Santa in August? & The Lake again!

We went to dinner with some friends the other night and along with the kids we also had their cousin Derian with us. While eating our meal Momma noticed a Santa looking man heading into and then out of the restroom. About five minutes later Momma noticed yet another Santa man doing the same thing. By then we all said they must be gathering for a dinner, or ? By the third man the three kids just stared at the door till this Santa came out and all three of them popped their eyes open wide and their mouths fell to the ground! This Santa noticed of course and came over to say hello, gave the kids a Santa sticker and told them to do what their Mom & Dad said and be sure to eat every thing on their plates. It was very nice of Santa to take the time. There turned out to be five Santa’s in all and four of them stopped by the table, the kids walked out of dinner with a sticker, two photos and a couple candy canes all from the Santa’s. HaHa, Christmas in August!

You might be asking yourself “Didn’t the kids get confused by seeing five Santa’s at one time?” No. The three of them decided that one of the Santa’s was the “real” Santa and the others are his helpers because he needs help during the holiday. Oh, and one of the wives did have the look of Mrs. Claus too which made the kids smile as well.

By the end of our meal, Cole’s plate was all but licked clean!

We managed to make another trip to the lake and we took Derian with us as well. Grandma Marie took some time out too and dropped by to get a pull and watch the grandkids kneeboard. We gave a short lesson on how to turn this time and Cole ran with it! He kneeboarded three times this day and by the third time he managed to get himself across the wake. He even wrecked twice and came up with a smile on his face. Jo did great as well, she was super cute trying to turn with only using the handle as her steering wheel. Didn’t work to well for her but she got the hang of it by the end. This was Derian’s first time on the board and she just loved it! She didn’t want to get off and ended up boarding three different times this day, each time we had to yell at her, “one more lap and it’s some one else’s turn”. Momma has many memories of hearing her parents telling her the same thing.

Oma managed to kneeboard and then wake board as well. She is getting very good at both and is now wanting to get her boating license. (is there a boat in our future?)
Rachelle showed up and after a hard week of work took out some of her energy on the board. She said she saw the camera and took a really hard cut and jump that scared her a little, she was performing for the camera don’tcha know. Well after her little scare she noticed that no one was even looking at her let alone getting that shot! :O) The fish that got away probably.

So here is Momma’s ski photo.

I think that’s all I have to say about that.

Playing in the Water

We made another trip to the reservoir for an afternoon of water fun. On the way down Jo said she wanted to try knee boarding this time along with the tube again. Cole followed up by saying he wanted to kneeboard as well. Oma and I both hoped that he would actually want to be in the boat this time but smiled at the thought that they both would get onto the board.As you can see, they did! Cole wanted to go first, and I’m sort of thinking he didn’t want his sister to be the “first” this time even though he was WAY out of his comfort zone. (This is how it worked for both of them) After a short lesson on the rope/handle/board and what the pulling of the boat would be like they both just jumped in with Oma (one at a time, of course). Oma held them steady and they each said “Hit It”, off they went leaving Oma to swim to shore for later pick up. They both had a blast and didn’t want to quit. Cole asked to do it again after Jo was done, another lesson on taking turns…big people like to play too, so your going to have to wait your turn…again.Oma went next and did well. She would really like to set up the board goofy footed (right foot forward) thinking that she will have better control. She is probably correct seeing how she rides the skateboard at home that way. She has gotten more comfortable out there each and every time.Connie would probably be sad if I didn’t include her photo too seeing how I managed to get a shot of her catching some air. No, it’s not air like you see people do on tv but it is air nonetheless. Thinking blowing this up poster size and framing it for her.Grandma Marie and Derian came out to the lake too, and of course Grandma had to slip her ski on and cut up the water. I think she feels like I do, skiing is something we have done for so long that it just feels good to be out there. Like a second home type feeling.

Go, Grandma, Go!

Derian and Jo took a turn on the tube and had some fun. They both know the hand signals for slowing down the boat or speeding up and we got a lot of thumbs down signals from them. Grandma and Moma didn’t pull them very fast nor gave them any large bumps but I think they just liked thinking they hand “control”.

