Summer fun comes to an end

I'm, as always, behind.  I never seem to be able to catch up. Here are some pictures of our latest adventures. 

 Beckett is always such a big helper. 

 I can't believe he is old enough to climb into the dishwasher.  He is such a monster.  That is my nickname for him.

 My parents came for Labor Day weekend.  It was nice to see them.  It had been awhile since they have come to Twin for a visit.

 My dad was good enough to play a little baseball with the boys.  

They had a pretty good time.  We knew it was time to quit when they started crying and being poor sports.

 The Monster on the other hand never had that problem.  He just sat on his little car, because he couldn't figure out how to get off of it. HeHeHe

 Other news in the Reading home.  I got a new car!!  We have needed a vehicle that could hold all of us ever since Beckett was born.  Our truck is a 6 person, but I hate driving it and it's also takes a lot of gas.  This new one drives like a car and gets better gas mileage.  I love it!!!  Thanks honey!!

 School started after Labor Day.  Aside for getting in trouble for talking during lunch (stupid rule) Dillon seems to enjoy school.

 For the first week Truman constantly got his name "on the board".  He is doing better now.  He informed me he hates school.

 I was happy to hear the the boys sometimes play together at recess.  Is it silly of me to hope these two will be close?

Elleree started school as well, pre-school that is.  She cried the first day, but really likes it now.  I love it.  A little time with just one kid is awesome!  Don't ask about her outfit.  She refuses to let me help her get dressed.  She is very fashion savvy, as you can see.

 We have been skiing a lot in the past few weeks.  We found a place we like, only problem is that no one seems to feel they need to have a spotter.  Very dangerous, especially on the river.

 As you can see the Monster is much happier when he doesn't have to wear his life jacket.  He loves to drive!

Of coarse we can't have one without the other.

This picture is for Allison.  See he loves his snorkeling gear.  Thanks!

Progress at the Fair

Can progress be measured by the fair?  I say yes.  My progress anyway ( don't know what that says about me) can be measured by the fair.  The number of people that I knew at the Twin Falls fair last year zero.  The number of people I knew at the Twin Falls fair this year 6 people.  Yeah I am awesome!  Anyway here are some pictures of our trip to the fair.

I got to take Elleree and Truman on the rides.  Lots of bumper cars and little rides like this.

 They had a real blast with these two. 

 My favorite part as always is the petting zoo.  The goats rock, and I always want to take home those little pot belly pigs.

 I even got Elleree to feed the animals, which was a real feat.

This however is the real test of my progress.  Dillon won this Minion at a balloon popping game.  I know you wish you had one.  Maybe next year.

Randomness

August flew by along with my summer.  It is time to speed blog again, so here are some random pictures that rock!

 Allison lovin on her two mister men.

 Mrs. Paisley and Elleree, two girls equal a good time!

 Dillon on his backpacking trip.

 One of the lakes in the "White Clouds", I think that's the name of the place they hiked to.

 Jason is building some good memories with his boys and the great outdoors.

 Dillon and Josh these two are double trouble, but they always have fun.

 Truman's sixth birthday, celebrated in Mackay.  This is his ice-cream cake.

 Every picture we have of him on his birthday, he is just a blur in.  He wouldn't stop moving, just too excited I guess.

 He did hit the jackpot though.

 Truman and Pierce playing in My mom's pond.  They love that thing.

 My cousin Travis and I decided to go double skiing together, this is us giving high fives.

 It kind of sucked, because anytime one of us would decide to turn the other one got sprayed in the face.

 Kids love laundry baskets and my kids are no exception.

There you have it some random pictures.

Grandma

So I haven’t blogged for a while for one reason, and no it’s not because I’m lame.  My grandma passed away on August 18, 2011.  I wanted to write something about her.  I didn’t want to just mention that she died because I was really close to her, but I didn’t know how to convey that.  At the luncheon after the funeral my aunt wanted everyone to write down memories that they had of her.  I thought I would e-mail her some.  Later the thought came to me that I should do the same thing for my blog.  This way I have a way of keeping her memory for my kids, and also a way of saying goodbye.  This is by no means an exhaustive list of my memories, but it is some.

When I was little grandma would watch us when my parents were out of town. One time I was in kindergarten my grandma took me to school.  I remember that I waited until my teacher wasn’t looking and I ran out the outside door and all the way to her house (she only lived a block away). I told her I didn’t want to go back to school and she didn’t make me go that day.  I got to stay with her.

I was in Special Ed in elementary school because I have dyslexia.  I got made fun of a lot.  I remember once at church a boy made fun of me and I got so upset that I got up and ran out of the classroom (are you sensing a pattern here?).  I ran down the hall and strait into my grandma literally.  I was crying really hard and my grandma asked me what was wrong.  I was so upset that she had to calm me down first then I told her what the boy said.  She marched into the classroom and asked to speak to the boy then she took us both into an empty classroom. She asked the boy his side of the story, because if you knew my grandma, she never did things without having all the information.  The boy had not explanation, so she demanded an apology from him and then gave him a good tongue lashing.  It was so nice to have someone to fight for me.

My grandma has eight children and even more grandchildren.  You can imagine that it was hard getting one on one attention with her, or feeling like you where special, but she always made me feel that way.  She is the one who taught me how to drive a stick shift, or standard car.  My dad refused to teach me after I nearly killed him.  My grandma took me out no dirt roads and had me stop and start over and over again.  After I got the hang of that she had me practice shifting up and down, going faster and slower.  At one point I came to a turn in the road and I was in 3^rd gear and didn’t want to shift down so I just took the corner going that fast.  We spun around and did a complete 360 and then the car stalled out.  I looked over at grandma and said “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry”.  She was holding on to the handle above the window and she said “that’s okay honey that’s how we learn”.  She never got mad at me. 

