concerts by the lake

We live in a rather small town.....it seems to be growing by the minute but over all it is still quite small........20,000 or so people live here. We love it here.....it still has the small town atmosphere and people are very into their community. Every summer they do 2 months of concerts by the lake. The kids and I discovered it last year and we went to almost all of them on Thursday nights. This year we have only been able to make it to one so far but it was to the one that was by far our favorite last year. Vocal Trash, not only do they play guiters and drums but they also play garbage cans and water bottles and brooms. They get very into the audience and as I looked around the other night I saw that everyone seemed to be having as good of a time as we were having! Clapping our hands and singing along to the music. I love small town life.....

American Idol Jibber Jabber

American Idol.......what a phenomenon! This has been the 5th season for it to be on.....that is so hard for me to believe! I use to watch American Idol every Tuesday and Wednesday night, we raced home so that we could see it. The last 2 seasons though I have not done that. They went to it being 3 days for part of the season and I just couldn't do that....it was already occupying 2 of my nights there was no way I could add another night in the mix of that so the kids and I stopped watching it. I still keep up with it on the recaps the next day and honestly the recaps are so good that I feel like I have watched it all season. Taylor Hicks has been my pick all along and I am very exciting that he won......Taylor seems to be a fun guy....someone who doesn't care what others think of him and he was out there to sing and dance his heart out. That is what he did week after week and we all fell in love with him because of it.

Just my opinion..........

The Dixie Chicks have come back out with a new album......I am told that this CD is more like soft rock then it is country (more like Sheryl Crow type of music) now I LOVE Sheryl Crows music.....she always has catching lyrics and I think I have all of her CD's, you would think this would want me to go out and buy the new Dixie Chicks CD right They made a statement that offended most Americans and they have never been sorry for it. I am all for freedom of speech, if we didn't have it here there would be a LOT of people in trouble but going over to another country and making a comment about our president (whom I admit not a lot of people are fond of but that I like very much) not a smart career move. Have they paid for their mistakes? Should we stop punishing them? Maybe......... If Natalie could keep her mouth shut for 5 minutes people might start to forget/forgive (sometimes it is better to not say anything) but she keeps going on and on about things that offend people (the most recent would be the Toby Keith thing (again) and now Reba) Once again they (or she) has offended people in the country music industry (and America) and she (or they) has no remorse. So do you think I should go out and buy this new CD of theirs that I really think I would love and listen to all the time?..............I would have to say no......morals are more important to me then entertainment!

Summer starts here

My summer is here!!! Tonight was the end of the last activity that we do. (see the blog below) CCD is over......dance is over.....Brownies is over.....and now t-ball is officially over!!!! My summer is here. I have a little over 2 wonderful months to relax and not worry about having to speed home because we have to get here or there and then racing home to eat and take baths and get into bed. Now we can start going back to the library and going to the concert by lake on Thursdays or to the movies in the park, we can go with the swing of things again and breathe a little bit easier! Don't get me wrong I LOVE that my kids are in activities and the fact that they love to go to them makes it even better but this is a much needed break.....(for all) then when the Fall starts (or should I say the end of summer......) we will have a refreshed mind and body to start it all over again!

waterslide park

Tonight was Aarons end of year party for t-ball. They had it at Hawaian Falls over in Garland. We have never been there before so I really didn't know what to expect. As soon as we walked into the park Kaylee ran into Taylor and they were off.......I only seen her one other time before it was time to leave. Aaron stayed in the not-so-deep area of the park. He doesn't like to be were he can't feel the bottom.....likes his feet planted firmly on the ground. They had 3 different fun waterslides for him and an assortment of other cool toys such as squirters (to soak the unsuspecting victim....happened a couple of times to me) and buckets that fill up with water so that it can turn over and dump on your head. We had to leave about 7:30 and I had to bribe the kids with Sonic.....reluctently they agreed, I think they could have stayed all night if I would have let them.

Go Mavs!!!!

The Mavs won against the Spurs last night!!! I really think they have a shot at winning the championship this year!!!

I did it!!!

I got a picture downloaded!!!!! I will try and get some more up here.

