Happy Birthday Cheyenne!

Cheyenne didn't get to choose what she wanted to do for her day - next year. Course her answer would have been "because" like it is to just about anything you ask of her. But we had already planned on Grandma and Grandpa coming down to bring their new puppy and celebrate with us all.

Grandpa and Jason were playing horse-shoes out back, the kids were playing with Chewie and I was on the Internet looking at the local tradio. I was hoping to find someone selling straw that we could use in the chicken coup. Instead I came across someone selling German Short-hair puppies. They had been listed for $100. I thought that was a good deal, but too much for us right now. Well, there was a new listing for the same puppies - $25. Grandma got out the $25 I just handed to her and asked if we should go for a drive. I looked in the free section (having not found any straw for sale) and saw the puppies listed again!

Jason made the phone call, we loaded up and headed to Redmond. They had one brown with white flecks male left. Of course the girls fell in love with him right away... but so did Jason. And for free, we decided we needed to take our little Barley Pop home.


He seems to be adjusting to his new home pretty well, and he definitely liked playing with Chewie (he just doesn't realize he is a lot bigger than that little pug).


After dinner John and Shiree came over and the party began. Chey just ripped those packages open like a pro! She got a Dora movie from John and Shiree, with a Dora card that sings Happy Birthday in English and Spanish - she loves it! Grandma and Grandpa gave her a Dora backpack with new shoes inside. Grandma Linda and Grandpa Allen sent her a Wonder Pets view finder (she calls it her binoculars) with a bunch of extra discs - Dora included! Her sisters gave her some Dora panties and a butterfly necklace and bracelet. And she got a computer from Mom and Dad. She enjoyed every gift! Thank you everyone!

Mom made her blonde brownies with a butterscotch sauce that was absolutely wonderful (I love it when a new recipe works the first time I make it)! Then we curled up on the couches and watched some TV. The girls sure love their grandparents!


Thank you again everyone for helping make Cheyenne's day so neat!

Don't tell me...I know, I suck.

Since Jason was unemployed for two months, we took advantage of his time off and we were very busy enjoying the summer. We did so much and saw so much that I am overwhelmed with this blog now. Yes, I should have kept on it, but we were having just too much fun.

Well, I have decided to try to keep this updated from this point on and go through the backlog of adventures at the same time. I know I'm just asking for trouble in doing so, but I've gotta give it a try.

So, keep your eyes open for posts BELOW this one as I will try to keep it in chronological order.

EDITED to add: while I will keep the stories in order, they may not be posted in that order. I have stories written, ready to be published and then realize there's something else that happened before. But every one is eager for me to post. So it's an Easter hunt; look above and below each one.

Labor Day Family Reunion '08

For those who don't know, my Dad started this family tradition of going up to Grandma's Apple Valley every Labor Day weekend. Grandma owned property in Fruitland and always called it Apple Valley - and it has stuck.

This year we had a great turn out. My dad's two sisters that live in Utah and their whole families came, and my dad's whole family - minus the Washington residents (I guess they were busy with their own plans of moving or something like that - I didn't get the email (this is all in jest, love you still)). Ian and Crystal only came up for the day Sunday, and they brought their kids.

Ya, we got there later than we told everyone. It's one of those things; we live within 10 minutes of being in the mountains or doing our outdoor stuff, so we didn't get that urge to move our butts to get out of town. But we made it.

It was another fun filled weekend. We played horse-shoes, drank, laughed, ate...

Saturday night the 'kids' started war games in the dark. It was fun listening to them while we drank and sat around the fire...until one had to pee. I got up and was thinking I would just go next to the shed where I'd still be in the light of the fire, not the line of fire.

Wrong.

Bam!

I was shot in the shoulder. Tuff just laughed! I said, "I'm shot! and I'm not even playing!" Tuff said, "I knew it was you but didn't say anything to Shane cuz I didn't want to give us away." Well, you're given away NOW!

Sunday the whole crowd was there and more horse-shoes were thrown. Then we had our pot-luck and just enjoyed one another's company.

The plan for Sunday night was to either play war games again or break out the poker chips and cards. Well, word was there was a nasty storm that might move our way. The Conrads decided it was best to pack up (they were sleeping in tents) and leave late that night. Just as we getting settled around the fire and deciding what to do, the rain came. And it did not let up all night. In fact, we thought we would be loading up in the rain in the morning. But it did clear enough at times we were able to keep everything dry.

Overall, it was a great weekend being with family and just having a good ole time!