Speedy Summer

This summer is speeding by too fast! Some people like Catie Keefe (getting married at the end of August) may love that it is going so quickly. But I am wishing time would slow down just a little. We spent this week going to tennis every morning in the heat for three hours, Elly had Math magic in the morning as well. Rowen finished up his swimming lessons and loved it!! We swam almost every day. We had to take Tuesday off because we were all a little crispy. We made strawberry freezer jam instead. Since then we have been eating a lot of PB&J and ice cream using the jam--yum!

On Wednesday we went to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center for the cub scout den meeting. It is about 20 minutes from our house and is the second largest rescue center in the country. It has over 100 lions and tigers. I must add it was at 4:30 in the afternoon and sooooo hot at least 95 degrees plus unbearable humidity. It is very interesting and a little scary as the tigers are definitely eyeing the small ones. The guide told us to be careful as sometimes the animals will spray you but she would watch them and warn us. Spray meaning that they lift their tail and spray urine at you--yikes! Then her next comment was not to worry it will smell like stale popcorn and won't hurt you. Well, as luck would have it Braden got sprayed and he was disgusted. Nothing better than tiger urine and sweat to make your day. We have been telling him who else can say they were sprayed by a tiger, in Indiana, no less :). Other than that we had a fun time.

Elly and Jewel looking at one of the white tigers. Gotta love the Eye of the Tiger--Right Jewel?

One of the lions. You could hear them roaring back and forth to each other. Too cool.

Bailee made this basket over the last few weeks in Young Women's. It looks so good! Thanks to creative YW leaders!!

On Friday we went to Racoon Lake and took the boat out for the first time this year. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and clear. We took one loop of the lake and heard a loud rattling noise. Biff took the cover off the engine and there was smoke so we quickly pulled the boat in and went swimming on the beach. It should be fixed in a week--they think it is the water pump. Gotta love the '85 Chaparal. Luckily, we were not stranded and had a great day. And still made it home for a fun GNO to see My Sisters Keeper. Good movie--if you did not read the book. We had a great time!!

Summer!!

We have officially begun our summer fun. Swimming everyday that the rain doesn't stop us, tennis lessons, library and everything you can think of doing outside. Bailee finished the ISU basketball camp, Elly did another week of math magic, Braden braved the extreme weather of cub scout day camp, Peyton loved running around at tennis and Rowen started his first official week of swimming lessons (goggles are required--picky boy!!) Biff spent most of the week in San Antonio for the NATA convention--we wish we had gone--next year. Then Friday and Saturday Elly and Braden finished off their ball seasons in some scorching games. Saturday afternoon we had the Riley end of the year picnic. They had games, food, bouncers, and lots of sunshine. It was so much fun!! Summer is the BEST!

Braden doing archery at Wildwood and by the end of the week he loved archery.

Rowen batting at the picnic. He had a blast!!

Braden and Peyton just finished racing on the bouncer! Braden's team was undefeated all year and lost their first game on Saturday. They are so much fun to watch.
Elly and her teacher at the Riley Picnic. Mrs England was awesome!!

More visitors!

We have had almost three weeks of company and it has been A LOT of fun!! On the 6th, Skip and Bonnie came and stayed for 4 days. It was so much fun to see them and we have missed not living by them. Skip is finishing his Ph.D. at the U of U and will be working at the other ISU (Illinois State). They came out to buy a house and will only live about 2 hours from us. We are excited!! The kids had a great time with them playing Wii, croquet, and cards (like 21 and golf). They are always so much fun to have around.
On Sunday, Page and Cameren came from Indy. Cameren was visiting Page and he left this week for basic training. I am sad to say that we had not seen him for about ten years!! I still think of him as a little boy with spiky hair. You can definitely see how he has grown up! It was awesome to see them!!
Then on Monday, Jackie (Biff's Mom)and Don and Tayler (Page's daughter)drove from Utah. They stayed a week with us and their visit overlapped with Skip and Bonnie's so we had a lot of fun.



We found our new favorite pass time--trashy as it may seem- running through the ISU fountain. The kids had so much fun!!

We went to a covered bridge. It was in Park County about twenty minutes away. There are lots of covered bridges there. It makes you feel like you are taken back in time to Little House on the Prairie.
We went to Raccoon Lake and hope to go camping there this summer. It is so beautiful.

School's OUT!!

