Do I really like camping?!?

This is the question I asked myself as I prepared for our overnight camping trip in the mountains. I knew that every bit of clothing and all blankets would have to be washed when I returned. Our four man tent was going to be squishy for our six person family. I wouldn't get a good night sleep because I was trying to share my sleeping bag with a wiggly one year old who I wanted to keep warm. And we didn't have reservations for a campsite on Labor Day Weekend.

It only took a second once the van opened up at our campsite at Horsethief Reservoir to realize, yes it really was all worth it! Brooke and Aubrey headed into the woods to find wood and Leah began to wander( her favorite activity is to runaway from Mom as fast as she can!!) And Hailey is quite content just sitting in her camp chair trying to stay clean. Friday evening we wandered around the lake, went fishing, enjoyed a rip snortin fire, and heard Dad tell his favorite Dread Pirate Pay stories. Saturday morning there was more exploring, Brooke & Aubrey playing with their new friends, and then off to Lake Cascade to enjoy the beach. (Of course after Justin stopped at a few garage sales!) The girls spent about two hours playing in the sand, making a sand pool, building what Leah destroyed, and enjoying the great Idaho sunshine. We came back hungry, dirty, a little sore (I still can't move my head all the way to the right!), and very, very happy!

Great Grandma and Grandpa Thueson

We attended the Garden Valley Branch on Sunday and they had a great talk on getting your children interested in family history. Since I am not doing my part tracking done ancestors, I thought I would start by getting photos of my kids with all of their grandparents and great grandparents. We are blessed to live directly behind Great Grandma and Grandpa Thueson. My children love to go over and visit, take art lessons, swing on their porch swing, and always grab a cookie. A few times I have "lost" Hailey for a few minutes only to realize she was hiding away at Grandmas. What wonderful, kind grandparents!


Aubrey and Grandpa

Smiling Hailey and Grandma

Leah and Grandma

Brooke and Grandpa

Sometimes I look at Brooke and realize that she is turning into a young lady right before my eyes! Just today Brooke had a "pajama party" at school and didn't want to wear her regular pajamas. She didn't want anybody to know she still has princess pajamas. I could have cried!!

Thueson Family Reunion

For Justin's family reunion we were supposed to go camping but our plans got canceled due to a fire. So, our next option.... the cabin. We had a great time swimming, playing games, eating lots of (actually too much) food and treats, watching videos, riding the four wheeler, chatting, and playing table tennis (Eric is amazing at improvising). We were missing Mike and Angie's family and wished they were with us. Thanks Thuesons for a great weekend and thanks Mom and Dad for letting us use the cabin.

Busy First Day of School

Brooke and Aubrey had their first day of school and were so excited. Aubrey made a paper chain about three weeks ago to count down the days to kindergarten and had a great first day. No tears, just a quick hug and into the classroom. Brooke was anxious to get back to school and see all of her friends.
In between all the "Meet the Teacher" and the filming of the first day of school was a trip to the hand specialist for Justin. Last night he was helping our friend Nathan who is paralyzed site in his new crossbow. Somehow while Justin was mounting the bow onto Nathan's wheelchair, the release went off and took off the end of Justin's right thumb. Justin would probably post a picture for you, but if you are like me you would rather not see it!! (If you really are curious I'm sure he would love to email you the pictures and give you a more detailed story!) Thank goodness our friends live close to the hospital so we were able to get to the hospital within minutes. They found the thumb piece (gross, huh!) and brought it in a plastic cup, but the doctor said they couldn't reattach it. We had a nice five hour visit in the ER and got home after one to get ready for the big back to school day! So, Justin is now scheduled for surgery on Friday. The surgeon is optomistic that his thumb will look somewhat normal in a few months when the fingernail grows back. I'm just glad it happenned here and not in the middle of the desert this weekend antelope hunting. And thank goodness it only took off a part of the thumb. The bow is so strong it probably would have taken off anything in it's path!
Hopefully tommorrow will be a nice calm day!

Crazy Photographer!

So, Justin went to sent up an antelope blind with a friend for the evening and I thought "I think I'll take the kids to the park and take their picture". What women in her right mind would take a sick 7 year old, an enthusiastic 5 year old, a multi-personality 3 year old, and a wandering 1 year old to a park with ponds all over the place by herself to take pictures. That crazy lady would be me! We survived without too many breakdowns and no one fell in!! But it could be worse. I could have painted a room some crazy color (this has happenned before but it was a nice pink!), cut my hair real short (a fear of his), or shopped til I dropped (a friend of mines little trick) while Justin is off hunting!!

Boys Weekend in the Sawtooths

Justin and Joel ready to hit the trail for four days in the Sawtooths. Excited about getting away from it all: work, noisy children, lovely wives, soft beds!
The first waterfall they came upon after breaking through a meadow full of wild flowers, reminding Justin of Aubrey!
My hot Man!!

It was the saddle just above and left of Justin's head that he and Joel climbed up and over to get to Vernon, Edna, and Virginia lakes.
A beautiful 15" Cutthroat in spawning colors. Justin said he made a mean snowcone out of the snow in this picture!
By the end, 4 blisters(Joel), 25 bug bites(Justin), 6 lakes, 30 miles(yeh right, 23 miles), 4 tired legs and two happy men. Thanks Joel for a great trip!!!