Visit from the Grush's

Our friends, Erin & Brian Grush came back to Malta for a visit and the kids got some Jasper rides:

Emma

 Emma & Matthew

 Megan & Riley waiting

Daniel & Matthew

 Megan

Thanks for the visit--it was great to see you guys. Now we'll have to crash their place someday!

T-Ball 2012

Evan said that t-ball is a lot funner to watch than older kids baseball because you never know what is going to happen.  He was right.  Some highlights: the little girl in the field eating potato chips, the flock of birds flying above that had all the outfielders looking in the sky, the little boy hitting the ball right into the little girl's mitt (the only catch of the season), and the hole in the ground that the kids would be playing in.

 Hy & his buddy Will Rex

 STOMPING on the base--you can't just step on it.

 Hy & his buddy Trevor Bankhead

Happy B-day Jen!

Look what I got for my b-day:

 Not really.  We were just renting, but Buzzy and I got a fun ride on the swather.

 For my b-day, I got a trip to Wal-mart with no kids! I wish my honey could've gone with me, but he was the babysitter. When I got home, I had a yummy cake!

 Riley & I trying to blow out the trick candles.

 I love the look on Riley's face here after we'd blown out the candles 3 times!

Livin' & Lovin' in Malta

This is our home from the road...on a rainy day...before we got the trees. I love being back in this beautiful home!!!

 Mom w/Riley & me w/Lindsay going on a bike ride

 A little sparrow flew in our house.  Ev caught it with the blanket and let the kids look at it before it flew away.

Riley & Ev talking about something exciting.

 Riley and Lindsay having some sister time in their nightgowns

 Getting ready to chop some 1st crop hay.  Do you know which piece of equipment is ours? The rototiller.  However, I used to drive a chopper (the green thing with a yellow header and yellow spout) back in the day.

 Ev, Hy, & Ri gopher trapping.

Strawberries and "Bernie" bushes

I couldn't wait for the day that Riley and I could plant strawberries together.  I was actually pleasantly surprised at how helpful and enthusiastic Riley actually was!

 The stick in the ground says "Riley's Strawberries" so we could tell them apart.

 Sadly, after a few frost, not the best soil, and wind, and maybe lack of water, the strawberries have perished.  Riley had 3 plants that almost made it, but they too have gone under. Sigh....maybe next year.


Back in Dayton, my parents had some bushes that I always liked on the side of their house.  I asked Mom the name of them and they're called "Burning Bushes" because they turn a beautiful red color.  My children thought I called them "Bernie Bushes" (my father-in-law is Bernie) and it has stuck ever since.

 Before.

Evan & Hyrum digging holes with their shovels.  Hyrum likes digging holes!

Lindsay supervising. 

We had 4 bushes and so we said that the 3 on the side of the house could be Hyrum's, Riley's and Lindsay's.    So they each chose one (well, Hyrum & Riley did and Lindsay got the one that was left over) and here they are sitting in front of them.  Yes, Riley is screaming.  Oh well, typical 3 year old.

Cousin Fun

We've been having lots of fun being close to cousins.  Evan's cousin, Andrea & her family live close by with their daughters (who Riley loves) but we don't have any pictures yet. My brother, JC & his wife live nearby with their two boys: Logan & Elliott.  We had a cousin day a few weeks ago and made a veggie dinosaur. 

Photo Shoot

I wanted to get pics of the kids.  I'm not a photographer and I don't really know of anyone who wants to take pics of my kids for free, so I just did it after church.  Hyrum wasn't really thrilled about staying in his Sunday clothes any longer.  And Riley liked taking pics but she kept pulling goofy faces.  But, here are some of them!