This Might Sound a Little Corny. . .

Corn Pickers

We got an email from one of the local food banks saying a seed field had been donated to the food bank. They just needed people to come pick the corn. So we were able to go pick as much corn as we could haul away, keep what we could use and deliver the rest to the food bank. So we went to the field and met lots of other helpers there. The kids had a great time picking the corn and carrying it back to me in their huge bags.

Crazy Fox poses for me like a pro.

Digging Badger only picked the huge ears.

Little Lady was a little concerned she would be lost forever if she lost sight of me.

We had taken a few loads to the car and were just packing up the last of the boxes when a man came up to us and told us nicely that we were in the wrong field. He said the food bank had made a mistake. He told us to take what we had already picked and go. Then he left to go tell the other twenty families that were picking his profits to go home.

August in Review

The last few weeks of summer flew by without even an update on "the blog". We were too busy spending our days playing and enjoying each other. We had a lot of fun things to fit in before we started school last week.

We did a lot of this. . .

And this . . .

We had some sleepovers . . .With some puppies . . .

We went fishing in Cascade and Little Lady caught her first fish!And then she caught another one!The boys decided they better check their bait.

We found out that our car was in fact totalled, so we have been looking around for something else. Everything has worked out so far, now we are just looking for something that is a good fit for our family that is also in our budget. So for now, the kids and I are in the commuter kia and the Zookeeper is back to his diesel guzzling work truck.
The Zookeeper took the boys to work with him one day and they enjoyed a great day of fishing and playing in the creek at our neighbor's property.

Little Lady enjoyed a gymnastics class over the summer, but has suddenly decided she doesn't want to go anymore. One less thing to do each week!

Around here the cool evening breeze does not make us think of fall, but football season. The boys started back to football practice a few weeks ago and had their first scrimmage at Boise State. They won, and they are so excited for their next game on Saturday. I made sure the camera battery was charged, but forgot the minor detail of the memory card, so no pictures of that, but here's some of practice.

Digging Badger trying to get past Crazy Fox.

Crazy Fox doing drills with his team mates.

The boys took bowling lessons and did really well. Little Lady joined in a few practice games and has gotten to the point where she is holding the ball with one hand and I would guess has about as good of form as I do.

Our new family mascots from the pond next door. Toad-poles or Tadpoles?And a new litter of kittens.

We started school last week and found out about a campaign to send President Bush "A Thousand Thanks" for all the things he has done during his term as our president. The kids painted these and couldn't believe that they could actually mail them to him. I guess he is sort of a cardboard figure to them right now. It ties in perfectly to our first unit, electing America's leaders. I am hoping to re-learn right along with them.

The kids spent most of their summer hours making memories with each other. I don't think there is a better gift we could have given them.

The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever.

~unknown~

Picking we will go . . .

The only thing better than raspberries are fresh-picked home-grown raspberries.

Our neighbors have a wonderful raspberry patch.

They invited us to come pick while they are out of town.

We were happily picking when we realized that we were getting bitten by mosquitoes. We went home and lathered on the bug spray. After we we safe from the bugs, we went back and finished picking. At least one of us was whistling while we worked. Little Lady was filling up her bucket mostly from Grandma's bucket.

Grandma had to work fast to stay ahead of Little Lady!

We have been enjoying fresh raspberries with our granola for breakfast and I have been able to freeze quite a few for later in the season. Thanks neighbors for sharing your bounty with us.

It' not so much picking the berries as it is a kind of treasure hunt for the kids.

-Mike Skinner-

Start Your Engines

We had planned to spend the last day of Grandpa and Grandma's visit doing something fun together. It was raining, so we were going to go to the indoor miniature golf course, but it was flooded. The boys just love our local arcade/fun house. We actually have only been there twice, both times when Grandma and Grandpa were here. The boys had a turn at the bumper cars and then played some games. Then they talked Grandpa into going on the bumper cars with them. It didn't take too much convincing.

Digging Badger ready to go.

Crazy Fox ready for action.

Grandpa was trying to beat Crazy Fox in the Top Skater game.

We all had a great time playing together and enjoying each other's fellowship.

And we found out that some of us are better at Deal or No Deal than others. ;)

It is a happy talent to know how to play.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Please be quiet. We need to hear a pin drop.

Bowling has always seemed like summer to me. My mom used to bowl in a league, so when summer hit, my brother and I would always get to tag along and play a few games. We signed the kids up for this great bowling program called Kids Bowl free. They had such a great time and the competition was fierce!

Digging Badger waiting for his turn. He bowled 2 strikes.

Crazy Fox was trying to figure out the technical side of the game (no time for posing).

Little Lady did great with a little help. She was a great encourager to her boys.

In the end Digging Badger won the first game and Crazy Fox won the second.