A fun filled weekend

We had a great weekend. We drove up to Matt's parents house Thursday night. Friday we had fun going on a bike ride, playing at a park, taking naps, shopping, eating dinner at the pier on the lake and just being together.

Eating a healthy dinner of Subway.
Yum!

Ben got to watch us eat, sorry dude.

Saturday the kids fell asleep in Ally's bed and I thought it was just too cute.

We went fishing with Grandma and Grandpa.

Hanging out on the pier, waiting for a bite.

Still waiting, and grandpa casting.

and more waiting.

Benson and Grandma

Ally waiting with Grandpa

Having fun waiting.

Ben and Grandpa

Matt finally caught a fish!

Matt caught a blue gill. He was showing Ally the pointy parts.

Ally got to touch the fish.

Then we headed back to Grandpa and Grandma's and Ben and Ally played Barbies.

I love his expression of "are you seriously taking my picture mom?"

Ally has 2 barbies and most of the time, she forgets about them. But when she goes to Grandmas house she knows she gets to play with a bunch of barbies.

The celebrated Phil's 24th birthday and Jackie's 50th birthday this weekend. We had a great time and great food. Happy birthday Phil and Jackie!

A fun morning

This picture keeps turning after I upload it.

Buddies
Rawrr

Discovering new things

Last night while eating dinner, Ben rolled himself under the quilt rack and had a great time playing with the blankets. No need to worry, we were keeping a close eye on him just in case he pulled a blanket down.

Funny boy
We tried a little photo shoot in the grass. He didn't like it.

So we went back on the blanket.

All clean

OH how we love this little guy. He is almost always happy and ready to give you a big smile.

He spends LOTS of time studying Ally. He adores her and loves watching her play.

Dramatic Dancer

The dramatic dancer has a bit of rock n' roll in her.

ta da!

Busy

This last week the kids and I have just been busy busy with canning apples of all sorts. We've done apple butter, apple juice, apple pie filling, dried apples, and apple jelly that is more like apple syrup. That's occupied a lot of our time. We've been busy painting and putting back together a bathroom. Playing outside has been another thing that we've been doing a lot of because these nice days are limited. I was outside pulling weeds the other day while Ally and her friend played and Ben was asleep on the blanket outside. Our neighbor came over and offered his big trimmers/clippers. I was using a small hand clipper and it wasn't doing much good on the BIG weeds I was trying to get rid of. His clippers did a great job and I was so thankful for them. I think he was just trying to get me to trim the bushes that were starting to take over the yard between our houses. So that I did, I trimmed the bushes back and should have done more because they were that bad. Another day...

The gate

We were having problems with Ally getting up during the night and joining us in our bed. One night in particular she came in our room, after she peed in her bed. So I wasn't really in the mood to change sheets at 3 am, so I told her to get in bed with me. Next thing I know, she peed in my bed and all over me. YUK! That was the last straw. So for the last few nights we've put up the baby gate just to reinforce what we're wanting her to do. It's worked. She knows how to climb over the gate (she has a step stool in her room she uses), so it's not like we're making her a prisoner. And she only climbs over it in the morning when she knows she can get out of bed. So if you are having issues with a kid in your bed, this might work for you too.

Another week of random pictures

Dressed for church

Ben was ready to pull Ally's hair.

Then Ben was admiring his tie.
Ben and Daddy.

I'm dressed for church.

Ally and Ben

Umm...Cheese

My brother had his Eagle Project this past week. Matt had fun dumping water on him at the end of it.

Grandpa Horn was painting and Ally was scrubbing dirt off the fence.

Making sure it was clean and ready to paint.

Chillin with Grandma Horn

Ben was SO tired at the eagle project, so I tried the one position we hadn't tried yet. Ben ended up pushing himself out of the seatbelt.

Playing the drum

Super happy

giggly

Playing with her dress ups

Random pictures from our weekend

Mommy and the kids. Ally thought Ben looked cold, so she got her blanket to share with him.

From the first time we looked at the house, Matt REALLY wanted to put a BIG tv in that framed spot. The previous owners had a mountain scene with a lake in front of it. They had curtains around the frame and a light at the top of the frame.
I left ALL the decisions up to Matt, after all this is HIS big purchase. Hopefully he'll be fine with all of my decisions when we take out all the shrubs in the front of our house.

The boys in the man-cave. The basement is 1/2 toy room and 1/2 man cave.

Some how we got this just in time for football season.

Cosette's Headstone

This is one thing you NEVER think you'll be purchasing for your child. It took us (me) quite a while to be ready to pick it out. It was the "last" thing we had left to do. We knew what we wanted to put on it, but being "ready" to do it was another story. We are now done with everything. We sure do miss our little girl.

Front:

Back:
They are putting the vases on there next week.

Our family

siblings

As much as I don't like it, Ben really likes his thumb.

I think...

I am caught up. I need to take an after picture of our backyard and then post it with the before picture I took, but I might need something to do tomorrow, so I'll leave that for then.

Grandma Julie's Birthday!!

Matt and Travis showing how cool they are!

And their muscles.
Tara, Ben, Ally. and a picture of the cake.

Tiffney and Tara

mom and Matt