Work party swimming

Every year Danny's work puts on a fun work party at a big outside camp.  There is a rock wall to climb, a big field and playground, tennis courts and a wonderful swimming pool.  This year when we went it was a little cool and rainy but that didn't stop us or our kids.  I love love love no entry pools and so do Mason and Lily :)

My dumb dog Ralph

My dearest dog Ralph has a couple of little quirks.  He watches TV and barks at any animal that might display, he chews on his front paws and he tries to attack the sump pump.  For those of you who don't live in really wet areas of NY or the country a sump pump is a device in our basement that pumps water out of our house... it is hard to explain so just imagine in a secret corner of our basement there is a hole, with a machine in it... when it fills up with water, the sump pump turns on and the water gets pushed out of our house.

Whenever anyone would even open the door to the basement he would run down as fast as possible, tripping people along the way if he had to, just to get to that sump pump.  He will sit there in the dark growling at it until it turns on and then he would bark like crazy.  Really it is pretty weird, but whatever.  

There have been times that I couldn't find Ralph only to realize I had quickly opened the basement door to throw down some dirty laundry or set some food storage on the stairs to take down later, and he must have run down there in that short amount of time, he is that fast!  I would search the house then finally yell down the stairs for him to come up and voila he was there.  

One day I couldn't find him anywhere.  It was after the kids went to bed so I made sure I hadn't locked him in their rooms, I checked outside (which was unlikely because he only likes it outside if I am out there too) but nope he wasn't anywhere.  I even checked downstairs to see if he was at the sump pump... I quickly glanced in the storage room to see if he was growling in his usual spot, but nope.  Hmmmm.  I went to look outside again and causually said to Danny, really half joking. "go and make sure he didn't jump into the sump pump this time"

Well he did, that dumb dog.  Not sure if he slipped or what.  He didn't even make a sound when I went down there to check, I didn't even think about looking INSIDE the sump pump.  Oh my.  I am glad he is ok, and so far he seems to have learned from his accident.  He has been to the basement since :)

Working really hard for some money!

Mason has been interested in learning about money, especially since I decided that he needed to start earning money for things he "has to have!"  It was getting pretty ridiculous that he demanded a toy every time we walked into target, geez.  So I told him if he helped me out with some special projects he could earn his own money to buy the toys he wants.  Right now on the list are a shark squirt gun and slip n slide.  

I told him that to earn the money he had to be happy and work hard with the things I asked him to do.  And picking up toys and books didn't count.  I gave him a couple of options and he decided on cleaning the windows.  It took him a minute to get the hang of it but then he did great.  He cleaned inside and out of all the windows on the main floor for a dollar!  And then he got another dollar for wiping down all the cupboards and the fridge in the kitchen. 

Now he walks around saying you have to work really hard to earn money!  Well I am glad he has figured it out.  Since this day he has been less motivated to help me with things, but remembers that to get the toy he has to do work.  Maybe I need to take him back to Target to remind him!

We also are trying to learn about coins and money and what they are worth.  I think he has the coins down, except the nickels and quarters he confuses but that is ok.  Mason and Lily like to spread the money on the floor and match them together.  Fun fun. 

Charlton 5K and the Grow's house

Danny and I ran the Charlton 5K again this year, here are last years photos.  I wasn't quite ready for it since I wasn't feeling well that day, but I pushed through and made my goal to run under 30 minutes!  29:29 was my official time, sweet.  Danny was of course amazing, he pushed both kids who' weight totaled over 70lbs, in 23:18, wowzers!  There were a few people from our ward who ran it too so that was fun.  After the race the Grow family invited us over for lunch and the kids had such a fun time playing around their house.  They had a car to ride, rocks to throw, dirt to play in, a trampoline and we went fishing!  I don't think Lily has ever been this dirty in her entire life, she was dumping dirt on her hair and everything, gross!

This is what Lily did after the race, found dirt and rubbed it all over herself, gross!!!

Yes, they served apple pie after the race, yummy!

This is the Grow's baby, sweet little Neil

The 2 oldest Grow boys ran the children's mile

Here they are playing at the Grows... Can you see all the dirt on them, and in Lily's hair.  Mason looks like he has a black eye, nope just dirt!

Lily finally realizing that she needs to get out while she can, haha

Mason really enjoyed "fishing"  there wasn't a real hook on his line, and a pretend fish but he like casting it out into the water.  He actually got the hang of it too!

If you look close the fish and line are right above his head as he starts to cast out the "bait"

Now in the very top left hand corner you can see a little bit of that fish bait as it is about to sail into the water

That is the look of a very proud boy!

They both crashed in the car, it was about 5 when we got home so I didn't really want her to stay asleep too long so I put her on the couch.  She didn't move a muscle... and she is soooo dirty :)