So much to catch up on.

Wow, so much to catch up on since last week. Last Thursday, Gavin and I tried our best to make homemade applesauce using the apples from our tiny tree in our backyard. My friend Ivy lent me her applesauce maker. It was the coolest tool ever. You just put the apples in whole, turned the crank, and it automatically separates the applesauce from the skin and seeds and all that. Although the process did not go as smoothly as I had hoped, and after many phone calls to Ivy, I ended up with a nice bowl of applesauce. I wasn’t up to the "real" canning jars of it….I am taking baby steps with this whole domestic diva stuff! So I am thoroughly enjoying the 8 cups that I got.

Friday was nice. Gavin had a fun Birthday Party for his best buddy Quayd. Hallie went to play at a friend's house. That evening, we were bored as ever, so we got a sitter for Kayler and took Hallie and Gavin bowling. They weren’t as enthused as I would have hoped, but it was fun none the less. The final scores, Gavin=34, Hallie=43, Me=76, and G.J.=133....pretty pathetic...lol! We do much better on the Wii bowling. After that, G.J. took the kids to the drive in for one last time before it closes for the winter. They enjoyed that a lot.

Saturday we headed up to the ranch and basin. I talk about it a lot on here, but it is so hard to explain what these places are. They are places owned by my in-laws. The ranch (Rim Ranch) used to be a wheat farm. They grew several hundred acres of wheat. It is dry farming, meaning they depend on rain to make it grow. Well, the rain stopped coming, the wheat stopped growing, G.J.’s dad got older, so we planted it to seed and that was the end of a very wonderful era. Now it is just a beautiful old house that his parents keep in prime condition along with a few fish ponds, rolling hills of fields, wildlife, fun stuff to do, etc.

The basin is beyond the ranch by a few miles. It is back off the main Diamond Mountain road by about 6 miles. It is owned jointly by G.J.’s dad and his siblings. They all have their own little area that they park their trailers, build cabins, etc.etc. There is one gathering spot for everyone called “Hallie’s Pavilion” G.J.’s Grandma was named Hallie Searle, and she loved it there. Hallie thinks that is pretty cool. SO here are a few pictures of the ranch and basin that I talk of so often. I had to do it in a slideshow because there are a lot of pictures, and I hate slideshows, so if you have a second, and care to see what I am talking about, enjoy the little presentation.

That night we had our neighbors Candace and Brian go with us to my parent’s house (who were out of town!) for a BBQ. They have 1 month old Jhett who is cute as ever, and it was a great evening. It had been years since G.J. and I had done something with a couple. Just a couple, no kids… (Babies don’t count!) So it was so nice and we really enjoyed ourselves. We really need to do stuff like that more often. So if any of you reading this can get a babysitter and want a couple to go on a date with, give us a call!

Sunday was church. All was well of course until Kayler bit a sweet little girl in nursery, Desi B. I am almost to snap. I love the little guy with all my heart, but never thought I would have to deal with the trials and challenges that I have with him. I need to pray for more patience and longsuffering and faith, and I know that it will be ok. I am so sorry Valerie that he bit her… I hope she is doing o.k.

Monday we cleaned house, and since it was a holiday, G.J. helped. There isn’t anything sexier than a man who can do a sweet vacuum job on the whole house!!! It had rained, so here are a few pics of the kids enjoying the cold wet rain.

Then we went to the rec. center. The kids just love it there. My mom was nice enough to watch Kayler for us. After we swam, we went to Remember the Maine park with the Olsen’s and the Lane’s. It wasn’t too cold; we had a yummy BBQ dinner, considered it our FHE, picked up Kayler, and called it a night.

Today was back to the grinder of school for Hallie. I had totally forgotten that both Hallie and Gavin had eye dr. appts. They have to get check-ups once a year because G.J.’s eyes were so bad, so we have to keep track of their eyes carefully. So I got ready, picked up Hallie, took all 3 kids to the eye Dr. Luckily G.J took Kayler on a drive while I took Hallie and Gavin to their exams. I totally expected normal exams and to be in and out, but unfortunately, poor little Gav inherited his Daddy’s eyes and he has to get glasses. We picked out some cute ones, and they will be here in a few days, so stay tuned for the pictures. I am so worried about him having them. Number one, I don’t want him to lose or break them, because they are so $$$$$$. Next, he is already so skinny and little; I don’t want kids to be mean to him. Hallie informed me that it is “cool” to have glasses now, and she was sad that she didn’t need them, but luckily she inherited my perfect 20/20 vision.

So, that was quite the post, filled with lots and lots of things, but at least I have record of our nice weekend. Have a great day!