Sunday, September 26, 2021

Redemption! Kim Hiked Scotchman on a Beautiful Day

 Nixon decided to rake some pine needles after church last week


Henry was tickling the ivories




It has been nice to have fresh flowers on the table from our garden/yard


Kim and Nixon were both acting really mature pushing around this car


It was nice last Sunday afternoon so Nixon and I went for a bike ride to Mill River (2 miles away). While we were at the river a storm started to roll in and we decided we needed to leave. It wasn't too long before there was a downpour and we were getting soaked. It was lots of fun ;)


Henry got some practice with scissors this week. Check out that tongue!



I had to meet with some clients close to the Canadian border on Monday afternoon so I decided that I would try and find something up there to visit since I was already making the drive. I decided on Moyie Falls, which was only a 10 mile detour on my way home (northeast of Bonner's Ferry)

There was this really cool bridge over the valley


This is where the main/upper fall would have been if it was earlier in the year. If it would have been earlier in the year this would have been an ~80 foot waterfall


Instead I was this lower fall below, which is around 30 feet


The water then flows down toward the bridge I already mentioned



I guess for late September it is still pretty cool



Here is a short video


Nixon is a pretty special seven year old. Here he is helping change Henry's diaper. 


Mason has been drawing lots for our next door neighbors


Here they are laying all the pictures out so they can make a book with all of them


Here they are looking at the book


Lyza and Nixon are checking out the local library at Lyza's friend's house



Mason was impressed with the giant pumpkin


You might recall that Kim hiked Scotchman's Peak in June and the weather didn't cooperate. She went back this week and the weather was PERFECT!


They had beautiful views


They also saw a mother goat and two babies






She was on top of the world




I am glad she got to have a better experience


I tried a new bike route yesterday morning that Kim tried with a friend a couple of weeks ago. Instead of riding out to Higgins Point like I usually do, right after finishing the most difficult hill of that ride you turn off and go up hill even more. It was really brutal. So brutal in fact that I had to get off my bike and walk it up the last stretch of the last uphill. So much uphill. The views were new and beautiful but there was never a flat spot with a view to stop and enjoy. I also made a wrong turn and found myself on a steep downhill that turned into a gravel road, which isn't the safest on 23mm tires. I made it though. It was nice trying something new but I am not sure I want to do it again anytime soon ;)


Nixon had another soccer game on Saturday and he was lots of fun to watch. We practiced some ball handling the night before and he did a really good job in the game controlling the ball





He was really tired by half time. It was also pretty hot out.


He also scored a goal!


After the soccer game I took Nixon to Wendy's for a cheeseburger and he was in heaven


Yesterday was the last day of Silverwood of the season and Mason and Henry really wanted to go. Mason skipped his soccer game and they all went to Silverwood. They also went with Mason's friend Regan and her family.



They are super cute together


Them too!


Mason found an owl


Mason also found a special rock


Doesn't Henry look cute? It took me a minute to see that Mason is also in the picture.


Take care

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Fluffy Clouds

 The kids have been having fun talking to and playing with our backyard neighbors


The stink bugs are out...except I looked into what these really are and they are not stink bugs. They are actually WESTERN CONIFER SEED BUGS. Like stink bugs they also use a foul smelling spray as a defense. They feed on the sap of developing conifer cones, which causes the developing seeds to wither and misdevelop.
They are pretty nasty looking and when the weather starts to turn cold we see them crawling on the outside of the house.




Kim decided it was time for our exposed aggregate to be resealed and she got right to work


It looks awesome


No we didn't get a dog. Kim dog sat for an afternoon and the kids had a blast


I can't believe Mason is doing flips. I guess he has been watching Nixon for a while.


One evening this week as the sun was setting the clouds were beautifully pink


The next day I was working in Missoula and was treated to the most perfect fluffy clouds in the sky




Mason and Kim did some science experiments with vinegar and baking soda


Ice cream at Costco. Yum!


Kindergarten has been really good for Mason. It seems to foster his creativity.


Like this day when he decided to stick a pencil through a ziplock full of water and show us that it wasn't leaking


Soccer yesterday was wet and cold but the kids still did well. Nixon even scored his first goal of the season (so I am told since I was at Mason's game while Kim was at Nixon's)


I just had to post this classic picture of Mason


Henry has grown into these PJs so we have three boys that can wear them


Kim and I went to an adult party last night with lots of minute to win it games. Here is Kim with vaseline on her nose trying to transfer cotton balls from one plate to another. We had lots of fun


Kim and I had to knock down water bottles with an apple in panty hose wrapped around our waists


Trying to catch ping pong balls with cups strapped to our arms


Group photo after picking candy corn out of cool whip in a plate with nothing but our faces


Take care