First Day School Blues ~ Nah!

The kids all started school today. Emily the BIG 8th grader, Hannah is starting middle school in 6th and Benjamin is going into 1st. When did they all get so grown up?

It really wasn't a hard day - Hannah didn't seem anxious or nervous at all. She was my big worry - starting a new school. She did miss the bus home though and that's in part to her wonderful BIG sister. Who watched her get in the wrong line and then watched the bus leave with Hannah not on it! Good thing Em has a cell phone to call us and let us know Hannah wasn't on the bus! Ugh!!!

Benjamin wanted us to take him to school. He was so funny once we got there and saw all his little friends - his cute little grin!

Best thing about Emily's day? Getting her oboe back

Best thing about Hannah's day? Lunch

Benjamin's day? Recess

Placid Lake Fun

Tammy emailed me in the morning what were our plans for the day. I told her I may take the kids to Splash and what did she have plan? She said they were going back up to Placid Lake where they spent yesterday at a friends cabin with her parents boat. Did we want to go too? I could think of 50 reasons not to go, things I could do around here and such but what the heck summer is almost over and I have Fridays off at my new job now we should take advantage of the weather! We had to be back in town by 6 for the VBS the kids were attending all week but a few hours at the lake is better than a few hours not, right?? It took a little over an hour to get there but we had almost 4 hours to play! Emily opted out of coming and Dan had a meeting at 4 so he did not come either. Hannah, Benjamin and I had a blast! Most of the time was spent on the boat and tubing around on Mable - a huge tube of sort. Benjamin had so much fun! He kept saying it was the best day of his life! Thanks for the invite Bodlovics!

My Little Sharp Shooter

Benjamin and I went and hung out with Angi & Nathan, Heather & Bridger and Rhonda the other night at Ang's for some dinner and drinks. Nathan has a BB gun and wanted to show the boys how to shoot it. Boy did Benjamin have a blast. First of all Nathan is quite the sportsman and taught the boys gun safety and how to shoot it. Benjamin loved it. He never hit his target so didn't think he was too good but did great for his first time!

Erie, PA or Bust!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Home Sweet Home

I told Dan I was not even taking a shower this morning - I just want to get in the car and get home! We drove 353 miles yesterday! Gas up and hit the road by 11. We stopped in Rocker to go potty and a hail storm came through - kind of hurt - OUCH - to get hit by those little pellets! 341 miles later and we are home...Awwwww.... And a chocolate lab puppy dog was pretty excited to see us!

It was a trip in actuality we shouldn't have taken. We couldn't afford the trip but I'm so glad we just went for it. It was fun to see and visit with family and friends and to see the country!

Funny sayings along the way - at one time Dan and I were talking about Benjamin and said out loud "what's not to love about Benjamin?" and Hannah so quietly, and middle child like, whispers "BENJAMIN!"

On a bumper sticker - if life gives you lemons, squeeze them into someones eyes and run!

Hannah's hand always "falling" right into mine and her looking at me and saying "funny how that happens"

A semi driving by - "Be A Flirt and Lift your Shirt"

Big Sky Country Here We Come

572 miles we drove yesterday! We are packed and headed out by 9:15, breakfast at Hardee's. Mt Rushmore is cool and majestic but I really pictured it bigger, more massive.

We are trying to take our picture with our camera stick thingy Tana got me for my birthday and I see this BIG bug fly by and I feel a little landing on me. And then I can see it's massive antennas peering over my shoulder and I freak out screaming trying to get the thing off my back. Dan is telling me to be quiet and help me but the damn thing doesn't want to get off. It finally does and all the people standing around stop and look at the thing and take pictures of it. It was massive!!!

Through the walkway at Mt Rushmore they have all the state flags and when they were adopted into the union. Benjamin found Hawaii, as that is where his teacher was from, and said I bet I know they were the last one in. He was right and said it was because his "brain was so magical".

Gas in Bella Fouche for $2.45 a gallon. We get stuck for half hour waiting for the Follow Me Truck - ugh - just get us to Montana already!!! We finally get to Dennis and JoAnn's (Grandma & Grandpa's) at about 6. We got to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse - again yum!!! and Steve Schubert, Dan's best friend from high school comes and eats and visits with us.

So Close...Yet So Far Away

371 miles we put on Mike yesterday! We are up and on the road by 20 after 9. Long day ahead of us we are trying to get to Rapid City, SD. We have lunch in Hartford, South Dakota at the Pizza Ranch - yum! Gas up for $2.39. We stop at Wall Drug - if you have ever driven thru SD you understand you gotta stop. There are about 60 signs telling you to stop. Wall Drug was fun enough and a nice little break. Get gas $2.44. Get to The Happy Holiday RV Park around 6ish. Get set up and while doing that I'm walking around the tent and had kicked my shoes off - well I stepped in a pile of dog doo - ewwwwwww! Kids swim for awhile and we then decide to hit Mt Rushmore to see the lighting of it. We will go back in the morning too but since we are like 15 minutes away we should see both! We get up to the park and wait and wait for the lighting. It finally starts at about 9pm. There is probably a 15 minute taped show they show before on a big screen talking about how Mt Rushmore cam to be and about the 4 heads. James Earl Jones does the narrating and there is just something about his voice! It was cool to see but we are ready to head back and get ready for bed. We start a fire and eat some Smith hotdogs and smores!