Update

Last week Colby's Cub Scout troop took a "walk in the woods" and Colby and Art loved it. So on Sunday Art decided we should all go on the same walk together.
Samantha was still at camp with Grammy, so it as just the 5 of us.
 
Here is me and the boys on a little bridge.
Mind you, this was no "walk". This was a HIKE! And not just any hike... we had to walk over this bridge, over some trees... at one point I was on my *knees* to keep branches out of Owen's face!
 
This is a tree we had to walk across. Yes, I did that with Owen on my back!!! (and Art helping me)
 
Owen rode in style!! He actually fell asleep a little into the walk and slept half way. It was very hot though and boy was my back sweaty!!
 
The hike ended in this beautiful waterfall!! We had to climb down a very steep hill to get there. It was so pretty! And sounded so nice too!!
 
The boys by the water! They really liked it down there. They put their feet in, and they threw rocks in. Shea came with us too and she loved going in the water, and the boys were throwing her sticks and she would get them and bring them back.

As *hard* as the walk was (and kinda scary too) it was lots of fun and worth it!

On Friday night Art and I had a date night and went out to Outback. It was so much fun! Owen went too of course but he was great. Art gave him butter and he hated it.
On Saturday I took the kids up to my mom's camp... but I had to leave a few hours into it because I was really sick. I left Sam there until Monday.
on Sunday we did our hike.
On Monday we went to the Castleton Memorial Day parade- the boys rode their bikes. Afterwards we walked through the cemetary and saw the headstone of a couple who died together, they were 16 and 20... it was sad but romantic. Their picture was on the headstone too.
Then our neighborhood had a block party. That was lots of fun! The kids had a ball and Owen got lots of attention. I love stuff like that.

News

Took Samantha to the orthopedist today, because of her knees. Right away they said she has "Patella Femoral Syndrome" which is exactly what her pediatrician thought. He gave her two braces to wear, mostly all of the time, and we have to bring her to physical therapy. 2-3 times a week, for 4-6 weeks! Acck. Like we have 2-3 open nights! Not to mention, I'm assuming we have to pay a co-pay every time! OY!

Oh well. If it helps her it will be worth it!

Tuesday!

Sometimes Art says I take too many pictures. When it comes time to upload some to my blog, I realize he is right, because there are so many to choose from!! But oh well, I just like pictures!
Today is Tuesday. I have to run to the post office, do some Girl Scout paperwork, and go to Samantha's game tonight. I think we're going to sneak the boys away to tae kwon do too so they don't fall behind. I hope the weather is nice. It's a bit chilly now, but they say by Thursday it will get in the upper 80s! Woo hoo! That excites me, as I sit here in jeans and a sweatshirt thinking of making some hot cocoa!
Tonight is also the Strawberry Festival and school budget vote. Gotta do that too...
Tomorrow Samantha has an appoitment with an orthopedist. Wish her luck. Her knees are really bothering her lately and they have to be checked out. I hope we haven't waited too long. I'm not sure what they're going to do, but hopefully they won't say she can't play softball! I sent a note to school asking them to excuse her from gym because the running really hurts her. Oy.
In some of the pictures above, Owen is eating a popsicle. I ran out of 100% juice ones that I made myself... and he was only eating it because he fell and hit his head and was SO upset... you can see the red on his forehead in the pics. That is now a bruise. He's bruised and scratched all over. And the fun begins!
He is a crawling pro now... and he has discovered that there is more to the house than just the living room! He especially loves the hallway. I have to remember to close every door. Sometimes I block the hallway with the big box. The big boxes are our friends now!! all the kids love them!
Gotta get to work! Happy Tuesday!

Happy Saturday

Sorry, I've fallen behind on updating the blog again...
Colby is now 8 years old!! He got a new bike for his birthday and is enjoying riding it in the nice weather. We haven't yet figured out a birthday party for him yet, though...
So it's almost the end of May and that is just disturbing! How did that happen? School is almost over, summer is about to begin... and I don't remember where April went!

