Almost...

I almost took a picture of the "stuff" that collects in different parts of the dishwasher drains after 4 years. In the parts that you need a screwdriver to take apart. ALMOST, and you are all lucky that I didn't-ICK and I did not resemble the smiley woman above.

The best adventures are the unplanned ones

The usual silly child calm and peaceful...
A picture for scale-my worrisome nature allowed little climbing

Small fry and his new animal tracking pocket guide, in case we needed to identify the prairie dog prints

Big Fry's close up, not a zoom len my friends

In quiet awe (he sat like that for quite awhile)

I could write about my super annoying hubby and his perpetual bad mood about work and its carry over affect at home-I won't it is just venting and does no one any good.
I could write my soap box message about women and weight that has been weighing heavily (no pun intended) on my mind-I won't

I could write about the cool vintage ice cream bowls I got and the homemade ice cream I tried to make to go in them

I had planned to write a whiney message of my summer being almost over and how I am approaching super sad about it-this has truly been one of the best summers (hubby's work aside). But I won't, instead I will write a cool story of another adventure.

Somehow our best fun mom days wind up being the ones I didn't really plan for. MY plan was to go on the Mickelson trial to which both boys wrinkled their noses at. So instead they choose the hatchery at Spearfish. On the way to Spearfish I see a sign: Exit 23-The fastest way to Devil's Tower. I ponder, I have never been either have the boys-I cautiously throw out, "Who wants to go to Devil's Tower?" Right away Big Fry is on board, Small Fry wants to know how long and do I have enough fuel. I purposely don't tell him how long A) he will whine and B) I don't know. We hit exit 23. I have to tell you the area around Belle Fourche is not that great but once we hit Wyoming I was in love! I want to retire right there in that little corner, in one of the old barns/houses I saw and was dying to jump over barb wire fences to take a pic of.

The trip was awesome, seeing the big cone for the first time for all of us was awesome. We hiked around took some pics. My most favorite pic, I couldn't get. It was of Big Fry in the prairie dog field, commando crawling like a true Nat Geo photographer to get up close and personal. We ate at a little paneled table in a small dive in Hulett and headed home. The sky was super blue and the day was super fun. I love those days where the stars align, everyone gets along, and the following conversation with Big Fry takes place: Mom, it would take men along time to make this, huh-if ever. Me-You know what I don't think men could make anything this beautiful. Big Fry-your right mom, no way, only nature could make something like this.

Racing, racing, racing

We have completed 3 days of hot, windy racing. Both boys made it to final races on Friday and Saturday. Big Fry could have made it to the main today IF he hadn't come up on a wreck and showing a great act of sportsmanship by stopping while someone got up-he later said there wasn't room, so the kid could get in front of him, he would have gotten first. Uggggggg almost more than my competitive heart could take.

If I could bottle this...

If I could bottle this feeling of friendship and the lazy days of summer that these few pics give me I think I would be rich. This is the tomboy next door who waits for our garage door to open to ask Big Fry to play. This day they worked on the fort, had dinner and jars of lemonade while sitting on top. The picture quality is poor-I was trying to spy:)

Camping-never a dull moment

The boys and I packed up and went camping, with hubby's hours all 4 of us was not an option so it was just the 3 of us. Camping is always fun and never dull. The day started out before we EVEN left. My bottle of wine fell through the bag in the garage and bashed me on the ankle-bled like crazy-not a good sign. I woke up that night with it hurting so bad I thought I would have to text hubby to come get me. The next day as Big Fry became over excited about a turtle he slipped off a rock and fell into the lake. Not a big deal in most lakes, but Horse Thief has an abundance of rocks both above and BELOW the water. He climbs out, says he is fine and as I am walking to get him a towel, I hear real crying. I run back and find him with blood all over his hands, he has cut his toe (did you know they bleed? Alot). Run back get a towel and have to piggy back him to the car-all 80 flippin pounds and head back to Rapid for stitches. We head back out to finish the weekend which actually went well. I did learn a few things-besides toes bleeding profusely:

Charcoal briquets take a really, really long time to get hot

Turtles and frogs can escape styrofoam coolers-quickly and quietly

Wine gets really hot and fermented when left in the camper during the day

And finally the beauty of nature and watching my children explore it never cease to amaze me.

Summer is moving quickly

Summer is moving quickly. I have been working on being spontaneous, flexible, and in the NOW of summer. Like going to a lake an hour away AFTER lunch, not taking tons of pictures, I have not done one summer to-do job I planned, and even taking a nap. I have been working out like a fiend and eating good with no results-which has been disappointing but a good friend of mine set me straight in that area.
On another note I was able to witness the "Sue" gene Karen frequently mentions that she has. You know this freakish (and good) way she has of meeting these fascinating strangers-they are seriously drawn to her because she is such a good listener and asks questions-so I practiced right then and there. We met a couple last night, one who I had very unique connections to. She was this artsy-very artsy-free spirit-the kind I wanted to be at one time and never had the guts to truly do. She has a child with autism and makes beautiful jewelery. Which as we were getting ready to leave, she takes a piece off and says "You take this, it goes with what you are wearing. It just looks like you". Not one to take gifts and ready to decline, I did and can't wait to wear it. It is truly a funky out there piece-a little out there for my conservative self now, but somewhow it makes me feel good. Thanks Karen-never would have happened if you weren't here!

A first

I was going to share a really cool picture of our neighbor tomboy and the fort building but this just had to come first.

Imagine this, big fry and small fry walking through Reptile Gardens-which we go to multiple times a summer and see and do every inch of it. Now imagine hearing a strange noise, it is really indescribable-not a bellow or a moan but a NEW noise. It is coming from the usually quiet giant tortoise cage where we see a crowd gathered. I immediately think "Oh no, dying or mad tortoise, this cannot be good". As we approach I see a giant shell above the gate and on TOP of another shell-now another prediction comes to mind-ahhh it is coming to yours too I can see. The tourists are silent, taking pictures. I am not sure they know what they are videotaping being city slickers and all. The tortoise attendant silently watches on, I mean really, they have no script for this. Small fry looks at me and says "Wow what are they doing?" To the 11 year old, pre-puberty, all I-can-think-of-is-girls, nature loving, and very knowledgable future animal scientist there is no question and the shocked silence is broken with his giggle and a "Oh my gosh, I know what they are doing, they are mating" And with that the giant turtle falls over and almost on top if an unsuspecting tourist. Wouldn't that have made a great picture!

A break on the horizon

After my venting about the man work, Carey asked if there was a break on the horizon-YES there is, in November, but what an awesome break it will be!