Big Sky Waterslide

We day tripped to Kalispell yesterday.  It was really a great day.  Amber had invited us to go to the water slides with them and the cousins had a lot of fun playing together.  I hardly saw Leah all day. We left just after 7 and were at the water park all day.  Arriving home just before 11 that night.  They kids loved Logan's Pass.  Leah had not gone with us last year, she was on the way to Idaho with Grandpa Smith. So she was really looking forward to seeing it.

This red slide was by far the highlight of the day.  You went whipping around a circle then down a ramp and shot up the other side then back down.  The water park is just big enough that we went all day and didn't get bored, but small enough that I never worried about the kids.  I just made sure I knew where they were once in a while.

Here is every on relaxing in the hot tub.

Leah was in the kids pool almost all day.  She did go on a few slides.  The kids pool was only about 6 inches deep and she was really scrapped up at the end of the day.  I was really surprised since usually she is one of the first to go on slides.  Later when I asked why she stayed there all day she said because Emry wanted to. I thought that was nice of her to give up what she wanted to do for her cousin.  She seems to do that a lot.  Leah is always saying I was just trying to be a good cousin.  I keep telling her that it is still OK to do what she wants to sometimes too.

We packed a lunch and took it in with us.  I had snacks and water for the way down also.  Then on the way home we stopped at a little cafe and had yummy burger.  Leah and I had a BLT.

Logan's Pass really scares me to drive over but at the same time I love it.  It is so incredibly beautiful.  Also you have to drive slow and we roll down the windows.  Because of this even though it is windy nobody gets car sick.  I don't even worry it is a very relaxing drive.  I would never drive it myself but trust Dave completely and know I am in superb hands.

It was a long day, but well worth it.  It was nice to spend some time with Dave as we haven't seen him much the last couple of month.  The kids especially enjoyed this time with their dad.

Swimming Lessons

Everyone passed again.  Yipee!!!!  Leah had a little trouble with the whip kick but by the end she got it down.  Blake had a little trouble listening.  He could do everything and would swim under water when the teacher was trying to teach.  Cora did awesome.  She is now high enough that she gets to decided whether to continue on to become a life guard or to stop.  She loved using flippers.

Heartbroken and More

A couple of months ago Blake saw this transformer and decided that he NEEDED to have it.  It was $39.99.  It is five transformers that connect together to make one big one.  Devastator or something. He has been doing lots of chores around the house and his outside chores.  The other day we counted his money and he was over half way there.  Blake was so excited.  He wanted to look it up online again so that he could see it.  We looked all over and finally found one.  They have changed it slightly and it is now between $150 and $300.  He was so upset.  Blake has been working so hard and really been good at paying tithing and saving.  I am still researching but have come up with nothing.  He really is heartbroken.  It is like the end of the world to him.

I have been wanting to watch 'Better Off Dead' for a really long time, and have not been able to find it anywhere. (Dave said that is because it is stupid)  At the library one day I was told about inter library loans.  I can go outside the Chinook Arch system and see if someone has it.  One library did.  Imagine my joy:)  Before it came in I rented one called Say Anything that also has John Cusack.  So Dave decided that we needed a John Cusack marathon.  We have watched Say Anything, American Sweethearts, Serendipity, Must Love Dogs, and then Better Off Dead (which everyone loved and decided I was right.  If we ever see it anywhere we are totally buying it).  It was also decided that Anastasia didn't count because it was only a voice.

Dave measures Cora and I a couple of times a week.  She is just barely barely shorter than me.  I was curious if her leg length was the same so I had her try on my pants.  I told her that she would be swimming in them but I just wanted to see the length.  When she put them on I started laughing.  It looked like one of those weight lose pictures, where she could fit two of her in her old pants. I thought it was hilarious.

Air Show

Thirteen years ago Dave and I went to the air show.  I was very pregnant with Cora.  Dave had been invited through work.  We got to sit in the VIP booth and eat snacks, it was awesome.  We always said that as soon as our kids where old enough we would go.  We got to the point were we thought they were old enough about 4 years ago but have always been away the week they hold it.  So after MUCH anticipation we went this year.  It was really hot but we had a constant breeze, so it wasn't too bad.  We did get sunburned.  They didn't have the cargo plane that you could walk through, which made me sad, I was so looking forward to it.  Blake is really into monster trucks so we let him have a ride in one.  Because it was so breezy the parachutes couldn't do their second jump.  I was disappointed about that also.

I looked at Ryan during the National Anthem and he was standing so patriotic holding his little hat that it just made me laugh.

