No Need To Vote

It seems our minds have been made up for us this morning. Sitz' changed their mind about allowing us to rent the house. Now the only thing to figure out is Cailin's school situation. I'm going to talk to her principal today.

Vote On My Options

Ok, so I've been thinking we have more than one option with Daniel goint to Minnesota next week. I'd like to hear what everyone thinks, and what they would do. It does add more stress to change our plans because we'd have to pack this week. Anyhow here are the options:

#1. Original Plan: Daniel goes to Minnesota with Brooke and Jeremy next week while I stay alone in Harrison (and pay rent) so Cailin can finish school on May 22nd. Then we go to Minnesota for June and July.

#2. I take the kids to my parents house and enroll Cailin in yet ANOTHER Kindergarten this school year. (Save 1200-1600 in rent.) Go to Minnesota in June and July.

#3. I take the kids to my parents house and get the rest of her school work from her teacher and finish it at home. Go to Minnesota in June and July.

Make A Funny Face!

Kiley's First Solid Food

So Kiley has shown signs of wanting to eat with us at the table. I got some rice cereal and this was her first feeding. Cailin got her to smile finally. She's starting to get the hand of it now. Colten kept asking me what it tasted like, but he wouldn't try it! (Neither would I.)

You Call THIS Spring?

Daniel trying to get us out. Although the school was only 2 miles away we still couldn't get down our lane. If you look back a couple months you'll see these pictures look a lot alike!

Can you see how the icicle was blown?

This what Cailin got to do on her first snow day!

Anniversary Pictures

Processing 700 Calves

Each calf received: Vitamins E, A, and D. A multimin shot (vitamins), Alpha C and D for over eating disease, an ear tag, a tatoo, and they were weighed and recorded.This is the scale they sit on.

Daniel giving the tatoo.

What a job! He did have help, but it was still a 12-14 hour a day deal with only time to eat lunch and head back out. Soon they will begin branding, then AIing and then ultrasounds. Then there is the trimming and vaccinating, the show videos, etc etc to prepare for the sale in December. It never ends with a registered outfit! Keep in mind that EACH cow, yearling heifer, and yearling bull must be run through the chutes EVERY time they do these things. There are around 1100 pairs, 900 yearlings, and only 3 full time cowboys and one part time. It's exhausting just thinking about all the things that go on thoughout the year.

Spring In Montana

An empty lot where Daniel calved almost 700 cows. That's our house right in the middle of the lot, doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I would rather it be near the barn.

We went down to watch Daniel do the last of the calf "processing". This is in the vet room with our cow dog, Sara. She is a sweet thing. Oh, and our little Tigger.

A funny thing happens in Montana when the weather hits 50 degrees. Kids take their coats off because they are so hot!

Our 7 Year Anniversary

All my pictures are on my sister's camera because I forgot mine. Hopefully I can get them soon!

I decided to do something fun for Daniel for our Anniversary this year. He has worked so hard and long for the past 7 months so I planned a weekend getaway in Rexburg. Yes, Rexburg! Brooke is there so I planned this all with her. Her and her husband Jeremy watched all three kids and even had them over night! It was so much fun. This is how it all happened: (Daniel had no idea until he read my note hanging on the door when he came home from work at 6:00 pm.)

LETTER TO DANIEL:

Dear Daniel March 2009
We’ve been married for seven years now.
We’ve made it this far, sometimes I’m not sure how.
The car is packed the kids are ready to go.
Where are we going? You don’t know!
Come in and shower, we’ll leave real quick.
We’re getting away for a weekend trip.
All your responsibilities are taken care of.
So sit back and relax, I did this out of love.

