Memorial day campout

We had a campout in the backyard the other night.  Brent and Mo slept in the house, Cash and I made our beds in the tent.  Cash laughed and laughed about calling his sleeping bag a fart sack.  We had a great night of yelling 'S'mores!' for picture taking in place of 'Cheese' and threw in a few 'Fartsack!' cheers for good measure. The neighbors must think we're the biggest hillbillies in America with our tent in the front yard whooping and yelling around the ol' campfire.  Of course the pig farmers below us might give us a good run for our money.

Everyone needs a little Mo.

Fire up the bonfire!!

Say S'mores!!

S'mores!!

Yes!!

They're better than we remember.

Picking out our hike for the next day.

Happiness.

The Steak River

At the steak river.

Do bears bite??

Typical family fun....Cash pouting.

Wow -- when I'm not in school, I'm terrible at blogging!  Go figure, I should be studying and I'm blogging instead.  That's what gets the A's....

Ok -- so a little catch up.  I took the kids to Pullman to see Grandma and Grandpa Hobbs and Great Grandpa Hobbs.  We had a great trip!  The kids got to go to the park to feed ducks and play, we went to the Steak River Dam (that's what Cash is telling everyone -- it's really the Snake River for those that aren't sure), and we got to spend some time with the grizzlies.  And don't forget Molly B's Polka Party -- what a great time I had, thanks Grandpa!!  The things I learned from that trip:

• 2 children under the age of 4 are impossible to keep quiet at 6 in the morning.
• Maci's screams are louder in a house with low ceilings -- although I would've thought they'd have been muffled in comparison to the echo that our cavern puts out.
• Rhubarb gives little kids the runs.....don't give it to them raw even if they seem to like it.
• Owning an all black car with no tinted windows is not conducive to afternooon drives.

The girls

Grandpa's chair takeover

Peeling eggs for potato salad -- I might have promised not to put this pic up....sorry ma!  Your hair looks fine!  :)

The jokesters.



Peas in a pod.

Pure.  Sweet.

Follow me, Grandma.  I got this.

Whine again and I'll toss ya in.  :)

Easter (Part 2)

We received a few more pic's from our friend Teri from the great egg hunt of 2012...

Cash thinking "It's pretty tough to beat free candy!"

Dad trying to keep up with a man on a mission

Cash showing off his haul... All 26 eggs, well-earned

Mama showing off her smile and her long hair  :)

The 2 most beautiful girls on the planet

Cash's girlfriend, Landyn

April = hockey season

Cash has 2 more weekends of hockey and I have the best tan ever for April.  Hmmmm....seems strange.  It seems Maci may be ready for some hockey time too!

Where's the ice?

Just hangin' out

School update:  5 finals, 2 days.  Free for the summer.  Back to studies.

Puppy love

Well, Cash has found his first girlfriend (I suppose really it's his 2nd since he has already been betrothed to Landyn).....

Guess I won't have to worry about feeding her dinner or giving Cash money for popcorn at the movies....she looks pretty low maintenance to me.  Cute outfit too.  Wait -- is she kissing him?!?  I'm not ready for this......I'll call her Mom and discuss what kind of girl she's raising.  Maybe I am ready for this.....

Hey Gramps.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY......a few days late.......YA HONYOCK!

Babies

My baby's baby.

Easter egg hunting

We headed out to Choteau for the weekend to get some Easter egg hunting under our belts.  We heard through the grapevine that the kids could make a haul.....so off we went (because I love jelly beans).  Brent coached Cash on how to pick up eggs and run, not open them and eat all the candy.....otherwise those other kids would beat him!  Oh boy....it's pretty serious around here.  The kids had a great time and even Maci did a little egg hunting.  Cash swore he found 26 eggs and Maci found 2 -- one for each hand.  We also went to a carnival where Brent and the kids ate sloppy joes (I'm pretty sure there's no food more revolting, so I drank coffee to satisfy my hunger), threw some bean bags, popped balloons with darts, went fishing, and ate more candy.  Maci was a little young for the festivities, but managed to find herself a slightly used teddy bear for only 2 tokens!  My little bargain shopper.  I can already tell we'll make a great team on back to school shopping day.  :)

Cashisms

• Dancing on the ottoman:  "Shake your doodie!"
• "Geez the wheeze!"
• "Did you crack your pants?  Yes you did, I can smell it!"

**Brent says that comes from me.  True.  Mom of the year.....again....although I have never said that TO either of the kids.....just in their vicinity.  Again, I am asking for it.  Time to clean it up!**

Cash: "Why is mama studying?"
Brent: "So she can learn to help people."
Cash: "Like give them beer?"

**Maybe bartending isn't family friendly??  Although I am helping people.**

Have you ever.....

Cleaned poop off of a shower curtain?  I hadn't either....till tonight.  I decided to skip photos for this post.  You're welcome.  Instead -- I found this for you.  Moose poop earrings.  Yep, straight from Maine....bet you were thinking Montana, huh?!?  Winters must get long out there.  If you happen to get these for me for Christmas or my birthday, I will not wear them and you will have lost $16 plus shipping, but I'd still laugh! 

Sweet and Innocent

Yes, I've posted lots today -- I'm catching up.  No matter what you think is going on, if there is what sounds like sweet and innocent laughter coming from the bathroom.....don't believe it.  There's no such thing as sweet and innocent laughter.  Ever.