Are you wondering where a photo of Moma is? Well I did ski but there were some issues with the camera so no documentation that I actually skied. So just close your eyes and picture a woman on a slalom ski, cutting hard with a rooster tail 15 feet high as she leans over putting her elbow in the water,pulling hard on the boat. That, my friends and family, is how I don’t ski. But it’s a nice picture isn’t it? I’m not bad and do have a rooster tail, maybe next time we might get a photo.

Trip here Trip there

Traveled to the S side of the family for some hugs, love and catching up. It was a good visit like every visit is. The kids were able to swim a bit in Nanny/Grandpa’s pool and loved it! Along with this trip some of us loaded up and headed out for a little hike at Barrier Falls. We fed some fish at the hatchery and then headed up the trail to see where it took us. We hiked along the river/creek/brook first and the rule was “don’t get wet we just got here, and if you do there will be no complaining”. What were parents thinking taking the kids to water first? Cole slipped and went in up to his shoulders! He was a trooper though, hiked on for another hour soaked with not one word that he was wet. What a guy.

Just wanted to share this photo of a duck at the hatchery. I just picture him singing Bing Crosby songs or some thing like that.

Made a day trip to spend an afternoon with my folks (and the kids cousin Derian) for my fathers 69th Birthday. We grabbed some sandwiches and went to River Forks (Umpqua River) to play in the water and hang out. The kids got to play on the whales (one of my favorites when I was a kid) and then we all skipped rocks and tried to catch fish with buckets at the river. Wonderful afternoon.

Cole and Jo finished another round of swim lessons. Cole graduated into the next class and was very excited to move on. I was very happy for them at the end of this set of classes. They both went down the slide with out having to wear life jackets and did not need any help getting back to the stairs to do it again. I also watched in shock as Jo not only went off the diving board with out any jacket but she also went off the HIGH dive! (I almost cried I was so happy for them)

Camping?

Yes, we managed a tent camping trip as a family. It’s a barrowed four-person tent and we are wall to wall sleeping but it was great fun! Our bed was firmer (rock/dirt solid) than ours at home but Oma and I thought we slept ok and were not sore from the night. Whewh
Good MORNING campers! Moma was up long enough to have a good fire going and the pot of water hot for cocoa. They all managed to climb from the tent dressed warm and ready to snuggle up to the fire to finish the waking process.

We hung out by the lake for a short time, the water was so low that it was muddy and quite smelly from the marshes.

Cole can always find a light saber out of almost anything. And believe it or not, this was not the dirtiest he became over the weekend.
(Uncle Todd reincarnated I'd say)

Jo seems to hear music where there isn’t any at times.
She always wants to look pretty, pose and dance!

Finally we finished off each night with roasting marshmallows and eating s’mores!

All in all we had a good time. A few goofs here and there but nothing to stop us from heading to our next camping trip later this month! Whooohoooo! Moma’s having fun!

Just Doin Stuff

Cole, with all the characters he likes to play, always wants to look the part from head to toe. Well, he came home from Disneyland with a Prince Sword that Rachelle & Connie bought for him. After a number of times telling him “No, you can not take a pillow outside to use as your shield” I finally cut and painted a shield for him. He is very happy with this look and I feel very lucky that he has not asked for a full-blown outfit. Though maybe I should show him the tights they would have worn…and then pull out a pair from Jo’s dresser drawer.

We finally made it to an Em’s game and had a good time. Jo was telling some friends (Lori and Sheila) that she will get to toss a ball through a hole and win an ice-cream. Yes, Jo did this last year (once!) and I guess she thinks it will be a regular occurrence when we attend an Em’s game. Well who’s names were drawn this game? BOTH kids.
(Are we teaching them that they don’t always get what they want?)

Here is a little video of their tosses.
The recap for those who do not want to click play.
Cole threw his hard and it bounced off the side of the sign and when it came back to him he caught it with his glove. A bunch of the fans cheered for him and the announcer said that was worth a sundae. Jo’s turn then and she hit almost the same spot on the sign but did not catch the ball when it bounced back. An ice-cream cone for her. All is right in the world. MMMMmmmmm….Ice-Cream…..

