Fair Time

I took the kids to the fair on Thursday, we got there about four and didn't leave until a quarter to eleven. We got there and went to do some looking around before the rides started up on the night time wrist ban. The first one we went to was the farm barn. Cody loves this barn, he loves to check out all the cows, look for chickens that poop out eggs and check out all the other farm stuff. Emily went around telling the different animals congrats on winning ribbons to any that had them above the cage, while Cody asked all the farmers what all the different things did. After that we went and got some dinner on the midway. Cody wanted pizza hut pizza and Emily picked the big foot long corn dog. After that we checked out the dog show for a bit, they thought the dog jump roping was so funny.
This dog was shown on Oprah one day. Once six hit we had our bans and we were riding rides. The first ride we did was the big giant slide, and finally Emily was big enough to ride alone. So up they both went to the top. Cody came down first followed by Emily and we were off after that.



Next was a new ride they had for kids,
then the kids did the air balloons. After that we moved to the big kid rides, Cody has begged me to let him do this ride you go straight up for about a minute then bam down in 3 seconds. He got off it and said "Mom my eyes were this big (then made circles over his eyes) can I go again. The photo I got of him coming down came out really dark for some reason so sorry its not that great.
I had him wait a minute and took them on Emily's favorite ride (after that drop ride he thought this one was very dull). Then for the rest of the night we rode big kid rides, we did the Thunder Bolt a few times, the tornado, tilt a whirl, ghost house, the dragon roller coaster, and many many more. The only ride the kids didn't like was the octopus. Toward the end of the night Emily rode the pony ride while Cody said he didn't want to. I was texting someone and some carnie dude comes up puts his hand over my phone and gets in my face. I asked him what was his problem and he pointed at a sign that says no photos. So i told him it was a text not a photo, then took a pic as he walked away, the photo sucked but its ok I wasn't going to take one anyways. After that Cody played a game (the one where they toss a dart at the balloons) and hit ever dart he had so he got a prize. Emily picked to have a caramel apple with sprinkles instead of a game. We had so much fun I wish we could go every day, even if we are still recovering from it. Here is just a couple random photos I took of the kids.

The perfect summer weekend

This weekend was one of those weekends you wish wouldn't end. The weather was perfect, the kids were in good moods and it was just a blast all weekend. The only down side was I somehow managed to delete my pictures off my camera so the ones I do have up to the concert are off the phone, so sorry for the bad quality of them. We started Saturday morning off by going to get the kids camp and time in Tennessee pictures developed (some of them are very good, others well lets just say I'm sure the people in Tennessee are glad I cant post them). While we were waiting for them to finish we went across the street to Home Depot, they were having some kind of craft thing for the kids to make. The kids loved making it and the best part was it was free. The project was to make these little message boards, so they got the aprons they are given when they received the kits. The first step was to hammer in some of the spots, holding the nail for a 6 year old who can hardly see over the table was one of my bravest moments of my life. After we got the hammering done it was time to screw in a few things. Then about 30 minutes later we had a message board, a certificate saying the did it right and a cute little pin they collect every time they go. It really was something right up Cody's alley. After that we got the pictures then headed up to the lake for some fun in the sun. We spent about 3 hours there and they were in and out of the water. They worked on a sand castle for about half the time, I wish I had the photo still it was very cute. They put little bushes, a mote and all kinds of details. Here is the couple pictures I took on my phone so I could have some updated stuff of them.

