Montana Arkoudi

Saturday, July 24, 2010

{Chickens}

July 24, 2010
Thanks to our neighbors for all their help! we got our chickens all put up for the winter. I can't even

tell you how much I learned...I think I know a little more about pioneers now...WOoHoO!

Friday, July 23, 2010

{Destruction} ...or rather fixing it!

In March the toilet overflowed, soaking Sam and Noah's room, the hallway and out into the family room. No prob...just tore out carpet, sheetrock, moldings and flooring (that was under the carpet). Moved everything from the right half of the basement to the left half. Enter June...and the umpteen inches of rain that fell so hard and so fast, creating a river into the left half of the basement. Okay was this a joke? Just wondering, I really didn't find it funny. After shop vaccing for hours, digging holes and buying sump pumps, thank you July for the less rainfall and thank you for tractors that tore out our driveway, exposed our footings fixed our footings and graded so that the water will now run away from our house instead of towards it.
Thank you Ryan et. al for re sheetrocking, taping and mudding, tiling the boys room and hallway, re-painting(for the third time since we moved here) and putting up new doors.

It has been a fun adventure to have all children in two rooms. Now bring on the new bedroom!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

{Warm River- With the Bouck's}

The Bouck's were heading to Warm River Campground and since it is halfway... I couldn't pass up the chance to met them there. Ryan, of course, had to work, which was a huge bummer! We wish so much he could have come. That would have made it perfect.

We drove 5 1/2 hours wednesday and got there at 7:30 at night. We pulled in and Kevin was gone because Lucy had gotten a huge sliver in her foot. He had to take her to Rexburg to get it out. Yikes. We started a fire for dinner and immediately a huge downpour came... Good thing Joy had started water boiling for dishes later. We got the water and boiled those hotdogs right up.

Ate in the tent trailer as the rain slammed down around us!

10 kids in a camp trailer may sound like mayham, but with the Bouck's, it just spells fun!

Noah and Caleb tried to restart the fire after the rainstorm. They love fire...why are all my kids pyros?

Warm River was the greatest campground ever.

There was this really cute bridge that smelled like old wood. I loved it!

We floated down the river that the bridge crossed. The kids thought it really cool to float under the bridge!

The water was so slow and only knee deep.

Though it was a little cold, it was so fun once the sun came out to shine on us.

Stinky latrines.

I know all mom's love their kids, but I really really love mine. They constantly make me laugh.

Caleb... in the girls bathroom...how does he think of these things?

They were both just holes in the ground, so I find it funny that they are men and women labeled!

Of course, Caleb and Noah are in the tree...they are part monkey!

Tubes ready to float the river!

Noah is just inside them all!

Playin by the river

Love these two girls! Love that they will always be best friends even though 550 miles seperate them!

As soon as they get together, it is as if no time has passed at all!

Max fished, caught one and now is hooked! He loves to fish now!

His father will be happy!

Sam even had a great time...the river was so worth the 5 1/2 hour trip!

(so were the Bouck's)

packing up is always the worst part, but the kids helped a lot. Two nights was short, but we loved it!

Next time Ryan will have to come and we will have to stay longer.

{Livestock Auction 2010}

It was the Livestock Auction yesterday and we are just thankful we made it!

After all the work raisin the pigs, we could not for the life of us, get those pigs into the trailer. We chased them around the barn for at least an hour and only suceeded in getting us all tired. Ryan was sure we wouldn't get them in and the kids were totally bummed. I was trying everything I could think of. The kids were so disheartened, just sure we wouldn't make it in time.

Thankfully our neighbor was home, and out of desperation I went over to see if he had any ideas.

He sure had a great idea...they are called hog boards, everyone has them...just not us. So in about 5 minutes, they were loaded and the kids were back to elated, except Sam who was now worrying if we would make it there in time. Ryan left immediately with the boys and I went inside to clean us up...a bit.

We finally made it and the pigs weighed in at 222 (Noah's) and 244 (Sam's)

Then it was time to clean up those muddy pigs!

Scrub those feet clean!

Wash that hog!

Because we are still learning.... I had the boys wear their nice clothes in the morning,

not realizing that they would have to wash their hogs.

So, when Noah fell down in the washing pen, his pants got sopping wet.

Luckily they had time to dry a little before the show.
Another tidbit of info that will be useful next year!

Sam with his black pig

Sam showing his pig

Dad helping Sam manuver the "hog jogger" and Sam's pig after the showing.

Little Lady Pink Boots and Cowboy Max!

Watch it Caleb...Noah is spraying more than his pig!

Ryan is forever so annoyed at me that I make him do things that we have to experiment with.

I really did try to find out all things possible to know... a few details learned this year will make next year so much easier!

