One Crazy Summer

I thought I should at least touch on our summer vacation before Fall officially arrives. Rather than ramble on about what we did all summer I decided to sum it up in one rather long list. I will say that over all we had a great time!

*Packed, moved, then unpacked
*Girl's Camp - I went as the craft lady, not sure who thought I was crafty
*Bought a piano
*Began piano lessons for Aubrey and Taylor
*Horseback riding lessons for Christine
*Another trip to the ER resulting in 3 stitches for Talia (honestly I don't need a son. The ER is
now conveniently located only 2 miles from our new home which should come in handy.)
*Broken down tractor - multiple times DON'T ASK we also had to have it towed from a ditch
*Zoo trips
*Swimming
*Movie nights, parties, sleep overs
*FAMILY REUNION trip to Colorado by way of Mt. Rushmore super fun even though we
broke down twice in Nebraska on our way home -LONG story. We got to see our family! It
was a blast. Chris and our brother in-law Paul hiked to the highest peak in Rocky Mountain
National Park (they didn't quite reach the summit, enjoyed the trip, but agreed to never do
that again - at least not so unprepared and untrained).
*A visit from our CA friends the Livers!!
*Band camp
*Trips to the library
*Clay's Park Ticket won by Chris singing on the radio
*Sunburn, sunscreen, and aloe
*Play dates
* Cut off hair and Taylor had enough to donate again
*Gardening
*Sleeping in!!
*And way too much in between stuff to even list. We were really on the go this year. Busy but
fun.

The highlight for me, of course, was seeing my entire family in Colorado. I could spend a very lengthy blog talking about our reunion adventures. I laughed more and harder than I had in a very long time and cried as we drove away. It had been three years since we had all been together and I forgot how much I love being with my family. We played games, we made crafts with the kids, we hiked (in the rain), we talked and talked, we told stories around the campfire, and sang songs (only because I made them), we dressed as cowboys/cowgirls for line dancing, we ate, we teased each other, we canoed and paddle boated, we took a tram ride, we made multiple trips to the grocery store, we hung out and caught up with each other, we barely slept, we simply enjoyed being together. I can't wait to see everyone again in 2011 when we head to Yellowstone. I could not have asked for a better family.

I Want My Carseat

In case you missed the news we moved over the summer. Our new home is on a few acres with the house set back about an acre and a detatched garage even further back. Today I was trying to put the camp chairs and bikes, that had been left out in the yard, away in the garage so I did what we always do, I loaded them up in the van and drove them back to the garage. I turned the car off but left the keys in the ignition while I unloaded the van and put things away. I got distracted looking for a box in the garage and failed to see Talia climb back into the van. I looked up and there was the van rolling away down the slope of our driveway. I ran as fast as I could, barely able to catch up to it, only to find that I couldn't get the door open. I ran along side it as it miraculously turned and headed up a very small hill in front of our house slowing in down just enough for me to open the door and hit the brakes. I sat on the front seat trying to catch my breath, my whole body shaking. I stopped the van at the peak of the hill another second and it would have began rolling down hill again and there would not have been such a happy ending. I asked Talia to sit down on the front seat so I could drive the car out of the yard. She broke down and cried, "I want to sit in my carseat!"
Later this same day I lit some scented candles. Talia took a card that Taylor had made and lit it on fire with the flame from the candles. I think she is trying to do me in. It might be working.