{New Puppies!}

Friday night Miya had her second litter of puppies. I stayed in the barn (where she choose to be) with her for the first four. Falling asleep between puppies, and then there was a long lull, so I though (or maybe hoped) she was done with four. I went to bed and in the morning, there were three more.

Seven puppies. 4 brown, 2 black and 1 that is brown and black.

So so fun! They are so, so tiny.

What to do with all the boys gone?

I asked Mara what we would possibly do without all the boys home. Her immediate response without hesitation was..." Let's have a tea party." So the first day of school, after the boys were all deposited at the school, home we came for our tea party. Oh, how much fun we had!
With all the boys home, it was never easy to just have a girly tea party!

WE loved IT!

We will be having lots more of those.

First Day of School 2010-2011

The crew in front of West.

They were so excited to go. I had to be the mom with the camera on the first day of school...It's necessary, I promise!

Caleb in 3rd with Ms. Olsen

Noah in 5th with Mrs. Delgado

Max in 1st with Mrs. Brown

A new desk and not a care, even though it was his first official day at school.

Getting off the bus after a long ride!

I of course could not take Sam to school for the first day, even though I really wanted to.

Ryan and I decided the first day of Jr. High is much worse than the first day of kindergarten...it really makes you feel your age! Yikes. Sam LOVED it though and said he couldn't wait to go back tomorrow.

{Glacier National Park- 2010}

Matt , Porter and Greyson came up so we headed to Glacier National Park!

My favorite adventure since moving here. I can't believe it took me three years to make it here.

It will DEFINATELY have to be a yearly trip!

Beauty pose!

Sunrift Gorge

Noah on the Logan pass, Ridgeline trail.

The narrow trail, with a garden hose for a hand hold!

Logan pass peak in the distance. All the kids were such troopers! They loved the hikes.

What a view!

The water is green because it is straight from a glacier...we should jump!

Trail of the Cedars...so amazing!

How many kids can fit in the tree?
After the trail of the cedars, we stopped by a glacial pool to jump....

Coming up out of the Glacial water! With a smile!

Grey and Caleb took the plunge right away...Sam and Noah contemplated their fate!

going again!

Idecided that if they all could do it...I guess I could too! They didn't have padded bras that stayed wet the whole way home though!

Even Mara and Emma went in!

On the way out!

Mountain goats, crossing the street! and up onto the rocks...perfect picture!

{MaX is SeVen!}

Woke up at 6:00 am... Opened his first present!

...a fishing pole...good thing cause dad was takin him fishing, now he didn't have to borrow one of his brothers.

He chose Caleb to come with him, and away they went.

To Wood Lake.

Where they got lots of bites, but couldn't land many!

Caleb caught his first though!

Then home to open all the rest of his presents!

Paper Jamz guitar, cowboy stuff...still!

new socks and underwear...a must to start school.

The Giles came over for a BBQ and car cake and ice cream with sugar cones!

We played "fag tag" and had a grand old time.

What a great fun day to celebrate Max on his special day! Love that kid and his querky, ways!

Sam and Noah would just like it noted that they had to pick and snap beans while the other boys were off FiSHinG! of all things. They were kinda bummed, but they got to go to a concert with their dad in Utah...RUSH...their favorite of all.

{Had a Moment}

Woke up early this morning and headed outside with the kiddos to take care of animals and garden. Max was sent to the barn to gather eggs. When we got home from Utah, we discovered a hen with two baby chicks. We hadn't seen a trace of them for two days and I told the kids the chicks probably didn't make it. When Max got to the barn, he happily stuck his head out the door and informed me..."mom, the chicks are alive and well!" So glad...alive AND well! Love that kid.
Watered the garden and after picking beans, the kids got all the playmobile and made and entire anthropologic dig. Complete with egyptian ruins, a burried boat, camels, horses and lots of anthropologists. They played so well, all six of them. Never mind that we never returned inside to eat breakfast until 10:00. It was a moment...one that was filled with perfect contentment. I keep thinking..."these are magic years and therefor magic days, and therefore magic moments." It was well needed. I completed the day with finishing three assignments and cleaning up the garage. Slowly, slowly, bit by bit, I will one day get there. But if you know me, you know I don't like slowly (hence the three speeding tickets...this year....yeah, I know!)