Jaden Astrid Howell

Jaden Astrid Howell was blessed on July 19, 2009. She sure is a cutie.

We are so greatful that Rusty and Jaden will be spending time here in Idaho while Curtis is away. I am really excited to get to know Rusty; and who doesn't like new babies. Madi and Gabe love Rusty and Jaden to pieces and want to visit every day.

Peas

It's that time of year.......

Our peas have definitely been a success this year. These pictures are from the first of three pickings. The first batch produced 12 quarts of peas, the second was also 12 quarts. The third, which was only 2 days after the second was a whopping 22 quarts.

Madi's job was clean-up.

Each year we've planted a garden we learn new things and are able to plan a little bit better for the next year. Next year we plan on staking our peas better; they need more air. Staking or fencing them next year will hopefully produce a better crop.

Now....it looks like the beans are ready.

Madi's Birthday

Madi is now 4. Her birthday was on a week night, which made it difficult to plan a party around. Mike took the day off work and took the kids fishing and to the library. Mike told Madi should open presents that night since it was her birthday.

Of course....so then I had to go get them, bring them home and wrap them. Mike and I had already discussed what we were getting her for her birthday so I didn't think it would be a big deal. But when it came to choosing what books to get, I was in trouble. I picked up two I thought would work. When I got home to show Mike, he just laughed and said "she already has that one, and that one Gabe picked out at the library today". Of course, my luck. The book she already had I decided to wrap up anyway, after all she hadn't read it for some time.

I should have known better. As soon as Madi opened the package she shouted out "ALL RIGHT!... that's the same book I got for Christmas" She REMEMBERED. I really thought it would be no big deal; don't all Dr. Seuss books look about the same? Her next comment "oh, that's the one Gabe got from the library". At least she was still excited and happy to get 'whatever anybody wanted to give her'.

The camera was a big hit. She had taken 125 pictures within a half-hour.

Her party was on Friday. She made the dinner choice....spaghetti and meatballs. A Messick favorite. The cake Grandma Valerie made. I threw out the cake making skill a long time ago. Valerie always does an amazing job. The party was a success and I think everyone had a good time.

Playing with the Camera

Sunday, I had the camera out just before dinner snapping pictures of the kids.

I like the cottonwood trees, especially this one, it's the perfect back drop. Gabe loves the ditch bank that runs along the west side of the yard. He could spend hours in there fighting 'bad guys'. He wasn't interested in stopping to have his picture taken, there were of course 'bad guys' to get.

Ryland wasn't too sure of what I was doing.

He didn't get too far away from his mom.

Claira is always fun to photograph, she does goofy things.

WOW

I'm not sure where July has gone. I have lots of things to share and hopefully will get to that in the next few days. First, here's a few pictures of my bow. We received them last Wednesday, but I didn't get a chance to shoot it until Sunday. It shoots amazingly fast. The picture above is me and Mike's bows. The next few are close-ups of mine.

If anybody is wondering about the wood choices I posted a month or so ago and how they coinside with the wood selection for my bow - they don't. I obviously changed my mind when I ordered and forgot about my selection when I posted here. The actual wood for my riser is: ZEBRA Comes from west Africa. A fairly hard and heavy wood, makes good risers and limb lams. Very light, straw color with very dark stripes through it. I honestly can't remember what I ordered for my limbs, but either way, I like. it. My next bow will be Paduak and Osage, like I mentioned in the earlier post.

This is the week.....

Our bows will be finished and on their way to us this weekend. SO EXCITED..........

Card Making

The girls at work have started a card club. Once a month we get together and make two cards. It has been a lot of fun and motivated me to make a few at home.

The rest of the weekend

On Friday, we had a barbecue at home, played in Grandma Valerie's' back yard, and had our own little firework show. Gabe was a little afraid of the pops and whistles...so was Madi. They loved the sparklers and fountains (as long as they didn't make noise). Saturday we did yard work at home, played in the sprinklers, ate homemade pizza and then lit more fireworks. Sunday we hung out at my mom and dad's all day.

Camping

We always spend time at the cabin on or around the 4th of July. This year it was just our little family. We spent Thursday night there, it was quiet but we had a great time.

This is the rest of the facilities....the open-air shower house.

Garden Update

The garden is well on its way...so are the weeds. The corn and peas look great. I think we will be harvesting and freezing peas by the weekend. Beans are doing fairly well now....at least the ones that came up. I think we have the bugs controlled. Except I have ants eating the radishes. We've had lots of lettuce and the tomatoes are starting to come on. I think our squash are on the rebound, we'll see. The potatoes have taken off as well.

Flowers from my Front Yard

Playing in the Sprinkler

This morning Madi wanted to play in the sprinkler. She didn't play long but sure thought it was fun. Gabe really didn't like it much. At least he gave it a try, for a minute.

Corn Dog

What? Who me?

Let me think about that one?

Yes, I am cute...I am smart...and I am handsome.

The facilities

Just in case anybody was wondering what kind of 'facilities' were available at the cabin, here it is.

The outhouse, it leans a little to the left, but it does the job. The cabin is rustic........it does not have plumbing, running water, electricity.....you get the drift, it's more like a tent that doesn't move. The kids love it there, it's convenient to get there, and above all it is pretty.

An evening at the Zoo

Monday evening me and the kids met my friend Chenoa and her family at the zoo.

It was Madi's first time there this year and she was excited and certainly in a hurry to see all the animals. There were two things that were very funny to Madi. First, Chenoa's husband's name is Mike and so is Madi's dad's name. Second, Rowen (Chenoa's daughter) called her "baby". Rowen calls every little kid "baby". Before the evening was through, Rowen had learned to say "Madi".

Surprisingly, Gabe fed the goats. I was shocked, Gabe is afraid of just about everything right now, but he sure did think it was great to feed the goats.