June in Review

Shannon took an afternoon off last week.  While having an afternoon to reflect on the past month, we almost began laughing at everything that has transpired in the last six weeks. Some has been bad, some things have been one heck of a lot of work, and others good.  But it's all made for a
c.ra.zy time!  While there are a few things we are still working on, for the most part our house is now ready to be sold.  We will see what happens and where God leads us!

On the first Monday in June we were scheduled to have Fr John up for dinner.  

Shannon decided that this would be a good day to begin ripping up carpet

and installing our new flooring.  

Nice.

Or not.

I get a mite bit stressed when company is coming over.  

Add some guys in the house installing flooring, making a mess while I'm trying to finish school and prepare dinner, my heart was racing. 

Somehow everything fell into place perfectly, until right at dinner time.

At that point Shannon called to tell me he was running late and he was bringing someone extra for dinner.  Then Fr John called and told me HE was bringing someone else as well.  

I must say that it was the most awesome evening ever.  

Both extra guests were some of our favorite people and we were able to spend a good share of our time together laughing, which I totally needed.

While all's well that ends well, I hope Shannon doesn't do that again!

Before ~

During ~

Freshly painted walls and all my baby's pictures rehung ~

After the flooring was installed, albeit a different room ~

In the midst of the madness we made a couple batches of huckleberry jam ~

I will miss this view ~

A quick fishing trip one evening ~

M & M ~

or Michaela and Max

Sisters chattin' it up ~

Squish, squish, squish........

While Michaela had to take a prerequisite test in Great Falls, we seized the moment 

and visited the shortest river in the world ~

A swimming hole we discovered on our way home from Great Falls.

The kids could walk all the way across, so it was more of a wading hole.

Blue eyes and rosy cheeks ~

Mike's new toy ~

what boy doesn't love tractors?

A perfect sized scoop...for Dominic anyway!

Learning the irrigation ditches at the new property ~

Some planted flowers ~

Someone unplanting flowers ~

More cleaning ~

Another quick hike in search of some sanity ~

We did find this nest ~

~and this one too, as well as a few frogs.

Ahhhh ~ my favorite summer time food.

Caprese

A little chipmunk and a finch visiting over a sunflower seed dinnner ~

Max tickling sweet Hannah Bee ~

Max's favorite pastime is rolling balls down the hill into the pond. 

There's always someone to throw them back out for him.

He's pooped after spending an afternoon toting balls to the top of the hill, though!

Cooling off before dinner ~

Captain Ahab and his unsuspecting passengers, Anya & Colette.

They never knew how close they were to an accident.

Annika is a more reliable boat captain.

And Grandma is certainly more calm.

But the twins always ended back in the boat with Nickles.

Canon ball contests ~

Late night snack ~

Welcome July!

May Funnies

Josh, while using his spelling words in a sentence, "You should consider becoming a priest before becoming an astronaut."

Nickles racing in with another pressing question/statement, "MOM! Are you going to wake up tomorrow?"
"Well, I was planning on it."
"Oh good.  Then you will see that I won't be wearing a shirt."
I'm still scratching my head on that one.

Nickles whipping into the laundry room, "Mom!!"

And, yes, for the record, everything that Nickles says is exclamatory.  At least he feels that way.

"Mom!! I need a yo-yo."

And that's that.

While I was slicing oranges in the kitchen, Kath arrives to tell me goodbye before heading to Grandma's for the night.  She stands there, shifting back and forth impatiently, waiting for a God bless before leaving.  

Suddenly she spurts out, "I'm not that way, Mom." 

When I replied that I didn't think she'd want orange juice all over her forehead, she insisted, "Mom, I'm not like all the rest of the girls. I don't care." 

In-other-words, "Hurry up, Mom. I need to get going, sticky forehead or not."

Meet Goldie, who when last seen was 1.5 inches long and was anticipated to be 

a little snack for the larger trout in our pond.  

Turns out he's a survivor.

I doubt any trout is going to be nipping at him now.

Upon pulling his marshmallow from the fire and examining it, 

Nickles states, "It looks like a cat poop."

Indeed it did ~ perhaps you should try taking it out sooner.

."

No matter how we try, this kid cannot get his clothes on forward and 

right side out at the same time.  

This time he's wearing Dom's pants which are too large so his mistake is evident. 

Dom is the only one that can hula well in this family ~

But his boot made it hilarious.

Dr. Dad removing a sliver.  

Nickles is clearly concerned. 

"I was not reprogramming your computer."

Max is into climbing now.

Apparently, the piano is his latest quest.