Saturday Plans

Last Saturday I had it in my head that that would be the day I would FINALLY clean the house from top to bottom.  Piney fresh and lemony scents would fill my house as I scrubbed, polished, and dusted the dirt away.  I figured Jim could take the kids out, and I could get caught up with my housework.

  Jim had a different vision for our Saturday.  He had it in HIS head that it would be the perfect day to go play on his Uncle's property together as a family.  We would invite the dirt under our fingernails while searching for snakes and frogs, get sand in every empty crevice on ourselves while building castles, and actually smell a piney fresh that can't be bottled while playing in the tree house.

So. . . what do you think happened?

I decided that my house can survive a little (or a lot) of neglect.  My family can't.

So last Saturday, we spent the WHOLE DAY playing together.  And you know what?  I didn't even mind coming home to a messy house.  In fact, some of my house is still in a state of neglect, but my kids are happy.  They're still talking about our Saturday adventure.

I mean, would you rather spend a day cleaning inside, or a day playing here:

Corky even came!

Checking out all the fishies and froggies

Close up of our catch. . . they were all set free before we left.

What would have happened if my princess kissed this frog?  He looks kinda like he was hoping for a little something something.

The tree house Jim has been helping build.

Inside the tree house

Another tree house shot

Hunty controlling the Snort.  He looks like he knows what he's doing, doesn't he?

Look at his tiny little self up there acting like a big boy!

Tralee and Jim's turn at the driver's seat

Hunty wanted to be lifted into the trees just like the baby bird in Are You My Mother.  Don't worry, this Snort knew Hunty's mommy was on the ground, so on the ground Hunty stayed!  :)

She sounded just how this picture looks.  She was screaming for someone to help her down.  Once she asked nicely,  I was all over it.

Snort and tree house

We stopped for milkshakes on the way home.  Tralee REALLY liked hers.

No really, she snarfed her Mountain Berry shake down in no time at all!

All in all, we had a perfect day together.  I can't wait to neglect my house some more!

Tralee Thinks They're Just Fishin'

Tralee and Jim have gone fishing together since Tralee could walk.  It's their "thing."  A few weeks ago I heard Trace Adkins' song, "She Thinks We're Just Fishin" and knew I had to put something together for my favorite Daddy/daughter duo.  So on our next family night we hiked our favorite little trail up to Jump Creek Falls.  That's our go-to spot.  Whenever we're looking for something to do, it doesn't take long for Jim and me to look at each other and simultaneously say, "waterfall."  Waterfall=Jump Creek Falls.  Waterfall+Jacobs family+fishing poles+camera=a night we won't forget.  Our family night was spent with the usual jaunt through Jump Creek Canyon and exploring once we made it to the falls.  We played, we laughed, we spent some time together, and most importantly, Jim and Tralee fished while I took some pictures and videos.  I finally put it all together using some older and newer pictures from our many visits to the Falls.  Also, thanks to Trace Adkins for his song that, you know, just goes perfectly with this video.  The song and the memories of Tralee fishing with her daddy go together like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, like bees and honey, like oreos and milk, like. . . well, you get the idea.  Enjoy the little video:

For some reason the video isn't working on my blog.  If that's the case, and you're just DYING to watch it, here's the link that should (fingers crossed) take you to the video:  http://youtu.be/HrzRW5ULazk and in case that link doesn't work, here's a link to my picassa web album.  You can try and watch it there as well:  https://picasaweb.google.com/101798754447517825438/20110923?feat=email#5655956290531120306

Payette River Night

A few Sundays ago we drove up to a beach near Banks, Idaho and played in the Payette River with the other Jacobs family.  It was a SUPER fun night!

All the Jacobs kids doing their own thing

Hunter wasn't too thrilled about being in the water.  I don't blame him.  It was cold.

I like this picture of Audie in her pregnant glow!

Isn't she pretty?  I marvel all the time at that beautiful little face.

We found a few fuzzy caterpillars while we were up there.  I can't say that they both survived the wrath care of four small children.

Oaks and her caterpillar

Can you hear the Baywatch theme song as you look at this?  I sure can.  Watch out The Hoff, you've got some competition.

Cute swimsuits.  Cute girls too.

Everyone doing their own thing

While I was walking along the beach with Hunter I saw some object swimming toward me in the water.  It was bat!  Crazy!  It was having a hard time taking off from the sand so, after taking some pictures, Jim found a cup, let Batty crawl in, and then Jim flung it in the air so the bat could fly off.  Batty flew to the nearest tree, and I told my husband I wasn't aware he was a bat whisperer.  

 Thanks for the fun times other Jacobs family. . . and bat and caterpillars too!

Inked

Hunter is at that fun stage where it seems like he wants to draw on ANYTHING except paper.  I found him inking himself up the other day.

Oh boy!  Better get those Magic Erasers ready for the walls, and soapy water ready for him!

Look Who Started Dance Class

She LOVES it!

Wisconsin

Jim, the kids, and I left Ohio and drove to Wisconsin on a Thursday afternoon.  It was a pretty smooth drive.  We spent a short weekend in Wisconsin, visiting with family, and watching my nephew, Brady, get baptised.  On Sunday afternoon we went to the airport and flew back to Idaho.  Here are a few pics of our time in Milwaukee.

I wish I got a better picture of us visiting with my brother, Todd.  We stopped to visit Todd at the group home he lives in in Wisconsin.  He loves milkshakes, so we stopped to get him one before we got to his house.  He gulped it right down first thing.  Then we took Toddy for a walk, and after Jim took Todd for a car ride where I guess they had a dance party together.  Later, I asked Toddy to show me his room, so he grabbed my hand and took me right to his room where my kids and Todd fought over his toys!  He seemed happy to see us, and I loved spending time with him.  We had a little talk with Tralee and Hunter before we got to Toddy's, explaining how special their Uncle Todd is, and how he might sound and act a little different, but he's a perfect spirit inside.  They did great visiting with Uncle Todd.

The house I grew up in.  I was here from 1st grade until my junior year of high school.

On Friday morning, I left Jim with the kids and drove to the Milwaukee Art Museum.  Beautiful!

Another photo of MAM

My kids playing on their cousin's swing set.  There are some HUGE willow trees on the property.

Brady and Tralee sword fighting.

Just us

My Nana and me.  She made a yummy brunch for us while we were there!

Brady sword fighting with Uncle Mike

More sword fighting at Nana's

My Nana has this oil/light thing hanging in her entry way.  I believe it was a gift from my dad.  For as long as I can remember, this lady has been hanging there with raindrops surrounding her, greeting people as the walk into Nana's condo.

Aunt Mary and my cousin Kevin coloring with my munchkins

Nana and Tralee

Later on, back at Jimmy and Amy's house; Haylee, Brady, and Tralee put every pillow, blanket, and a huge love sac at the bottom of the stairs and then started jumping off the top stair into all the fluff.  I remember doing the same thing with my brother (Haylee and Brady's Dad) when we were about their age.  Funny how history repeats itself through the generations.

Tralee leaping into the pillows

Brady's turn

Here's a pic so you can get a better idea of what the kids were jumping into.  There's even a giant stuffed teddy bear in there.

Relaxing in the pillow fluff at the bottom of the stairs

Brady, Jimmy, and Haylee after all the jumping was done

Just hanging out

Brady and his Caterpillar.  Haylee and Brady have them for pets.

Brady and Jimmy before Brady was baptised

Uncle Mike, Aunt Mary, and Nana at Brady's baptism.

We had a great time visiting our family in Wisconsin.  We were just sad our visit was so short.