Hello? Is this thing on?

I'm a slacker, I admit it.  I won't even give excuses, I'll just make a new post and that's it (Ok Tyler??).  We have had a busy, busy summer so far.  Lots of traveling and swimming and playing with friends and going to camp.  Last week, Matt went to camp over in Medora.  It was Night Life camp again, so they slept during the day and stayed up at night.  He had lots of fun...he had a couple of friends there too.  He was super tired this weekend though!  Of course he wouldn't allow pics.  We came over to Jim's on Friday, it was New England's 125th anniversary and they had a lot of stuff going on.  Friday evening we went on a bus tour to the top of the East Rainy Butte.  It was really interesting, lots of indian lore and artifacts.  The tour guide was an archeologist and has studied the Rainy Buttes for many years.  Grace was terrified that the bus was going to go over the side of the butte (I have to admit, a few times I was too :) ).  I have pics to put on here, but for now it'll just have to be narrative because it's really hard to upload pics on Grandpa's computer :).  Saturday we went to the New England parade.  Grace saw her friend Paige there, Paige's grandparent live in New England.  It's funny because she just lives around the corner from us on Laredo Dr., and she was in Grace's class last year.  Small world!  Another small world...there were about 20 people on the bus tour, and 2 of them were college students from the University of Iowa. 

I took the kids to the pool Saturday afternoon, and Matt met up with his camp friend Connor.  Rich & Grace and Ben set up the tent in the afternoon too, and they all slept there last night.  G & B woke up and came inside at 5:15 am and plopped on the couch like they were all set to watch TV for the day.  Um, NO!  I made them go back to bed and I had to wake them up at 9:40 :).  Today Rich and Matt headed back East...Rich took Matt to his next camp 45 miles NW of Jamestown.  After a crazy event-filled trip (tornado warnings, guy whose car started smoking in front of Rich...R gave him a ride back to Bismarck, more tornado warnings), Rich got back home this evening.  Grandpa and I took Ben and Grace over to Medora camp this afternoon too.  They were SO excited, especially Grace!  She seriously couldn't wait to get there.  No separation anxiety there!  I'm staying at Jim's until Tuesday, when we go back to Medora to pick Grace up.  Ben's camp goes until Friday....Grandpa will pick him up and Grace and I will go pick Matt up on the other side of the state :).  Then I think we're done for awhile.  We'll go to Iowa City to take Tyler to college on August 18th, then Grace starts cheerleading practice on Aug. 23rd and school starts Aug 25th!  The summer has flown by. 

Busy busy week!

Yesterday was a crazy day.  Ben had his 5th grade all elementary school track meet at the Bismarck Community Bowl, which is where the high schools play football.  Rich and I went out for a little bit and saw him do the long jump.  Or foot jump in his case :) .  Oh well, he had fun!  He also ran the 400 relay and did the shotput.

After that, Ben had his final Guitar Club, and they did a little show for the parents.  I took a couple of videos with my camera, but so far I haven't figured out how to upload them.  You don't want to miss Ode To Joy :)!

Then in the evening, Matt had a choir concert.  It was a really long day!  Today Grace came out of school carrying a spruce tree.  Her Fire Prevention poster won for 2nd grade, and the tree was her prize!  Now to figure out where to plant it.

Rich and I got the accent wall painted this week.  I think it turned out really well!  Although Matt, Tyler, and Rich all mentioned how they thought it looked like Iowa State colors :P,

And while watering my flower boxes, I noticed this huge dragonfly clinging on for dear life.  It's body is so big...I've never seen one this big.  It almost looks like a small bird :).

I'm positive that next week will be much calmer, what with getting ready for graduation and all.....HAHAHA!

