Fourth of July: Day 1

Warning!!

There will be too many pictures for 99% of you. And for you Grandma's, you may even get bored too. I am sorry, but it is my blog and I'll upload if I want to...

Day One of the Extravaganza: THE CHICKEN BBQ

Day one started with a 3 hour drive to Neola, which if you don't know, is the hub of all things patriotic. If you don't believe me, then you are stupid. I am just saying, it is sooo awesome! There is something to do from morning until even', all with a down-home country feel, full of good ole america love.

When I arrived in Neola (or as Todd calls it, "the Areola"), it was time for the chicken bbq. This is my freakish family's idea of fun. Service with a smile. Kind of silly. They spend all day cooking 900 halves of chicken to serve up for the hungry folk of Neola. 900 halves of chicken! That is 450 chickens! Gone from this earth, for one little towns bbq. My parents have done this for approximately 30 years with nothing to show for it except calloused hands and stooped shoulders.. Of course, I am kidding. They did it because they love the little areola town and all of the inhabitants.

Anywho... this year is the LAST year! My parents are retiring from the "community service" and going to hang up their patriotic hats. So, I had to get lots of pictures because this is truly THE END OF AN ERA! I have no idea what we are going to do with all of our free time around the 4th... Whatever it is, I can almost guarantee, it will not involve chicken.

Tanner helped my brothers cook over the open pits all afternoon. Those pits have seen thousands of chickens meet their maker. They look like it too. We should send those suckers to the Smithsonian.

Had a grand time, chilling with all my loved ones and friends from yesteryear. Ate my fill of chicken and drank some rootbeer and then it was time for the EVENT OF ALL EVENTS!!

THE KIDS RODEO!!

Blake, Sadie and Sai-ready to enter the arena

The kids rodeo is a little thing I like to call, "A parents worst nightmare". It is when you pay money to let your kids go into the arena and chase little animals around. And if by some small measure of bad luck they actually catch a critter, it becomes your property automatically. No, you can't put it back. You must take it and love it and nuture it and feed it, until you are hungry one winter day, and then you must kill it and butcher it and cook it and eat it. Sooo, every year I don't want to partake, but every year one or two of my children look at me with those eyes and... it is all over. I rush to buy them the tickets to catch an animal that I know I don't want. And because my husband has practiced with them for years, my kids usually catch something. SUPER! Well, this year was no exception.

Sadie with Midnight and Sai with the victim of next years bbq

Sadie caught a gorgeous little flop-earred bunny we promptly named Midnight. Then it was Luke's turn.

I sent a prayer heaven-ward and crossed all digits and waited by the fence to see if prayers really are answered. And the answer is NO! They are NOT! Not only did Luke catch an animal, but it is an animal that both he and Sadie have been begging me for. A kitten. That's right. A freakin' kitten. Who puts a kitten in with a bunch of chickens, bunnies and ducks? I think it may have been Satan. Luke would not be denied this gift from the lord of the underworld..

"Mom, can I keep him? Can he be my very own? Can he sleep with me? What should I name him?"

So, I called my dear husband who was in the middle of hell (the ER) trying to save a few of Lucifer's minions (patients). He informed me in no uncertain terms that neither Midnight or Oreo (the kitten) were allowed to come home with us. In fact, his exact words were this, spoken in a very lovely, hushed tone..

"I swear I will pack my own bags and leave if you bring any animals home with you!"

Before I had a chance to break the news to Sadie and Luke, Luke had a severe allergic reaction to the kitty!

Prayers are answered after all. As much as I didn't want a kitty, I was sad to see Luke's broken heart when he realized we couldn't take him home. Stupid Satan and his stupid kid's rodeo organizers.

Praise be to Heaven that Luke and Sadie have a Grandma and Grandpa Farm.

Every year, after the kids rodeo, Grandma and Grandpa inherit the booty from the animal chase.

Sometimes it is 3 or 4 chickens. We have had several bunnies over the years. We have even had a couple of years of pigs. But this is the year of the rodeo kitty, Oreo.

Blessed be Grandma and Grandpa.

Thanks for all of the memories of chicken, both alive and dead.

We love you and our 4th of July traditions.

Boulder Trail Adventure

Had a grand hike with the family a week or so ago. All except for-

Luke falling in the river and then...

we decided to take a short cut...

which caused us to become lost...

shortcut was really a LONGcut which took us up a very steep & muddy hill side...

covered in undergrowth and bushes and fallen trees...

which tripped me...

which caused bleeding and cursing...

which also caused Maddie to laugh at me..

which resulted in me getting slightly hysterical...

and almost peeing my pants...

And during this drama, Sadie is sitting on the hill above me shouting,

"Mom! Hewp! A spido is toming towords me! Hewp! Hewp, Mom!! A spido!!"

(translation, "mom, help. a spider is coming towards me. help. help, mom. a spider!")

