Summer Biking Highlights!

Hey guys, I though I'd post a few pics of biking highlights from this summer. I was able to sneak a ride into every trip this summer, Northstar, Downieville, and Gooseberry Mesa. All biking meccas! Yea, summer rocked!! Oh yea, and it was great to see everyone also.

Taking the lift up for another run at Northstar.

Brett making Downieville look easy.

There was an amazingly beautiful river of the side of the trail at Downieville, just don't look down too long or you'll end up in it. I'm sure the water would feel great, but bouncing down the 50 foot drop from the trail wouldn't.

A beautiful Labor day morning with my beautiful wife at Gooseberry Mesa. Thanks Kate and Clark for watching our kids so we could ride!

Carrie Rocking a climb!

The road back to the house we were staying at with Kate and Clark.

The deck that Rod built

Look at your man. Now look at this. Now back to your man. Now back to this. See this deck that my man built with his own bare hands? ...and several powertools and access to an awesome metal shop that ran the roof panels...

Rod got a new drill set out of this! His old one somehow wasn't good enough to do the job... But I think he did a great job! These pics I took aren't the greatest, but you get the idea. Notice the sandbox in the center, 3 panels come out so kiddos can play in it.

I want to have a little dinner party out here with paper lanterns and lights!

What we've been up to...

Well, for starters, we've sort of been creating a farm. Why? I have no idea, it's some strange, innate desire to be "living off the land" that I can't explain. So we have chickens, a bunny, and soon will have a pygmy goat. I feel like I have lots of pictures to post and update everyone on, but for starters, here's our Bunny! We call her Brownie...

This is her "station". It's not a cage, because there's open sides, but it has her litter box, food, water, and a little loft. It fits right under the girls' project desk, so it's out of the way.

And I made this all myself! Busted out Rod's circular saw and did it! Sketched it out, bought a little wood, and did it. It was fun, and a learning experience!

She's a "house rabbit". She's litter box trained and just hops around the house. She goes outside if she wants to, but prefers to be whereever people are. She'll lounge under the kitchen table, sit and watch the girls play, and follow me around the house. She even comes when Rod calls. I'll admit it: we're kinda loving this bunny. She's super social with the girls, and eats veggies from their hands. I think it's so fun for them!

More posts to come: Rod's deck that he finished quite awhile ago but I never posted a picture of it, the chicken coop Rod's building, Caitlin's school, our trip to Benicia, and going to Rockville with Kate and Clark!

Also...next girls trip need to become an item of discussion! I'm thinking spring break, we go up to Brookes, hang out, then go to the coast up there! What do you guys think?

I totally forgot to take the First Day of School picture. I think I was just so excited to get them to school! (I'm not the 'cry when my child goes to school' type...is that wrong?) Anyway, this picture is school day #2. Audrey was adamant about wearing her Giants hat, I'm not sure why since she's never wanted to wear it before. The night before school started, we were saying family prayers and when we were done Cam got up and said his forehead hurt. You can see in the picture that he has a big red thing on his forehead. Yeah, he gave himself a huge rugburn while we were saying prayers. I'm so glad school pictures aren't til next month! Devon looks thrilled to be going to school. I gues he's at the age where he needs to not only say he hates school, but complete the look also. He actually is enjoying school, I think. He's making some friends, has a great teacher and so far doesn't feel overwhelmed with the work load. We learned from last year that if he can keep organized he is much more successful, so he's been staying on top of that. A lot of that has to do with having his own room, I think.

So, do you wonder what I do now that I only have Alex at home? Feast your eyes on this:

I realize that perhaps I should be a bit embarassed by this, but yes, I spent a good part of my morning the other day creating this luxurious cat bed for Scully. I used my old bathrobe that I think Troy would have burned if I put it on again. Yes, it is frumpy, yes I wore it A LOT the last couple years, and yes, I did love it. I feel good knowing it went to a good cause, making my Scully (who is 12 now, by the way) comfortable :)

Do you wonder what Alex does all day? He drives. He finds CD's and uses them as steering wheels around the house. Notice how well he backs up :) Sometimes he wants me to hold onto his shirt and be the 'trailer'

HaPPy BiRthDay to tHe 'RentS

Happy Birthdays Mom and Dad!!! We love you! We love you because you both are kind, patient, funny, giving, hard working, smart, happy, and great examples to us!!!...oh and because you gave us life. :)

California Dreamin...

I think I'm getting over re-entry and am starting to accept my real life again. It was just so fun to visit mom and dad and have the Lambournes and Em around! It's hard to come to realization that it's just 'me and the kids' again. :) We had such a fun time. Our whole summer has been a blast between visits from Troy's siblings, going to Spokane and then Benicia. When the boys started griping about how bored they were other day, I made them make a list of all the stuff they did this summer, and told them that it was okay to be be bored sometimes. We sure fit a lot of stuff in between moving and school starting: waterfalls, visits from cousins, Portland, Chuck E Cheese, Spokane Indians games, movies, a baptism (followed by Old Country Buffet, always a family favorite!), swimming, candy store, dollar store, glass beach, Grandma Gublers, Fun House (reference to the aweseomly yummy and entertaining house that em & brett bbsat), rafting, Pixieland, Princess Garden, Peddlars Fair (I mean yard sales), boys campout, library, beach, Giants game, visit with old friends in Fall River, big slide park, John Muir Woods, ice cream, Audrey, Alex's, Cam's bday, Mariners game.... Yeah, I told them I don't feel sorry for them being bored. These pictures are out of order, and I have more to come.

The girls poses are hilarious!

Glass Beach

Giant's game

On the way down from Wa to Benicia, mom couldn't stand my dirty windows. She obviously took great pleasure in cleaning them!

Father/Son campout. I LOVE those! Me, mom and Audrey went out to dinner and to the dollar store.

Troy tasked the boys with cleaning the massive tank. Troy is going to be buried in this thing. I think that would be a nice resting place for him in about 50 years.

Homemade blackberry pie. Love fresh berries, picked by us!

Happy Birthday Alex!

Best Birthday gift ever. $2 D.I.

Caitlin to Lizzie: "Lizzie, we'd better be nice at Grandma's. If we're not, she'll get out her spanking spoon."