Montana, here we come!

Our yearly vacations for the past 5 years have been to Montana to visit Tim's family. We so look forward to this every year. The first couple times we flew and then we found out that driving is not only cheaper but actually a good time when our family is forced to spend this togetherness. The kids actually get along and enjoy the trip more than you can imagine. Each year it is a new adventure. Our journey beings at 4:00 am with everyone sleeping but Dad behind the wheel. A couple hours into the trip people being to stir and stomachs begin to growl. As always Mommy to the rescue. She passes out the prewarmed breakfast burritos that she nestled into a thermal wrap. She even packs the hot sauce we all so dearly love. Texas Pete, your the best!

Electronic devices are always helpful when traveling through Western Kansas, Eastern Colorado and Wyoming. "Look, another Antelope." "Shutup, Dad!"

Early rises do not provide primping time. "NO PICS, PLEASE"


This year we had one extra driver, too. That helped.

The Yellowstone River is a beautiful landmark that says, "We are in Montana country."

14 hours to Billings, MT in the first day. Time for a motel room.

This lonely cabin survived the obvious forest fire which surrounded it.

The foreground looks like Kansas, the background, not so much!

Pipestone, just east of Butte, MT. Definately not in Kansas anymore. Sorry Toto! Near the Continential Divide, this is one of Tim's favorite parts of the trip. Bizarre as well as beautiful.

A religious sect that still uses horse and buggy also utilize this contraption to build the enormous hay stacks as in the days of old. They look like a cube of hay as big as our house. All of the strands are pointing upward in order to shed the water. They truly are a marvel to see. How do they do it?

Leslie's next home!!!! Wouldn't that be great. You all could come visit whenever you wanted.

Explosive Fun

When the kids are getting along this great, it truly is a great thing.

This is the kind of temperature's we have to deal with from the middle of June to the end of September. Not to mention our lovely humidity. Notice the bone dry rain gauge.

Brooke's famous turtle race. This year we found "Flash" 3 days before the event. Tim joked with everyone that he had Flash doing jump-n-jacks to train for the race. Flash ended up being number 13 but the "back luck" did not hold true. She came in first place, by a turtle mile.

Flash and her trainers are anxiously waiting their turn to show their stuff.

Following the turtle race they have various games for the kids to play. This is Brooke and her best friend Hope. Notice their cheeks are painted the same. When they are together everything has to be the same.

The long anticipated egg toss is one of the kids' favorites. The ground was soft enough from rain that it made the eggshells quite forgiving. Cassidy begged Dylan to be her partner. Perhaps a bad call. Dylan accidentally cracked the egg with his finger and then threw it to Cassidy and she was persistent enough to try to keep the game going. Game Over.

Cassidy participated in the egg toss with her friend Autumn and as you can see, Cassidy got the the "raw" end of that deal also.

Dylan (now 5' 91/4") still exercising his egg catching abilities.

Brooke and Mommy partnered up for a match of egg tossing. Thank goodness Brooke caught the egg on her knee before Mom did on her head. YAY!

We were at Lake Wabaunsee sitting on a friends dock waiting for the fireworks display. Cassidy decided she was going to eat popcorn but had no bowl, so she used her brothers stinky hat that she was holding while he was kayaking. She said it added flavor.

Dylan loves our lake outings because that usually means he gets to play in the kayak. The boats were making awesome wakes for him to ride. He is very good at kayaking and enjoys the freedom.

Look closely and you will see Dylan in the kayak beside another boat. I love the moon in this picture.

This is a storm front moving in after one of Brooke's ballgames. Not really as peaceful as it looks though.

Happy Fathers Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TIM

We spent the day at Lake Wabaunsee with my Dad, brother, and brother-in-laws. This would allow the kids to swim and fish and stay out of our hair. And that they did! We had to yell at them to come eat and then they returned to the water.

Brooke had her fill of swimming and wanted to fish. Fishing didn't last long because Brooke can't sit still for 10 seconds let along sit long enough for a fish to find her worm.

Dylan enjoying the cool water and warm sun. We were all burnt by the end of the day.

Much thanks to the composer of the day. I enjoyed my drinks a little much that day.

GOOD TIMES!