Luke shaking his groove thing

Stolen Recipe from Amy: CHILE CHEESE FRITO SALAD

Chile Cheese Frito Salad:

3 (14 oz.) cans of corn, drained

1/4 of a red pepper, diced

1/4 green pepper, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 (9 1/4 oz) bag of chili cheese fritos

Combine corn, peppers,onion, cheese, and mayo in a bowl.

Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Just before serving mix in the fritos. I save about a handful to sprinkle on the top. I also added a little tried parsley for the picture.Enjoy and eat it all because it’s not good as leftover. The fritos get too soggy.

***Sorry Amy. I copied and pasted your recipe. It just looked so good and I wanted to be able to access it FOREVER! XOXOXO***

Addendum: Just tried it.. LOVED IT! I put cilantro instead of parsley, salt/pepper and a little bit of garlic powder in the mayo.. Soo yummy! Had it with BBQ chicken and fruit. Thanks AMY

YMAD carwash and Trek

Days like today make me realize that being a mom is NO JOKE! Being a mom to 4 children- 2 teenagers and 2 preschoolers is not only NO JOKE, it is SERIOUS BUSINESS that is only for the very skilled and crazy people.  We had a car wash and bake sale to fundraise for Maddie's YMAD trip.  It was 8 hours of bliss. My poor preschoolers were there from 8:30 until 5:00.  I don't know how we managed, but we did.  

Chilling out watching the girls work at the fundraiser!

She is a pro..

Such a cute girl.

She is in the Ms. Sandy court.

She is a real life Princess so of course, 

Sadie had to have a picture with her.

He is such a trouble-maker.

All day long.. nothing but cuteness ad trouble.

I love him, the little devil!

The girls taking a break.

At 3:00, Tanner was to arrive home from trek.  We were so ready to have him home.

Waiting.. waiting ...

The bus was 45 minutes late!

Agony for both Luke and I!

Sadie stayed at the carwash with Maddie.

Poor Daddy-he had to work.

It is always sad when he has to work on these important days.

Especially such a beautiful day!

Very touching to see all of those white hankies waving in a 

big "welcome home" tribute to our "trekkies"

SO HAPPY TO SEE THOSE BUSES!

Luke said to me..

"Mom, I almost cried when I saw Tanner!"

We all missed him so much.

He had an amazing trek experience.

The first thing he said to me is 

"I miss my trek family already!"

I am SO grateful for the experiences that my 

kids get through inspired church programs.

Luke at 5:38 p.m.

Aloe Vera, anyone?

Obviously, we have virgin white skin that is not used to the sun.

I do own sunscreen, but my children (Tanner and Maddie)

refuse to wear it.  What can a mother do?

This is TRUE love

Let me tell you a love story.

It is true-ALL of it.

And it involves me.

I wish it didn't.

I took the best bath yesterday. It was perfectly temperatured.. It had bubbles. And for about 10 minutes, I was able to soak in peace. Then.. my devil children found me and insisted upon getting in with me. Because I was feeling so happy and content I allowed them to get in and start splashing me and shaving each other.. It was magical. After about 5 minutes, Sadie decided she was plenty clean and so she removed herself from the tub. She grabbed a towel and dried herself off-I know, so independant- and got herself dressed. I was the next to be done and so I got myself out and proceeded to dry my massive body. Because I am not wasteful or indulgent, I used the same towel that Sadie had just used. Half way through the monumental task of drying myself, I noticed my body was covered with hair... not MY hair... someone ELSE's hair!

Could it be?

Yes, it could. I was covered in my husband's hair trimmings...

Once or twice a year, my lover gets anxiety which is produced by his body hair. He starts shaving and doesn't stop until he is as smooth and soft as a newborn chick. This task always involves him standing on one of the bath towels as he shaves himself. He is not satisfied until it looks like he is standing on road kill (that manly man has ALOT of hair I tell you!).

Well, on this fine morning, he had left his magnificent man clippings for me and Sadie to slather on our gleaming bodies. He had scrunched the towel up and Sadie, in her innocence, had used his hair towel and me, in my ignorance, had followed her lead. Poor Sadie! I yelled at her to come get back in the tub because her daddy was a moron. She didn't understand what that had to do with anything and so she refused. I, on the other hand, jumped back in the bath and tried to dispose of his nastiness. Then, of course, there is the matter of cleaning the tub after such an incident. How is that fair that he gets anxiety because he has some weird hair phobia and because of that, I end up with anxiety and his hair covering me??

Holy mother scratcher was I in a pickle. Do I call and yell at him? Do I curse him aloud and rant and rave and rent my coat! No! I didn't! Because, I tell you.. I love him and he has been working so hard that I had to give him a pass. It is a one-time only deal though. If it EVER happens again... Well, let's just say, I have two words for what will happen..

LORENA BOBBIT! Shaved or unshaved, it will be LORENA BOBBIT!

Finally

Finally, we get to don the swimsuits and proceed with

 "sprinkler under the trampoline".

It was my favorite as a kid and I think it is a favorite of these 2 rugrats.