Family Reunion--Elko, NV--June 2009

We spent the last week in Elko, NV at my parents house. My sister and her family, my brother and his family, and my other brother were all there as well. It was so much fun to see them. The cousins got along beautifully. I think the best way to sum up our trip is with photos. There will be a lot so get prepared for a super long entry. Here goes:

The night we had a bonfire there was a gorgeous sunset! I took tons of pics and these are the best ones.

Rachel enjoying the bonfire.

When the kids got up in the mornings they were most often playing Uno Attack!

Audrey and Cherith watching a movie together. Probably Scobby Doo 2. That was the preferred movie of all the kids.

Alexis and Rachel. Rachel did not like to be away from her Mom or Dad. She got more comfortable around the 3rd and 4th day. Alexis was really good with her. I see a great babysitting career ahead!

Mom and Dad's house.

Mom makes Humanitarian Kits every month as her own personal service project. We got all the older kids together to help make 20 kits. They really enjoyed it. Audrey did help with this project but refused to be in the picture.

Mom and Dad and all 10 grandkids.

We had a cousin book exchange this year. It was really fun. The kids loved getting books from each other with a little inscription about why they liked that particular book.

We had a great bonfire on Thursday night. We made smores and enjoyed the warmth from the fire.

Bonfire.

Thanny in front of the fire. I think this is an awesome picture.

Audrey enjoying her smore.

We did have two mishaps that week. One was locking the baby in the air conditioned car. We were on our way to hike in the canyon. I believe Tim eventually got the car unlocked with some tool or another. The kids were so worried about 9 month Rachel (although she was perfectly safe). When the car was unlocked I've never seen kids move so fast to gather in the van around her. So cute.

We spent a couple of hours up in the canyon. It was beautiful. Peggy and I decided we need to get another sister shot (like the one from Yellowstone). Too funny. This is us sitting on a rock and reading while the others hike. :)

Dana and Rachel.

Bekah and Elizabeth.

The canyon.

Catching chipmunks became a daily activity. Especially for Alexis and Megan. Between all the kids they caught 44 chipmunks! They were all released after they were named.

Still catching chipmunks.

The first two days at Mom and Dad's the men got busy and finished their shed. I think the guys really enjoyed this process. It gave them a great project to work on. Ben also put up little fences around all the fruit trees that my brother James planted.

And what project is ever complete without someone getting injured? Andy cut his leg a little bit. So naturally I had to document it! It didn't stop him from playing basketball the next night either.

The kids played and played and the adults played Phase 10 Dice every chance they got. The men got to watch some soccer. I got to go for a 4 mile run three times, in almost 7000 feet of elevation. That was hard! We also went swimming at the local pool one afternoon but it was crowded and hot and I had to be in the pool the whole time with Audrey. We didn't go back. :)

Thanks Mom and Dad for hosting us and letting us take over your room and house! Thanks Tim for cooking us such wonderful meals! Thanks Andy and family, and Peggy and family, and James for making a very memorable trip. We had so much fun and hope that we make this a yearly outing! We love you and miss you already!

Reserved for Emily

Last Thursday at about 6pm I was riding high! My four friends (Amy, DeAnn, Cynthia, and Katie) and I were on our way to Madison to enjoy a night out listening to The Lucas Cates Band. We had been looking forward to this for weeks, possibly longer. Ben has been out of town or working a little later than normal for the last couple of weeks and between that girls' endless whining, arguing, ripping skirts, peeing where they shouldn't, and just overall being difficult I desperately needed a night out.

20-25 minutes into our drive I receive a phone call from DeAnn's husband who is watching his kids and my kids. Alexis had been riding her bike on a street that she shouldn't have been and got hit by a car! It couldn't have been going too fast and couldn't have hit her too hard but it was still a scary phone call to receive. She is fine. She has some good scratches and bruises on her elbow and knee but I think was more shaken up than anything else. So that was not a good way to start the evening and shows that my kids are on a continual quest to irritate and worry me. I was a bit worried the whole drive to Madison. Luckily once we got to Babes (that's the restaurant's name) I was distracted by our awesome greeting from the band.

