you might be a red neck...

What's more white trash than a Demolition Derby?
I can't think of anything.
In this picture the tractor is coming out to haul away the cars that are incapacitated. See the station wagon on the far right in a later heat it was in the best smash up of the night. Another car backed right into the front of it and folded the hood in half.
It was awesome.
The Demolition Derby is just one of the many activities that goes on during the 24th of July Celebration in Sanford and Manassa, Colorado, where I grew up. We always go to the parades and the carnival and the BBQs but I haven't been to the rodeo or demolition Derby since high school, so it was fun to go with my family. I think the kids enjoyed it. Maybe next year we'll try the rodeo of the motor X races.
We'll see.

I don't even know what to say. Let me try to explain. My parents, in an effort to be prepared I guess, recently had their head stone made. Note: both of my parents are still alive, relatively young and currently in good health.
Is that weird? I think it's weird. I can't exactly explain why, but it kind of creeps me out. Any way, I've given them a hard time about it, but while we were visiting them this week end we were driving by the cemetery and had some time to kill, no pun intended, so we stopped to look at the new head stone. As we were driving up to it I had the fabulous idea to have my still living parents lay on their grave site in front of their head stone and pretend to be dead. Totally morbid, right? Well since they were not with us at time Sam had the idea to have our kids lay in front of it. The result of that fabulous idea is this picture. Which, by the way, I laugh my buns off every time I look at it.
So the question is, which is more weird? My, still living, parents have a head stone in the cemetery. Or, me taking pictures of my kids pretending to be dead in front of it.
I think I win!
You have to click on the picture to make it bigger. Apparently McKay's idea of playing dead it to stick out your tongue.

I started out just going for a run on my regular path then I decided that it's been a really long time since I went for a walk or run to actually get some where that I wanted to go. I was by myself and it was a beautiful evening so I headed off toward one of my favorite places, Mitchell Creek Canyon. I've never gone as far as the trail would take me and I wanted to see where it ended up. There were a couple of times that I lost the trail and thought I was totally lost, but I always found it again. Plus, every now and then I would come across other people going in the opposite direction so I know I was headed some where. As opposed to heading no where, you know. In all it was about a 5 to 6 mile trek, and a great way to end the weekend.

The Big News

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks. We have a college grad among us!!! I am so very proud of Sam for reaching this goal. It was not easy. Not easy at all, but he did it, cuz he rocks! I'm glad he decided to walk in the graduation so we could get super cute pictures of him in his cap and gown. And it was so nice that his parents and his grandma could be there.

Block Party

On the 10th we had a block party. It's been years since we have had a planned party. We BBQed and played wiffle ball and dodge ball and kickball and had water balloon fights and hung out and talked. We only have 10 houses on our street+the one around the corner who's back fence is in the dodge ball pictures. 3 of the families didn't come so we had 8 families there 4 of the families we have lived by forever and know really well but 3 of the families are new to the street and it was a lot of fun to get to know them better. Lots of the neighbors have dogs and some of them were out for the party. My kids were in heaven. We were out from 2 pm to 9 pm. which was earlier than usual. Last time we were out really late and watched a movie on our garage door and did fireworks. But we were all really tired this time so maybe we'll still do the movie thing on another night.

It's still July

I totally skipped over the 4th of July like it never happened but it's still July so it's not too late to blog it now. We had a fun 4th. We went to the lake with my parents and brother and his family on Friday and Saturday. Then Sunday evening we had friends over for a bbq and wiffle ball and then went down the hill into Castle Rock for fireworks. It rained and got rescheduled for Monday night. So we had our friends back over for desert and some more wiffle ball then went back into CR for the fire work show. It was a perfect night for them. Then we came back to our house to do so fireworks of our own.

Salt Lake Temple

I finally got around to editing the wedding pictures that I shot back in May. While I was in Salt Lake I spent a couple of hours walking around Temple Square and these are a few of the shots I got of the Temple. I love the Salt Lake Temple.

Elitch Gardens

Today we went to Elitch's. When we got there at 10:30 it was already super hot so we headed strait to the water park. The kids loved the wave pool. Gracie and I went on some small water slides and had a blast.

Bryce did the half pipe. Which I can't believe has more that a 50% survival rate.

I prayed for his safety before he went off the edge.

