her two front teeth too many times (on Ash's head) and that they will fall out early. I asked him when and he said by the time she is 5, I was like oh that is normal for us! She did great though and watched Tangled of course.

Ash got her headgear last Tuesday. Her retainer will be here in 5 weeks. She got glow-in-the-dark neon pink with rainbow sparkles. Ky said "that is so Ashley". She has done great with it and can even get it in all by herself now. I felt like I was signing my life away when I signed all the paperwork!

I have been busy making zucchini bread to freeze. I made a dozen loaves but only 8 made it to the freezer! I have a new crop of zucchini coming in this week! We also picked 3 full bags of beans and peas and need to pick again. Last night we picked a ton of corn and had it for dinner. We planted 3 kinds this year and there is one we really like. Today I am going to dry as many apples as I can! Tomorrow the boys are going to get wood. I have also been trying to find everything for halloween costumes (almost done) and I have started Christmas shopping. I started Zumba a couple of weeks ago and I love it! I forgot how much I love to dance, it doesn't feel like exercise because it is so fun... but sweaty!

Ky is enjoying school and is keeping so busy. I think his class schedule is easier for him this semester except BIM, but he has so much busy work with his 17 credits. He is also an academic adviser and a TA this semester. Both of which you have to be recommended by a professor. He is the TA for his professor from his framing class last semester, that TA did not like Ky! He is also trying to get with Cory to work out. Cory will be a certified personal trainer at the end of the semester, maybe he can get us both back in shape!

This past week we have also had to replace the tires on my Tahoe since they were showing cords! We found some awesome tires from a discount place in AZ we payed almost half of what they wanted to charge us here. They are nice big chunky tires, great for the snow!
I also had to order a new dryer. Our dryer has had so many problems but lately it has started eating my clothes! Every load I never know what will come out greasy with holes! The dryer will be here next week, can't wait!
We haven't had much time to put into the basement, I am hoping it will be done some time this century! And now we are focusing on getting all our wood. The neighbor saw a skunk down by the wood pile last week and Ky thinks it is living in there!!!!! Awesome!
My next post wont be this long... I hope!