As we walked through the restaurant and out onto the patio the band members began to greet us and gave us all high fives. When the hostess showed us our table there was a big white piece of paper taped to it that read "Reserved for Emily." Lucas told us that when he saw that sign he knew it was us coming. I'm not sure if I should be thrilled by that or embarrassed. I've made reservations in the past too because sometimes it gets really crowded and I want front row seats! I always tell the host or hostess that "I want to be as close to the band as possible." I'm sure they all think I'm nuts. And let's be honest, I am.

Back in March or April Amy had made some coasters with TLCB stickers that we always get from their gigs. So I made as well and wrote Love (a heart though) MKE Crew. I pulled it out when the band was talking us when we arrived and presented it to them. They loved it! It was so funny. They all wanted one so now we are back ordered. Lucas used it all night. So now we have both of their CD's, shirts, necklaces, and coasters. We are the best groupies ever!

Amy also brought Lucas a set list. We put down all the songs we wanted to hear. And they played them all (except for one maybe and I can't remember what the reason was but I'm sure it was a good one). During the night Jessie, the drummer, sat his girlfriend's mother next to us and Lucas' mom made us all get and dance. It was really fun to have us all up and dancing. Especially when DeAnn got a little crazy. I think I caught Mark laughing one time. :)

After the first hour had passed and the band was taking a break we realized that the mosquitoes were out in full force. So DeAnn and I went to the car to fetch some bug spray from my arsenal of first aid supplies. I'm not my mother's daughter for nothing! Anyway, we all put some on and so did Jesse (the drummer). The band started playing again and we could see them swatting at the mosquitoes while trying to play and sing. When the song ended Jesse asked if the other band members needed bug spray and then pointed to me and said, "She has some." So Lucas says into the microphone, "You have bug spray?" To which I reply, "Yes, do you want some?" He answered in the affirmative and I walked it up to the stage. After they finished spraying Lucas announced, "That smells skintastic." Then they started playing again. I just thought that was so funny that they stopped the set to ask for and apply bug spray and that I happened to have it out on the table. You see what a devoted fan I am!

We even got home at a decent hour this time! I was home at 1am and in bed and asleep by 1:15. Usually it's 2:30am! I think this was one of our most successful nights out yet. It was so much fun to be out with my girlfriends and enjoy their company and great music. We all stayed around for about 30 minutes after the gig ended to chat with the band members and get our goodbye hugs. Mark says we're like family now. Swweeettt.

Our next gig is in July in Madison and we're bringing the kids along. We're making them their own t-shirts too. And don't bother telling me that we are way beyond obsessed fans and groupies now. I already know it and I've decided to go with thrilled and not embarrassed. After all, it's really hard to embarrass me when I'm already announcing that my daughter pees in spice containers in the bathtub.

Craps?

I had some bad ovarian cramps today. I know, it's not what you really want to be reading about but it does get funny. Keep reading. I was in the kitchen and I had this conversation with the girls:

Me: Man, I have cramps!
Alexis: What are cramps?
Me: You know how your muscles get tight when you get a charlie horse? Or when you have growing pains? It's kind of like that only it's here, below my stomach.
Audrey: Oh, like when my leg right here hurts and I can't walk very well (she grabs her right calf and hops)! Is that craps?

Alexis and I burst out laughing and I say: Yes, it is crap!!!!

I'm still smiling.

What next?

I can't believe I have children who rip their brand new summer skirts on purpose because they are mad at me and then the next day leave the garden hose on while we are gone for two hours and flood our basement! I know this won't be the worst thing they ever do but it sure makes for a very hard and grumpy weekend!

Thief!

At 5:30am this morning I wake up to say a very noncommittal goodbye to Ben as he leaves for New Jersey. He says to me, "I had a bunch of money sitting on the dresser here...." Okay, now I'm wide awake! How much? Oh, just $200. Crap! Where is it? Then I remember that Audrey had a hard time going to sleep last night. Hmmmm. I go into her room, open her piggy bank, and viola! There it is! That sneaky little thief took $200 and put it in her piggy bank! I don't think she really knows the difference between dollar, five, ten, or twenty bills, but she apparently knows that a lot of one or the other is a good thing. Ben and I shook our heads and just had to laugh. She also took Ben's wallet one time without him knowing. She had hid it behind the couch. So visitors beware. If you leave anything of value out in our house Audrey will take it, hide it, and keep it as her own.

