Jimmy got his new glasses yesterday and here are a couple of pics from this morning I wanted to share. BTW the cats are Brunner (the orange one, who we have had since a kitten) and Honey (the darker one, who we have just kind of adopted), Honey is sooo soft that you can hardly even feel her fur to the touch. And she is sweet as pie. (Normally, the cats aren't allowed in the house, but the kids wanted a pic with them and it was raining outside, so we brought them in for the pic.)

Jimmy wanted his "new glasses" picture to be with his tropheys..... must be a boy thing...

Things here are good. Very busy, but good. Soccer is over. yay. I just had parent teacher conferences yesterday. Kids are doing great in school. Amber (in 2nd grade) is getting straight A's. Her teacher has her in all of the advanced subjects where she is learning at a 3rd and 4th grade levels. Jimmy has really improved since mid terms. B's and C's. Sounds like his mama. His teacher said that he is a little social butterfly. I guess he takes after his daddy in that area... Jim was voted 'most talkative' in his class in school. But all in all, both teachers said that the kids are very self confident and always stand up for what is right, even when they are in the minority. Good Job guys. Keep on doing what Jesus would want you to do.

In case anybody wants to add something to their prayer list, our pastor is in Ethiopia right now with a friend from the church. The friend is trying to adopt a baby there and there was a 'glitch' in the paperwork, so they are trying to make things right and get their baby. Please pray that things go well with their government there and that our pastor and his friend come home safely on the 15th with baby in hand.

FALL HAS ARRIVED...

As a matter of fact it is almost over. Amber earned herself a buck yesterday helping me rake leaves.

Or should I say I paid her to rake up herself a nice big pile of leaves so that her and Jimmy could have a hayday in them. Oh well makes for great pictures.

Here are the little hooligans in the pile now. Mind you, in California your friends bury you in the sand... this is how we bury ourselves in North Idaho.

Since Soccer season is over as of yesterday, I will only bore you with one or maybe 2 more soccer blogs. Amber scored a goal at her last game two Saturdays ago and I felt like such a blubbering baby trying to cheer her on and cry all at the same time. Jimmy came so close, so many times, but ended up only assisting in many goals. But all in all, they both did fantastic and had a super time. Which is why they play in the first place anyways. Here are some pics to share the end of their season.
Doodle Bug was running the field right here...


Here is a video of Jimmy almost making a goal...BTW, he is the one in the Maroon Shirt and Orange shorts...

It has been pretty busy the last few weeks with soccer season in full swing. Jimmy and Amber are both playing, however, they aren't on the same team, which means different practice times, different game times and of course different soccer fields. They really wouldn't want to make things easy on the parents, so they switch it all around to make it almost impossible to be a working soccer parent. But so far we have managed. Whew... not easily done.




Here is a pic after one of Jimmys soccer games, notice cookie in hand?



Amber is the one here looking like she is in full sprint on the middle right of the pic in a red shirt & orange shorts, yes, she did dress herself for this game.



This video is of Amber being... well..... Amber..... silly girl...

Well, it is the school year again and our family is back into the swing of things. I love the school year for one reason more than any. STRUCTURE!!! It never fails that once the fall begins, our days go as follows, get up at 4:00 a.m., get ready, eat breakfast, go to school/work, come home, do homework, eat dinner, take baths, go to bed at 8:00 p.m., and somewhere in the midst of all this we fit in the fun stuff like soccer, hunting and all the other exciting things we do as a family. Keeping in mind that Jim and I both work 4 - 10's (I love my Friday's off).
Anyways, enough about the loco lives we live, here are some pics to share from the last few weeks.
Love you all...

Here is Doodle getting ready to head off to school, she is getting so big


Jimmy rockin' the house


Jimmy rockin' the soccer field, he is one of the best players on the team this year. Atta Boy, Roo


Ambers the only one who got anything hunting on Saturday, she found this fuzzy caterpillar on the gravel path, leading to our hunting spot


And of course, as always, she was stuck to daddys hip the whole 7 miles we hiked, lil trooper

I am not sure if any of you will be able to view this cause it is my first time doing this, but this is a video of the kids in our backyard playing soccer with my nephews.

Jimmy is in the white t-shirt, Amber is the only girl in a red bathing suit and my nephews are Andrew, the older one in the blue shirt, Zach and Braydon in the black t-shirts.

Hope you can see it... Enjoy!