Then we went to lunch and went on some rides. I hung out with the three youngest at the kiddie rides while Sam and the big boys went on big rides. McKay is just now tall enough to do all of the kiddie rides and he had a ball. His little face was lit up the whole time. Well except when they were on the little roller coaster. It's pretty jerky and gets going pretty fast for little kids. He didn't cry or freak out or anything but his face said it all, he was scared to death. When he got off I told him, "Wow, you were so brave. Was that fun?" He just smiled and did a little nervous laugh. The girls had a great time being the big sisters helping him on the rides. So cute. By then it was around 102 degrees, really, so we headed back to the water park, put on more sunscreen and played in the water some more.

By 3:30 we were drained and ready to go.

We made a stop at the carousel on the way out.

Then we called it a day.

McKay was asleep with in 5 minutes. That is a sucker stick in his mouth. When we first noticed he was asleep Gracie tried to pull the stick out. He woke up so she stuck it back in and he went back to sleep.

Oh ya, cute story. I was in the big wave pool with McKay and I asked him if he wanted to go to the kiddie pool. He said yes. When we got there he looked around and said "Where are the kitties?" At first I was confused, then I got it and explained it to him. He was a little embarrassed and disappointed.

Summer Reading

I have so many thing I want to blog about but I can't find my USB cord to upload the corrisponding pictures. I'm going to have to break down and buy a new one cuz I have pics from my friends wedding on my camera and I know she really wants them. Last week on facebook.

Jenn-

Dear Natalie,

I love you.

Jenn

Translation: It's been almost two months. Where are my freaking wedding pictures!

Really I'm sooo sorry. I'm finding it impossible to accomplish anything important while my kids are out of school. Not that doing things with the kids isn't important, you know what I mean. I spend most of my day entertaining them, pool, park, library, chick-fil-a, etc, or trying to get them to get chores done and get along. Then when I can't take it anymore I hide and I read. I don't remember the last book I read before this summer. It had been months since I had finished one. I had started many. Then we all signed up for the summer reading program at the library. The kids had to read 12 to 18 hours and got a free pass to Elich Gardens. They all completed it and I think we are going tomorrow. One more thing to take pictures of that I can't upload. I had to read 4 books to be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card. I got a buy one get one free coupon to Chipotle just for signing up. Bonus. So we have been going to the library every Monday for story time and to get new books. Everyone is reading like crazy. Including me.

I'm not a fast reader. It's rare for me to read more that 100 pages in day, and that's only if I love the book and have lots of time.

Any way, the books I have read this summer:

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

It was good if you are into the Twilight series, and it's short.

It takes a Village Idiot

This was a fun read.

The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

I really like it. Pretty sad, but so good.

These Is My Words

I already post about this one. LOVED IT!

Jane Eyre

I just finished this one. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I finished it Tuesday night then went to the library on Wednesday and checked out the movie. It's the BBC version and is completely true to the book it was 4 or 5 hours long and it was okay. I'm glad I read the book and watched the movie but I don't need to do either ever again.

Next on my list is

Sarah's Quilt

and

The Star Garden

Then I have on hold at the library

The Hunger Games

I'm about 150 on the list for that one

and

The Help

I'm about 350 on the list for that one.

Wuthering Hights

I'm number 9 on the list for it.

I might have to buy them or find someone else to borrow them from. I've heard they are great.

So that was a long and probably very boring post which included no fun pictures.

Sorry.

Maybe today I will make it to the store to buy a new USB cord.

These is my Words

A few of you asked what These is my Words is about. It is a work of fiction based on a real woman, Sarah Prine, the author's grandma or great grandma. It is written like it is Sarah's diary from 1881 to 1901. I think she's about 17 years old in the beginning and her and her family are settling in the Arizona Territory. Wagon trains, Indian battles and one of my all time favorite love stories. I laughed out loud and cried sobbing cries and couldn't put it down. I haven't read the second two books so I don't know if they are as good as the first but I can't wait to find out.

Maybe my favorite book ever.

You can read more about these books here.

I Just finished These is my Words, and I so completely loved it. I'm #1 on the waiting list for Sarah's Quilt and I just got The Star Garden from the library. I can't wait to read them. I'm not good at giving reviews of books so all I can say is I really, really loved it, and totally recommend it.

While I'm waiting, I'm reading Jane Eyre. Which I am very much enjoying.

Nate- Hey, remember when you used to think I was totally irresponsible.

Sam- You mean yesterday.

Nate- What do you think now?

Me- Now I think you're only mostly irresponsible.

Nate- Yesss, Improvement!

The Ant Bully

McKay- (beating the crud out of an ant on the porch with a news paper)

Me- Hey buddy, I think he's dead.

McKay-(still hitting the smashed ant over and over and over again) Him's not dead enough!