Flowers, weeding, and baby birds

Aren't these beautiful flowers that are growing in my yard? Yes, they are. You would never guess that in about three weeks they will wilt, die, and look horrendous for the rest of the summer and fall. Such a waste.


I'm posting this picture to show off my incredible weeding talent. I spent an hour and a half today on this area. I wish I had a before picture but I don't. So I'm not sure why I am even showing it off. I just think it looks so good and clean now. There were lilies of the valley everywhere. Those plants smell fabulous but overtake everything and grow into your grass and into every other bush and plant. How annoying!


The highlight of our days lately have been due to this very devoted and beautiful mommy robin named Lucky. She built her nest right outside our family room above our outside lights. She layed four blue eggs and they have hatched! I love to watch the babies heads reach up out of the nest for food. It's fun to watch Lucky go hunt for worms and bring them back. I'm pretty sure she rues the day that she decided to put her nest at our house. I am sure she considers us quite nosy and bothersome. And probably noisy too.


This is the best picture! I love it! That baby wants food!

Lucky giving her babies worms and giving me the eye. "Back off lady!"

Glasses

Alexis got glasses yesterday. Here is her new look. I think she is adorable!

Catching Up With Pictures

I haven't been good about keeping up the blog at all lately. So I'm going to recap some of our family happenings with the following pictures.

This is really not the most flattering pose for me to be in but it does capture what I looked like for two hours straight while dumping and spreading wood chips all around our yard.


This has become a great family tradition that we all love to participate in. It starts with 5 yards of mulch/wood chips being dumped on a blue tarp to the side of the garage. Then Ben loads up sleds and the girls haul it to where I dump and spread it around. We got Alexis' friend Natalie to help us this year and it went a little faster. It took us an hour and a half the first two times and two and a half hours for the third and final time. It took a total 13 yards of wood chips to cover all of our landscaping areas. That is a lot of wood chips!


Audrey bring a load to the swing set area. The girls usually pick an animal to be while they drag the sled to us. We've had horses, oxen, elephants, deer, bears, etc. They make the sounds and everything. This time around Alexis and Natalie just competed with how many loads they could each bring. Nothing like a little healthy competition!


Ben putting wood chips on Alexis' sled.

Loading again.

Audrey hauling her load around to the back of the house.

A couple of days ago as we were getting into the car to go to school we saw this duck sitting on our grass! It was so cute! We've never had a duck in our yard before. Kind of fun.

Alexis made a diorama for a book report. I was so glad when this project was done. It was going just swimmingly until it came time to get the clothes onto the Polly Pockets and finding a way to get them to stand without falling over. It was extremely frustrating for awhile! However, it turned out great and Alexis did 85% of the work. Not bad for her first one.

This was taken on Easter Sunday at Ben's parents house in MN. Thanks Drew for taking it!

Audrey and her cousin Abby being silly in a shoe store together. What else are they to do while waiting for their mommies to quit looking at shoes? Thanks for your help Lori! I love shopping with you!

This was taken at the Milwaukee Zoo several weeks ago, maybe even a month ago. I think it captures Audrey's personality perfectly.

I've been going through all of my parents photos and I came across all their wedding pictures. I'm in the process of scanning them all into the computer so I can make an album for them. I just love this picture of them on their wedding day. And that's about it!

Audrey rocking out!

We have a rock star in the making! We play this almost every night as a family before bedtime. Audrey and I play in the afternoons sometimes. It's really fun and addictive. I'm up to a medium level on the drums and guitar!

Feeling the Love

Last night was the best TLCB gig so far. It seemed especially fantastic to me since I didn't spend the entire time in the bathroom which was good because there was one stall and that would have been really awkward. I was also able to eat the food I ordered. A nice bonus.

As we walked into the Time Out Eatery & Pub in Janesville, WI everybody sitting at the bar turned their heads to look. Did we just walk into Cheers? There weren't too many people there yet so maybe they were just really interested in who was coming in. I realized later that almost everyone at that bar knew each other! I think there were mini family reunions happening! Moms, grandmas, grandpas, granddaughters, uncles, aunts, you get the picture. Amy and I had to smile at the thought of one of us saying to our parents or other relative, "See you at the bar tonight Mom!"

