Great Day!!

Yesterday was Awesome!

It was overcast all day and we spent a lot of time outside!!

We borrowed Jack from across the street and went to the Park

and later had popsicles on the curb.

Jacks First Popsicle

Awesome

Floundering...

Sorry for the silence.

We have been really busy.

Cooper had Day Camp for a week.

Then Cooper, Jack, and I had swimming lessons for two weeks.

Nick has been taking a lot of hikes with the scouts. (Darn Hiking Merit Badge.)
(hanging out with the boys before the hike.)

We gave talks in Church Yesterday.

We are planning a mini-vacay to the in-laws soon.

We are coping with the increased gasoline consumption of our truck.

I am trying to mentally prepare myself to go back to school in 3 weeks...AHHHH

And I still haven't posted any of the cute pictures of my kids at Grandmas. (That darn car upstaged them.)
So here you go.

 "Helping" Grandpa play an on-line game.

Playing With Cousins

 Generally, being adorable and sweet!

 Watching the bi-annual 

running of the Cows 

with Cousins

Channeling Paul Harvey..

I spent this last week with my parents 30 minutes from Nicks boy scout camp.  On Wednesday he called and asked if I could come up and pick up their uniform shirts to wash.  So Me, Coop and my Dad drove up the mountain.  We stayed for lunch, and then Coop and I left my dad there to fill a small leadership gap.

On the way down the mountain the electricals in the dash were kinda wiggy.  So as soon as I reached asphalt I pulled over.  I was trying to find the hood release when the engine started smoking.  No big deal except by the time I found the hood release it was to hot to open the latch under the hood.  So I yelled for help and got Coop out of the car and across the road and called 911.  There were only 2 homes within shouting distance and some guy in his garage ran up with a fire extinguisher and I handed the phone to a lady from the other house so she could tell the operator where we were.  The fire extinguisher did nothing. After finishing with 911 I miraculously got a hold of Nick up at camp.  Then the cops came and told us to stand way back because of the chemicals.  The volunteer fire department from the next town was still about 15 minutes away.  So Coop and I had to just stand there and watch.

When the Fire Department arrived it took them a while to get the fire out.  Just as they finished Nick made it down the mountain to save the day and drive us home to my parents.  I am so grateful he decided to buy a truck!!!

And now you know the rest of the story.

My Car is HOT!!

No, Literally.  Wednesday my Car caught on fire and BURNED itself into oblivion.  When I don't feel like vomiting every time I think about it I will tell you the story.

But yes we are all fine.

Fathers Day 2011

What does EVERY Dad want for fathers Day?

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A NEW TRUCK

We sure do love you Daddy!

We love our new truck and as an added bonus, now Nick doesn't have to find drivers to take the Trailer to Scout Camp next week!! 

Scoutmaster + 1 Bank account =:(

Dear.. 5kEdition

Dear Midnight 5k.

You were perfect for my first race.  Not only was it gloriously cool, but it was gloriously dark and noone could see my flushed panting visage:).   Also how cool is it that you were perfectly FLAT, although a downhill might have been nice.  Thanks for a great run.

-#6344

Dear Race Officials,

The shirts are awesome, but what is not awesome is you not telling me about that little timing chip for my shoe..Uncool Man!  That is OK I was spot on for 10 minute miles which means I have finally defeated the 11 Minute mile that has been languishing on my heals for the past several months.  So there!

-Unofficial Finisher #281

Dear Tall Guy,

Thanks for running at my pace.  Sorry if I was kind of creepy running next to you in the dark.

-Your Unofficial Running Partner.

Dear Old Lady.

Seriously you are superwoman, I would have yelled that out in the dark, but I didn't want you to startle and break a hip.

-The chick you passed at the 3 mile mark

Dear Minute #26,

Oh you were a doozy, but hey I won.

-Tawny

Boy

Dearest Boy,

I can't believe you are 4. I have been caught of guard lately by the things you say, and do. Every once and a while I even see the Man you are becoming. Thank you for being the perfect match for our little family! You are an amazing Big Brother and such a good example for Jack.
I love you Baby, and even though you tell me "I am not a Baby" You will always be my baby, because you are what made me a Mommy!!

-Mommy

Picture by Andrea Stratton Photography

Cowboy Cooper

We had Coops Birthday Party Today.

One of my students hosted us at her Horse Ranch and we played Cowboy!!

The little one on the end almost got bucked off.  He held on like a champ and Garrison (my students brother) was a super hero, pulling him off the very angry Horse!!!                    \/

Happy Birthday Big Boy!!

Things I am thankful for tonight..

#1 The Art Teacher at the high school, she had a dream that she was helping me load my kiln, so Tuesday she stayed after school for an hour and helped me do just that.
#2 Jeremiah.  My Teacher Neighbor.  He donated his 8th period class to help wash all the walls in my Ceramics Studio.
#3 Jessica and Alyse.  They had some stuff in the aforementioned kiln and instead of just taking their stuff out, they unloaded almost the whole thing while I taught my Middle School Class.
#4 My awesome neighbor Natalie.  She watched Jacks and her own baby for an hour tonight so I could go load and start the Last Glaze Fire for this Semester.

The last week of school is tough on Teachers... I got out of it last year, thank you Jacks, but this year has hit me like a freight-train.

“God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.” Spencer W. Kimball