Grandchildren enjoying the Home Place

A month has gone by so quickly and my resolve the keep pictures posted has gone by the wayside.  Will try to get caught up!  On the 1st of July Beth and g'ma put eggs under a broody hen.  After 21 days some hatched, six survived.  When they were a few days old, Beth took them to school and told her class about the life cycle of chickens.  They had been studying life cycles in school, so that worked out great.  She also took the chicks to Nicks class to share with them as well.  She was able to answer most of the questions that were asked. 

Chicks and Beth ready for school

Beth and Nick attended summer school at West School for six weeks Monday through Thursday from 8am to 11:30.  Most days Dennis joined them for lunch.  .  Last day of school was the 29th of July.

The weather finally warmed up enough for us to sleep outside some nights.  Still sleeping in fleece PJ's, in the middle of July!

Trampoline fun in fleece PJ's.  This is July?

Quintin is learning new things every day and is a constant source of fun for us.  When you say "Let's go take a bath", he runs for the bathroom and bangs on the side of the tub.  He likes to jump on the big trampoline when he can be on by himself, but when the big kids are jumping, he jumps on the mini-tramp.  We are amazed that he can actually put a lot of air between his feet and the tramp.

Roman and Nick loving the water!

All the kids spend a lot of time playing on the tramp every day.  Great way for them to use up some of their never ending energy!  Beth, Nick and Dennis have learned new moves and skills.  They also enjoy putting the sprinkler under the tramp and jumping through the sprinkles.  Anything that involves getting wet seems to be popular!

On the 10th of July, Katie drove here to spend a week with the kids while we went to the Reber reunion in San Diego.  I hadn't told the kids she was coming, so they were super excited when she drove up.  She also brought their dog, Maile.  Hard to tell who they were more excited to see--their mom or Maile....

On the 9th of July Austin and Nathan came to help g'pa kill some chickens and a pair of guineas that had gotten very aggressive.  At first the kids were nervous about eating the "daddy chickens" but once they tasted the meat, they said it tasted just like chicken so they were OK with it.  We filled a lot of half pint jars with that good meat.

Beth and Meg enjoying their Barbies

Beth, Nick and Dennis have loved getting to know Meg and Roman.  They want them to come over every day.  They don't realize that Kristen and the kids have more to do than just come here and play.  We have tried to provide several opportunities for them to be together.  And they have enjoyed getting acquainted with and spending time with the other local cousins as well.   Treyse has been working as a PE helper during summer school, so Beth and Nick have been able to play with him nearly every day.  They love it when he gives them "high fives" or takes time to play basketball with them or sits with them at lunch.
While Katie was here she took the kids to the Wildlife Safari, to Winchester Bay, and to the Sutherlin Rodeo parade and rodeo.  Fun, Fun, Fun.  Sorry, no pictures!  Katie had to leave as soon as we got back from San Diego.  The kids hated to see her go and I know it was hard for her to leave them again. 

While Beth and Nick are in school, Grandpa and Dennis get to do some things together.  Dennis went in the pickup with g'pa and got two loads of wood.  He helped load, unload and stack the wood.  He also goes to the dump with g'pa.

Nick finally lost the 2nd top tooth.  It had been hanging by a thread for days.  I thought sure he would swallow it, but he didn't. 

G'pa mowed the tall grass in the big field on the 23rd.  The kids were all excited to be able to ride on the tractor and help cut the grass.  While walking over to the tractor, a big field mouse ran right between Nick's legs and over g'ma's foot.  Startled us both untill we realized what it was.  It was trying to escape the mower.

The day after g'pa mowed the grass, the kids help g'ma rake the loose hay into big piles and helped carry some of it into the chicken coop for new bedding for the chickens.  Smells nice and clean now and the chickens love having fresh hay to scratch in.

G'pa put up the hammock, now that the weather is nice and warm (HOT!).  We try to read part of a chapter book after lunch every day before the kids go down for rest time or naps. 

Tromp, Tromp, Tromp that hay!

One evening we took the kids to the Martineau Ranch to ride horses.  Of course they loved it and had so much fun.  For some reason we didn't get a picture of Dennis on the horses but he did ride and loved it.  He also enjoyed walking with the lead rope.  We remember taking Katie and Kristen there to ride horses.  Then Kiely, Haley, Randi and Tana, then the others as they came along.  Good memories spanning generations.

