More Randomness

I think with my busy life style this random blogging might become a normal thing.
First off is Mardianna's birthday party. Mardi my beautiful niece turned one on the 4th of October. Luckily the weather was nice and warm....however Bradach's birthday falls in June and its always freezing, go figure.Don't look twice you were right the first glance, these two boys are twins. Bradach and JJ.

Mardianna the birthday girl.

Bradach got to go to the fire station and enjoy an open house. Probably the only kind of open house a two year old would enjoy. While the fireman was explaining the truck you would hear Bradach very loudly say "WOW that's cool!" He enjoyed the whole experience.

All of the soldiers in our area were deployed to Iraq in September. We are blessed to know quite a few of them. They serve our country and help others around the world in need. Blackfoot held a parade, and hot dog feast to say good bye.

Can you tell this little girl has pride? Her daddy is marching, she doesn't know whats going on but she knows how much she loves her daddy. Bradach and Leah showing support during the parade.

You couldn't help but cry while they marched and did their chants.

This is Jesse, him and his family are some of our closest friends. Its hard to see him go, however duty calls.

We took a took a trip to Spokane to visit Phillips family and my brother's family. Here are some pics of our six day vacation.

This is a huge Radio Flyer wagon that the handle has been made into a slide.

Feeding the ducks with daddy at River Front Park. This park is so much fun, there are so many things to explore. Probably my favorite place in Spokane.

Grandma treated us all to a day at a rescue for big cats, we saw lions, tigers, panthers, bears and a snake. Here is Bradach and I playing on the monkey toys. I think I might have liked them a bit more than him.

This is Grandma and Papa's backyard. Bradach loved to swing, he loved it even more when Grandma or Papa would swing with him. He got to play with some cousins also, Ianna and Benny (there is no way I could spell his real name).

We have great news, we got a new addition to our family, her name is Sadi. Our last dog Nakeeta was too high strung to live in the cemetery. This dog however is a Great Dane and requires little exercise. She loves to lounge inside. She is so much fun we fell instantly in love with her. She loves to jump on the tramp with Bradach. She is very cautious and gentle with him. She is one year old and was the runt of her litter, along with getting prego at 6 months her growth is severely stunted. She still thinks she is the biggest of the big dogs though. she is very good on leash and Bradach walks her with no problem. She is perfect for our family and we love her dearly.

This is the collar Phil made for her, if you look closely you will see a purple flower with the rings. The center ring is yellow, and then there are green on the edges. Phil made one for Nakeeta but this tops all things he has made, the rings are very very light and the strongest material he could find. In all just the rings cost about $60, and with the time he put into making it it comes out to about $120. But she has a custom collar. The things you do for the ones you love.

Tornado of Randomness

Every day we make a shake, usually around lunch time. If Phil makes them they usually contain: banana, strawberry, mixed berry and milk. My shake is a little healthier usually consisting of: strawberry, blueberry, apple, orange, spinach and carrot. Or my new favorite peach, mango, banana, orange, strawberry. Here are a couple of photos of Bradach enjoying the fruits of our labor :o) Nope, not a milk mustache...much much better! Sportin' the fruity mustacheSign language anyone? If you guessed pig your right! He also threw in dirty to sum up the situation.Ready to go to the beach mom! I've got my tractor and my cool dudes (sun glasses)Bradach, daddy and oldest cousin Tyler at the St. Anthony sand dunes. Swimming at the sand dunes. I think he is sagging a little bit:o) I'm a mountain, rock, tree, river type girl but this is gorgeous! One of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.Bradach on Grandma Chris' four wheeler. He's a natural! Ever since Bradach was 2 months old he has been attending softball games and practices. I'm either coaching or playing. Here is a rare pic of me and Bradach just watching a game (Uncle Scoobs game). He is so good at games, he will sit and cheer talk about it. If he ever asks to do something it usually is softball, slides or sand dunes.

