We had G&D Camp this week!

Rebecca wanted Derek & I to come spend the week in Idaho.  Since Robert works different shifts, and Bob is in Portland... I am the Ranch Hand!  So, we (Derek and I) decided to have the boys to ourselves here.  (G:Grandma D:Derek)

We met Rebecca and the FABULOUS park in Burns, Oregon.  That is about the only good thing happening in Burns (Sorry if you LOVE Burns).  After meeting and playing, we said our goodbyes!
Rebecca kept saying she felt guilty for having me with her boys all week.  (Carol Virgin did it for years with her granddaughters.. it's my turn)
The boys love coming to Bend.  We couldn't get here any faster! (Let me just add that little boys have little bladders!)
Tuesday we went to Lava Lanes to bowl.  Tian loved the shoes and wanted to take them home.  Trey tried very hard to beat Derek!  Oh, and Tian bounced the bowling ball over into the other lane FIVE times.  We got to be friends with the Bowling Alley worker!

After Bowling we headed to the Heinrich's pond.  We were having a good time, but when Robert and his girlfriend Heather arrived, the fun started!!! Thanks guys for coming and goofing off with the boys!

We rushed home to do the irrigation and then went to Derek's last Zumba class (Until September).  Trey was nervous at first, but joined in the class (He has his own moves... he moves like Jagger ... if you know that song).  Tian was exhausted!

We had dinner very late, and then a slumber party in Grandma's bed... (Thank you Derek for wanting to sleep in your own bed)

Wednesday we went to the Movie Theater for the dollar show.  We saw the Smurfs.  I LOVED it.  I told my "Smurfette" (That would be Rebecca) that I think I needed to buy it.  She bought it for me.  So if you want to borrow it.. I've got it!
We raced home after the movie and got ready for Derek's Tae Kwon Do class. 

Trey takes Karate with his dad, so he brought his uniform and felt proud to be dressed like the other boys.

Master K is so nice to include the little guys!  Hopefully I'll be able to include a couple of videos of them in action.  We had to stop at the famous Sister's Bakery.  Weekly Bob would stop and get a treat for him to eat there and one for Derek & I to share, but now since he drives through Sisters "after hours" we haven't been having our fill.  We made sure we took him home a few!

The boys LOVE helping me with the water.  I love their excitement and their attire!  Tian was so proud to finally get how to lock the gate!

The boys had been talking about sleeping out on the trampoline.  We should have done it earlier in the week... (Not the night before the drive back to Idaho), but we had fun and actually slept quite well.  I had to sneak off early to get the irrigation done, and to sneak a picture of the mass of sleeping bags.. the boys are still in them.. can you find them?

Thursday we got up early, packed and headed back to Idaho.  Like I said, the boys have small bladders.  Trey CRACKED me up at one of the "stops".  I felt like he was taking a long time... I finally looked in on him and he had the bathroom sink filled to the top with sudsy water, and he was carefully washing his hands, arms, all the way to his arm pits!

We got to Idaho just in time to put on our swim suits and head to Roaring Springs Water Park.  Sad that Trey had to talk me into going down one of the rides!  Glad he did, it was so much fun!  (Yes Mark, I did scream)  We stayed until they closed the gates!!!  Still at 8:15 it was 91 degrees!

Today (Friday) the plan was for me to watch the boys while Rebecca worked... Her boss called and said there were hardly any patients on the schedule and she could take the day off.  Hip HIP HOORAY.. We did a little shopping and then packed up ready to head back to Bend.  Derek and I stopped just one time in Burns, and then home! 

I'm going to do it again next year, so Rebecca, pick the week!!!
My home is so quiet... I think I just may leave the toys out just to remind me of the boys!

Happy Birthday to "US"

Don't ask me what my mom was thinking.... But... my brother and I are the same age for two days.  Yup.  He just had a birthday on the 17th of July and mine was 2 days later on the 19th.  We were both 52 for those two days. 
When we were younger we often spent our joint birthdays in Reno, Nevada.  Our Grandpa & Grandma  Garrett would take us out to dinner.  We both knew that Grandpa would excuse himself to go to the bathroom... but really he was off telling our waiter that it was our birthdays.  They would "surprise" us with sparklers lite on top of a big piece of cake! 

This year Marshall and I were together.  He's the BEST brother ever (Mark, you're pretty cool as well). Because we like Marshall so much, we gave Marshall as Robert's middle name!

Thanks Marshall for helping me at 6:00a.m. with the irrigation.  Thank you for bringing a ton of Junk Mail for Derek, and thank you for putting up with my erratic driving on the way to the Family Reunion (I'll learn to like cruise control sometime)!!!  Oh, yes, I can't wait to try your Raspberry Jam!  It looks yummy!!!

A Busy, Fun Day!

Wow, what a busy Thursday.  It just seemed like everything happened on this day.  (I just so happened to have my camera in my car)

Derek worked with Gina from 9-11:00.  We then "galloped" over to the "Oregon High Desert Classics Equestrian Class AA International Hunter-Jumper" competition.  We've gone three years and find it so relaxing and the horses are beautiful.  We invited Gina and Phyllis to join us.

We then "swam" over to the Heinrich's pond to meet Caprice & Zach for a swimming play date.  Zach is a great peer for Derek. 

We buzzed on home to prepare 2 dinners to deliver to two different homes before "Picking" the Coopers house to visit next. 

They have gorgeous cherries, ready and ripe.  We then "Sprinted" over to the High Desert Middle School track to walk with Alyson Graves! 

Wow... what a day.. Oh, how could I forget..  We went to the Spay and Neuter Project to borrow 3 traps for our cat problem...(Not excited about taking the trapped felines in my car on Monday!)

Oh and another thing Bob... we didn't did the irrigation once we got home!  We slept well!

Time just flew by!

The Bledsoe's came and went.  I think mom and dad enjoyed the "noise" and the happy voices that rang throughout the house.
The boys and Rebecca, Derek and I went to a really fun garden nursery.  So fun that I took my parents the next day.  I'm not great with the wheelchair and gravel.. but I got my arm workout for the week!

(No, I didn't take dad on the pirate ship)

I did put sunscreen on dad's legs.. hum.. not much on his forehead.. Whoops!

Funny thing, at 11:30 p.m. the phone rang.  I thought (mom too) that it was a neighbor calling to tell us to quiet down the cows (We have separated 3 moms and their babies.. oh, the noise!).. no, it was a phone call from one of mom's New Zealand friends.  The friend forgot to figure in the time difference.  She called back the next day and apologized for the late night phone call.
Today (Sunday the 15th) was the big polo match next door.  Dad enjoyed (mom too) sitting on the front porch to watch the "real thing" happen.
We've enjoyed eating out on the back porch, (Probably my dad likes it the best so he can warm up.. we keep the house too cold, and we haven't yet turned the air conditioner on)
We leave this week for our family reunion.  Our parents are so excited to see everyone, worried that they won't know all the names of the cousins and spouses,... but it will work out.

   Dad was up early Saturday morning wanting to watch the vet in action.  Dad got a kick out of the smart calf that ran right through the shoot.  (Bob didn't think it was amusing)

Mom and dad love a certain Arby's sandwich.  Notice the candle?  There were a few flies.  Kent guaranteed there wasn't going to be flies at the re union!  Thanks Kent!

Not sure if I'll post again.... time is running out.  I can't believe it is time for them to turn back and go home.  Lets hope they will join us here in Bend (God's country) real soon!