Happy 15th !

Sahara, Jared and I went to the movies for Sahara's b-day this year. No party, no cake. It was a very different year. Canyon stayed at Mila's because the movie Sahara wanted to see was too scary for him. Jared does not do scary movies at all so it took a lot of talking him into it and I haven't been since I was 20ish.

The Last Exorcism

In the theater waiting for the movie to start. Save your money (not that anyone was going to go see this anyway)

Out to dinner at Brangus looking at the menu.

For some reason Sahara hands the money to Jared. Did I not teach her anything???

Thank you Grandma.

And the check too??!! Thank you Grandpa.

Jared stuffs himself with peanuts. Look at Sahara's face :)

A credit card from Nana and Papa! Thanks! Looks like shes gonna hold on to that!

One from Aunt Kristy too! Thank you!

Plus a couple of nice American Eagle shirts! Thank you!

Jared's turn :)

His actual birthday is in May, days after we met him. So we blew it off back then. Now that hes a regular around here, we decided to make it up :)

Gift card to Game Stop.

He reads his card! Wow!

Awwww!

Sahara didn't have anything to do with the picture. If she had known I was doing that, she wouldn't have let me because she would have found something wrong with EVERY picture of herself. It's actually a beautiful shot. And he loves it!

Canyon enjoying his corn on the cob.

All the waitresses came to do a b-day song for the 2 of them. Sahara said she was embarrassed but Jared said he wasn't. The picture tells a different story :)

Spoon feeding each other Possum Pie.

FAIL!

After dinner we went to Hastings and got Clash of the Titans and watched that at home. That about rounds out the night.

:)

Jared came over today with a gift for Sahara.

Ed Hardy Cologne :)

(oh, and she is wearing the other Aunt Kristy shirt)

I survived!

My first online assignment (well I got it turned in and posted on the website correctly and on time anyway) and my first campus class! GO ME !!!

Foos' ball

The season is getting started and we went to Jared and Jordan's scrimmage with Two Rivers and Russellville this evening. Humidity is down so it was hot, but manageable.

Jared and Jordan play for the Sand Lizards.

Jordan 50 Jared 14

Random pictures with Jared.

Braces

Sahara has a full set in her mouth now. :) So, with hope, she will be corrected and have them off in time for Senior pictures!

Pool fixed....

.....sort of. Got the new filter up and running and after 3 days it's mostly cleared up. I will have to take test water in to see if more salt is needed. But it is swimable now.

Why do I bother ?

I guess spending $500 on a pool this summer was a total waste of money. No one really swims much. Chlorine is very expensive. I bought the saltwater system and salt but all the system does is beep at me and I now have pea soup. I dont know if the system will continue to work if it is beeping, but I left it on and will see in the morning. I think I may just be draining and tossing the whole thing. Buying season passes at the local pool would have been a whole lot cheaper....even if they never got used. :( :( :(

First Day !

Sahara was not at all looking forward to school since she is in the high school this year. But after the first day she was ok. Canyon was not wanting to get up at 6:15 in the morning but was happy to wait for the bus :) Zach was at his house and since we have several 'first day' photos with him...we called over to him to come for a picture and he did before the bus came.

Canyon 6th - Zach 10th - Sahara 10th

Dallas Trip

We headed to Dallas on Thursday morning. All went well until we got to Dallas and they were doing major construction. We ended up missing our turn off somewhere and had to drive a completely different way then the directions I brought. Luckily when we got to a gas station, the people there were very nice and helped us out and got us on the right next 5 freeways to get to the hotel. The freeways there are INSANE!

We enjoyed the pool all to ourselves Thursday afternoon and Friday too! After that for the weekend a HUGE crew for a family reunion took over the place.

We also went to the mall Thursday night.

Then Friday we headed to the Dallas Aquarium. Direction were correct and we made it there with no problem.

Canyon got to feed a toucan!

There was a Mayan dance show.

The dancers were very nice and let us take as many pictures as we wanted.

Next stop was at Ripley's.

We went to the museum and the maze of mirrors. The maze was great! Video of the maze at the bottom.

Saturday was 6 Flags day! It was extremely hot! 110 and humid. Free ice water was given out all over the park. Canyon got heat stressed and had to be taken into one of the stores for about an hour to cool off. But that caused him to pretty much be done for the day.

Trying to get cool in the shade.

Zach was crazy enough to try this...The big hang from a wire and swing thing.

It was so scary to watch. He LOVED it.

Sahara's schedule

1st year in the high school....1st year with a locker

Her schedule:

1 PreAP Biology

2 Drivers Ed / P.E.

3 PreAP Art

4 English

5 Spanish 1

6 World History

7 Geometry

We assume they will feed her lunch somewhere in there, but we don't know when. I hope it's between 4th and 5th so she doesn't end up with 4 hard classes at the end of the day in a row. 2nd period is 1 semester each.

AHHHHH....

