Teeball season started

The 2007 season of teeball started this past Monday. Andy and Clint are coaching again this year. Abigail and Isaac are both on the team. We have nine 4, 5, and 6 year olds, and our team is called the Mariners. The first game on Monday was held in Rio Dell and it was 86 degrees at 6:30 pm!! Talk about shock for the kids (and the parents)! Our second game was Tuesday night in Fortuna and it was probably 55 degrees... major weather change!

Here are a few shots from this week's games...



Coach Andy trying to explain the reason for the game... to hit the ball!

My lil' cowpokes

We went to another branding this weekend and the kids had a great time. The weather was beautiful and being at this particular ranch brought back really great memories from when I was growing up. We used to go out to this ranch for the branding every year. My sister and I (and our friend Meaghan) played in the creek and enjoyed the sunshine.

Andy went out for the whole weekend and the kids and I drove out on Sunday. There is this great bridge that you have to drive over to get to the corrals. The kids loved it! Here are a few I took that day....

Abigail recently got a cowboy (I guess I should say "cowgirl") hat from her Papa Walt....

The best thing about Santa

So Abigail says to me today, "Do you know what is the best thing about Santa? He brings us presents and our parents don't even have to pay for them." Hmmmm.....

For all the stay-at-home moms out there

I feel very lucky that I get to stay home with my kids. Even though I consider myself more of a "work-at-home" mom, I still feel like I have a full-time job. The following came from an email I received today. This is for anyone that thinks that stay-at-home moms don't keep busy all day. And no this is not directed at Andy... I think he has a pretty good idea about what goes on around here during the day!

"A man came home from work and found his three young children all outside, still in their pajamas and playing in the mud. Many empty food boxes and wrappers were strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house.... and there was no sign of the family dog.

Proceeding into the entry hall, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the hall throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dirty dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled all over the counters, the 'fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill or perhaps that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside, he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn all over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap.... and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and the bathroom walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled sweetly, and asked how his day went?? He looked at her in total bewilderment and asked, “Good Grief!! What happened here today?”

She again smiled and answered, “Well, you know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what I do all day?”

“Yes” was his incredulous reply.

She answered, “Well, today I didn't do it”

-Author Unknown

JT's fortune

Tonight we had take-out chinese food with my parents. The kids were pretty excited about getting their fortune cookie after dinner. We all took turns reading our fortunes. Of course JT wasn't able to read his fortune so when we asked what his fortune said he said, "It says eat this cookie." Pretty smart kid!

Party at the Fire House!

This past weekend, we went to a birthday party for Abigail's "boyfriend" Nolan. It was held at the Fortuna Fire Hall. For those of you that don't know, Fortuna has a 100% volunteer fire department. Nolan's dad Nate is one of the volunteers. The kids were able to sit in one of the fire trucks. They also had some relays with the fire hoses. As you can imagine, most of the kids were completely soaked by the end.... and it was probably 62 degrees, at most! Here are some photos from the party.

JT stayed dry, but Abigail was soaked!

Willing subjects?

The other evening I attempted to practice some sunset shots in preparation for our Hawaii trip. I am hoping to get some fabulous sunset shots while we are in Hawaii, but I need to practice my settings before we go.

I had to recruit some new subjects. Here is one shot of Andy, Molly, and Belle. Even though, photagraphically speaking, it isn't the best shot, at least everyone is looking my direction!

You can't really tell that it is sunset in the photo, but I like this shot anyway. I guess I need to keep practicing.....

We need pictures!

The last few of my posts haven't had any pictures in them, so I thought I would put some on today. This meant bribing JT into going outside for a few shots this morning. This is how it went....

I really don't want to be doing this.....


JT, would you like a treat after this? You can pick something out of the treat bag....


Mommy, please take my picture...


Okay, I am not going to look at the camera now....


I'm outta here....

Beautiful blue sky

Today is a big change from my last post. The sun is out, the sky is blue, the breeze is light, and it is a whopping 62 degrees! I just took advantage of our spring weather and headed out for a 3 mile walk. How come it is so easy to forget how good exercise feels? Not only is good for my body, but my mind sure enjoys it as well. The kids are both at school today so I had some quiet time for myself.

I even wore shorts... as far as I know I didn't blind anyone with the starkness of my legs! Time to start that sunless tanning lotion. I am actually trying a new product called "Tan Towels." They are supposed to work really well without that awful smell that most sunless tanners have. I will let you know how they work....

Yucky day outside

You certainly wouldn't know it was Spring when you look outside. It has been rainy and windy all day. Since we didn't have any plans for the day, we decided to stay inside where it's warm. I can't remember the last weekend when we had NOTHING planned... it's a nice change!

The kids stayed in their jammies most of the morning, watched cartoons, made a disaster out of the living room, and had a veg-out day! Everyone needs a day like that everyone now and then...

My day wasn't quite as relaxing, but I did get some things done. I did three loads of laundry, cleaned out all the bathroom cupboards in the master bathroom, and made some cookies. I had to hurry up and bake the cookies while Andy was at the ranch because he likes to come steal the cookie dough.

It is just about time for naps. Today is a great day for a nap....