This is a lovely picture that Cora took while I was gone grabbing the lunch:)

Years ago Makita gave Dave a book on fighter jets for Christmas.  This may be the most valued book in our house.:)  It has had a permanent home by his bed and he reads it all the time.  He took this book with him to the air show and looked up many things.  We were waiting for the jets at the end of the show.  This is the CF-18 Hornet.  Well worth the wait.  It was amazing.

The kids got their picture and an autograph with the pilot.

We had so much fun.  Blake was a little bored unless there was immediate action but still had a great time.  We took lunch and snacks.  It was a really long day but would defiantly do it again.

My Little Helpers.

As I mentioned earlier I have been working every day.  Just for 2 hours but it is in the middle of the day.  I have always done my grocery shopping on Friday morning.  Now that I have to be back for work it makes it a mad dash not a fun outing.  Last week I was also a little stressed since I had to pick councillors and their names in before Sunday.  I had never done this before and I am not one that gets a super clear answer or a really burning spirit.  It just seems right and I go with it.  So I was really nervous about my decision and changed my mind a couple of times until I got a really seems right.  (I am sure I was the bishops favorite person last week:)) Anyways last Friday we had dashed out quick and when I got back I put all the cold stuff away and left for work.  When I got back my kids had put all the groceries away, made lunch, cleaned up, and started the laundry.  It was awesome and I am so grateful.  (Not every day this gets done)  On my dishwasher they had left this note.

Mom (with fancy designs)
We (Cora, Leah) took our the clean and put in the dirty.  There is still room
Love your kids
Cora, Leah, and Blake
PS. Cora wet down the table (Dave thought this said Cora wet down the toilet and he was a little afraid of what it meant:))

I know we still have a ways to go but when I get a good day it gives me hope.  And I made the best decision about my presidency.  They are going to be awesome.
Dave has been really enjoying his new job.  He said he feels a lot of pressure but has had great feed back from everyone so far.  He is very glad he made the change.

Magrath Tri

It has been so hot lately that this is how I found Blake one night.  He was laying on a slightly damp towel on the floor.  Sound asleep.  I thought it look very uncomfortable.

This weekend was the first of Dave's triathlons for this year.  He has not had a lot of time to train.  Besides teaching me to lane swim once and biking to work a few times plus a few short runs he hasn't done much.  Oh and he ate a lot of bananas.  So he was a little nervous.  It was a cloudy day that did sprinkle for a bit.  He said that is better than 30 above. I was just worried about if there was lightning as they were swimming in the dam.

The first year he did the Magrath 'Swam the Dam' Triathlon, he got looking around and was the only one without a wet suit.  He even had people pointing him out their friends.  He felt a little silly.  But after doing it he said he would never use a wet suit, it was fine.

First transition.

They have a bus that picks up all the blue bags from the swim and drops them off at the end of the race.  Dave just finds it easier to quickly throw his stuff out to me.

There he goes.

This year we decided to go hang out at Natalie's for a bit while we were waiting for Dave.  We only had 45 minutes and were in their way, we also missed him crossing the finish line because I added wrong.  I was going by his time last year to figure when we needed to be back and I added rather than subtracted.  We only missed him coming in by 5 minutes, but I wish we would have been there.  He was pretty sore last night, but today said he was just normal sore.  Now he has one month until the next one.  

Cora has been trying to tell me about this ball she wants for a couple months.  I had no idea what she was talking about.  It was given to a friend as a gift so nobody knew where to even get it.  Last week we were with all the Puzey's and Jason knew exactly what she meant and where to get it.  Thank you Jason.  We went to Chapters and she got this.  It is a Perplexus Epic Ball.  You have a bunch of obstacles that you have to roll a metal ball over and through.  They have many different levels and Epic is the hardest.  She bought it with her own money and every has been enjoying it.

Around Here

We have been having a nice week so far.  Monday was really hot.  After work I took the kids out to Park Lake.  We all got sun kissed, but it was great to get out of the house.  Tuesday it started to rain a little.  I had free tickets to Cineplex and decided to take the kids to see Brave.  It was a cute show but much different then I thought.  If I had know the whole story I would have waited and not wasted my tickets on it. The kids liked it also but said the same thing, that it was not what they were expecting.  Today Blake had a friend over.  I have been working 2 hours everyday, right in the middle of the day.  They have been doing a great job of taking care of themselves.  Making lunch and getting chores done.  Cora is great at this.  Blake and Leah still need some work.  It is getting better. The last two day I have cleaned my shower with baking soda, vinegar, water, and a toothbrush.  It looks amazing.  It took hours.  Years ago just around the time that Kristin married Taylor she gave me a booklet that she had researched about all the amazing things vinegar can do.  I have been trying them out lately.  Tomorrow we are going to go back to Park Lake if it is hot, which it is supposed to be.  Friday is groceries and Saturday Dave has his first triathlon this year. While he is doing that we are going to hang out with Natalie which is always fun.  And that should be a wrap.

