another mod podge of photos and such

As you can see I am trying to get caught up. I have still so much to blog about. I am excited for you to see the pictures from our field trip to Kentucky Down Under. And I have pictures of Greg and me with our Halloween costumes.

Here is a mod podge of pictures I took on various days.

The boys sold popcorn at a nearby Lowes. And when they were finished everyone needed to try out the tractors.

I had a day where we would have no TV and no PC for the day until 4:00 when their favorite show came on. It was one of the hardest days ever! It took them 10 times longer to get their homework done than on days I let them watch TV for breaks. I have to admit it wasn't worth it!

So early in the morning when they woke up. Aussie was crying in his bed because he couldn't play gamecube. I tried to keep them busy with fun activities. We made pyramids out of sugar cubes.

Mason was still asleep when we began, but when he woke up he didn't want to make his own. He only wanted to help Ashley.

They did enjoy this. Thank goodness!

They tried to race who would get done first. However Aussies was quite a bit bigger than the other one, so it took longer to build.

I thought this was funny. Ashley built a hopscotch next to her pyramid.

Sometimes I even make them do homework at McDonalds.
Aussie is my French Fry lovin' machine!

A couple weeks ago Greg wanted to go to a concert. The group was having a pre-show at a little art house. The group is called Venus Hum. Greg loves their songs. I on the otherhand am not that excited over them. Greg burned a CD for Ashley and Mason to listen to and they love to sing along. So Greg asked me to bring the kids to the art house.

Ashley got the lead singer's autograph. But Mommy was the hero of the day. I took this photo immediately over to Walgreens and enlarged it to an 8x10. Then I brought it back and Annette the singer signed the photo for Ashley. Ashley has it next to her bed.

*

*

During the singing, Aussie asked me for some paper. I told him I had some in the car and we walked out to get some after a song. Austin doesn't like much music but he was so considerate of me. He said, "Mom I don't want you to have to miss any of the songs." I leaned over and whispered, "I don't like them either." We both smiled, got the paper and went back in.

*

*

When the pre-show was over, we walked outside and Aussie said, Well Mom we lived through it! I don't remember the exact wording. It seemed like it was even funnier than that.

State Fair Part 2

I'm hoping that the saying "a picture tells a 1000 words" is accurate, because I really don't have time to blog. But I did want to get the rest of these pictures on here. These were taken with my phone camera.

Pig race

Aussie climbed the wall again.
He kept going and going, until the guy had to take him off.

The BMX show was the coolest thing!

The kids got their autographs.

This guy made this glass moose for Mason right in front of us. Now one of the 6 or 7 jobs Mason wants to do when he grows up is to be a glass maker.

The petting zoo was fabulous!

This is a Zedonk

A very little full grown pony.

These goats would eat the food before you could get it out of the machine.

Aw! So tiny and so cute!







Austin got hurt and needed a band-aid. We saw a booth where police men were getting fingerprints for kids. I asked them if they had a band-aid or if they knew where I could get one. One of the policemen made a call and soon a policeman on a horse came to the rescue with a band-aid.

Is Mason trying to rope the bull or Ashley?

A butterfly landed close by and I picked it up.

Then I let Aussie hold it.

Camping

My sweet boys went on their first camping trip last weekend.

Greg was quite nervous not having camped before, but he thought it was something a Dad should do with his sons.

*

*
I actually wanted to go. It was a family thing, but the boys requested it just be them and Dad.

*

*

We changed to a different boy scout group and we like it much better! They are much more organized. The other group didn't have many volunteers, so it was required that the parents do much of the planning and organizing and teaching. They were really pushing me to go get training to be a den leader. Not fun pushing either, more like expected pushing. I am much too busy for that and I was getting really stressed!

*

*

So Saturday morning I took Mason and Ashley out to the campsite. I set up their tent and beds and got everything in order.

I took Ashley and Mason around to a few activities until Aussie could show up.

I love my Mom! Isn't that the sweetest thing?

Aussie had Chinese class in the morning. He loves it and he is doing so well! He is getting 100's on all of his work. He really strives to be the best!

When Daddy showed up with Aussie, it was time for Ashley and me to leave. I handed Dad the camera. I was so sad to miss out on this first time experience.
They got to do archery.

And they got to shoot BB guns (and Greg didn't get any pictures of that- phooey)!

Greg said the cooking was a bit tricky. The boys ate hot dogs for dinner and he ate a cheeseburger.

I bought a blow up mattress for Greg. It was actually 2 twins that could be put together to make a king size bed or double stacked to make a more comfortable twin. I set it up as the "king size". However, Greg was in the middle of the boys. So he was wedged down in between the 2 mattresses.

The boys slept just fine. Greg said it was the longest night he has ever had. It was cold and he worried that the boys would freeze.

In the morning, I pre-measured all the stuff to make chocolate chip pancakes. I think they were a hit! A little Spanish speaking girl looked longingly at them. Greg asked her if she wanted one and her Mom was saying to leave them alone, don't eat their food. So she still just looked longingly. Greg asked again and she said, "si si".

OH yum chocolate chip pancakes and bacon.

Well both Greg and I were envious of the other's role. Greg having not camped before, probably would have rather stayed home with the whiny girl who didn't get to go camping. And I would have rather done all the fun activities and spent the night in the tent.

However, I would have not been as cool as Daddy picking up the walking stick.

*

*

I just found out tonight about another camping trip in December, but winter camping doesn't sound as fun to me. I think we will pass on that one!