It has been a very crazy, busy summer. A lot has happened. We have moved into a new place in Rathdrum and are loving it. Kids and the dog have a HUGE backyard to play in and they use up all their time doing so. Oh yeah, by the way, we have adopted a new dog somehow... a little white Bichon, named Cooper. Pictures to come later.
Jim has been very sick... very very sick. It started out with food poisoning and then turned into dehydration, and then just went downhill from there. He lost about 10 lbs in fluids and slept for 4 days straight. It started last Sunday and finally by friday he started to get up and around again. He seems fine now, but that was pretty scary. Amber just told him "Daddy, I just want you to be strong again." It was so cute.

This weekend we went for a little drive to Avery, ID which was just beautiful. Got out and tried to fish, but I think it must have been the wrong time of day, so we just kept driving. We found a great little spot to camp. We might take advantage of that in the next few weeks. Here are some pics from the last few weeks of summer fun.

ENJOY!!!
The 4 of us in Avery this weekend, we stopped for Huckleberry Ice Cream at a cute little local store....


Again in Avery on a forest service road. Amber had a bloody nose so lo and behold there was a beautiful little waterfall so we stopped to clean her up.


Jimmy cliff diving in middle of July, Amber is in the water watching him...


Jim cliff diving... and no, he did not land on Amber, though it looks like he was gonna...


She may seem perfect at times, but this just says it all.... my girl walks on water....

Anbody think they can beat the view??,,,,,,Didn't think so..lolo

Huckleberry picking (more like Huckleberry Hunting lololo)

GLIDDEN LAKE (CAUGHT TONES OF RED BELLY BROOKS)

Arrrggghhhhh!!!!! Has anybody ever said that moving really sucks???? Well it does. Chrystal is in Boise and I am left here to put away the kitchen......hang pictures...and all the other little things that Chrystal will know doubt change when she gets home. O.K. so maybe I am enjoying messing with her a little after all doesn't everyone hang their pictures upside down. Don't all cups and plates go under the sink....lololo I can't wait to see the look on her face. Well the kids are at a freinds house for the week and I am home alone. So I thought I would give everyone a few pics and a quick update...enjoy Jim

4th of July was fun this year, as always. We took the kids down to Lake Coeur d'Alene, where the whole town takes their families of course, and swam from about 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. We all got so sunburned and had such a blast. We got home, ate dinner and went to sleep by 8:00, like always. Then at around 10:30 I heard the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM of the fireworks and woke up Amber (Jimmy was so sacked, there was no waking him). Doodle-bug and I went outside and sat on the tailgate of the truck and I snuggled that little bug all wrapped up in her blanket and we watched the fireworks together, just her and I. It was such a special moment. Then about 30 minutes into it, she looked up at me and said I'm done, can we go back to sleep now?
Here are the kiddos eating watermelon.




Today, Jim worked so I took the kids to Honeysuckle Beach at Hayden Lake and they swam from 12 - 4. Again, a blast.
Here is Amber just floatin'



Here is doodle and I sunbathing



And Roo diving off the dock

I can't believe I did it.

I cut my Doodle Bugs hair tonight.

She is so beautiful.............. (I won't regret it, I won't regret it, I won't regret it)

Here she is before

Here she is now

Last weekend was a great weekend, well kinda, it didn't start out so great, but ended up being wonderful. As we were headed up to our campsite at Whiskey Rock at Lake Pend'Orielle, Buddy jumped out of the back of the truck as it was going 65 miles an hour. Unfortunately, he was tied up (so that he wouldnt jump out, that really worked well), so once his face hit the ground the leash flung him around and he started to run with the truck. God is so good, Buddy came out with a few scrapes on his face, some damage to the bottom of his paws and raspy peaches from trying to stop the truck by sitting down when his bottom hit the pavement. Jim automatically said "kids, dont get outta the truck, Buddy is dead", but much to our suprise, he was ok. Amber just sat there hysterically, with tears running down her face saying "Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus, etc...." Then she wanted me to sing "Our God is an Awesome God". She is so cute.

Anyways, the camping trip turned out perfect. Perfect weather, perfect campsite, perfect husband, kids and dog, perfect food, perfect everything. Here are some pics to share.

I am so proud of my sister, she graduated nursing school and I am proud to say that we now have an RN in our family!!!

MY HERO!!

Way to go sis...

Jeff & Carol, he is so proud of her too

Me and my smart sister

Our family... kids look thrilled by the way

Jim & Jimmy

Jimmy & GG

Life has been very busy lately. We had family in town for mothers day which was fun. here are some pics from the past couple of weeks.

Amber loves messin' with uncle Jeff


I love you GG


3 generations who'da thunk it.... we look like sisters


The boys at our service.... as usual, we are spoiled women


Oh yeah, I couldn't forget to add another hunting picture again, we got skunked

And more pics...
The Hot Mamas... me, GG, mom & Carol

Me and the kiddos, the reason I live

Amber sure loves her GG

Sisters

Jim and I trying to look cute... Is it working???