Playtime on the Tub

Grandpa and Olivia feeding Flynn gold fish, notice the beautifully polished toes and fingers.

Three little monkeys sitting on the porch.

Tub Time!

It was a very windy day on the lake, We were sprayed by waves, and poor Bailey was trying to stay dry.

Captain Adam above

And first mate Skip, Do those two look alike or am i seeing double?

Mom and Olivia

She was unsure of this ride, once was enough

But not for these two

Brrrrrrrrrrrr it is cold when you get out!

Floaties

All in all, a great day had by all!

The House

This is our Big ole house, And it is sorely in need of paint, or siding. We have been torn as to what to do with it.

This house is about a hundred years old, and not much has been changed in it over all those years, we have tried to keep it as it was. This is our dilema.It makes more sense to side it with vinyl siding and be done with it but, then our house would look like everyone elses in town, not to mention the same color, as siding only has a limited array of colors.

We decided to do the less wiser approach, we`ll spend a couple years scraping, painting and replacing the boards in horrible shape. We`ll keep our house looking, ummmm old.In a little over a week, we have accomplished priming and painting the front porch. Next summer this wonderful porch will get a new floor. next week, we will be moving up, above the porch.

The funny thing was, yesterday morning while sitting on the porch having my favorite Folgers Vanilla Biscottie coffee, we had decided the wiser choice, siding it, when a big new gold cadilac pulled up infront of the house. A man got out of the car came up to skip and said, " I am so happy to see you restoring this house rather than slapping up vinyl siding, so many old homes in town have fallen to the vinyl trend." He has 3 old houses in town that he is restoring. he also offered his help if we run into a big bull work problem. This is what i love about small towns, we had never seen this man before, but he offered to help.

So, anyway, we are going to do the long and grueling task of painting this monstrosity............because we love this house. (when we are hanging from the roof edges with a scraper in our hands, we may not.)

The Princess Arrives Tomarrow

I heard she has requested hundreds of cookies............so guess what i am doing tomarrow morning?

Tomarrow i`ll show you what we have been doing all week, well, besides baking cookies!

I hate these things

These blood sucking pesty biting creatures are called sand flies, or no see ums. I hate them, of course, i think anyone who has to put up with them most likely does, or......they are kinky.


It was around 8ish last night when they found me outside doing some yard work, then they attacked. Viciously. After about 10 minutes, i went into the house and already had a lumpy forehead. I was bitten 3 times. These bites swell and become lumps. By morning, the lumps were pretty much gone, and all that was left was little red bite marks.


I hate bats too but i understand they have a purpose. They eat those ugly things ubove. But a sand flie? What are they good for? I can find no reason why they were put on this earth. Obviously, the bats are sloughing off around here, because we are having a bumper crop of sand flies.

I catagorize them with wood ticks. We don`t need them, get rid of them, i want to spray the world with insecticides to make the world a safer place to live.

Princess Olivias World

Once upon a time, in a tiny Kingdom far far away, lived a little princess. Princess Olivia was her name. She was a happy beautiful princess, her days spent in princess training, and making sure her little Kingdom was perfect.


Often times, her public duties took her out of the kingdom. It was required that she attend Parades. As she walked by her public, they gasped and were heard saying, "oh what a lovely Princess." Olivia would raise her hand, and as any royalty would, She`d wave with her little hand raised, and turning from side to side, all could see she had been born to be a Princess. The king, in the white tank top, stood close by making sure his princess was safe from the masses. He likes doubling as a body gaurd.

Of course, even princess`s have friends, who have each other over for play dates at their Kingdoms. Here Olivia spend the day with Princess Brielle. The maid and butler standing by at all times should they request something.

the Birthday of a Princess is a big deal in the Kingdom, so they threw her a ball, and everyone who was anyone attended. The King and Queen were so proud of their Princess.

But then one day, when the Queen had summoned the Princess for some quality time, the princess made a terrible mistake. She told the Queen, that she was not as beautiful as Princess Ivys Mother, because, and this is an exact quote, " You don`t wear beautiful dresses like Ivys Mom." Well, the Queen gasped.

And then the wicked Queen put the little princess to work. The little Princess was being punished. Made to paint the kingdoms toyal deck.

And if that was`nt bad enough, she was forced to wash the dishes after Royal Dinners. It did not take long before the little princess learned to never ever tell the queen that she was not as pretty as another queen. Poor poor little princess.

Then Tomarrow came, and it was a new day in the Kingdom. Here is the stable boy teaching the princess how to ride horse. That is something one should know if one is going to be a princess.

After riding lessons, The two little princess got into thier commoners clothing and drove off into the sunset, trying desperately to avoid the paparazzi.

It`s Been Alot of Years

36, (I thought it was 37, but who`s counting) years ago this morning Skip and I were married, as My Mother In Law always says, where has the time gone.

Bluberry Picking Time!

Time To check my blueberry patch!

I am crossing my fingers that we have another bumper year like last year!

Where, Oh Where Have You Gone Dear John?