Love,
Summer

So we had pizza in the car and headed south. Daniel, (and the kids), guessing the whole way, where we were going. I didn't tell the kids because I know they would have slipped and told Daniel. Daniel finally figured out we were going to Brooke and Jeremy's house when we turned off the freeway outside of Rexburg. I told him we were going to the temple in the morning, but he kept thinking we'd go to IF. We went to the new Rexburg temple and really enjoyed a session. Then we walked around BYU Idaho campus and remembered how we met, and old times. We walked up the stairs in the Manwaring Center to where they have country dances on Wednesdays. We went by our old apartments. Then we went to lunch at the Hard Hat Cafe. After that we checked into our hotel- which was, by the way a castle! At the Americinn they have Fantasy Suites. I chose the Chivalrous Knight one. I also brought the movie "A Knight's Tale" to watch. Then we went shopping and just enjoyed each other's company without any small children. Daniel bought me some new running shoes. Then we had ice cream at Artic Cirlce. (Stephanie, Jason and I used to always go there for ice cream cones.) The next morning we went and picked up the kids and took them swimming at the hotel. Later we went back to Brooke's house for lunch, where Daniel and Jeremy started talking APX. Which brings me to our next life adventure.

Daniel is going to sell APX security systems this summer! We plan on moving back to Clyde Park, near Livingston and renting a place. Then Daniel will do some work for some friends until next summer if he decides to sell APX again. It will be a change of pace and time to recover from a very demanding job. He will have more time with us, which we are all happy about. The kids and I will move out to Minnesota after Cailin finishes school in May, and stay with him for 10 weeks during the summer. They have us all in nice condos with a pool and workout center etc. It will be way different for us to go to the city. We'll be out of place! I think it will be a good thing though. Our dream is to own a ranch someday and this could help us achieve that dream.

What an Imagination

The wild kitties are starting to be more friendly. I feed them often. The other afternoon Alma was hanging out with them, eating cat food off the porch. They are less shy when he's around. So I reached over and pet Alma, then I pet Fraidy. He shied away but came back. I barely touched Scardy. So Cailin was really wanting to pet them. She came to me while I was feeding Kiley and said: " I'm going to dress up as a kitty to trick them and then I'll pet them." The next thing I knew she came running out of her room with a black t-shirt, black tights, and black church shoes on. She is so cute!

Here's my "Cailin Kitty".

Homemade Pizza Night

Last Friday we made homemade pizza. I let Cailin and Colten fix their's up however they pleased. This is how it turned out.

Kiley Is Growing Up

Kiley is now four months and a week old. She is definetely showing signs of wanting to grow up already. She has to be sitting up all the time and has even started to dislike the bouncy chair because it isn't straight up and she can't see everything going on. She tries to sit up when I change her, she looks like she's doing crunches! Kiley loves Cailin and Colten. She also loves to talk to Daniel. (Mykids are talkers, they talk my ear off every time we get in the car, no matter how long the drive.) I thought it was too early for the walker, of course she can't move it, but really enjoys standing when she wants to. What a sweetheart, who can resist that smile! Kiley has brought so much joy into our home.

Stretch is really good with all the kids.

Grandma Orton gave Cailin a little bunny when she was a baby. The one she gave Kiley looks a little more durable! I've patched Cailin's bunny a bunch of times. Finally I let Cailin pick out some flannel material and totally recovered it. It looks almost nothing like it used to, still purple though!

Blanket

These pictures are for Michelle. Aunt Kelly made this fleece blanket for Cailin. It fits on her twin bed.

"I ran more than 1000 miles"

It's offically TRACK SEASON! Need I say more?


OK so this video and song have nothing to do with running. But I like it anyways.

A Quick Weekend At Home

Friday morning my brother Branden called me and said he was going home for the weekend because my dad was up looking for a new combine with my Uncle Lyle. I had to go to the dentist Friday afternoon so I didn't think it would work. Then I remembered it was the first Sunday of the month and I didn't have to teach the YW. So Saturday morning the kids and I went down to Teton Valley and had some fun with my brother and his family, and my younger sisters. However, when we were gone Daniel got run over by a mean old cow. One of his co-workers got a hold of my as they were taking him to the hospital. He had some X-rays and a catscan. He didn't break anything, but may have a torn muscle in his shoulder. They gave him two shots for the pain and some good pain killer prescriptions. He's doing much better tonight, but maybe he's just drugged up. He's a little beat up, but will live!

So Alexie has this big blond wig we were all trying on. Kiley looks as cute as anyone! "Look at all the hair Summer's baby was born with!"

Can you tell who is who? OK, when we all get together we get a little silly/ weird. We were really sad that Mom and Michelle's family weren't there.