All the perks of camping...

Ballard's came up for Memorial Weekend. They stayed in the trailer in the field behind our house. It was perfect because I got to enjoy everything I love about camping and didn't have to leave my backyard. They were great company and Ang made great food. 

There was some skeet and target shooting. Due to all the gun controversy I will mention that Mike is very careful with guns, he keeps track of them and the people around them. He is so good to teach his kids to respect guns and all the gun rules. Dean came in and got an old hat for Jake to shoot, Jake couldn't have been more proud of his new prize. 

Josie was so excited about the trailer, she was in there every chance she got. Miss Quincy had a boring weekend in the house but she was a good sport and we checked on her a lot.

There was 4-wheeling, bike rides, softball, canoeing and fishing at the pond. 

The canoe was scary I was sure we would tip over; it was hard to balance 4 people mainly just the two little people. Then look at Jake he clearly didn't have any fear of tipping over. 

Mike said the fishing picked up as the day went on but our little family had to leave because Josie fell in the pond. You can tell from the picture that was going to happen. Gracie helped her take her pants off because she wanted to put her feet in the water, I told her that she could. Next time instead of just assuming I will tell her to sit down first.

a good place

It's impossible to get a good picture of three kids at the same time; Impossible!

We are in a good place right now. I'm pretty sure as soon as I admit that something bad will happen, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. We are all healthy and happy. Quincy is 4 weeks old today. She is starting to get into a routine and is usually enjoyable. The kids love playing outside (when the wind isn't blowing out of control).  Dean works long days but he enjoys it. Spring time is finally here and we are all happier. I'm trying hard to remember to enjoy where I am right now. Some days when I get in bed I realize I just endured the day  instead of enjoyed it. Three kids keeps me busy so I forget to slow down and enjoy the stages they are in. Trig is so funny I just want to soak him in while I can before he grows up. Josie is so smart, too smart really she is always worrying about things. I'm worried she is going to have an anxiety attack at a young age. I love talking to her and hearing how her mind works. Usually newborns are really hard for me to enjoy but Quincy is changing my mind I really really like her. So I say we are in a good place right now I hope it sticks around for a while. 

A Big Bed

We moved Trig into a big bed. Dean wanted me to do it when he was 18 months but I waited til he was 2. He did really good all week but last night he came out because he had to go potty. I didn't listen to him because I really thought he was tricking me so I put him back to bed and next thing I know he is out again; this time with a dirty diaper. I should have listened to him. So I changed him and put him back to bed again. 3 minutes later he is out again; tilts his head to the side walks up to me and in his sweetest high pitched voice says, "hi mom" with the cutest smile. He knows how to get to me.

Funny conversation with Josie-
On Wednesday night Josie asked me if she could paint. I told her it was to late but that she could paint tomorrow. Thursday morning she woke up and asked, "Mom is it tomorrow". I told her it was and got her the paints.
Later that night Leann took the kids to the rodeo when they got home Josie walked up to me and said, "Mom Leann thinks its today but its tomorrow huh? Leann is so weird".
I love conversations like this. O how confusing the world must be to children.

Chase

I thought it was important to document CHASE. Its a little game the kids and Dean play every night before they go to bed. I know I say it a lot but Dean really is such a good dad. He chases them around our house and they sequel and then hide from him he finds them and then they tell him to hide. Josie is really no good at this game. She always hides in really easy places and usually the same place. If no one has found her in 2 seconds she starts yelling or just comes out of hiding. Trig on the other hand is really good. He gets in really small places and is very quite, he will stay there forever until he is found. Dean doesn't really play fair because he hides in one place and then moves to another place where the kids already looked so they can't ever find him. Now when its Dean turn to hide Josie says, "hide a easy place dad". I love that this is their game, I just get to watch. Truth is if both of the kids were hiding I would not try to find them. 

cow boy mooo veee

Every morning Trig pulls out his pants and belt and says 'dad. work' I feel so bad for him. Dean took him almost every morning to feed cows but now Dean leaves really early and is usually busy doing something that would be hard with a two year old. He loves his dad and would defiantly rather be 'working' than at home with me and Josie. 

Almost everyday Trig asks me to watch a cowboy movie. It takes him a full 6 seconds to get out the words cow-boy mo-vie. It melts my heart every time so I usually put one on for him. To bad the only cowboy movies we have are ranch and roping training videos. So lame to me but they mesmerize this little guy.  

