Summer Fun!

Random Mom Shot
The day the kids rode Dana’s horse this other horse in the field (Twig I think) followed me around the whole time wanting a little love. Sort of pushy about it too. So I used my extend-o arm and took a portrait of the two of us. I think it’s a funny shot and wanted to share.

Day at the Lake
Jo and I made a trip South to do a little boating with Connie and maybe a little skiing too. Grandma Marie joined, along with Connie’s nephew Mason. Turned out it was a great day to swim off of the boat.Connie did a little boarding behind the boat but I was still hurt from softball and Jo just didn’t want to kneeboard this day so we swam.

Rachelle popped in after work, took a lap or two with the kneeboard and then again…swimming off of the boat.

Jo LOVED being able to jump into the lake with out her life jacket on and swim in such open water.








Baseball Camp
Cole was not able to hit the lake with us because he participated in his first baseball camp put on by the Ducks. To say he loved it would truly be an understatement.He indulged me with a quick photo, otherwise he didn’t want that sort of attention. And for the first time when I asked for a kiss goodbye he said quietly with a sort of sad look “No, Mom, please no”. It made me laugh inside and I didn’t get a kiss.

The nicknames that he got at camp, which also made him feel special, I think. ‘Shaq’ (we have no idea why and he could not explain it either). ‘Little Man’, he was the second smallest at camp (he said that one is ok because he has always been called that). And then ‘Switch Hitter’ because he told everyone that he was. We even heard the coaches every now and then call him that. Very cute.

Floating the Umpqua

Todd, Oma, Cole, Mom, Jo, Derian and Corri.

Todd and I were the only ones who had ever floated a river on tubes before so we did a lot of talking and educating before and during the first part of our float.

Oma even packed an umbrella for Sunburn Ally but lost it within the first five minutes on the tube.
Cole, Jo and Oma going through the small rapids.
They got MUCH larger, Oma and Cole fell off of their tubes more than once and we will wait again to float in tubes until the kids are older. Chalk this up as a learning experience that was fun with a little adrenalin here and there.

Sunburn Ally is a very slow moving deep part of the river so we jump off the tubes to swim, play and paddle to make this section a little more fun and faster. I tried to take photos of the kids underwater and these two are the only ones that turned out.

Gymnastics Camp
Oma enrolled the kids into a week long, 9 – 5 gymnastics camp.
They came home exhausted, cranky, hungry and happy all at the same time!Jo became quite the monkey climbing the rope like it was nothing.
Cole worked on the rings and by the second day could cross the whole foam pit swinging on the them.
Jumping Jo! She has always loved to jump and here she tried to do both trampoline and jump roping! Took her a few tries to get the rhythm down but once she did it was all smiles!
Maggie and Lanna made the trip with Nans and Gpa so they joined Cole and Jo at camp one day. They too came home exhausted but happy! Lots of jumping, swinging and trampoline snow angels by Lanna!

Last Day of Camp?


Really? Do we really need to make yet another trip to the Urgent Care? Are you sure? (Steaks can wait to be cooked another day dang it.)


Avulsion break.


We then went out to celebrate the first break or rather it was just another excuse to eat ice cream.


Cole is ok. He will wear a splint cast until he sees his regular doctor this week and then see what that Dr. says. He has gotten use to walking around with his splint on is now back up to speed other than riding his bike, skateboard and rip stick. Those are still out. Oh, and he was not thrilled to ride in the wagon down to 7-11 for slurpies but we enjoy walking and he was not going to be able to do that distance so he had to suck it up.

Onto our next adventures! And there are sure to be some too.

Month of July?

Country Fair
Gma Marie and Gpa Norman took Cole to the Country Fair for the first time. (this would be Cole’s first time) He came home with many stories (some fun ones) full from all the food he kept eating and he was worn out from all the walking.

Here Cole is playing a video game. I believe you had to shoot the unicorn down as it flew around the screen. I love the Country Fair!

Last Baseball Game.
Cole and I were able to make his last baseball game, he had a great season and made lots of new friends. Say goodbye to his hair too!
4th of July
Cole and I spent the weekend with Rachelle and Connie for the fourth and we fit in quite a few activities.
Fishing.Connie is looking for yet ANOTHER lure that Cole snagged after Rachelle couldn’t get it loose.
Connie and Cole both swam looking for one of the four, five or six lures that he caught on the trees and stumps. No fish this day.

Riddle fireworks were GREAT! (shaved head)

We hung out on the football field, listened to a live band and watched a wonderful display of fireworks all the while listening to the drunks behind us yelled “Whhooooooooooo”. Ask Cole, he will give you and example of what they sounded like. Funny.

Mom’s Day Timer!
It was a sad day / week for me. Waiting for a new calendar in the mail and trying to salvage information out of this one. No batteries here though so I didn’t loose too much data although my .jpg’s were a total loss.
I don’t know how I could have missed this in my pocket before washing my shorts but I did. I tried to blame this on Oma but she and Jo were still out of town, I just need to think on it some more to make it her fault.

Day at the Young Belmont’s
We spent a day hanging out and playing at my brother’s home and with his family. It was a long busy day but very fun, like always!
Cole’s finally tall enough to ride the little 50cc dirt bike, so with a little instruction and our fingers crossed we sent him on his way. He rode…and rode…and rode…and…rode. I did have to pull him over once and tell him he was going too fast, and remind him to shift once in a while but the little man did great!

(top to bottom; Cole, Tina and Todd)

Todd bought himself a beautiful new bike that I too just had to try out. After a slow lap around the property to get the feel I then gave it quite a bit more gas. A little jump here and there…Oh, I was a smiling woman! (hmmm…didn’t get a photo of Derian, next time)

Just a couple shots of a proud Little Man who is growing very fast!
The kids also got some swimming in while at the house. At one point Uncle Todd grabbed the kids and threw them into the pool with their cloths still on. I think Cole and Jo were a little surprised by this but laughed while Derian said something like “See what I live with?”

Working at age 7
The kids have asked me to come to work with me like they have with Oma once in a while. I explained that it will be different than Oma’s work, like there will be no rope swing, basketball and no PE type cloths. At my work there will be sheep, horses, patients, dogs, stethoscopes, rubber gloves and dress shoes.

Marry and (Dr.) Cole check out some fungus on a foot.

When Mary asked him to join her for a fourth patient Cole said “More? I have already seen three.” He then joined me in my office and played some video games and petted Carly the dog. Guess he is not quite ready for a full time job.

At lunch Dana (coworker) took us to her home so she could share her horse with us and give Cole a ride.
He had many laps around the field and smiled the whole time.

Jo’s Day at Work
Mary gave Jo a smock to wear while examining patients.
(Dr.) Jo is learning to listen to Lou’s heart and count the beats.
She then helped take an x-ray and got to point to the area that was the point of concern.







Lunch time: Jo also got to ride a horse with Dana!
Jo really enjoyed giving loves and talking to them.

A day at work with Mom. Diverse for sure!