Tyler's Art Show

Tyler has some of his art in 2 art shows in town.  The first in the Juried Art Show at the Bismarck Art Center, which is where different pieces of art are hand selected from local high schools and are judged by an art professor from Minnesota State University in Moorhead.  There were about 100 different drawings, paintings, & sculpture on display at the Art Center.  Tyler's didn't win there, but it was a huge honor to even have something selected for the show.  His drawing is charcoal, and is titled "Emptiness".

The second show was at his high school.  It's the Bismarck Public Schools Spring Art Exhibit, and featured pieces from the public middle schools and high schools (there are 2 of them).  Tyler entered 3 of his things.  Art 1 and the middle school pieces were judged separately from the Art 2 & 3 pieces.  There were 3 big glass cases of Art 2 & 3 pieces, with probably 20 or so things in each case.  So out of 60-70 pieces of art maybe 8 won an Artistic Merit Award, and one of Tyler's won!!!!  He was so excited!  Here is his winning drawing...it's a charcoal drawing on pieced newspaper.  This one is called "Lies of Republicans"   :) .

These are the other two he had entered.  The first is a coffee painting...they used different strengths of coffee to paint with.  It's Gandhi.

And this one is of a mountain goat:

He also got a Presidential Education Award:

We're very proud!  And Kudos to Matthew Joseph for holding down the fort and making his brother and sister dinner....French Toast Sticks and Ramen, the dinner of champions!  :)

Matt's confirmation & the Blizzard Prom

We had a blizzard yesterday, Saturday April 30th.  It was so awful.  And Tyler's girlfriend Rachel and her Dad drove up from Iowa in it!  Bismarck's prom was yesterday.  The poor girls in their nice dresses and pretty hair!  It had stopped snowing by the time they left, but the wind was terrible.  Rachel didn't feel very well, but I think they still had a good time!

We told them to make a cold face LOL.  You can see the snow in the background!

Let's see your breath!  :)

And Matt got confirmed this morning in church.  He has a great mentor named Don who has been to every Wednesday evening Confirmation class to be with Matt.  He keeps a journal and writes about Matt often.  He's a really nice guy, and Matt was lucky to have him as a mentor this year.  This pic is from the Confirmation Banquet on Tuesday.

Rich and his goofy face :)

This morning before church

Don and Matt standing in front of the congregation being introduced

All of the kids

and the whole gang :)

Had to get a pic in the yard with the snow on May 1st :)

Spring?

I say that with a question mark because there are rumblings of snow on Saturday.  I'm really hoping for NOT...for one thing that is Prom day.  For another thing it's going to be April 30th.  Today was beautiful though, mid 60's and sunny!  The kids were outside all day playing and riding bikes.  They've had a 4 day weekend and Grace has been playing with our neighbor Madeline practically every minute, they are really good little buddies!

Yikes!  Ben has 4 legs :).



Swagbucks

Does anyone do this?  All you have to do is download the search bar and every time you search for something you can earn points.  I've gotten several Amazon $5 gift cards so far.  Pretty easy just to search for stuff!  If you want to start earning Swagbucks, just click on the banner over on the right
----->>>>>.  Simple!!

Our snow is almost gone, yay!!!!!!!  There are still a few big piles here and there, but I think we've turned the corner to spring.  The kids were outside all afternoon after school, riding bikes and playing.  So nice!  Our yard is full of gross snow mold though....it's on top of the grass and is moldy looking, yuk. 

Not looking forward to the government shut down.  Really hoping they can come to some sort of solution so we don't miss our next paycheck.  Stressful is the word I've been throwing about. 

No soccer games this weekend either...too chilly and the fields are still in terrible shape.  They're hoping for an April 19th start to the season.  We'll see!

Ankeny Prom 2011

Tyler went to Rachel's prom tonight!  They both looked very nice.  They took a limo with some friends and went out to eat, then to the Val-Air Ballroom for the dance, then back to AHS for After-Prom, then to Rachel's house where Rachel's parents are making everyone breakfast :).  We are heading back to ND bright and early, so poor Tyler will have to sleep in the car on the way home.