Puddles

These "puddles" may not seem like much - and definitively don't compare to the rivers over flowing that Oregon has and gets... but here in our bubble - we'll take it. It has been so dry here in Colorado this year, that any moisture is welcome. Severance - and more specifically - our house seems to be in a bubble. it can be dark and dreary all around but sunny at our house.

Yesterday we got several rounds of heavy rain / hail. There is some more in the forecast for this weekend. These pictures are from this morning - so about 18 hours or so after the rain...

Cake for dinner...

Why not!?  Cake for breakfast is OK according to Papa and bill Cosby.

OK, so it wasn't actually cake. It was some kind of Bisquick speg sauce and meat casserole thingy. Yes that is the technical name for the recipe - or at least Kyler thought so. It actually wasn't too bad. The kids are catching on to my April Fools Day meals and can't be fooled as easily as previous years. (2009 - grilled cheese, 2010 - meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato frosting, and 2011- Colored breakfast for dinner). Bummer I didn't post pics of those on the blog.

Spring Break

Well, we made it. Steve and I survived a week (and 2 days) at home with the kids; and the kids survived a week (and 2 days) at home with mom and dad. I think everyone will be happy to go to school and work tomorrow morning. The weather was wonderful and we were able to get a lot done outside. The kids even managed to get a little sun kissed. In preparation for the return to school and work - the weather changed today. We had about a 40 degree difference between Sunday (83) and Monday (43)... gotta love Colorado.

Here are some pictures of what we did...

We played on the farm for our vacation. We worked and worked at trying to break the cows. Papa says that in 3 days they can be broke. Well, it took us longer than that. Daisy (the calf) was probably the easiest, then Copper (the oldest), followed by Moon (the pain in the butt). We could probably put a string around Diesel and lead him. He's by far the gentlest bull I've ever seen. Kyler was crawling and running all over the fences, gates, logs in his pen and he just ignores him. We bought him that way - Diesel, not Kyler. He's an awesome bull. The cows are doing better, we just have to keep working with them. It's going to take us awhile to get them to the way diesel is - but that is our goal.

Daisy  

Jake combing Diesel 

MaKenna feeding Copper

MaKenna walking Daisy

Moon

The kids really wanted a road trip - but instead settled for staying on the Farm. They were really good and understood that we just had to get some things done. Steve decided to get them Zip Line to keep them occupied while we worked around the property and with the cows. They had a great time.

Zip Line

Pure Trouble

We had gotten some individual pizza pans, so we figured with it being Spring Break and the weather being so nice that we would start Spring off with a Pizza Party. These are a couple pictures of the pizza the kids made. We have gotten this pizza making and baking down to perfection. The key to the fire is to start the fire the night before and then just let it go - without adding wood for about 6 hours before we cook. The key to great pizza (easy to get out of the pan) is Olive Oil and Cornmeal. The key to baking it rotating often (every 5 min for a large pizza and every 2 min for a small).

Pizza Party

Pizza Party

Steve loves to be outside and takes any opportunity he can to play on some kind of big boy toy. He got the dozer out of the garage and hooked it up to the manure spreader. (I guess the "ya never know" day really came.) He heard we were in for some snow/rain Monday (Today) so he made sure he got the property seeded. He spent all day Friday and Saturday driving back and forth... I'm sure he wishes he had a bigger drill seed, but we'll make do with what we have. We also wish daddy was out here to help and tell us what we're doing wrong.

Steve spreading seed (borrowed the tractor)

Dozer pulling the manure spreader

Beijing, China

Ok, Where to start. I hate it when I get behind on my blogging. I never know where to start. Do I post the most recent events and get caught up later or do I post the "past" and then eventually get to the "now", which will be the "past" when I get to it. Better yet, I could just ramble and make no sense. I think those few folks that look at this really only want pictures anyways, so here it goes.

A few pics from China...



In the Hotel Closet...

Method of application

(1) Take out the fire fighting filter type self-saving breather

(2) Tear at the packing bag of fire fighting filter type self-saving breather

(3) Wear helmet and pull contractive belt fast;

(4) Choose way and flee for your life decidedly.



Forbidden City



 

Forbidden City



Tienanmen Square



Tienanmen Square



HP - Beijing

Cool idea: Plug in the bathroom drawer

Happy Spring and everything else...

After reading both Laurie and Joleane's blogs about Spring, I thought I better get in on it too.  We have had gorgeous weather the last week or so. Mid to high 70's! Yes, that is correct - Colorado in March is wonderful.  This weekend (the beginning of Spring Break) is suppose to be in the 80's. Don't be fooled though - just as the blossoms start blooming we;ll get some snow and all the buds will freeze and we'll have to start over. 