Kaylee's Dance Picture

Here is Kaylee dance picture....isn't she adorable. I really am going to miss her being in dance....it has been 3 wonderful years! She may go back to it someday its just that right now she really wants to be in piano so she is goingto try it at the beginning of the school year!

pictures here?

OK....I have no idea how to download pictures on here....if you know please send me directions as to how! Thank you in advance.

Brownies to Juniors

Tonight was our bridging ceremony for girl scouts. Kaylee and all of her friends walked over the stage and became Juniors.....they are no longer little Brownies!
We have had such a good time these last 3 years.....from going to camping to playing with worms at "The Herd" to learning all about plants at the Science Place to doing science experiments at the girl scout shop to learning archery and horseback riding.....I could go on and on about all of the things that we have learned and I feel so blessed to have been such a big part in it. Our leader Karen is absolutly awesome! There are no words that I can write to tell you about how wonderful she is! Thank you Karen for all that you do with this great bunch of kids! We have been able to watch them grow and will continue to watch them grow throughout the years! They are turning into young ladies right before our very eyes!!! I can't wait for the Fall to begin so we can come together again and begin our Junior adventure!

For Tiffany

Congratulations Tiffany!!
You made it through the trials and tribulations of high school!!!!! I really wish I could have been there to watch you take that step across the stage and take that diploma in your hand!!! Matt and I are so proud of you!!!

The sweet life of camping

Camping......what a fun time we had at Beavers Bend this weekend let me tell you a little bit about it.
Matt, Aaron and Bernie took off Wednesday so they could get everything set up for Kris, Kaylee and I to get there Thursday. We arrived about 7:30 or so....just in time for the sun to go down and us to make some smores (YUM) we went to bed rather early.....(it gets very dark out there) the next day we decided that we would go canoeing.....Aaron said that him and I were going to go into daddy's canoe because last time Kaylee got to go with him so Kris and Kaylee got into their canoe, Matt was just getting ready to push them off when all of a sudden they both leaned to the side and flipped the canoe!!! Matt and I laughed and laughed as they scrambled to their feet. Do not expect Matt and I to help when you are in danger because all we will do is laugh! Aaron was a little surprised. Kaylee was pretty upset and decided that she really doesn't like canoeing.....I am sure it was just the moment of it....the water is freezing....she will get over it and actually by the end of the day she was feeling better with it. We seen a bunch of huge turtles and fish on our trip down the river....it was very relaxing! Had a great time. We eventually went back to the camper and had supper and some more smores!!! Saturday we went swimming, ok the kids went swimming....I sat on the edge of the river....that water was so cold! I honestly do not remember the river in Pierre being this cold!!! Do you suppose that is one of those suppressed memories!?!?!?! Maybe. Matt, Kaylee and I went mountain biking....I have learned my lesson and will never do that again! I don't know how they did it.....it was so hard! After we were done and back at the camper and rested Matt found another trail and said "do you want to do another bike trail" I know I gave him one of crazy looks and told him no thanks....don't think I will ever be doing that again, mountain biking on the pavement works just fine for me! Later that day Matt, the kids and I went for a hike......that was really nice! there are so many trees there, absolutely beautiful!
We had such a great time!!!!
We came back early on Sunday because Kaylee had her dance recital at 4:00....she received her 3 year award and danced her little heart out! She did really good! If I ever figure out how to put a video on here I will so you can see it......this is Kaylees last year of dancing (maybe) she really wants to take piano lessons and I told her she had to chose...she picked piano. If she doesn't like piano after a year she said she would go back to dance. I am sure she will like it though.....she is very musically inclined and catches onto things quite fast.....very much like my dad. I'll let you know for sure though

Yeah for me!!!!!

This works....I am really exciting because I figured this out on my own!!!!! The reason I started this was so that I could try to stay in touch with everyone.....hopefully you will respond well to it and none of us will lose interest to quickly. Wish me luck!!!!!

Racehansen life

still trying to figure out if I am doing this right....if this one actually works I think I will have it!!

first time

just want to see if this works before I start to send it out to people