Fourth of July 2010

For the fourth of July we went camping again at Hebgen Lake. We left Friday and came home Monday. My parents came with us...or vise versa :o). We stayed at a camp site with my Uncle Daryl and Aunt Kandace. Most of the weekend was spent fishing, either tolling from a boat, or fly fishing from the lake or in the Madison River. Phil wanted to catch a fish so bad...and he did! they ended up catching 4 fish in all. Good job guys!
We went hiking up the Kirkwood trail head one day. It was only a few miles long, but was perfect for us since we had Bradach. Bradach was a great wildlife alerter. He let everything in the forest know we were there. And the occasional question "can I pet it?" came out of his mouth. During the hike Phil decided to take the high trail.....I told him it was a game trail, but he didn't believe me. Soon enough the trail just stopped. So we ended up bush whacking it and praying Bradach would warn anything like a skunk or badger to run off away from us. We saw some deer and lots of birds. I'm pretty glad we did not run into any grizzly bears, but my dad gave us his gun just in case. We have come upon black bears hiking in the Tetons and you just wait for those ones to pass....not sure what I would do running into the Griz though.
We also did some jet skiing. One of the days my mom and I took them out. We were across the lake and down a ways when it started to rain. It was sooooo cold!! We had to get across the lake to the marina. I couldn't see anything! We were going as fast as the pain would let us. Yes that's right, the pain. It felt like thousands of pins hitting your face at once. We didn't dare go slow and stay out, but 35 mph is pretty fast in the rain.
The night of the fire works Bradach wouldn't stay outside. He just screamed he was so scared. So he watched from the safety of the motor home. I roasted marsh mellows for him and Mamo made him s'mores. In his words "I like it!". The fire works were amazing sounding in the where we were they echoed off all the mountains and were so loud! I don't normally like loud noises but this was awesome!

The sign at the trail head. I love warnings like this!
This is the Bradach way to hike.
Hello! See the trail behind me, that was a real trail. Big diff from the game trail.Phil tending the fire he made.

Bradach and his first s'more

The reaction to the fire works.

3 posts in one

Since its summer I'm a bit behind. I'll do this in groups and chronological order.
I marked something off of my bucket list by trying out for a community play at the Nuart. And lucky me I got chosen for the part of Jane in the play Men are Dogs. I had so much fun doing this play, here are a few pics from the play and cast. It was extra fun because Steven my little bro had the part of Tony.

Steven (Tony) and I (Jane) hanging out backstage.

Jane, Allison, and Madeline at group therapy.

Bob and Jane role playing, Loretta in the back ground.

Second Bradach loves trains. We live next to the tracks and he loves watching them. So when Operation Life Saver came to town and offered free tickets we jumped on it. Unfortunately there weren't enough tickets for us. Fortunately a family that new we wanted to go had extra! So we got lucky and boarded the train. Bradach I think liked the outside more than the actual ride. But he did enjoy it. Here are some pics of this day.

On our way!!

This last weekend we went to the Panter/Daley family reunion. These happen every two years and I look forward to everyone. I actually can say I do love my relatives. They are a blessing to my life, and the time I spend with them is few but cherished. This year we went to Hebgen Lake near W. Yellowstone, MT. Near Hebgen was Quake Lake, witch was created in 1959 by a huge earthquake that killed 29 and injured many. There are reminders of that day all around the area, including cabins on shore lines, skeleton trees and not to mention the mountain that is half gone.
On our way home we stopped at Mesa Falls with some of the fam. We got to watch kayakers go down the lower falls. That was totally awesome. The falls are beautiful, last time I was there there were no nature walk ways, no up kept buildings. Now it is more developed so the land will stay in tact for more and more years to come.

Hebgen Lake. One night it stormed and lots of lightning stuck, lighting up the lake and these beautiful mountains every few minutes.

Bradach and Mommy doing a little fly fishing. He wanted a fish so bad.

We had a cowboy themed dinner, complete with line dancing. It was great.
Upper Mesa Falls, it explained on the far side of the falls is a different climate so different plants grow there that wouldn't if the falls didn't keep it so moist all the time. Its called a "micro climate"
Lower Mesa Falls of to the left is where the kayakers went down.
Bradach enjoying the falls....one of the quiet moments in a two year old's life.

Bradach is TWO!!!!