That is`nt John.

John, that probably is`nt even his name, but it is the name i gave him about 23 years ago. John is our ghost, and he`s gone missing.

We moved into this big old house 23 years ago with our 4, then young kids. It was`nt long after that we discovered we were a family of 7, rather than 6.

It all started innocently enough. Occationally the strong smell of cherry pipe tobacco in the front porch, Shades snapping up, then being pulled back down. Noise in the middle upstairs bedroom, when i was home alone. Lights turning off. You know, your every day usual hauntings.

My Girls were scardy cats, so i had to eventually take the shades down from their bedroom windows. They were the old fashioned kind on rollers, you`d tug on them and they`d snap up. Well, they worked great, but, the girls did`nt think it was funny when it was`nt them doing the snapping, so down they came.

The upstairs middle bedroom seemed to be the room with the most activity. Some days when the kids were in school and i was alone in the house, it sounded as if kids were jumping on the bed then onto the floor. I`d go up there and check to see what was going on, and i`d find nothing. Eventually, i`d just roll my eyes and yell up the stairs to quiet down. He never did though.

Sarah was the one most freaked out by John. She spent the night once when Danika was about 2 years old. Our bedroom was downstairs at the time, right next to the stairway. Skip was working midnights, and i was in my bed reading when i heard her flying down the stairs, she burst into my bedroom holding a sleepy Danika, and asked, "can`t you hear that?" "Hear what?" i asked. She was all nutso when she said, "someone is walking up and down the stairs!!" She then tossed Danika in my bed and she slept on the couch. It did`nt bother me, John was harmless.

But then one night.

Danika and I were having one of our sleep overs, or girls night like we used to call it, she was about 3 at the time. We`d buy goodies, our favorite being those gummy strawberries, and we`d lay in bed munching away, gabbing about, anything that came to mind. Her and i were alone that night, Grandpa was working the night shift again.

She got up out of bed and went to the doorway, i did`nt pay much attention to it, untill i noticed her staring out into the dining room, staring at a mirrored coat rack. I asked her what she was staring at, and she replied, i`m looking at that man in the mirror grandma. Well.

I jumped out of bed, glanced at the mirror and saw nothing, grabbed her, slammed the door shut, like that is going to stop a ghost, and we jumped into bed with the covers tight around us. The hair on the back of my neck standing up and my heart racing while i tried to act normal. I did`nt want to scare her, one of us had to keep our minds straight.

That is the one and only time i have been scared in my house. It was a very long night.

Well, the kids have moved out, and it has been a couple years since i have heard or smelled john, and i have to say, i miss him. I keep listening for signs of him, but none come. I think he got depressed when the kids moved out, like , what`s the point in staying now? No one to scare. Unless...............

Unless he left and moved in with one of the kids...........

**** NEWS FLASH****

I have just learned that our Nephew and Your Cousin Chris Pratts new movie is : WANTED with Angeline Jolie............the one they are running previews on tv now! It will be coming out on june 27th!

I also heard through the grapevine that he is showing some ...........ass in the movie, the naughty boy! Eh, Hollywood!

Check this out!

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/chris-pratt-wanted--wanted-movie-red-carpet/3148307456

Nightmare on 2nd Street

Who could resist that face? Those green eyes, that red hair! Well, obviously we could`nt, cuz we brought him home, with thoughts of , trusted protector, mans best friend, unconditional love, won`t this be fun? dancing through our heads.Our children had flown the coop, we had no responsibilities to speak of, lots of play time with the grandkids, lots of time to devote to a puppy, and just think of the cuddling hours with a puppy during the cold winters to come. So this happened. We took Flynn ( who everyone says is a dumb name for a dog by the way, but i love it.) And Adam took his brother Rex. Flynn is the one in the forefront. Are`nt they the sweetest?

Flynn has so far grown into this, he is 6 months old, did i mention he was born on Christmas Day? Myself, being such a huge Christmas person thought, how perfect is that? I had to have him. A Christmas Dog! He`ll look so cute under all my Christmas Trees! As you can see, he looks a little annoyed in this picture, i woke him from his morning nap to take his picture.

Well, now that reality has sunk in, i often find myself thinking, WHAT DID WE DO????? This is my most recent flynn injury, about 4 days old. Flynn is playful, and big, and he needs a pedicure really really bad. I saw him coming at me at top speed, i knew this would not be good, his ears were flapping in the wind, grinning like a fool, then bang, he jumped on me and i cried.

Then there is the litter box, for nappy the black cat. Flynn seems to think of it as the forbidden fruit. Every chance he gets, he runs to it, grabs a turd, and snarfs that sucker down quicker that you can say, GET OUT OF THAT CAT BOX!!! It`s a constant battle keeping turds out of his mouth, as you can see in this picture, i got him to drop it before he could devour it. ( chalk one up for the Mistress of the house!)

Walking in the yard NEVER used to be trecherous, it is now. Here is just one of many holes flynn has dug in the yard, just because.........he can, That one looks like a little upside down heart, he is very artistic.

