Summertime?!?!

Finally, within the past week, the weather has started to warm up and feel more like summer. Yesterday I think we even hit 80 degrees!! The kids thought that it was hot enough to play in the water, so we headed up the creek! We found this really nice spot, with lots of water and a nice wide area. The only bad part was that we were in the bottom of a small coulee with a lot of trees around us, so I couldn't really see to far out around us. That, and Butch kept acting really funny and the fact that the bears were in that area just 4 days prior, I decided that we should find a new spot!

We found one a little closer to the houses, and a lot more open so nothing could sneak up on us!!

Of course the kids found the big mud hole and proceeded to cover themselves with mud!!

We had a great time playing. Although I will admit that the bear has made me very nervous, so the other day we did go buy a slip-n-slide to have to play with in the yard!!

Our new project...

We are building a grill. Not just any grill...but a cooker. It will have a 4 ft. grill with a 2 ft. fire box on the side for the smoker. Matt got this great idea after enjoying lots of yummy smoked ribs and sausages that my Uncle made....so we are trying our hand at one of own.
This is the very beginning...one big piece of very heavy pipe!!

Matt is determined to make this OUR project, so I have learned how to use the torch AND the welder. Not too fond of the torch, but I actually liked welding! The piece below is the wall between the 2 pipes, but even better...is that I cut it out myself with the torch!! YAY ME!!

Notice the peeping tom in the window?!?!

This is were we are at as of 3 days ago. The body is put together!! We are hoping to have it done in time to try it out at least one time this summer!!

I got to go flying!!!!!

After being here almost 1 year, I finally MADE the time to go flying with my neighbor. It was SO much fun. I got a pretty good tour of the place, saw a lot of elk, and even got to buzz some cows!! I had a permanent grin on my face all day! I really didn't get any good pictures. It's a little bit tricky taking pictures from a plane when you're moving about 100mph. The first picture is of one of the wild horse herds that are not too far from here.
This is the Greybull River...

Here is a corner of the elk herd that I got to see....

Can't wait until next weekend...gonna go again!!!!

The Wonderful World of Wyoming

After spending almost 2 weeks in Texas where the weather was absolutely gorgeous, we came home to cold, rain and wind. I can't really complain too much about the rain, but the wind is another story. We had the wind blowing constantly at about 70+ mph for about 3 days straight!!The gusts were even stronger. It was blowing so hard, that it blew over one of the parked semi's.

With all of the rain, we couldn't keep up with the lawn. The good thing is that everything is really starting to get green! For about a week, our high temperatures were in the high 40's to low 50's. I got a kick out of Matt mowing the lawn in his coat!!!

Holy cow.... I mean bear!!

Riley Jo and I were out watering the garden yesterday evening, when a neighbor pulled up to the house. I left Riley to finish watering and just as I approached his pickup, he told me that there was a bear down in the creek behind the house. As soon as the words left his mouth, I heard Riley scream. I turned around to see her running toward me as a black bear, not 20 feet from her, was bouncing up the bank of the creek toward our garden!! Holy crap!!!! I quickly rushed the kids inside the house, grabbed my camera, and was cautiously back outside. As I was working up the courage to walk around to the back of the house, Matt just got off the phone with the neighbor behind us who told him that he just saw the bear...plus 2 cubs...head back up the creek. So we all piled in to the pickup to see if we could find them to get some pictures. Riley Jo must have scared them good, because they were moving really fast. We finally saw a glimpse of one of them at a crossing over the creek. It stopped long enough to look back at us, then was gone again. So, I didn't get any pictures. Needless to say, we had an interesting evening :)

VACATION !!!!

Well....for some reason I'm unable to arrange the pictures so they will be a little out of order, but you'll get the story anyhow :)

Once the kids and Nana got back from their vacation, we went to Doggie Days and the kids got to ride on the rides!

First off Dustin thought he needed a haircut. It was too hot for a lot of hair he said. Matt started to trim him up and then Dustin decided to shave it all off.

For the "grandkids' vacation" they got to go to Oklahoma City. There is a very nice zoo there that they went to.

The giraffes were a big hit with both of my kids.

They got back just in time for Doggie Days in Dumas. Here we were at the parade.

Riley Jo learned real fast that if she waved to the people on the floats, they would throw candy in her direction.

The whole crew...

Here's some pictures from the new water park in Dumas. They really liked going there!

Riley Jo was kinda bummed the 2nd day because they said she was too short to go down the big slide, although the day before that she was tall enough!

Riley Jo couldn't resist helping cousin Matt make fajitas one night for supper!

We all had a great time and really enjoyed hanging out with family! After almost two weeks of absolutely beautiful weather and good food, we weren't really looking forward to coming home to the cold, rainy and windy weather! At least we got a taste of summer!!

Last day of school

The last day of school activities for the kids included a field day in the morning, which was a dozen different stations set up with different games at each. Then in the afternoon they headed to the park and had a picnic and got to play.

I spent the morning with Riley and went with Dustin on his picnic in the afternoon.

This is the snowball fight game. It was Dustin's favorite, but not so much for Riley!

Overall, we all had a great day! Then we went home, grilled out and had birthday cake! Doesn't get any better :)

Yummy....birthday cake

The day before my birthday, my house was full of hushed giggles and whispers. After supper that night, I was told to stay out of the kitchen....no matter what I heard!!

Soon the house was smelling like chocolate cake :)

yummy.....

The best part...they even cleaned up after themselves!!!