After we left the lake a friend of mine called us up to go see if we wanted to meet them at the park so off we went to enjoy some more sun. The kids had so much fun and they all played and played. After that we went to a concert they do here in town. Before it started they learned how to juggle, how to do fling these fire balls (without the fire) and sucked down some root beer floats. We then sat back and enjoyed the concert till the kids looked like they wanted to pass out. Sunday we got up and had a late start. I wasn't sure what we would end up doing so we just hoped in the car and drove. We took some back highways and the first stop was a site where back on Sept 13, 1877 the Nez Perce tribe and the Untied States Army lead by Samuel D Sturgis had a big fight for the land. It had some neat different items talking about it, here is the main one. After that we drove up toward Lockwood and found this park, it has to be the neatest park we have found yet here. The whole park was made out of wood and it was in the shape of a castle.
The kids had so much fun at it. After that we had a picnic lunch and then headed out toward Chief Plenty Coups State Park, however on the way out we found some nasty looking clouds so when we pulled over to look at another history site then we turned around and headed home. At that site we learned how Amos Bad Heart had drawn pictures of the Battle of the Little Big Horn many years after the battle, he was only seven years old when he watched it all happen. The photo in that link is one they have a copy of on the site. I am planning on taking the kids next Sunday to take the kids back out to the Chief Plenty Coups Park and really check it out. It was really a perfect weekend, one that makes me really not want summer (or the weekend) to end.

Birthday BBQ, Girlscout camp, day at the river and a baseball game

I haven't had a chance to update this for awhile so I figured I would get all three added at once. My birthday was last week and my aunt was heading back to Texas so we went and had a family get together. My sister made the cutest cake and my uncle did some BBQ hamburgers. Here are just a few pics of the night, we mostly just sat around and talked so not much to say with it.

Last weekend Emily had girl scout camp, we left Friday after work and didn't finish till Sunday. We got to Red Lodge and then somehow missed a big giant sign pointing us to ski road and ended up on this little tiny tons of turns road that lead to the top of a mountain. I have to say that is the scariest road I have ever drove on, but once we got to almost the top it was so pretty. We finally were able to get turned around and going back down was not easier. Once we got to camp we got checked in and got our cabin,

then it was time for dinner and campfire. The first night it was rainy so we had our campfire in the lodge and the older girls did skits and we all sang songs until it was bed time. Emily woke up at 5:30 the next morning so we went for a little walk to try and keep from waking up our cabin roommate. I thought it would be fun to walk down the road and check out the stream that was running down there. We take off and as we get towards the end of camp we hear something bark and howl and then see something black running though the forest at us, then it changed directions. Emily starts freaking out saying it was a wolf, I told her it was a guard dog for camp (inside I was also freaking out thinking it was a wolf). We went back to the shower cabin to take a shower before everyone else was up, then we found out the hot water didn't work, lets say it was a really fast shower. After that it was off to flags, breakfast, dishes and then our first activity. Emily picked campfire and knife safety. We learned a few different types of fire and how to build them, like the log cabin fire and a tea pee fire. Then they taught us how to use a knife safety and how to carve sticks and gave Emily a knife safety badge (cat was her camp name, mine was sunshine). After that we moved to jewelry making and made bracelets and earring's. Once we got that all done we had a little free time so we went down to the stream with a couple girls from Laural. Then went on a little hike with some of the girls in our group here in Billings and came across some old covered wagons, without the covers. There was some very pretty scenery so here is just a few random photo's of around camp.



After that was lunch and then we did tie die and candle making.
On Saturday night we were able to have our real camp fires and make smores,
this was Emily's favorite part of the camp. On Sunday it was our turn to do flags and Emily was in charge of the girl scout flag. Once we got them up it was time to eat and leave, it was only about 9:30 so we went up to this lake on the way home with one of Emily's friends and her mom.
It was so pretty I think I will take the kids up there another time this summer and go for a good hike. We then started to head home when I decided I wasn't ready to go yet, so we crashed the campsite of my Mom, her husband and Cody and spent the rest of the day on the river. Cody caught a 17.5 inch fish over the weekend, it was the biggest one fish and game had measured that day. Cody got a few other fish that day and Emily even got one. He also started tossing out the anchor on the boat, tie it off and pulling it up to shore.

I cant get over how much he is growing up on me. Tonight someone gave us some tickets for the Mustang game so we went and watched some of it. It started raining and I didn't plan well for clothes so we had to leave early, but the kids had so much fun.
Cody liked this guy because he could throw the ball so fast, Emily like this guy the best because he is so cute.
Its been such a fun week, I'm so not ready for summer to end.