Fencing

Dave came home Monday with a list of chores for the kids to do.  He walked them through everything and then we started.  One of them was fencing.  First some old pictures.  Blake helping to dig the trench for the electrical line.

Septic going in.  Yay!

There was lots on the list.  Mowing around the barn and houses, picking up old shingles, and fencing.  We had to go down to the sand and get tons of post.  Then we drilled holes in them.

Cora and I have moved these poles five times now. 

Blake loved drilling.  You give this kids power tools and he will do anything.  Dave came home the other day and announced he had got 30 more for Blake to do.  He was so excited it was crazy.

We then hauled them to the sand, strung wire, and set up the fence.

We drilled the insulators and attached them to the pole then stuck the wire in.

Leah loves the drill.  That is how we get her to work.  She loved drilling the floor boards in the house, drilling the insulators on.  She was at a friend's house the first day, but enjoyed coming out with us the second day.

This is a very embarrassing picture of myself, but this is how we rode out to the field.  We couldn't take the truck out in this field so Jared was kind enough to lend us his four wheeler. Dave was driving, I held the girls on, and out we went. Pretty fun.

We got one fence completed and next week the kids will do a couple more.  This is such beautiful country we live in.  I love working with my kids.  We are so blessed.  They have worked through the list already and Dave is going to come up with another one again.  As we finished last night this was our view.

A Week in Review

It has been a good week.  Monday we went and got some groceries.  Guess that is not that exciting.  The kids had not been getting along and it was driving me crazy.  Dave was raking that evening as Jared baled so we had FHE with out him.  I made the kids write two essays.  1. How I Can Respect and Obey my Parents and 2. Why I Love and Appreciate my Siblings.  Didn't go exactly as I had planned, but they got the point.  After we sat down and had a chat about how too much play time is not really a good thing.  So Tuesday we got up and Cora finished the raking, Leah was babysitting, and Blake and I mowed.  I figured they all needed to work.  It was a much better day.  Wednesday Natalie, her kids,  and mom came up.  They toured our house.  I got some suggestions from Natalie about a few things and then we went to the lake.  It was a nice warm day.  We each packed a lunch.

Mom had brought a massive bag of peas from her garden that we all munched on forever.  They where so good.

Natalie brought some cherries.  Ben really enjoyed those.

Thursday we got a few things done in the morning, then Cora and I headed to her dentist to pick up a new retainer.  We thought she had lost it in Boise, but of course the day the dentist calls to say the new one is in she found the old one.  Nice! When we got back I made a pie to take to our ward activity that night.  It was a BBQ party and everyone brought a pie.  Friday I was walking on my treadmill when Dave came in and said he had the boat all hooked up and we where going to the lake. We all scrambled into swim suits and packed a picnic.  Hardly anyone was there before lunch, it was beautiful.  

We did some tubing and swimming.

Ate lunch.  Dave taught me to drive the boat again.  It has been about 8 years since we where out, but I still dislike driving just as much.  It feels so out of control to me.  I did it just well enough to pull Dave on the tube for awhile.  When Dave first sat down in the tube, Cora was holding it for him.  It was like watching slow motion.  He sat down and slowly tipped back and flipped over into the water.  We where laughing so hard.

Dave wants all the kids learning to drive the boat.  Blake is the only one that wanted to yesterday.  He took us clear across the lake to the spillway.  He did a great job.  A few more rides for all of us and one more swim.

Then it was time to go home.

Blake was not quite ready to be done.  So this is how he rode the tube back in.  

We got some ice cream and home we went.  Today, Saturday is just our usually Saturday, cleaning, going to the dump etc.  Oh last week we also got our septic system in and Dave finished the basement walls.  We had heating guys working yesterday.  Dave said, isn't it nice to have our house being worked on as we are out on the lake.  :)  It sure was.

Mud Football

Last week I took my Mia Maids to the stake activity.  There are just two in our ward.  Cora and her friend Amy.  It was a perfect evening for it.  Pulled pork and chips before hand, hot chocolate and s'mores after.

After they played Red Rover.

And had a pyramid competition.

Fun times.

After they all jumped in the creek to clean off.

A few weeks ago, Blake was looking through my Boredom Away board on Pinterest.  He settled on making this rock candy.  He has had it setting out for two weeks.  Blake has enjoyed watching them grow.

He did cinnamon and root beer.

Blake said it was good, but really sugary :)

My girls and their bracelets.  When I was growing up I collected CTR rings.  Guess now it's bracelets.

Forgotten Pictures.

I was deleting photos from my phone this morning.  Really I was putting off what I need to finish for girls camp next week.  There where a few photos I had forgotten to do anything with.  Blake had his final baseball game the night before we left for Idaho.  He had a good time, even tho it wasn't what he had hoped for.  Just not enough people signed up in this area.  The coach did the best she could with small numbers.  I think he still wants to play next year.

Last week Blake had his cousin Ashton come for a few day.  They had a great time together.  I guess it shows where my priorities are.  I took no pictures of the 3 days they where swimming, doing archery, and playing around.  But took lots of the dinner we had Sunday when Jason and Lalainia came to pick him up.  :)  

Thought these where cute, so I whipped some up Sunday morning.

I did a lemonade bar.  I had regular and mint lemonade.  Then raspberries, peaches, and strawberries to go in.  Also some Sprite.  I liked it, thought it was a fun way to make your own drink.

Tacos with hard and soft shells with many topping options.

 Also watermelon, a summer must have.

I had seen this 4 layer German Chocolate Cake on Pinterest.  It looked so gooey and delicious.  But like most times when I am in a hurry the cake didn't quite work out.  It was really good, but to soft to cut into layers.  So it ended up being just two.  So sad.

We did doctor and dentist yesterday.  It took all day.  We packed a lunch then stopped to brush our teeth on the side of the road.  Blake is the only one that would let me take a picture of him.  No cavities for any of us again this year.  Yipee!!  At the doctor Blake got some warts burned.  He was very brave.  Dr. said Leah has a loose knee cap.  Very common in young girls and especially tall girls.  His prescription for her is lots of biking and swimming to strengthen the muscle that holds it in place.  Really we thought she was just being wimpy the last 6 months.  Guess I should have listened.  And wrapping it is the worst thing we could do for it.  Whoops.  I was teasing her that she could now say to Dave that she could not do any work because the doctor told her to go swimming.

Summer had been going good.  Way, way to hot, but good.  Dave has madly been trying to get electrical in.  I have been helping some with that and a tiny bit with the haying.  So fun to get out on a tractor again.  I really do enjoy it.  So pretty and peaceful.  We have had the heating guys working all week and plumber said he is starting Monday.  Fingers crossed again.  The kids have been swimming almost everyday.  I am totally loving this little pool and having a seasons pass.

Some banners I made for Father's Day out of paint samples.

I loved how they turned out.

Cora always cuts out her favorite doodles from the year before she throws away her papers from school.  She has quite the collection of neat ones.

Coconut Limeade.  Sooo good.

One day I was frustrated with things the kids where leaving out.  I told Blake that if it was not all cleaned up when I got home I was throwing everything in the garbage.  Well I should have checked what was actually out before I left.  All is was was garbage.  So he left it.  Smart kid.  Dumb mom moment.  I made him pick it up anyways.