I guess I should have taken Jared up on mowing for me 2 days ago.....but nooooo. I had to do it this morning and did this:

Now I either get to spend $200 on a new filter ( the salt one I was planning to get next summer ) or put the pool up for the year. It's 105 out! We wanna swim!!

me this morning:

At first there is a loud rushing noise...and a million thoughts come flooding in. So fast I can't really make out or make sense of any of them. Then I say to myself, this isn't my bed. It's harder and colder. And my body aches. It's hurting more and more and more. Ok! Open your eyes, why does my body hurt? Why am I looking at a washing machine? On the.....ground? Tingling all over now and then back to normal. Yep! I passed out in the hall after I woke up this morning. I went back in my room to look at the clock because I was sure at least an hour went by. Nope, only 1 minute. Thats good. The feeling is so strange. I go to Sahara's room now laughing at what just happened. Shes awake and asks what that noise was. I told her the story. She said it sounded like Canyon had thrown one of his monster trucks at the wall. I'm surprised that I didnt split open my head. My thigh is bruised and my neck hurts. I'm such a dork. I never even felt it coming on. That was really strange.

finally...a vacation planned

The kids and I along with our neighbors, Mila and Zach will be heading to Dallas for a very end of the summer get-a-way. We will go to Dallas for a couple days and weather permitting go to Six Flags. Then its back home and work and school start the same week. Were did the summer go???

college...r u kiddin ???

Yep. I got signed up and will start my first 2 classes next month. 1 online and 1 at the campus. At this rate I will be in college for the next 12 years to get a 4 year degree. Oh joy! Sahara will probably be graduating from college before me.

Malaki and Sascha

Malaki is getting a lot more playful and Sascha a bit more tolerant of him.

(please excuse the mess on the floor...we had a BBQ last night and the house hadn't been restored from the mayhem yet)

Sascha 4 1/2 years ~ Malaki 8 1/2 weeks

Championship gamez

It was only about 5000 degrees out but we hit the ball fields.

We got there late because Canyon had a drs. appt. in Little Rock and it took forever. So we missed most of the first game, but Jared scored -we missed it! :[ - and they won! 7 - 0

Sahara and Jared between games.

Paige (Sahara's BFF) and Jordan (Jared's twin brother) between games

I don't know...maybe they are playing pattycake.

Sahara and Paige made shirts to support the team.

2nd Place. They totally bombed big time the second game, but all the players were in great spirits anyway. I think it ended up being 0 - 19 and towards the end they were all pretty much acting silly and switching up positions to try out different things for the fun of it. Their team even got the good sportsmanship award. Actually the team who got 1st were a little upset that the second place team were in such high spirits. I guess they wanted that 'rubbed in your face' victory.

Paige - Jordan - Jared - Sahara

After the game we went to IHOP with another teammate, his parents (the coach) and Jared and Jordan's mom. There were only 10 of us but our food took an hour!

Home at 1 am!

Baseball season is about over

And Sahara's favorite player got to pitch! Jared's team won against Sahara's school...it was hard to know who to cheer for :P The boyfriends team or classmates we have been cheering for - for the last 9 years...

Last games tomorrow...a double against Little Rock for STATE!!!!

GO TIGERS!!!

Malaki

Malaki 6 week and 4 days old.

Chloe and Malaki check each other out. Chloe does not take Malaki as a threat. Sascha does however. She will not get close to the pup, I think shes afraid she will get in trouble if it makes a sound or yelled at for being 'big' next to this itty bitty ragamuffin.

Malaki's first video ~ playing with a 1 1/2 half inch water ball. Too cute!

4th of July

Of course, living in the south, since the 4th of July falls on a Sunday, we have to celebrate on Saturday. So this evening we went to see the fireworks. Good, but not as great as years past.

Before that we went to Paige's house for a pool party.

Paige and Canyon. Yes Paige can swim and is a goof with her floaties!

Sahara poolside.

ANNNNNND.......

Happy Early Birthday to Sahara....

She got her Yorkie puppy.....

He is 6 weeks and 3 days old and got to come home with her today!!!

Prince Malaki

or just Malaki for short.

YAY! Russellville decided NOT to change the 4th to the 3rd so we got to see a free concert at the park and watch fireworks again. Much better show than last night. :)

Horse Camp

Sahara went to Bar J Ranch this past week. She was every much against going (mostly because she thought she would not be allowed to have her cell phone with her) but by the end of the first day....she LOVED it!! (they were allowed to have phone time mostly the last hour before lights out)

Penny - girls bunk mom.

Mary - Sahara's camp BFF.

Arizona - a rescue horse they got at the end of the week.

A bunch of camp kids filling up water balloons for their daily cooling down water fight.

Sahara waits for directions in the rodeo ring.

Getting ready for the rodeo.

The campers get a certificate after the rodeo. ( Sahara in back row in center)

Last picture of Sahara and Trooper together.

Trooper is a Red Roan Tennessee Walker.

Other fun things she got to do at camp were the zip line, water slide, smores, talent show, line dancing, herd cattle, and trail ride.

Entrance to the rodeo.

Hat Trick

Standing on Trooper!

Unsaddling Trooper for the last time.