My little man is two! Can you believe it? We did a little birthday party at my moms today since Sunday is easier to get together on than Monday (his real Birthday). We had dinner that he chose, cake that I made, ice cream, and his cousins Andy, Emma and Gracie came over to play with the balloons, bubbles, eat and play with the cars and John Deere.
Here are some things about Bradach:

• Favorite movies: the puppy show AKA 101 Dalmations, the doggy show AKA All Dogs Go to Heaven, the fishy show AKA The Little Mermaid, and Signing Time (any of them)
• Favorite Food: Really the kid doesn't have one, he eats anything...just the other day Uncle Kent gave the child a Smoked Oyster and he ate it all. Need I say more?
• Favorite toys/play: Trucks, balls, animals(especially horses, dogs, cats and cows),dirt, outside, tractors, driving (yes he screams to drive), reading
• What he knows (and has let me know he knows it): His ABC's, counting to 10, Colors, almost 100 signs (ASL) including colors, foods, animals, my personal two favorites are when he says "eat breakfast" and "may I be excused" in sign language. He is talking in 2-5 word sentances and articulates very well for a 2 year old. He memorizes where people sit in the house, and the cars people drive.
• Chores: Bradach is in charge of taking out the bathroom garbage, helping change loads of laundry, wiping up spills, putting his socks away, and putting his toys away
  

All in all I think my little boy is amazing but I think all moms think their children are amazing too. I'm so lucky to have him in my life and he truly is the best reason I have for taking each breath. One thing I have learned as a mom is that there are always dishes to do but my little boy might not always want to sit on my lap for a story, so take advantage of the time you have.
Here are some pics of today's birthday fun:

Uncle Scoobs and Bradach playin some tunes.

The Birthday cake I made....the animas have wheels for legs....two of Bradach's favorite things!Balloons and Bubbles!! totally awesome!!
MMMM.....cake!!! I think he licked all the frosting and left the cake.

Bear with me on this one!

For Memorial Day weekend we try and get out of the house at whatever cost and go anywhere even if its just to the end of the street. If you lived in the cemetery you would too. Phil stayed our first year and found out its not worth the trouble. This year we have a touch screen and a comments box so its all taken care of. Sunday my parents took us on a road trip to Hebgen Lake. Its near W. Yellowstone just passed Island Park. So here are some highlights: When we started the day I told Bradach that we were going to the Mountains to look for bears, elk, deer, and turkeys. He looks at me and says giraffes, elephants and long neck dinosaurs too! So we set out on our journey and stopped at Bear World. This place is great, all the animals are there...except some certain ones, lol. Bradach was pointing and yelling "I found it!" the whole time. The petting zoo was great, Bradach chased everything! They had a kiddie amusement park which was great because it was clean and FREE! We went to lunch and the newspaper there had a pic of a giraffe and an elephant! Later we traveled to the lake and walked around, also we went in and found a place with brochures, again score! We found a brochure with a long neck dinosaur! On the way home we stopped at W. Yellowstone for some window shopping, home made ice cream and to play in the park. For dinner we stopped at Pond's Lodge (or something like that) and Phil and Rocky both swear up and down that those were the best ribs they have ever eaten. If you know those two you know they have been around the block with the ribs. I tasted them, they were pretty delicious. Anyways here are some pics to highlight the day.Bradach "cautiously" driving us through Bear World.Ok, it took like 10 pictures to get one of Bradach's head in the hole and noth through the hole.

Bradach was being so nice to the little goat.....no really he was this time. Just loves.
I think I liked this toy more than Bradach, it was soooo soooo fun!!!

Eating...I mean making dessert

Today is the end of the year softball banquette. We just got back from a B-B-Q at a friends house and loved loved loved the dessert they served, so that is what we are making for the party tonight. They are Oreo cookies blended with cream cheese, rolled into balls, chilled and dipped in chocolate. Bradach wanted to help so here he is, and here is Phil making them. Only 153 balls were made, lazy husband, LOL. Waita go Phil, thanks for always making the desserts for all the parties we go to! This pic is gross, he has oranges and chicken along with the chocolate on his tray. Sorry. But he had it all over his hands and I wanted to capture the look.


This was the before dipping them in chocolate picture. And this was only one of the trays. They were a hit though! Thanks Shani for introducing them to us!!