Oh what do you do in the summertime....

Howie with his best boy bud (he has many other girl buds) Destin in what they called the "Jellyfish" water feature at a local splash pad.

Our friend Julie has a really fun blowup water slide. It was LOTS of fun!

ganging up on cooper, had to tickle him in order to get him to go down!

howie tried a flip on his way down

What do you do in the summertime?

Crawdad Canyon

Some friends of ours told us about crawdad canyon in Veyo, next to the warm springs swimming pool. We had a lot of fun catching crawdads from the creek, but wished we had remembered to bring our nets. Tommy was a king crawdad catcher. This is him in the creek with his shoes off before he got pinched, then he put his shoes on!

Howie and Olivia checking out the first catch.

Olivia was shrieking and squealing with delight every time it moved.

we then started exploring up and down the creek. we found some fun stuff, a rustic bridge and cabana, as well as some deeper parts fun for swimming and nice waterfall.

our three beauties, hand caught (next time we will have a net!),

pre boiling water.

in you go...

look at that amazing crimson color! they look much better cooked.

Howie refused to try it. There was only about three quarter sized pieces of meat from all that shell, from all three crawdads. I tried it and it wasn't bad. Tommy really loved it and wants to go again and get a lot for dinner! Anyone game?

wrapping up the trip to Oregon

In no particular order,

a photo essay to wrap up our month long vacation to the farm: home.

I love that my farmer father is learning how to golf!

I think his clubs are too short for him.

Spencer's birthday, Karate fashion.

Fireworks with Aunt Susan's family

Kneeboarding with Tommy at the lake

howie even gave it a try, his first experience

have started a fun hobby, making yummy and decorative cupcakes. Made the coconut ones for father's day and Spencer's birthday, the all girl pink ones for Jaynee's birthday, and the Reese Peanut Butter Cup ones for Logan's birthday! Hands down, the peanut butter cups ones are my FAVORITE (ask and I will send the recipe! can we say yum?!!).

howie next to the wheat, it is getting so tall!

random outfits howie dressed himself in while on the farm.

Olivia helping(?!) grandma do her exercises

I love it. Lori helped watch olivia for me, then had to go to a meeting so weston (my brother) helped watch his four girls and mine. surely he wouldn't try and take them irrigating....wrong. I take my hat off to this guy, irrigating with five little girls!! Super cute.

Howie got to go to the Father and Son's overnight campout with Grandpa, Riley, Thayne, Stoney and Craighton.

Went to the neighbors, The Sexton's and had a wonderful time collecting the farm fresh eggs. Howie really loved this. He couldn't stop talking about how cool their coop was.

Freezing, seriously, freezing at the community 4th of July breakfast. Ironic huh, that is usually the warmest time of the year. It was so cold, the butter and syrup wouldn't even spread.

lots of backyard swimming. yes, that is a dunking machine.

our traditional Twilight movie event. we were sad to miss some of the others, but were glad to have Tammy and Kacie join us.

visiting with friends: marci and crystal. so fun to see their new babies!

some cuties in patriotic garb

making some ladybug rocks for grandma's garden. wouldn't be me without some crafts involved. What a nice time. thanks family, you are awesome and we miss you already.

10 year High School Reunion

(Olivia and some other kids wouldn't leave the photo, so they are included too!)

GO NYSSA BULLDOGS! We had our reunion last month in Oregon and it was pleasantly more enjoyable than I expected. I don't know what I was expecting, but I was a little anxious beforehand and it was just...nice, enjoyable. It seems like all the expectations of what people are doing and their jobs, families, etc wasn't there, well for me anyway. We just all enjoyed seeing each other again. We even played a little old school towel ball. I think this is a Nyssa thing. If you are curious, ask me and I will tell you what it is. I was kind of bummed by the people that didn't come, but all in all, it was very enjoyable.

Fabulous Trip, Family, and a beautiful Bed

Returned from Oregon, from a glorious trip, glorious because I was around family. That always makes trips better. I have a few posts to catch up on from that trip, but had three spare minutes to blog about this:

Jamie's Bed

Seriously, it is beautiful. I am proud to say I introduced her to the building world, aka, Knock off Wood; a plethora of fine, free, furniture plans. The plans are so great, easy to understand and make. Jamie, your bed turned out fabulous and I am jealous as well as eager to finish mine!