We stayed for the whole game though Jo got very tired and fell asleep. We made a bed for her with some of our seat pads and a blanket. She slept a couple innings and woke happy from her nap.

After the game Cole ran the bases and got a free mini-pizza certificate. (Will the giving never end?) And then on the way out of the stadium Cole informed us that he was a little sad that he did not catch a fly ball. Oh, how we once again explained to the young man that he does not get every thing he wants and look at the fun he had? Ice-cream, pizza, running the bases and watching the game! As soon as we finished this reminder up walked a young woman asking Cole “Would you like a foul ball?” as she handed him one. I go back to paragraph two…What are we teaching our kids?
I think I will take them to Vegas next…or maybe let them pick some lotto numbers for us.

Jo was playing at a friend’s house the other day and stepped on a darn bee. Oh how it hurt her and how the day after she had a cankle and could hardly get her flip-flops on. The Princess is happy, however, being carried here and there and oh…asking for this or that. (I feel for whomever she decides to spend her life with after we have broken her plate for the last time.) She stayed in good humor about it the days following and after seeing her almost run to the poolside for her swim lessons the Princess servants stopped serving the highness. More to learn if she wants to be a true Princess I guess.
Darn her luck.

Oma finally started on the rest of the kitchen over the weekend. Though Mom wasn’t getting to the next phase of this project we are both happy with getting it done. Not done yet but much closer. Added more color to the house and that is fun. Maybe next will be the kids room or our own. Next summer maybe…maybe

Happy 4th & a Goodbye

Well we did the neighborhood 4th again. The family hung out around the yards doing a little slip n sliding, water fights, tag and anything else they could come up with during the day. It was a warm day and the kids lived in their swimsuits until bedtime. In fact the way they wear their suites these days we might have to buy each of then one or two more, it’s almost a daily wash and wear item.

After the neighborhood bbq we just went right out to the street and started in with smoke bombs, sparklers and snakes. Oh what fun!

The kids had a good time watching the fireworks as did we but I must say that we probably missed watching about half of our own show with the “large” fireworks shooting above the houses around us. One of the kids would light a nice one in front of us and as soon as it started shooting out it’s color a big boom would come and we would all look down the street and say “Oooooo…Ahhhhh…very nice…” and then laugh when we would look back at our own with only a small flame left burning. “Dang…what did that one do? Did anyone watch it? Was it pretty?”

We have a new baby in the hood. A Shout Out goes to “Sierra Ann” born on the 4th of July to the Myers family. Baby Jayden has a new sister, guess the twins will have to start calling “Baby Jayden” just Jayden now. Oma took the kids to meet the new arrival and both kids were thrilled to hold her. Jo was very excited about the baby and held her twice. Jo sure is becoming more of a Princess, marry the Prince, and get the house with the white picket fence, a couple kids and a pet type of girl. She will tell you however that she cannot kiss, marry or have a baby until she is 25. :O)

We took care of by brother’s family pet this week. Tick is a crack up, not only does he play fetch very well, enjoys tug of war, going for a walk and then he just has great listening skills (the best in our family I can tell you that!). The couple things I find humorous are that when we are getting ready for bed he seems to see the direction we are heading and he is the first to jump into his own bed for the night. (again…better than most in my home) Oh, and he is NOT the first one up in the morning either. The other day I looked out side to see him climbing the tree. What? I told him that climbing was ok but to not go very high because I didn’t want him to fall and send him home with a scratch or broken bone. Again, back to the good listning skills…I only had to tell him once. Oh how I know Tick could teach my family a thing or two about listening to Mama! In my dreams.

Lastly…
I wanted to say Goodbye to my Grandmother, Vera D. Belmont who passed away the first week of July. Shoot, the week is kind of a blur so I am not even sure the real date, but she passed on her own wishes and she looked beautiful the other day lying restful with her 1000 aces by her side. Pinochle was her game and may she always have that winning hand.

I will miss her.