The last day of school we have a tradition of a water balloon fight. I think my kids thought I forgot about it--not so lucky. Peyton, Rowen, Vince and Archie were helping me. We hid behind the big trees in front of our house and waited. Two of our neighbors came out and the kids threw some of the balloons at them but finally the bus came. Elly, Braden and Thomas (our neighbor) got off the bus and we started throwing. It was so funny to hear the kids on the bus screaming at us to get them and my kids were soooo embarrassed!! But it was awesome- the boys had a blast getting them wet! I love the end of the year.

Elly came home with a new bike that she won at school. (See she is all about a good competition!!) The school has a 1/4 mile fitness track around the playground and for every lap that you run you get a punch on a card. The boy and girl who ran the most laps each won bikes. Elly ran almost 80 miles this year!! Go El!!

This is Bailee and her soccer team at her last game-- it was a tournament in Indy. Do you think she is a little taller that everyone?? They won two games and were playing two more games on Sunday. When she started playing this year we told her coaches that we do not play sports on Sunday . They told us that was fine. Well anyway, after her game we went to DQ and a girl and her family on Bailee's team were there. She told Bailee, " What are we going to do without you tommorrow? Where are you going anyway?" At that point I knew Bailee wanted me to answer the question but I just looked at her and waited. After a pause Bailee answered and said,"Church." Her friend said, "Oh." On the way home we were talking and I said, "You wanted me to answer that girl in DQ." Bailee said, " Yes, why didn't you?" We were laughing so hard and we had a great conversation about all the other ways she could have answered. But Bailee did a great job!

Fun with the Cousins!!

We have had a BUSY first of the summer!! The Price cousins stayed for a week and we had a BLAST!! We went Bowling, spent hours playing legos and lots of time in the treehouse. The girls have perfected the art of bartending as they would have a specific way to make all drinks--mostly ice water. They drank A LOT of it!! They could all do awesome flips by the end of the week even with 10 people on the trampoline. Bailee and Olivia went shopping (unsupervised) Gotta love being 13!
Everyone waiting for breakfast. The best was Tyson who made me laugh at all his comments. Just have him describe scout camp and you will be in tears. One day he asked what are we having for lunch? So I told him macaroni and cheese and he screamed NOT YELLOW DEATH!!! Then another time he told me that I needed to have the original flavor of Ramen not chicken--Who knew there was a difference!?!?!
Sophie and Tyson in Cabellas. We had a great time looking at all the animals and trying to convince Rowen he could wait until Christmas for a gun.

Bowling Day!! My kids were in school so we went bowling. Luckily the bowling alley was empty because we were wild!! We had a great time--even Rowen and Archie bowled!

Iowa Visitors!

On Friday night the Swanson family came from Iowa. They stayed at our house Friday and Saturday night. (FYI yes we still had my 5 nieces and nephew here) The kids all got along great especially at night when it was an all out boys vs. girls pillow fight in the basement. They came to help at their cousins graduation open house. The Swanson's are such an awesome family and it was so fun to see them. It does make us miss Iowa a lot!! Rowen loved their son Matthew and kept saying, " I want to play with that tiny boy." The tiny boy who is much older and bigger than RoBo. We had a great time with their kiddos at soccer games, swimming, and jumping on the trampoline.
Peyton and Mathew had an great time playing legos and just being buddies!
This is Bailee at her soccer game Saturday. She plays for the Terre Haute Flyers. They beat the Indy Burn 3-0. She is #15. Go Bailee!

Cheaper By the Dozen?!?!?

Thursday, I drove to St. Louis to meet my SIL Kendra and pick up her five kids. They are going to New Mexico on a job and house hunting trip. We are going to have them at our house for a week. My kids are so excited and LOVE to have the cousins come and stay!! Meanwhile, my friend Tammy went to Europe for two weeks and I told her I would watch her two boys (who by the way are like our family and my kids LOVE to have them over, too) while her husband is at work during the day.

On Friday we went to Hawthorne Park and went on a little hike. They all collected Rocks and we painted them later. (My kids are still in school so only Peyton and Ro were with us.)

Here is Peyton, Tori, Vince, Ro and Olivia looking for turtles. Which we did catch a big one in the backyard but he escaped. The turtle was too fast and gone before we could find him. Figure!?!?
Olivia, Kaylee, Sophie, and Tori painting rocks.

Olivia and the goose poop she got on her legs at the park--Yikes!?!

In the afternoon,we went to Peyton's Kindergarten program. They sang the cutest songs and Peyton is one to belt out the songs!! It was a jamacian story about a cat and a rat. The songs were cute and I will try to post part of it.

Peyton and his teacher, Mrs Toney. He has had a great year in kindergarten!!

Sorry about the sideways view I am still a beginner!!