Our First Night

We went for our first night out in the "fancy tent"...I mean camper last night. It was a trial run and it went good. We definitely got some "kinks" knocked out because we plan to head out again soon. The boys all slept on their king size bed and we slept on the other. We brought along the laptop for movie purposes. We watched Bedtime Stories (Carson and Gage call it the "Pom-Pom Movie" and I still haven't figured that one out!) We had lights out about 9:30 and everyone went to sleep within about 20 minutes. Ummm the a/c works because we froze several times.


This morning Carson got up bright and early to head out for his bike ride around the big loop. The bike is such a fun thing for him here because he is able to GO and that is what this boy needs! He would pull over just as Brad told him when he would see a truck coming...

Here is the camper in our spot...oh and Gage...so glad you could join us in such a lovely mood!

We got some food in him and he started to wake up...Toby is still asleep in the camper as this picture is being taken...talk about a lazy bum!

Gage said "I wanna take a picture Mama please!" So how could you resist with such pretty words! This is take 2. Take 1 was of my head and the water bottle. I'm glad that I have someone who wants to photo me because I am never in pictures b/c I'm always holding the camera. Stay tuned for more travels...

Carson gotta Wii

Carson is obsessed with "racing car games" at Chuck E. Cheese, GattiTown, CiCi's Pizza, entrance to Walmart, the Franklin's house, and the list goes on! His birthday is 3 weeks before Christmas so we usually get him his present 6 months early. Might sound silly to you but it works for us. We got this one off Craigslist with MarioKart (the Ammanns' said this game was a must). Got a great deal...you should have seen Brad and I setting it all up last night because we are such not the video game people! We decided Carson could open up his Wii when he got home from school today. I did not have time to wrap it last night so I left it up to Brad. He got creative because he hates to wrap presents...so he used what we had around the house...

He put it in about 4 bags and then in a microwave box...Carson was so perplexed!

We just wrapped up the Mariokart game...he was pumped. He started dancing everywhere. The tatoo on his neck is for his program tonight at school...of course I will post on that later!

The first game he played there were 4 races...1st race 12th place, 2nd race 12th place, 3rd race 9th place and 4th race...ummmm 1st place! I am horrible at these games...he awesome!

total concentration...

Fun with Joan!

This morning Gage, Toby, and I took Carson up to his last (thankgoodness) day of school then we headed up to Strawberry Patch Park to visit my dear friend Joan. We talk several times a week but hardly ever see each other and this was a perfect opportunity. We played for 2 hours!

Since we have "country kids," we don't get to many "city parks" so this was a super treat for them. They had so much fun!

Toby thought he was a big as Gage trying to climb to the top!

Gage never ceases to amaze me with his climbing skills...

Joan and Gage had a blast! He loved it when she would pull him back and say "3, 2, 1...blast off" and release him...he would just laugh and smile...the swing would die down and he would say "do it again Joan please!" and of course with great delight...she did!

These ducks were so tame. Toby could not resist trying to touch them!

Snack time...Koolaid Bursts, Ritz Cheese Crackers, Oreo Sticks, Animal Crackers, and Goldfish Smores...for us...Arizona Blueberry White Tea! Yummy! Toby thought he was so big getting to drink from a Burst like Gage.

Joan had a water gun at her house that she bought to scare away cats from killing her birds and had not been using it. She brought it to Gage and ummmm well you can see the look on his face with delight. It was a perfect toy for him. He figured it out quick.

Joan loving on Gage and showing off the gun.

Seeing how far we could make the watergun shoot while trying to make Gage understand we did not want to hit the poor people walking on the trails for exercise...they were not for target practice!

We were successful! Joan had a great time bonding and visiting with my boys. I am so glad she did because she means the world to me! Gage and Toby both had such a fun time playing with Joan doing different things this morning. What a fun morning we all had!

Now that's an RrrrV Clark!

Anyone out there a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Movie fan? Ummmm...we are! It's a ritual at our house to watch it during the Christmas holidays each year. We quote it often and the RV comment is one of our favorites.

The boys are breaking in their new camping chairs so...

...we can go in this very soon!