Some things I need to remember

All 5 of us went to church for the first time on Sunday. We were on time, our house was clean, and we were all happy. That's excellent status for a Sunday morning in our family.  Then only downer was I didn't have any dinner cooking for us to come home to. Church went smooth, also a plus. On our way home I got what I thought was an excellent idea.
ME: Babe lets go to the Olive Garden
Dean: right now?
ME: Ya lets just do it. I don't have any dinner and it will be fun; lets just go
Dean: I don't have my wallet
Me: I have mine!
Then I turned around and asked in a really excited voice, "Josie do you want to go eat at a restaurant"?
Josie: Mom restaurants are closed on a Sunday so everybody can go to church. We can't go to a restaurant cause no one will be there on Sunday's.
-My heart sank. I was the devil and my 3 year old had to remind me to keep the sabbath day holy.
Dean: Well I guess that's that...
So we went home and had turkey sandwiches, not Olive Garden but I did relearn a good lesson.

Trig is crazy out of control. He is always busy and constantly moving. I'm really worried because he just walks past people or things and hits them or kicks them. I have been trying some discipline techniques to correct the behavior.
I tried redirecting attention but that only stops it for that second. So I tried spanking. When he was naughty I would tell him what not to do and then tell him to be nice. But after I spanked him he would point at me and yell "Mommy Nice" meaning mom be nice. That's when I realized I couldn't tell him not to hit by hitting him. So I moved on to Time Out. He stays in time out but I'm not sure its really helping. I'm pretty sure his actions aren't malicious he just can't control himself.
Last night Josie was telling me a story all in one swift movement Trig put both of his hands on her face and pushed her over backwards and just kept on running, it didn't even slow him down. So when he ran back by I stopped him and said, "Trig do you need to take a brake on time out"? and in his most heart melting high pitched voice he cocked his head to the side and said, "No fhank you Mommy no fhank you" and just like that he was off running again.
I guess it's time to read a parenting book.

Dean took the kids to Bailey's to get a treat. The kids both beat him in the door. T
rig ran to cooler and got himself a bug juice, then walked over and got a sucker. He put both items on the counter. He started digging in his pocket and pulled out a nickle and put it on the counter too, to pay for his goodies.
O, no wonder he is a little naughty he just melts my heart all day long, he is so cute.

-as a side note he took the nickle out of Dean's cup holder on the way to the gas station and put it in his pocket. He must be a thinker to start planning how he was going to pay for his treat.




This really happened exactly like this...
Dean walks in the house in the middle of the day. He was in a hurry. I was sitting on the couch feeding the baby. He looks at me and says, "Hey do you remember those little things I had in my pocket about a year ago? Do you know where they are?"
I didn't even respond, because how could I, really?

Tea with Granny

We had our annual 'Tea Party with Grandma Sharon' on Saturday, it was a wonderful party.

It was decorated so cute. The party was in one of grandpa's shops. 

Emilee made the invitations they were so cute and the poem was impressive. 

Josie called and asked Emilee to buy her some clip on earrings and as usual aunt Emie did not disappoint. Not only did she get Josie great earrings but some other jewelry too. Josie kept it on all day, she loves to be fancy. 

Each grand kid gets their own tea set when they turn three. Josie got hers this year sadly I forgot to take a picture of it, but she was quite delighted.

This year we had chicken salad sandwiches, finger foods, fruits, vegetables, and cheese & crackers. Each grand kid got to make their own little pizza, they loved making them.

Grandma Sharon had some fun games planned for the kids followed by dessert. I also didn't get a picture of the tea pot granny got this year. Its hard to take the important pictures when you have three kids.

Thanks Granny for all planning and effort. It was a fun party and I love all the memories your making with the grand babies. Josie and Trig have been playing the ball in the bowl game today with little success due to the use of a bouncy ball and toy kitchen bowls. 

Freeze Brand

Dean got a new horse brand. He was so excited. He couldn't wait to use it. He is always selling and trading horses so I'm not sure why he thinks its necessary to brand them but if it makes him that happy so be it. Originally he was just going to brand his best two but he got so excited he ended up doing five. I'm pretty sure he would have branded the dogs if the kids and I hadn't been outside. The brand is a bit with an F. I'm excited to see what they look like when the hair grows back in white.

Outside

Its been so nice to finally start sending the kids outside. They are happier and so am I. They play really well together outside. Its been fun to watch them from the window. In just a week they have both learned to get on and off the tramp. It seems like everyday they explore a little further from the house, they are getting brave. It makes me so nervous but I'm trying hard let them be independent. 

In case you didn't know these are seashells they found and they are throwing them back in the ocean.

Watching dad work from our yard. 

Feeding the dogs.