It's The Kids' Fault...

They are the ones that dragged me to the lake...

to swim,

to play games,

to splash,

to cool off,

to hang out,

to build a city in the sand,

to dig, dig, dig,

to soak up the sun,

and to HAVE FUN!!!

It's completely 100% of their fault.

And I am glad we did it!!

Sidenote: Tessa stepped in the line of fire (of sand) when the kids were digging trenches for their city. She was not too happy about having it all over her face. However, I did get a quick pic before she wiped it off.

Wordless Wednesday!

You will LOVE the story behind this picture.

More to come (later).

(ok... So it's not very wordless. Is it ever, really?)

Not sure why I even try

The YUCK!

6 of us ate something bad at a potluck.

Not fun - at all!

And I was one of them.
(even more not fun)

Not that I would rather my little ones be sick than me but it is hard to care for the other sick ones when I am one of them. 

6 of us spent all of Sunday evening and night throwing up - everywhere!

The bedding and toilets are finally clean.

Laundry is all caught up and delivered.

We are all feeling great again!

WHEW!

Note to self: Beware of outdoor potlucks when its really hot!

Evenings Spent...

with each other

on our horses

in the mountains

Dani, Abbi, Hudson (Tessa) and Me!

Charley and Tess helping get saddled

Abbi and Cash

Caleb and his dogs hiking along with us

Maggie and Ranger

Abbi and Tally

Dani, Tess and Risky

Dani and Risky

Two Sisters

Two Horses

and a dog...

headed for home!

Wordless Wednesday! (plus a few words)

The Snuggling Sisters...

 and cat that tolerates almost anything.

Off to the Races!

A new experience for all of us...

Horse Racing!

We have a friend that trains race horses. 

This is his horse, Valley Girl

(you can only see her hiney)

She had won all of her races to make it to this one 

*The Finals*

Go Valley Girl!!

We were there to cheer her on.

However, she got excited in the gate and fell over. Got back up and the gates were opened. She had lost concentration and placed 8th.

Wow! Those races are amazing up close.

Our friend had connections and got us down to the gates. The place where all the action takes place before the race begins. We got to see them load into the gates and then take off like a speeding bullet.

Incredible!

*sidenote*

I don't think this guy knew he was riding "my horse".

He was so strikingly beautiful. (the horse)

(not really my horse but I would like to have him)
hint hint, dude!

True Love

This little 5 year old...

loves her 30 year old horse.

He may be old in horse years but,
 he is young-at-heart when she rides him.

A perfect match!

Happy Birthday...

AMERICA!
(a little late - yes, I know)

If you have been "following" us for more than a year, than you will already know that July 4th is my absolute most favorite holiday - - - -
Hands down!

Our family heads over to a neighboring small town for the day.

We start it off with a 5K (3.1 miles) at 7:00am

This year, the 6 older children ran.

These are some of the feet that are about to hit-the pavement for 3 miles

And They Are Off!!

Two very cute cheerleaders...

Tessa and Dani Rae

Caleb finished first for our crew

Time - 21:42

Hudson was second

23:44

Abbi third:

28:44

Maggie, Weston and Elizabeth:

31:20, 31:21, 31:22

This was the first year that Elizabeth ran it. Brian (not pictured) ran with her and he said that she never stopped running OR talking during the entire race!

(That's my girl - talky, talky)

After the race, Grant and his family arrived for the Pancake Feed and fun activities like volleyball.

While the guys played VB...

the gals watched the talent show and shopped the boutiques.

About noon, we headed home to make Homemade Butterfinger Ice Cream and take naps.

(See why I love this holiday? Who wouldn't?)

We headed back to "small town" for BBQ dinner and...

Charley Jenkins concert!!

FUN!!

Then it was time for the fireworks.

Which we did not stay for this year. :-(  

This pregnant mama was tired and we had a few little people starting to melt-down.

Party poopers - I know!

(next year)

I love our country and the freedoms we have!

Thank you, God!!

Wordless Wednesday! (kinda)

My Hard Workin' Men

Lovin' it!

Suweeet!

HONEY TIME!

Hudson checked his and Papa's beehives.

The supers were full so he added the next super on both hives.

The bees were so full that they started making honey on the lid.

You know what that means....?

Honey for us to sample!

Hudson scraped the comb and shook the bees off.

We sampled!

The honey was so sweet and yummy.

That's the "pay-off" when helping Hudson - HONEY!!

It's worth it, unless, of course, you get stung.

Which Tessa did.

(and it made her very sad - rightly so)