I have never heard my grandma yell, or even raise her voice.  She never swore, and never raised a hand to us.  The most we ever did was sat on chairs.  She made the best bread and jam ever and the best pancakes.  She always made them for us when we were at her house. 

When I was in high school I was extremely blessed to have the opportunity to work with my grandma.  She was the bookkeeper for the family business and I got to do school to work with her.  Every day I would go over to her house and she would have bread and jam for me and we would chat before we started work.  Some days we never even got to the work because we talked so much.  During that time I needed a lot of advice (who am I kidding I still do) and she was the best at giving advice.   She would roll play with me so that I was prepared for conversations with my teachers, parents, friends, or boyfriend.  I never felt judged, or immature (believe me looking back I was).   She helped me to be able to look at other people’s point of view, or see their perception of things without sounding like she was taking their side.  She helped me so much; I know I would not be the person I am without her.  

The advice she would give was always spot on.  I had a chameleon when I was in college and it ran away, really I took it out to the backyard, fell asleep and when I woke up it was gone.  I never found him.  I was really broke up about it, I remember crying to my grandma and she said “I understand you are upset, but it was not a person”.  I thought at the time she was very cold, now after having children and maturing (just a little) I realize what she meant.   There has never been a time in my life when, if I needed her advice she was not there to give it.  I will miss that so very much.

As an adult it was so much fun to be able to talk to my grandma about different things.  Whether it was about books she loved to read, and helped to foster that love in me, and all her children and grandchildren.  She was always letting me borrow books, and seeing how I liked them. We talked about plants and flowers, which we both loved.  We would talk about raising children and I will always remember one of her favorite sayings “all you can do is do the best you can with the knowledge you have at the time.”  She said it is easy to look back at the things that you did, with the knowledge you have now and realize what you did wrong, but there is nothing you can do about it.  I loved hearing her stories about my dad and aunts and uncles.  I loved hearing about her life.  I loved knowing her as a person, not just a grandma, but as a friend.

My last memory of her was two days before she died.  I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to have gotten to visit her that day.  I got to hang out with her for like 5 hours.  I have not gotten to spend that much time with her for a long time.  We talked about genealogy; the new pictures and things she had gotten from her sister. She showed me what movies she was watching on Netflix.  She did a little research to see what exactly being Basque meant.  We played with my kids.  Walked around her flower garden and named the flowers.  Then we picked weeds and raspberries and talked.  I left her adjusting the sprinkler in the garden with my grandpa. 

I am so grateful for my grandma’s life.  I am grateful for her impact on my life.  I am grateful I was able to know her and love her and know she loved me. 

This is one of the last pictures taken of my grandma, and all her "girls" my aunts. 
I stole this from my aunts blog don't be mad Auntie C.

Keepin' Busy

I don't know about anyone else, but this summer has been busy!  I was able to be at home for a full week, which is something I haven't been able to do all summer.  I was able to do a few things.

 This house has an awesome back yard.  We have apricot tree that was and is loaded.  I have no idea what to do with them. 

I feel guilty letting all that fruit go to waste, so I decided to try my hand at canning.  This really sweet woman in my ward came over two different days and showed me how. 

We canned them whole.  The lady just gave me these jars, supper cute huh!

Then we canned apricot jam, yummy.  I had never even tried apricot jam before. Boy was I missing out!

This is it, all I was able to get done.  There are still tons left to pick.  Hopefully other people will come and pick them.  Hint, Hint.

Next I made these cute houses.  Months ago my mom cut these out for me and my friend Shawnee to make.  Yeah, we were just now able to get together and do them.

I think it turned out pretty cute.  Now all I have to do is find a place to put it.

When Allison was here we made these.  What are they you ask?

Ignore the really dorky picture, I blame it in Allison not her subject, because in real life I am hot!

 They are these really cute headbands.  My sister-in law had one she made, it was cuter than ours, so we made some too. 

Redfish 2011

Ah, yes the annual trip to Redfish.  Every year we go, every year we ask ourselves why.  Things have changed since I was a kid.  I don't just mean at Redfish, but with my family.  All my siblings were there with their kids, except Pierce.  My Aunt and Uncle came with all their kids and grandkids, except Betsy. 
It was good to be together.  In some ways it's difficult though.  It's hard to see things that happen, and know there is nothing you can do to change them, or make them better.  People are who they are I guess.  The same goes for Redfish the place as well.  It is hard to see the changes and know there is nothing you can do about them either.

 What I like the best about Redfish, is that some things haven't changed.  The water is still clear as can be, and very cold.

 The beach has changed alot, but the sand is still the same.

 The sun shines hot in the day and the nights are chilly. 

The mornings are always the best for skiing.

 The mountains are still beautiful and Majestic.

 My kids are gaining memories like I did as a kid. 

I have been going to Redfish for over 30 years.

I tried to catch the baby fishies, just like my kids.

 Took little naps on the beach, went to the lodge, played in the water.

I rode my bike, played on the playground, and skied.

 We had wake board and knee board wars.  Fed and chased the chipmunks. 

Sunburned our feet and rode on the tubes.

 Redfish is one of the places as a kid I remember feeling the happiest.

 Now I just hope my kids feel the same way.

  No matter how much it rains, or we yell at each other. 

 No matter who comes or doesn't come. 

I hope it is something that my kids look forward to each year, like I do!