HAPPY SPRING everyone.

Happy Birthday Grandma

Happy Anniversary Grandma & Grandpa

Happy Anniversary Joleane and James

Happy Birthday Daddy

Japan

If you had 3-4 weeks notice of a business trip to Japan and China - would you pack early? Would you be prepared? Would you be ready? or... would you wait until the night before and cram everything into a few short hours. I had great plans of being ready - instead here was my Thursday/Friday/Saturday:
Thursday -
6:00 AM: Get up, get ready, get kids off to school
7:45 AM: Get to work, go to meetings, get folks lined up to cover my meetings next week
3:00 PM: Leave work, stop by bank, gas station, and Papa Murphy's
3:30 PM: Head home - call Steve to get oven ready
3:45 PM: Get Home - throw pizza in oven, hug kids, enjoy the chaos of everyone talking about there day at the same time, smile because Jake is already dressed and ready to go
4:05 PM: pizza is ready; tell Jake to hurry - we need to leave soon, explain to Kyler and MaKenna why they can't go, promise I will see them before they go to bed.
4:25 PM: Leave with Jake, stop and pick up Jack (Jake's friend who is also in Choir)
4:45 PM: Get to the Eagles game (on time/early)... wait and wait and wait
5:05 PM: Choir teacher gets there (late), practice and sound check gets started, I go to the car and wait some more - start making my packing list and playing games on the Kindle.
6:30 PM: Go into the game
6:50 PM: Eagles Pregame starts (announce players, cheerleaders dance...)
7:00 PM: Color Guard and kids go out on the ice
7:15 PM: Song is done and Jake is up in the stands and asking to stay and for money
7:40 PM: I give in and let him stay - he'll come home with Mel, Tim, Chad, and Mike (Dee, Anya, Shane, Leanna, Hunter, Mike and Sandy were also there to watch him sing)
8:00 PM: I get home and visit with the other kids, get them to bed, sit down with my list - then remember i need to get Jake and MaKenna signed up for 4H... TONIGHT!
10:00 PM: 4H paperwork taken care of and delivered
10:15 PM: Start packing...
Friday
12:30 AM: Finish packing, decide to take a shower because I know I won't get up in the morning
1AM: Get to bed
2:30 AM: MaKenna comes in (afraid she won't see me before I leave so she crawls in bed)
4:00 AM: Alarm goes off (gives me a heart attack), get up & get ready
4:25 AM: Ride shows up and I'm out the door
4:27 AM: Back in the house for a coat (wasn't on my list)
5:30 AM: Return the rental car and wait for the shuttle
6:00 AM: Checked in and headed to security
7:40 AM: Board plane - taxi to runway, return to gate to drop of sick passenger (passed out I think I heard), back to runway
9AM: Take off (1 hour late)
11:45 AM MST / 12:25 PM PST: Land in San Francisco; make way to International Terminal
12:00 PM MST / 1PM PST: Board plane for Narita Japan
12:20 PM MST / 1:20 PM PST: Plane takes off... watch a couple movies, try to sleep, watch a couple more movies...
11:25 PM MST / Saturday 3:25 PM Japan Time: Arrive in Japan, go through immigration, pick up luggage, go through customs
Saturday
12:30 AM MST / 4:30 PM Japan Time: Get bus ticket and wait for bus
1:05 AM MST / 5:05 PM Japan Time: Get on bus and head for hotel
3:15 AM MST 7:15 PM Japan Time: Get to hotel - Check in
3:30 AM MST / 7:30 PM Japan Time: Get to room, put stuff away, meet team in lobby for "dinner"
4:45 AM MST / 8:45 PM Japan Time: Back to room - finally I can put my PJs on.

Traveling to Japan/Asia is about 24 hours from when I get up at home and then get to the hotel. Its a very long trip.

Now... if you suffered through all that long boring details, here are some pics from Japan.

Ginza Shopping District

Tokyo - Out the hotel window

Tokyo - Out the hotel window

Range View Choir

Generally "Choir" isn't a word that is used in sentence with our family. We are NOT a family of singers.  However, the kids' school has a 4th and 5th grade choir group. Jake wanted to join the group last year, but it conflicted with wrestling the 1st time and then scouts the 2nd time. Finally, he got his chance to join the Winter/Spring group. The highlight of the Winter/Spring group is singing the national anthem at an Eagles Hockey game.

Jake got his chance Thursday night. Here is a video (if i can get it to work) and some photos.