This is the inside...from the left and the right. We love it. It has 2 king size bed pull outs plus 2 dinettes that will make into beds too! Plus a sink, little frig, griddle, microwave, and 3 eye stove. We are ready to roll out! We love to tent camp and got the "fever" when we we tent out to Colorado. Tent camping doesn't sound like fun with a 1, 3, & 5 year old...so we upgraded and got a "fancy tent" Brad keep telling me "it's a dang camper, Amy." But I think it's fun to call it a "fancy tent!" I think we will have a blast in it with our 3 boys...such fun times ahead!

Toby's says "load up!"

Boomerang Express

We had Vacation Bible School at our church this past week from 9:00-12:00 Monday thru Friday. We had a great group of teachers and staff and lots of kiddos! 246 was our high overall attendence and 181 kids was our highest! This was our sancuary and the theme was Boomerang Express all about the Australian Outback. "It all comes back to Jesus!"

Kelli was our 5k teacher and this is her classroom.


Oooo..I can't say enough about the "teachers' lounge" it was too yummy!

Christen was head of grade school missions and she did a great job!

Eva on my hip was a common thing this week!

I love music and Amanda and Stacy did a superfantabulous job teaching grade school music.

Jordan and Emily had preschool music and I have to say...they win the prize for the most awesome room. Their kids learned SO much...I know this because both of mine were in here!

Coach Smith was head of recreation. All the kids look up to all the men who come out and help with VBS and make a stand for Christ.

Yea...Sharon got better and got to join us for the last 2 days! It was so good to have here there because we had both prepared so much (her more than me) and it didn't feel right having her sick at home and not there with me.

Sawyer is way too cool!

Gage did not know quite what to think about Sawyer and his hair.

The boys and the girls raise money (for our building program) all week long. It's a contest. The losser has representatives that must take a pie in the face at the end of the week...

Sawyer and Zach are such good sports!

On Friday night we have Family Night so we can reach out to the parents of the kids that attended VBS. It is such a fun relaxed night. We sing all the songs that we learned during the week and also "the Link Band" got to perform. We had a great turn out.

They all made these shirts during the week. After the program, we all go to Jones Hall and eat cake and ice cream and then the kids can show off their rooms to their parents. Such a fun week...can't wait till next year. No telling what the theme will be!

Sherpa

I had to say goodbye to my Sherpa on Friday, June 19, 2009. He was 9 years old. It was possibly one of the hardest things that I have ever done. With tears in my eyes I write this blog. For those of you who really know me know what this big boxer meant to me. I am such an animal lover but never knew I could fall so in love with this big dog! Sherpa and I have lived together since he was 5 1/2 weeks old. This dog has been with me thru the good and the bad. He slept in my king size bed with me for years. It was only when I decided that Bradley and I would eventually marry that I moved him to the loveseat (still in my bedroom though).

Before kids...these are my first two babies. Sherpa and Peanut

Anytime I would sit indian style on the floor, Sherpa lways felt the need to sit down right into my lap...no matter if he was a little puppy or a 70 lb grown boxer!

Brad and I married in August 2002 and the next February I wanted pictures done of us with our dogs before we had kids. I always want to remember what a fun (but short) time with had when it was just us (and all of our 4-legged babies).

Bradley has always known what Sherpa meant to me. He would make the comment "yep, I married Amy and that dog" when people would ask about him. Sherpa has always been very special to Bradley since we have been together. When we were dating, Bradley would tell me to bring them (Sherpa and Peanut) to his house and would fix a place for them to stay inside because my dogs never stayed outside! Even when we would travel down to his parents place I would take the dogs and they did not have animals inside but they welcomed my two!

Sherpa has had the life any dog would dream of since we moved to the farm. Roaming on tons of land, trips to the Strong River, riding to town in the back of the truck, trail riding on golfcarts, etc...were the "normal" things this dog got to do. That is what Bradley reminded me of as we were having to say goodbye to him. Boxers are one of the top dogs to get if you have children...that is why I got him 9 years ago. He loved my children...This is one of my all time favorite pictures of my first 3 babies...Carson was only 9 months old.

He would always share his food with my kids...they would just stick their hands all down in his bowl and he never was ugly even once!

Everytime that Bradley would have a "kill" whether it be turkey or deer, Sherpa would guard it with his life. He was protector of the animal and would let no other animal near it. He would growl and snarl his teeth at all the other dogs and cats. Bradley would always "thank" Sherpa for his hard work by throwing him bits of the meat as he cleaned it.

Sherpa, I will miss you so much...