Feeding Freckles  and getting acquainted before saddling up.

Sherman is an old man now, but still likes the kids.

Beth on Freckles.

Dennis and Beth brushing Sherman before saddling up.

Dennis on the lead rope with Nick on Sherman

Nick on Freckles

Quintin on Freckles and not liking it so much, even with g'pa encouraging him.

The ward had a fun 24th celebration in the evening.  Hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings you can think of.  The kids decorated their bikes and there was a bike parade in the church parking lot.  Beth and Nick wanted to know if we were going to throw candy at them!  Steve Vincent brought his handcart and provided rides for the kids.  They loved that.  Beth joined in the watermelon eating contest.

Dennis working his way through a hot dog and cheetos.

g'pa and Quintin on the 24th

One day Kristen, Meg and Roman met us at West School and had lunch with the kids.  After lunch we changed into swim suits and went to Dale Walker's to swim in his pool.  The kids had a great time and g'ma even got in the water to convince Dennis that he was fun and that he wouldn't drown.  He thought it was too much water for him!

Pretty scary picture but it tells it like it is....

Nick and Roman warming up after a cool swim.

Meg loving the cool water on a hot day.

Dennis' new haircut.  I did clean it up a little better after the picture.

Bethany

Dennis trying out the new skates that Aunt Rachelle brought him.  I was surprized he could actually skate with them.  He really like going down the little slope from the front step to the driveway.

G'ma enjoying being outside with grandchildren.

Kristen, Dennis (Rachelle behind Dennis) and g'pa

Mr. Big Eyes

Nick and Quintin

Quintin on little bridge in front yard.

He thinks he's as big as his brothers.

Riding the trike with a little help from g'pa

Roman and Nick working on their "moves".

Meg and Beth enjoying time together.

On the 29th Kristen, Meg, Roman, Mikayla, G'ma, Beth and Nick went to Roseburg to see the BYU-Idaho dance group perform.  It was so awesome and the kids loved it.  Nick now wants to be a dancer and is practicing all the fancy footwork.  Rachelle was there when we got hom and had fixed sweet/sour chicken over rice for us.  YUM!  We all enjoy having her come to visit.

When the kids came on the 12th of June we measured everyone but Quintin.  He wasn't tall enough to reach the plastic measuring board.  We tried again this week and now he's on the board! I'm sure he's grown at least two inches since coming and gained several pounds.  At least he feels heavier.  Maybe I'm just getting weaker!  He is outgrown most of his clothes.  Beth too.  The jeans we got her when she first came are too tight now.

We've been learning some new songs that the kids can sing before prayer at night.  We've learned some of the old primary songs that aren't in the new book.  So far their favorite is "Jesus Once Was a Little Child".  Also like "Give Said the Little Stream".  Dennis' real favorite is "On Top of Spaghetti" but we sing that when we are sleeping outside, not at prayer time....Both Beth and Nick are getting good at reading the scriptures.  Nick knows a lot of words by sight and Beth can sound out most words that she doesn't know. 

On Monday Kristen, Meg, Roman, Beth, Nick and g'ma picked 75 pounds of blue berries.  The bushes were just loaded and so, so sweet.  Picking was the easy part.  Then you have to come home and wash and freeze them all.  We got 44 quart bags full besides what we ate fresh.  The kids loves eating the berries right off the bushes.

The baby chicks are getting feathers.  One escaped the pen and is gone--probably eaten by something, so we are down to five.  Beth especially enjoys caring for them.  She gathers the eggs every night as well.

We are down to our last week with the kids.  We will meet Katie and Simpson in Reno on the 10th.  They are marking off the days on the calendar.  They've had fun and so have we but it's time. 

Inside the chicken coop. Check out the Thanksgiving turkey in the background.

Nick napping in a storage tub

I have a new adventure just around the corner.  Costo is opening a new store in Roseburg and I've been hired for the grand opening August 12-14 to help with product demonstrations.  I'm excited about it and think it will be fun.  Sorta like working at the fair but actually getting paid.

The Douglas County Fair is this week.  Andrea and Colton have pigs in the market class.  Mikayla has one in the feeder class.  Hope to get there to see them, possibly on Thursday.

Nathan came and helped g'pa fall a couple of trees in the field.  Then they limbed them, cut them up for firewood, and stacked them to dry.   We really appreciate the older boys helping us out with those harder chores!