Good-bye BBQ

Dave's boss's boss had a BBQ for him and one other guy that were leaving Frito Lay last night.  He had been trying to get everyone together a couple times and it wasn't working out.  So finally when a Sunday came up we didn't feel like we could say no again.  We love BBQs with friends and family on any day the problem was he had said to have the kids bring their swimsuit and they could play in the pool.  Dave and I thought long about this.  We don't go swimming on Sundays but felt it would be more rude to sit on the side lines and not participate.  Or not go at all since Frito doesn't usually do this for people. After much deliberation we sat the kids down and explained that this was a one time exception.  Blake and Leah then proceeded to tell everyone at church that we were going swimming afterwards.  Thanks a lot. I also had not been looking forward to it.  I had never met any of the them before and I really am not good at conversation.  I always get a headache when I have to go places that I don't know people well or haven't seen for a while.  I really never know what to say.  But all was well.  They were a really great easy bunch to be with.  The kids swam for 5 hours straight.  They would jump out for a piece of watermelon or a drink etc. and get right back in.  There was about 10 kids there and all were our kids age.  They all got along and made new friends.  I really enjoyed myself.  It was wonderful to meet the people that Dave has worked with for the last 8 years.  They all had great personalities and are really nice.  Like Dave said as we were leaving, it is to bad that he met the spouses and kids at a good-bye BBQ rather then years ago.  He was given a really nice card from everyone and I think they will really miss him.  I am also sure that Dave will miss the association that he had with them.  Today he has his first day at his new job.  Wishing him well there.

Young Women's Camp

Cora just got home from Young Women's Camp.  She had a blast.  This is the only picture she got because she was too busy having fun.  I am glad. The went canoeing and made bracelets.  All your typical camp stuff.  Her friend from Champion was there and they hung out a lot.  She also got to know lots of other kids in the stake.  Cora has been telling us stories for the last hour.  It poured the first night but after that is was beautiful and sunny.  Someone took her flip flops at camp.  I guess she left them on a rock by the beach and when she went back they were gone.  I thought it was kinda funny.  She was really happy to come home and have a shower.  We missed her and are very excited to have her back.

Roofing

Our house needed new shingles 8 years ago when we moved in, but Dave put some tar up and we just kept putting it off.  It finally came time to just do it.  We checked the weather forecast and it was supposed to be nice for the next couple of day.  Dave has this week off so Monday we started stripping shingles.

Before hand Dave sat everyone down and had a safety meeting.  Then we got to work.

Cora stayed right with us till the end.  Leah and Blake kind of fizzled.  It was a really hot day and they didn't want to stay up the whole time.  Leah did a lot of chores for me inside.  She made lunch and vacuumed.  Cleaned the bathrooms and switched laundry.  It was nice to have that all done.  Tuesday was a little rainy and super windy.

We did strip the roof Tuesday night in very windy conditions.  Then started early this morning.

This is what Leah did with the scraps.

Dad came in today and helped. We could not have done it without him.  I got a about 4 hours of roofing done before I had to go to work. When I got back they were almost done. Mom hung out with my kids and did dishes even though I  told her not to:)

It was a huge job and I am so glad it is over.  Next big project is when our windows come in.  We ordered all new ones.  The outside of our house will look awesome.

Fireworks & Other Stories

The fireworks were spectacular.  How could fireworks not be?  I always love them.  I love the bang and pop and the beauty.  I found a fireworks setting on my camera half way through.  It really helped the picture.

It was a warm night.  No bugs and we found a perfect spot.  I took a few snacks and we laid out on blankets.  Great!

Cora went shopping with my the other day and she saw some lobster at the store.  She was quite appalled that they were still alive.  I explained that that is how they cook them.  She said, 'That is terrible.  The poor lobster would get burned or drown.'  I started laughing and told her they probably wouldn't drown as they live in water.  Cora laughed at herself and said that was pretty dumb wasn't it.

When we were at the rodeo they had mutton busting.  I tried to convince Blake to go, but there was no way he was going out there.  I really didn't think he would.  I remember going when I was really little and thought it would be fun if he did.  It was for six and under.  Driving away he wished he would have gone but next year he will be to old.

Dave decided that this year he was going to be really sociable at the First of July celebration.  After 8 years at Frito Lay, he has just switched jobs and has a week holiday in between.  He said he was going to tell all my friends that he talked to that he was unemployed and not looking for work:)

Cora left for her first Young Women's camp today at noon.  She is really excited.  Dave helped her get all her stuff packed, we made the bucket of treats, and she desperately wanted to get glow sticks for everyone.  We got those also.  I sent her with a camera and can't wait till she gets back to hear her stories.