I'm just joking

On the way to daycare this morning Callen saw that Rusty had his 4-wheeler loaded and asked where he was going.

Mom: He is going to build some fence today.

Claysen: Fussing a little asking for "Daayee"

Mom: Sorry buddy, Daddy has to go to work today.

Callen: No Mom, buying cattle is working, you are joking, Daddy is building fence. You call that going to building.

Mom: Oh, sorry. Daddy is going to go build. Thanks for correcting me Callen.

He loves me, and I love him

Yesterday my loving, awesome husband drove me and the boys to Blackfoot, ID (about 4 hours away) just to visit for two hours with my friend Teri. She lives in Nebraska and was out visiting her family. I hadn't seen Teri in about 3 1/2 years so I really wanted to catch up with her. I was going to drive alone with the boys. She drove across three states alone with her 5 boys ages 2-10, I could handle 8 hours round trip with two couldn't I?

That is how much he loves me, he sacrificed a whole day for me.

We stopped at a feedlot Rusty does business with on the way so Callen and Claysen could see the cows. It helped break up the drive. On the way back we stopped in Twin Falls and had dinner with an old friend.

It was so great to see my friends! Thank you Rusty!

It was a very long day and I was very, very, VERY glad that he came along!

Fish out of Water

For the last two weeks Callen has had swimming lessons at Lakeview Park. Their pool is very kid orientated. There are fountains in and out of the water and a slide. Yesterday was their last day of lessons, just a fun play day.

Giddy up horse! This was right up Callen's alley!

The kids got to choose if they would go down the slide with their instructor or alone. I think it was unanimous, all went down with the instructor. Callen was talking about how he was afraid of the slide, but didn't hesistate at all once at the top of the stairs.


You can see the look of terror on his face! He said he had fun!

Cruisin'

We got a hand-me-down Gator ride-on toy from Rusty's cousin. We got a new battery for it and it runs great. The boys love it. Callen drives and Claysen love to ride. We have a second one that is just a one-seater that we've never made work. Rusty and I thought about getting it running so they could each have their own. Claysen is so content to be the passenger we decided to wait.

The Boss

Callen: Mom is the boss

Mom: I am?

Callen: Yes, I was the old boss but you are the boss now.

Mom: Ok

Callen: Can I go to Teresa's house after to Kirsten's house tomorrow.

Mom: We have to go to swimming lessons after Kirsten's.

Callen: Can we go to Teresa's house after swimming lessons?

Mom: Hmm...

Callen: Yes we can because Teresa's mom is the Boss.

My rein as The Boss was so short lived! At least a good woman like Dar is The Boss, she will be a kind and forgiving Boss.

Boo Hoo

Callen: Mommy, Daddy hurts me.

Mommy: Ha, no he doesn't

Callen: Yes he does, he whacks me all the time.

Mommy: Oh really?

Daddy: What did he say?

Mommy: That you hurt him and whack him all the time.

Daddy: Ha ha!

This all occurred about 6 minutes after a pillow fight Callen started (with Daddy) ended when it got a little too rough for Callen to handle and he came to Mommy crying. Boo hoo.

Lots of stuff, in reverse order

Mom gets to be the transportation today! What a load, that is close to 70 lbs! I didn't venture far off the rug so not to break my knees on the hardwood floor. Or my back of course! Two little cuties sitting in a tree....

Over Memorial Day Rusty and I took the boys to Council, ID to move Rusty's heifers and fish. This ranch is the same that Rusty leased last year. It is beautiful. The river that runs through the place was pretty fast at the time so they didn't catch much, but the boys had fun.

This is just a shot looking away from the fishermen and river. Lovely meadows and cattle. I love these shots. This is everything I pictured a ranch to be when I was a kid.


After the morning in Council, we had lunch and headed out to Crane Creek, the ranch Rusty's Mom grew up on. His Uncle Wayne now owns it and recently purchase a neighboring ranch that has this small resevoir on it. It is near Midvale, ID. The terrain is much different, more sagebrush. Callen caught a couple of fish here. I didn't get any shots of that, as I was chasing Claysen. He just wanted to walk into the water! So we went back to the yard and hung out with the family that was up there.

Also on Memorial weekend my Aunt and her family visited from Washington. We gathered at my parent's place to play with the cousins. The boys started sailing boats down the ditch. This is something we did as kids too, under supervision of course. I love this picture of the great men in my life! Rusty, Claysen and my Dad.

Here Callen is sailing his boat. He was the bravest one. The water was really cold and that cement ditch isn't really smooth, but he was the last to get out.


One morning we were outside on the sidewalk just enjoying the warm sun. I pick off the dead flowers to keep my pots looking pretty and blooming a lot. The boys decided to pick a few good flowers and I help put them behind their ears. Callen decided he was an elephant.

Claysen's classic "cheese face." He is so funny! He will pick the flowers and bring them to me know just to put behind his ear. He is starting to make a little more sense when he talks. We are noticing rhythm to his words/phrases, but unless you have an idea of what he trying to say it still sounds like jibberish.

Happy Summer!