Memorial Day

Here is a video from Memorial Day. We are sitting outside of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They kept moving us back farther away but we could still hear what was going on inside the amphitheater.

Batter Up!

We decided to have our own family practice. I think Ben was the most excited to play. Payton is signed up for T-Ball, we are all looking forward to it. After I spent a few days trying to teach Payton the proper stance and form for batting I found out I had been doing it all wrong as he is left handed and so Justin had to spend a lot of time trying to reteach his stance and get him batting on the right side. Opps. Payton got a new left handers glove which was a bit harder to find then I anticipated.

No this wasn't during our practice but earlier today. I have been paranoid about people trying to get into our house I guess I should have been more concerned about someone breaking out of our house. I had just shut and locked the door to keep the little ones in while I walked Avery to the bus (one house over), when I heard a loud WHAP! Payton didn't seem mad but it sure looks like someone tried to break in our house. Sorry it is so hard to see, I decided to put up plastic behind it as I found a tick crawling in.
P.S. the boys also got a buzz today as you can tell if you compare the top and bottom pictures. I really don't like ticks either and boy have I seen way too many in the last three days. So I thought short hair would make it easier to check at least. Yuck!

Memorial Day

We didn't plan our trip around Obama and we now know we will have to when it comes to Memorial Day. We went to some memorials and had a long, long, long walk thanks to Obama. We ended up not actually seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier because some President took our seat. We did have fun and saw a lot of graves. Avery just corrected me that it was not a lot of fun. Actually NO FUN... at all. Thanks Avery I almost miss lead everyone.

A few hours of sun

So it has been humid and hot and yet raining everyday but Friday we were lucky to have the sun out. I think they had fun. Unfortunately my camera doesn't want to work now, so I will be camera shopping soon. If anyone likes their camera please tell me what you have and why you like it, so I can look it up and get a decent one. Thanks

Yep Ben got soaked. He didn't even cry he is such a good sport. Avery was kicked out of the pool for this one, don't worry.

Did I remember to tell you Ben is my CLIMBER!

Paige is always looking for a way to get back in control of the water. I love how Avery and Payton always want to help her out.

Maybe it is a little too posed.

Ripe

Finally after days of rain and no sun we were pretty excited our strawberries turned red on Mothers Day. These were a gift my Mom sent last year when we were in Virginia and I was missing my mom's garden and strawberries. So a month or two ago I ran up to the in-laws and dug up a few and they are very happy here. Thanks mom. Oh and yes Ben just picked one that wasn't ripe yet.

summer tease

I have to say I LOVE goggle pictures. These are from Justin's first weekend back and we broke out the hip-n-hide and wading pool. I think since these pictures were taken we have had mostly overcast and chilly weather here. We were so excited for summer.

Easter

Here is a more pleasent blog. These are a few quick pictures from Easter, I am still trying to catch up.

Please stop bugging me

Well I have found one flaw in the old home that we can't say enough about. It has holes. OK so I am not sure but for a western kid to come here and meet my first Cockroach, this house must have holes. Now I consider myself a calm sort of person. I used to HATE spiders but really I feel like I have that under control and am proud of the way I have learned to a bare hand of foot to take care of one before it gets away and multiplies. Well I think I have a new phobia. Roaches.
Now I feel like for those who may be like me, and didn't really ever know one before, I should explain a little about them. Well in the way it is portrayed in cartoons the guy with the swelled head was the super intelligent one. I feel like when I see these guys the bigger the antenna the smarter they are. Like they have some super bug sense that they can read your mind. Seriously. The family that lives in this house have HUGE flowing antenna or feelers like on Wall-e. All I ever heard is that they are hard to kill, and they are gross. I will admit to both of these stereo types. I will also add they they are ugly and fast as lightning.
So the first one I meet was a few weeks ago as I was sitting on the bed talking to my hubby one evening when I notice something new basking in the middle of the floor. I thought it was a toy the kids left but was surprised it was a large brown bug. Sleeping on the floor so I casually started walking away but decided maybe I should just smash it. So all I did was turn my head and that little bugger speed to the wall and under the base molding. I was shocked and scared by his quickness and ran to the basement for the bug spray I had picked up just in case. I sprayed along the base molding and made a perimeter so he couldn't come back on the floor or he would touch this stuff and die. Well just when my hair started to lay back down and I am about to head back to my bed he makes a mad dash up the wall and into the chair rail molding. So I grab that spray and decided to soak him through the molding. It must have started getting to him so he flopped out of the molding and landed on the floor beyond the perimeter I had set up before. Then he decided to attack my base, he headed for the bed. Boy was that the last straw. Even if this bug spray has no effect on him I sprayed him until he was drowning. The race was over.
The next was a fun surprise behind the mirror medicine cabinet, but the one yesterday ended all my safe happy feelings. Just before I stepped into the shower something caught my eye. Then I noticed the nasty little guy poke his head out from behind the door and wink at me. Not just one but three times he peered around the door and made eye contact. Luckily Justin found the bugger when he got home in the evening but now I know I am never safe. I used to like Wall-e and thought his little friend was cute. NO WAY, No More. Down with the Roaches. Ours are not as big as the picture (Thank Heavens!!)
But if anyone knows good tactics for taking care of them let me know. THIS MEANS WAR!