Anyway, as we walked in Lucas recognized us right away (finally, all the stalking has paid off!). He also saw our awesome necklaces again and made Mark (the bass player) look at them too. Mark seemed to genuinely like them which was good because I can see, sometime soon, the restraining order being delivered to each of our doors. So that was a really nice greeting. We got the table we wanted which allowed us a view of Jessie (I have no idea if that is the write spelling or not--he's the drummer). We normally don't get to see him at all. I am pleased to say that he gives us just as many facial expressions to watch too. He is really fun to watch.

We ordered our food (way too much) and waited a short half hour before the band started playing. The began with "Love Broke Her Heart," one of my favorites. I knew that was a good sign! The band plays for an hour then takes a 15 minute break. They do that three times. What made this night really fun was that we were the only people the band members knew. So during each break they would come talk to us. Jessie came first and we didn't talk about much but it counts! Then Mark came and talked to us for quite awhile. That was fun. We learned a little more about how they work during the week and when they practice (hardly ever). They have three gigs a week so I guess they figure that is practice enough! Mark also told us that we are definitely in their VIP club. Okay, he said if they had one we would be in it. They will someday and then we will be!! Kenny didn't come and sit with us but we had a little chat about how useful small, clipable fans are when you have a heat lamp on you while you are playing a three hour gig. I was very empathetic. We didn't get a lot of time with Lucas this time because the people were hogging him. Hey, he's ours! We did get him to sign our CD though. He put "Love the Milwaukee Crew" on mine.

At the beginning of the night a lady came in and sat at the table next to ours. She started making all sorts of comments to us. Poor Amy took the brunt of most of it because she was sitting closest to her. She tried to become a groupie! The nerve! Just because our other three groupies didn't come doesn't mean there is room for a new one. Especially an obnoxious, drunk one. She finally left us alone after her friends came to her table.

Now, I don't know if this is just in Janesville or not but the older crowd there is something else. First of all, they like to dance. That's not always bad but when you have a man in his fifties wearing a pin stripe suit, gold chains, black and white shoes, diamond earrings, a ring on every finger, and a fedora hat there is definitely something wrong with that. I mean, he looked like a mafia lord from a movie. And the lady he had with him was wearing some weird 1930's purple hat, a fur over her shoulders (with legs on it, in 60 degree April weather), and never smiled while she was dancing. I was really hoping that they had just come from a pre-Halloween bash. They will forever be mafia man and fur lady to me.

I will never understand why someone needs to get drunk to have a good time and enjoy a night out. Once the influence of the drinks comes people lose all sense of personal space. They all become "close talkers." Like the guy who decided he would stand right by my chair. I thought he might sit on my lap or elbow me in the face. I practically had to sit in DeAnn's lap so I wouldn't get knocked off my chair! If I wanted no personal space I would invite Audrey to come with me to a gig. If I wanted loud, annoying people talking to me I would invite Alexis and five or her friends to come to the gig.

We got the best picture of the whole band this time too. The guy taking the picture for us took six pictures and only the very last one turned out. There was someone missing in all the others! The drink must have made him see everyone. :)

So basically we really felt the love from the band this time. Unfortunately for them there is no turning back at this point. Now that they have so publicly acknowledged us we will stalk them even more. But really, they are extremely talented and fun to listen to and watch. I will be wearing my new TLCB t-shirt all day today (okay, I wore it bed last night too). It's just really comfortable! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Conversation

On the way home from picking up Alexis from school I had the following conversation:

Alexis: I had a lot of toots today at school.
Me: Were they stinky?
Alexis: No, I held them in. It's embarrassing to toot in front of other kids at school.
Me: I agree. I don't like to toot in front of other adults.
Alexis: I just held them in until they disappeared. Which is really hard because I really had to toot!

So, why am I sharing this story? Because it has been a really long time since I have blogged. I just haven't been motivated and I have so many other projects going on right now. But then Amy reminded me that we are going to another TLCB gig tomorrow night and I would have two entries in a row about them. Wait, why would that be bad?