When Dad goes to Vegas

"Maci, I'm Spiderman, you're Batman."
Playin' in the fort....

Yes, all those diapers got thrown onto the floor.

Errrr!!

Brent is livin' the high life (maybe in his mind!) these days -- off to Vegas to spend time with his good buddy and Cash's godfather, Jack.  While he's dealing with the chaos of big city livin, we're livin it up in Frenchtown.  We've spent our days running in the 60 degree weather -- the stroller rides are going much better these days and Cash even cheers me on.  I have to cut a deal with the kid to get him to go though.....you come for a run with me, I'll go to the park with you.  So, that means plenty of park time and his first shorts and t-shirt of the season.  We made forts, homemade mac and cheese, had a bbq with the neighbors, played with the dogs, and even cleaned the house!  We took a little drive on Saturday and found a nice herd of elk, so spent some time watching them and explaining to Cash why we couldn't go bombing through some guys field to get closer.  Then Sunday was Rick Jackson's Country Hall of Fame (my favorite Sunday program, 3 hours of good old country classics) with coffee, chocolate goldfish, craisins, and a drive in the mountains.  Now that's livin' the high life!

Payin' dues

Yeehaw!

Grandpa time!

He said he had fun, but Jim has a different story.....

Not sure who's more excited.

Thanks for all my birthday goodies and wishes!

Not even a little smile?  That's our little sweetie.

G&G O game time.

Maci don't want no shots!

Cash gave the doc the business today during Maci's 1 year check up with these exact words -- "Maci don't want no shots!".  Unfortunately, the doc didn't listen and they worked little Mo over with 5 shots.  3 in the legs, 2 in the arms.  Nobody was happy in that room. 

Maci's stats:
22 lbs 11 oz  - 72%
29 3/4 inches  - 65%
46 cm head circum.  - 65%

Our little girlie is growing up, up, up.  The doc says she looks great and she's right on track with everything.  She didn't mention anything about our need to send Cash to school so he can learn proper English.  I'm sure it's in her notes.

Maci Elizabeth

Our sweet little girl turns 1 today.  I can't believe it.  About this time last year I was studying for my Anatomy lab quiz and trying to hold out long enough to take it so I wouldn't have any make up work post baby!  I didn't take the quiz, I drove to Taco Time and bought 2 country burritos, went to Brent's office and did the labor lady walk for some hours, ate one burrito (knew I'd throw it all up, so saved the 2nd one for when the baby got here), then eventually we made our way to the hospital.  And eventually, Maci Elizabeth made her way into our family.  We love her tons and look forward to so many more years.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOSEY!!

Pissing off

Sorry for the title, I hope I have not offended anyone.  If I have.  You are likely not the first -- but I am sorry!  :)

Well -- once again Cash made us laugh so hard we cried.  The kids and I took the stroller out for the virgin run on Monday.  What a fantastic, beautiful, freezing cold day.  The sun was shining and it really seemed like a good idea.  The kids were having a blast -- they easily had an extra 10 pounds of clothes on, not to mention the huge blanket over them....Cash swore he was warm and Maci just smiled.  Lots of smiling, lots of idle chatter until the last mile (mind you, only 3 miles total....so fairly short lived).  Mo lost it.  And I mean LOST it.  Then Cash started crying and saying how cold he was and we had to hitch hike home (my friend Doug came and got us).  I quickly found out that my daughter and I have the same temper.  She would lay her head on my shoulder and just whimper, reminding me of how damaging the run was, then she would pick her head up, look me in the eye and start screaming crying!  "I'M STILL MAD!!".  I think I'd have much rather heard those words than the 30 minutes of screaming.  In the end though, it wasn't the run....I know this because the second I sat her down at the table to eat lunch she was happy and smiling again.  Moral of the story: plan runs around naps, snacks, meals, and potty breaks.  I've got it now and will never forget it!

Cash's recap of the stroller incident of 2012 to Brent:

Brent: "How was the run with mama today, Cash?"
Cash:  "Um, it was good."
Brent:  "Really?  You had fun?  Did Maci have fun?"
Cash:  "Um, I got really cold."
Brent:  **coaxing, dying to hear the real story**  "And how about Maci?"
Cash:  "Um.....she was pissing off."

And he was right, just a slight misuse of the word.  I'm not going to correct him on that one.  I'll just slap my own hand, wash my mouth out with soap, write 100 times "I won't use the words piss, pissed, or pissing again", and get ready for Maci -- if her 'similar to ma' personality is any indication of what I'm in for....I'm ready....I've been doing this for years!  ha!

Also -- we had a nice visit from G&G O this past week and I have lots of pics, so I'll make sure to get them up here as soon as I get my paper done for Nursing as a Profession.  As we all know, I am a professional b.s.-er, so I should be able to get to the photos pretty soon!

Did someone say RUN??

Well, we finally bit the bullet -- we bought a double jogging stroller.  I conned Brent into going on a 3 mile run with me while in Fargo and now he just can't get enough.  :)  It's running time for this family.  I'm hoping we can get the kids out tomorrow after work, but we'll see what happens -- it's still a little frosty out here, but Cash just about lost it when we told him there would be no running tonight.  The maiden voyage oughta be interesting -- Maci went with me in the single stroller when she was about 6 weeks and my little tunes couldn't get loud enough to drown out her crying.....so we went home after a mile.  I'll update on how the actual run goes.