Samantha is doing well. She was inducted into the Junior National Honor Society (did I already mention that?) I put a video of that up on my facebook page. She is well into softball now, except that her team isn't very good... right now they are at 3 (losses) 2 (wins). She is missing a game now for a birthday party. She also has decided to join the travel team again! She was talked into it by the other girls on the team, and the coach. Nice...two years in a row she is asked to be on the team!!
Her Girl Scout troop has also bridged to cadettes now.

Will is doing great. He is such a nice, helpful boy! The other day he cleaned his and Colby's room all by himself, with no prompting! It was wonderful! Now he says he and Colby need to "make their beds everyday"... let's see how long that lasts! Will is not in any sports right now (except tae kwon do) but he is staying busy just following everyone else around! ha ha.
Right now he is at the church helping to serve a ham dinner. He loves to do that, he was excited to go! Sam is going too. They are trying to raise money to go to Camp Fowler this summer.

Colby is good. Eight years old! Wow. His baseball is in full gear. Of course he had to get a coach who is very gung-ho on baseball! Two practice a week, two hours each. And two games a week too. Right now they have Colby trying to be a catcher because it keeps him focuses. He likes it so far!

Owen is good too. I posted a pic of a close up of his mouth. I don't know how well you can see it, but the other day he fell and cut his frenulum, and also took part of the gum off of his one front tooth! The dr. says we have to wait and see if the tooth becomes discolored to see if there is nerve damage. Great.
Owen is a mover. He keeps us on our toes. He is crawling all over, and standing whenever possible. That's how he hurts his mouth. He pulls up on something and then falls. He is bloody probably once a day. Always in his mouth. He even has a bruise on his chin right now. I'm seriously considering removing the coffee and end tables from the living room. I hate when he hurts himself...
And he's crawling so fast. And he loves anything long...ribbons, strings, cords... so we really have to watch him.

Art and I are doing well. We got to go on a date to see Dane Cook and that was a really fun time!!
He is still working on the house. Ugh. I'm so ready for that house to be done with. Wish him luck in FINISHING it soon. I don't see an end in sight yet.

Mike and Renee had their baby a little over a week ago. Welcome Leah Lynn!! Sam and I went to visit her, and she is so so tiny! Hard to believe Sam was the same size. 5 pounds really is very small!! She's so adorable. But of course she slept most of our visit, and Mike and Renee spent more time visiting with Owen!! He is so big compared to Leah. His legs look 5 times as thick as hers!

Well, we're headed to work on the house. Happy Saturday!

Happy 8th birthday, Colby!

Happy birthday, Colby!!

Lots of pitures!

I haven't updated in so long.... I tried the other day, but blogger wasn't working...ugh!
There are so many pictures today, I don't even remember what they are... so I will just do an update from memory!
SAM:
softball has begun. She has had 4 games so far. They lost the first 3, but won the last one! That was a cause for celebration, so her coach brought her out for ice cream. Yes, just her. Sam seems to be a favorite!! And she just might join the travel team again... her friends are all asking her to!
this Wednesday Sam is being inducted into the Junior National Honor Society at school! She had to apply and she made it in!! I can't wait, I'm so proud of her!
she also mae principal's list again with her report card average.
I know at least one of the pics is her on the laptop...that is where she is A LOT!

WILL:
not doing any sports until bowling starts again. He is actually sick right now- flu-like symptoms... not fun...for him, or for me! He's a pretty good sport but he's very miserable. I hope we all don't catch it!!

COLBY:
has started baseball. Is liking it so far. The coach wants him to try to be a catcher, mostly because Colby is rammy and they can keep his attention there! Ha ha.
Colby will turn 8 on Thursday (WOW) so he is the star of the week this week at school. He said if he was principal for the day, he would let everyone drink soda!!

OWEN:
has 3 teeth now!! One came in yesterday, after he smashed his mouth on the floor 3 times and got all bloody. I think it forced it out!! He is standing now ALL the time... he hardly even crawls. He just pulls himself up onto everything. And then he falls...and gets all bloody. He seriously needs a helmet and a mouthguard!
He's growing so big. And cuter every day, is that possible?

Art and I went to see Dane Cook the other night! Owen's first time with a babysitter, and he slept right through it!! The show was great, it was so nice to go out. Can't wait to go again. We love comedy shows!!

Gotta go...finally have a change to shower, and it's 4 PM!!!