We also have the continuing battle between brother and sister. Flynn loves standing over nappy to stress upon her that HE is Da Boss. That she can handle, she does`nt mind at all, you know cats, rarely does anything bother them. And i think she secretly likes playing the submissive role.

Untill this happens, and her body becomes his chew toy. Usually she can be seen with her head in his mouth. It is that muffled cry that makes me come running, this happens throughout the day, untill finally i lock his live toy up in a room. She owes me big time.

See that little dead brown thing laying on the floor with it`s guts spilled everywhere? It used to be a cute little stuffed bear. We have quite a stuffed toy cemetary now. Bears, Monkeys, Puppies, and it just keeps on growing.

Below is our back step and house, well, flynns been eating it. The husband just fixed a few spots that were missing, i`m sure..........there will be many more spots to come. So, flynn is literally eating us out of house and home. What were we thinking when we brought this devil dog home?????

But then..............there are the moments like this, where he looks like an angel puppy, curled up with his one ear missing, nose gone favorite stuffed pup. I see him like this, and hope is restored.........for about an hour. yeah, he`ll turn out to be all we imagined him to be that one crazy day when i said, lets take him.

About the Previous Post...........

Nevermind............Just forget i said anyone was coming, put it out of your mind, it was just a dream. They did`nt make it, their truck was acting up so they turned around and went back home. Spose i`ll have to eventually get to the other half of my floor. (sighs)

I am sad they could`nt make it, cuz you know, they were bringing steaks!

If your seeing this addy, that was a joke, really........i swear, it was. I did`nt care about the steaks, truly i did`nt.

New Week, New Visitors

The Holiday has passed, the house is quiet, and we are getting ready for more visitors.


The man of the house is fixing a bad board on the back step, i have washed half of the kitchen floor, ( yes, you heard right, half) a cake is being thought up in my head, ( yes, just thought up) and a grocery list is being mentally written out.


So, as you can tell, i am in no way ready for these visitors.


My Sister in Law, and her significant other are as we speak, driving the long highway from Montana to Minnesota, infact, they are probably in Minnesota as i write. They are arriving a little earlier than SHE SAID. Which of course has totally thrown me off because, i am a wait till the last minute kinda gal. My strategy today is, they will stop off at her sisters house first, which will give me extra time. My strategies are almost always wrong. oh well


It has been a couple of years, maybe 3 since we`ve seen Addy, so we are excited that she is coming. Her and i have had alot of fun times over the years, infact, she is the sis in law with the dead cat Alice. I hope i don`t start laughing when i see her now that the memory is so fresh in my mind. Her and i have done some crazy things , laugh till you pee crazy. Remind me to tell you one day about our trip to New York City, ok?


Anyway, i have to run, the other half of the kitchen floor is calling my name.....well, more like screaming.........WASH ME!


Toodles everyone!

A Happy 4th Of July!

The Parade started at 11 this morning, and here is the best part of the parade if your a kid, candy diving. Tylen and Alyssa anxiously awaiting the next round of candy diving.

Yes! he got some!

My favorite parts of the parade are the marching bands, absolutely love them, and those kids!

Tylen did`nt much care for the clown, but Alyssa loved him. The clowns name is Chimpy, he`s been a clown for as long as we`ve lived here. 20+ years. He`s Also a great unicyclist.

This is my Beautiful Daughter in law Jo relaxing on the front porch after the parade.

Alyssa coming home with her candy stash, and Tylen below with his candy and beads, they had a blast at the parade. The free hotdogs after the parade were the icing on the cake for Tylen. Yum Yum!

Tonight was the Best fireworks that i can remember, and Tylen was in awe of them, it was his first fireworks display. We started off on Main street, might have been a little wild for the kids but, i guess most 4ths are. First, a drunken man tried to get Allison to dance and she turned him down, he grabbed hold of Danika for a dance, scared her bad, and her uncle stepped in and told him Firmly, lay off. Shortly after that, he was taken away by the coppers. Then as we were standing waiting for the fireworks to begin, a young man came racing towards us running and slammed into allison who was manning Baileys stroller, i yelled HEYYYYYYYYYYY, as he flew past us. Had i seen the copper chasing behind him giving chase, i would have stuck my foot out and tripped the man. They did chase him down but it took a Tazer gun to drop him. So, the kids will go home tomarrow with lots of stories, and Tylen did assure me that he would stop if a copper told him to. During the last 15 minutes of the fireworks, we thought it would be cool to walk home under them, being we are only a block off main street. It was great, the kids loved it, we finished them off sitting in the grass in our yard. A good time was had by all.

Sadly, Danika and Tylen have to leave tomarrow. I will miss them, but they will be leaving with some good memories, ( except for danikas lost cell phone, dang it) And they will leave us with wonderful memories.

Hope you all had a fantastic 4th!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Great Grandma turned 81 this morning, i have a feeling skip and the grandkids will be going to visit her today. She`ll love that! This is her with her two boys, Skippy and Danny.