Fourth of July Fun

This year, my parents and my younger sisters kids came to Kansas for the weekend. The weather cooperated for once and stayed below 100! We tried to pack as much simple country fun as we could into one day. We started with pond fishing - I think if we had gone frogging instead we would've had dinner. As it was, Papa was the only one to actually catch anything - and it wasn't even snack size!



On the way home - a whole 1/2 mile - the kids got their first driving lesson from Uncle Daren. We all made it home in one piece so they did pretty good!



After lunch, it was time to do "chores". Some friends of ours had gone out of town for the weekend and asked us to take care of their animals. With helping hands from Alissa and Cassey, the kids got to feed the cows, a rabbit and a couple of fish.





After all that hard work, Grandma decided it was time for a DQ break!
Then we headed back home for some daytime fireworks. The kids chased several parachutes off into the wheat field behind the house. They tried to light the "snakes" outside but couldn't keep the flame going long enough. After several tries, they moved into the shop and all worked well.



After supper, we made s'mores. After all, what is the 4th of July with them?





When it was dark, the kids let off some night works and to finish out the day, Uncle Daren took some of us on a lightening bug expedition. Jake and Sierra, never having seen bugs that glow, were awe struck. Until it was mentioned that their butts glow because they are talking to each other - then it was just funny!

Fun In The Sun

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous! We decided to spend the afternoon out at the lake. The water was cold enough that wading in above ankle depth caused ice cream headaches, but the sand was warm. We walked out along the edge of the lake. Daren was the only one wearing shoes so Alissa and I had to maneuver around sticks standing up out of the sand, goose poop, and ankle sucking "quick sand". But seriously, what is the point of going to the beach if you're going to wear shoes anyway? Alissa was collecting clam shells to put in her gold fish pond at the house - ya know, the one that doesn't have any gold fish? After the first few, I noticed that she would try to use her fingernail to flip the shell over then very quickly retract her hand. "What are you doing?" I asked. She replied, "I don't want to get bit." Umm....last I checked, clams don't have teeth. I guess on Spongebob the clams snap fingers. I didn't realize this was going to turn into a biology lesson. After I explained that real clams don't snap like cartoon clams, we were good and the going got faster.

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Then we came across a beaver den - first in the wild for me - and Alissa was all set to climb in the hole. Let me get this straight....You're afraid of getting "bit" by a clam that is probably just an empty shell anyway but you're ok with wild beavers?? Who raised you?! Daren and I talked her out of going in the den and moved on down the beach.

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We did come across one live clam that she decided to name Bob "The Clam" McSquizzy....don't ask because I don't know where she comes up with this stuff. She also found a tiny shell and started asking about the reproductive processes of the clam. What?! How am I supposed to know this stuff? I just dissected one in High School and know they taste good in soup! We walked probably about a mile and a half along the beach. Then decided to turn around to head back to the truck. Tell me this...Why does it always seem to take sooo much longer to go back than it does to head out?? About half way back, I swear the temperature dropped 15 degrees and the wind started to blow. By the time we got back to the truck, it was sprinkling. All in all, it was a great day and I can't wait to go back! Even if Alissa is STILL whining about her toe!! :) (Read her blog to see more!)

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The Chicken Shirt

Those of you who know my husband will understand this story best. His attention span is...well...non-existant unless it has to do with hunting, cars, dogs...you know, the things that he likes. He also has a bad habit of not paying attention to the weather. Last September, we went to the state fair. Alissa and I dressed in layers because it was cool in the morning but I also realize how hot it can be walking around in the sun all day. Daren, on the other hand, didn't think or listen to me. He wore a black sweatshirt with a dark green fleece pullover. This is NOT how you dress in layers in September, in Kansas! Underneath the Grandstand at the fair there are vendors that sell t-shirts. After MUCH discussion and looking, he finally decided to buy a shirt that I think fits his personality perfectly. He had not worn that shirt since the state fair. Now, this past weekend, I'm not sure how we got onto the subject but I was telling our dinner friends about said shirt. Daren walked in and said he had no idea what I was talking about. It actually turned into quite the heated "discussion". He swore that he never purchased "The Chicken Shirt". So for backup I called Alissa into the room and asked her what Dad's chicken shirt said. She recited it, word for word and proceeded to say that it was the funniest shirt she had seen that day. STILL - he swore he didn't know what we were talking about. Then last night, after I decided we needed some ice cream, he changed out of his work clothes and guess what he was wearing?! "THE CHICKEN SHIRT"!!! So, I WAS Right, as usual! And I have proof this time!