I just figure...you'll never know how unless you try! Isn't that what life is all about?

Thursday, July 8, 2010

{Love Icecream}

Our great friend Chris Kundis gave us icecream treats the other day!

Emma loved them this much.....

I think it just made her face that much sweeter!

Monday, July 5, 2010

{July 4th } Independence Day!

I am a lover of Independence Day! I love th parades, the fireworks, the military, the jets flying overhead!

This year though, we changed it up a bit and went up in the mountains for the fourth!

Loggin' Creek Campground.

Hiked to the top of this rock cliff. Straight up with all the kids! It was great fun!

love that grin!

Make tinfoil dinners!

All the kids played games in a circle!

Love big kids who are so nice to the littler ones and include them.

It made it so nice for the parents!

Mara Loved Eden!

She would follow her around and sit by her and do whatever she would do!

I loved it that she had a little girl to look up to!

Emma's feet didn't touch the ground much because there were so many who wished to hold her...she loved every minute of the attention!

Max and Caleb showing off "guns"

The long trip to the potty was taken many times...at least four.

No one ever warned me about how often little girls have to go potty!

Tried to get a picture of the Mommas, but the kids just wouldn't let it happen. They had to be in on the action as well.

So funny.

Thanks Prosser's and Birkeland's it was a great time.

Monday, June 28, 2010

{Family Reunion} -Island Park, Idaho 2010-

The kids were so excited to see their cousins!

I had been in Utah already, and We met Ryan and Sam at the cabin in Island Park!

I am so glad that Sam and Kyle are such good friends...I loved having cousins to play with and

am so happy my kids have cousins their ages.

Just a few kids in the hot tub!
Thanks to Ryan who was the only adult who ever go in the hot tub!
The kids were so happy!

Girlys

crazy boys!

Mara, Hallie, and Hannah were inseperable the whole weekend!

I loved that Mara and Emma had girls to play with.

Love that daddy

Check out the gun show!

{Stealing!}

My heart is breaking right now, and I just hope I am doing the right thing...This is probably one of the hardest moments of motherhood I have ever had.

Max...What can I say. As well as that kid can push my buttons (and everyone else's) I should be really annoyed by him all the time, but I find I love him so much. I really think I am the one who understands him the most and has the most tolerance for him. I really think I was supposed to be his mother. He makes my whole being smile when he is around. So with that preference, He stole candy from Wal-mart on Friday. I was so upset...can't tell you how many family home evening lessons we have had on stealing, and how many times I have talked to him about not getting into things that aren't his, and discussed at nauseaum about personal property. So why did none of it click?

We were late to pick up Sam from band, and we were already in the car and driving toward the Jr. High when I discovered it. We picked up Sam and then marched right back into Wal-mart to speak to the manager.

Can I just say that when I saw her, I was scared. She looked really crabby! "Yikes", I thought, "hope this turns out okay... hope they don't throw me in jail." So if I was thinking that, I can only imagine what Max was thinking. I simply said, "my son would like to tell you something." With a huge lump in his throat, he said " I stole this candy" and held it up. I thought he would burst into tears, but he was so tough, determined not to let anyone see him cry. The manager asked him why he did it and also if he knew what happened to people who stole, then told him that they had police officers at the store and if he did it again, he would have to speak to one of them, and might even have to go to jail.

As we left, I picked him up and said "Max, please don't ever steal again." and my heart broke as he started to cry. When we got home I made him tell his father and as punishment Max was grounded from candy until Halloween. If you know Max, you know that is torture, and you also know it is next to impossible. He was also grounded from the T.V. for two weeks. Since these are the two things that Max cares about the most, I thought it was a pretty tough punishment, but Ryan wanted him to know we were serious and I support him.

So what happens the very next day? We went to help get food ready for a reception, and they had candy in dishes, and Max stuck some (snuck sounds better than stole, but really he stole candy again) He was left to sit in the corner of the kitchen for the rest of the time I was helping and we had a huge talk about what exactly it means to have no candy...none, not if everyone else is getting some, not if his teacher gives it to him, not if it is out, none!

Sunday dawns and I remind him he can't go to the bishop's office for candy and he can't have candy if his teacher passes it out. I stopped after church to talk to his teacher about how he was in class and if she had treats...come to find out, he ate the skittles she passed out. Okay, Seriously! I am at a loss.

He spent all day today in his room. Only got to come out for dinner, help with dishes and then right back in, by himself...no toys.

As he went back into his room, he just bawled. I told him this is what prision is like. But truly, it just broke my heart. Why doesn't he get it? Why does he push his limits? and what am I supposed to do about it? I love that kid...but nothing gets through to him. He continues to sneak, and try to get away with things he knows he shouldn't do. I am truly worried and wish to nip it in the bud right now...but how?