Cowtown Rodeo

 I'm convinced that sometimes the last minute plans are some of the best!!!  I went to visit my grandma and then walked next door to my parents house on Saturday.  Mom and Dad were eating lunch and said that they would want to go to the rodeo tonight and that we should join them.  I actually had mentioned this event to Mike last week saying how it would be fun to go there again!  Then Mim walked in and Mom invited them too.  It ended up being whoever it suited from my family to go!  It would have been a blast for our older kids to join us but they already had other plans.  

We car pooled on the way there and had the boys in one vehicle and all the girls in another.  We were totally surprised to see two of Mike's siblings at the rodeo too.  It must have been the night to go!!!  

Here's the crew!  

Austin is selling soda's at Mike's shop and crushes the cans that come back.  It's his little money project.  He asked if he could buy a cowboy hat with the money he earned.  Here it is!!!

LaVern's ended up driving down and meeting us too!

We watched the horses, cows and bull riding!  It was packed out and a fun night to watch rodeo!!!

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Ashlyn found out the other day that the school list was emailed.  She wanted to go school shopping right away.  Now that's off our to do list!

School will not begin for another month but it's coming up fast.  We are loving the lazy mornings and spending a few days pool side.  Summer time is just the best!

Family vacation in the woods!

CABIN FAMILY VACATION!!!!!

We took a family vacation in the woods!!!!  It was relaxing, quiet and just a whole lot of fun!!!!  

Matthew wanted to drive on the way up to the cabin but we had Mike's truck and a trailer with the four wheelers on we waited till we were off of the main highway and he went behind the wheel.  He did a great job!  We arrived just before lunch on Friday and as we drove in the driveway, I saw a bunch of butterflies on some plants.  So pretty!

 

We drove back the long lane and we were excited to spend five whole days at my parents beautiful cabin!  We hopped out of the truck but soon realized that we had the wrong cabin keys.  We were not able to get into the cabin.  After some phone calls, Mike finally decided to check all the windows (again) and there was hope!  We were able to open one and we were inside!!!!!

I laughed when Austin said that he was hungry and so ready to get inside the cabin!  I laughed because I think he thought my mom would have the fridge and pantry stocked and ready to go for us!  When he spied my cooler of food, he was happy to grab some lunch as we waited to get inside.

We read a sign at the end of the road that said Bethany Youth Center has blueberries.  We were up two years ago and visited this same blueberry patch and we couldn't wait to go see the berries again!  We took a ride to the blueberry patch on the fourwheeler and the berries were  big and juicy!

Hadassah and Jeremiah met us at the cabin late that night!  I remembered my dad saying something about a 100 mile yard sale near the cabin.  What would the chances be that it was this weekend?  I looked it up and sure enough, it was!!!  We ate breakfast Saturday morning at the cabin and then took a family drive, with Matthew behind the wheel, and went searching for yard sales.  We didn't drive far before we noticed the signs and we took a look.  After a few stops, we laughed and said that cabin junk is cabin junk.  The only thing we bought was dill pickles and an ice cream.

Someone drove over a sign.  

Where else can you ride in the back of a truck breathing in the mountain air?

Saturday afternoon, Matt and Lena and their children joined us at the cabin!  We love their family so much and do a lot with them, so this was going to be nothing but fun times!!!!

When Matthew turned 16, he requested a mountains trip and a steak campfire!!!!  We consider this such a blessing that he wants to spend his first weekend being sixteen with his very own family!  

I bought a pack of yummy steaks at Costco and everyone roasted them in the campfire!

Little Miss Zayla is such a cutie!!!!

It was a warm day and we went to the river to swim, fish and enjoy nature!!!!  Lena brought a snack for the kids!

Matt loves to fish and so does Matthew!  These two paired up a few times over the weekend for some fishing fun!

Hadassah took the kids along to the river when Jeremiah and Matthew went with the kaiaks.  They got caught in a thunderstorm and went racing back to the truck for cover!  

Mike used to fish but to get the gear and bait and line in the water, is too much bother for him now.  He did grab Matt's line and gave it a try!  

Matthew and Jeremiah took the kaiaks down river!

We took the clan to the berry patch and we picked four quarts!  They are so yummy and plentiful!!!!  This was a highlight!!!!

Mom has hummingbird food already mixed and ready for these tiny birds.  Mike filled up the feeders and we watched so many hummers come and drink the sweet water!

So many fourwheeler rides were happening all weekend!

Lots of rest!

Lots of food!

There is a small old cabin on the property that the boys were exploring.  It makes me nervous because they found snack skin in it and old horns.  Snakes is something I hate and don't like to see any skins left behind.

Zayla tried to follow the others around.  She's so adorable!

Here's the crew that we love so much and they had a total blast all weekend!

Jeremiah does a great job playing with the boys!  They had a hot game of waffle ball going on one afternoon!

Adrian took his little wheeler along to the cabin and Austin and him rode around and around and around on it!!!!  Just too cute!

Oreos and milk .... lots of them!

Matt and Matthew took the kaiaks to the river to fish.  They had an adventure to finally get to the water but once they were set, Matthew caught fish left and right!  Meanwhile, the little boys played on the canoe at the cabin!

More fish and fun at the river!

Matthew was having the time of his life!!!!!  It was so fun to watch him fish!

Deer and fawns!!!!  

Breakfast on the outside swing!

Time went by so fast while we were at the cabin and we commented that this was one of our top vacations!!!!  There is just something about the woods, wild life, fresh air, quietness, campfires and four wheeler rides that we will never get tired of!!!

We are so blessed to have a beautiful home away from home to enjoy!!!!

Thank you Mom and Dad for this wonderful place to enjoy!

SUMMER OF 2021 FAMILY VACATION!!!!!