CAMPING!!!

Adam and I always want to go camping during the summer time, but rarely get to. Our summer is always so busy with Utah trips and Adam's young men activities. We decided since the weather has still been nice here (in the upper eighties and nineties) that we would take advantage and go. I'm just getting around to posting these. We went with our good friends the Taylor's.

Gabe loved every minute. I took a million pictures of course. I couldn't help myself-it was her first official mountain campout. The first five minutes in, she was caked in dirt. It took her some practice to walk the uneven ground. She fell a lot, which made me nervous she was going to slam her head on a rock. She came close a few times.

Adam told me he was going to take Gabe on a walk to see some animals. I told him to turn around. We were constantly visited by deer in our campground. They were actually very tame. They get fed a lot I guess. We didn't feed them anything-not wanting to give them something that wasn't good for them.

Gabe throwing a fit we wouldn't let her touch it. As tame as they were we didn't know how they would react. We didn't want her fingers nibbled.

Our yummy dinner

Once the girls were asleep we broke out the smores.

Daddy showing Gabe how to warm up by the fire in the crisp morning. She got to cook her own smore as well.

We wanted to see how close they would let us get. No zoom here, I stuck my camera right in it's face. It didn't even budge. Danielle displayed how close she could get. It got to the point the deer were trying to follow us into our tents, and they wouldn't leave.

Gabe loved exploring

The next day we spent the day fishing down at the water. The boys headed down after a yummy breakfast and we waited for the girls to nap. When they woke, we hauled all this down to the lake:

Matt came to the rescue and helped us haul the kyak the rest of the way down. Meanwhile Adam claimed he was in the middle of catching a big fish. When we got down to the water it was no where to be seen. Come to find out it floated away.

Adam went to go get it to prove he did in fact actually catch one.

Gabe loved playing by the water until she fell in. She was cold and cuddled the rest of the time.

I'm glad we got to go. We had a blast. Thanks Taylor's!

Cheap Entertainment

Not just entertaining for the dog.....

Just Another Manic Monday

It's about half way through my day and I have already faced:

-Black Marker all over my carpet and fireplace. Can't get it off the stone. (any super cleaner I should be aware of?)

-All of my newly folded laundry, unfolded. It was like four loads of wash that I've not been looking forward to folding.

-All of Gabe's stuffed animals got a bath in Greta's water dish.

-Greta vomit on my dry clean only comforter-no money to dry clean

-Chocolate hand prints on my clean sheets on the bed.

-A new toilet paper roll all the way unrolled on the floor.

-A bunch of pages ripped out of a bunch of her books.

-I've fished out a coin, a magnet, and dryer lint from Gabe's mouth.

WHAT IS GOING ON TODAY!!???

Phew. Keeping up with my child is proving to be challenging. I was enjoying her independence. I am now afraid to let her out of my sight. It's a good thing she's cute.

Reno Air Balloon Races

Another annual thing in our area is the Hot Air Balloon Races. It goes all weekend long with different events. (Every September) This is our second year going. Gabe is an early riser, so it was easy to get ourselves out of bed to go. We didn't make it to the glow show (they launch in the dark and have lights in the balloons so they glow), but we went to the normal ballon launch on Saturday morning. (6:45 a.m. is the launch time) They launch around 100 hot air balloons. You don't have to watch from far away. You can stand right next to them. It's really very cool, especially if you are a kid. I don't think Gabe stopped pointing. They have the balloons race to land in certain spots. Or they play certain games having to throw bean bags from the air to hit certain things. They have all kinds of things you can stay and watch all day if you want. We stick to the launch. Here are some of the fun pictures. Excuse Gabe's hat hair and our "we had an early morning" look. Another fun event anyone of you is invited to attend next year with us.

They all start flat on the ground on tarps.

The airplanes fly over signaling it's time to launch.

Close enough to touch. We had to move our blanket for this one, cause it was expanding into us.

Gabe was happy yo be there, and oohed and awwed.

Gabe clapping along with everyone when they get one blown up and into the air.

Our attempts at family shots. Not the best, but hard to be picky when you ask a stranger to take your picture. We couldn't get Gabe to smile, she was too distracted. We were lucky if we could get her to look at the camera.

A lot of companies are sponsors for the balloons. There was also a few random shaped ones- bees, energizer bunny, wells fargo coach, etc. I like the checkered ones myself.

Helper Around the House

Gabe's newest thing is helping mommy with the chores. She cries if I load the washer or dryer without her. She takes her dirty diapers out to the bin in the garage. She wants to help sweep, mop, and wipe windows. When I vacuum she either helps push it, or goes and gets her own toy vacuum to help. The girl even helps weed. I figure I had better enjoy it while she's willing. HA. hopefully it gets her into some good habits.

We're trying to teach her the concept of sharing. At least she's doing it with someone-

Still into everything, including my stylish shower cap

She even does my work out videos with me. She does jumping jacks, push ups, and lift weights.

This is her push up

I lover her random day to day things that bring a smile to my face.