Pigs, Pigs, & more Pigs!

Fair starts 1 week from today! Wow the summer is flying by. We are frantic with record books, trying to fatten the pigs all we can, keeping them cool, shaving them, and getting everything else ready to get to the fair. These are a few shots I took this weekend of the kids working with their projects.

Look really close and you can see 4 kids walking their pigs with Caribou Mountain in the background. Grandpa Stoor was finally able to cut the hayfield behind the house and we have walked the pigs every night since.

Mara training her pig - It's her last year and I'm sad, but for some reason she doesn't feed too bad!

Megan is headed back to the barn with the 3 little piggies.

Doesn't Shelby look excited???

Oh man, does a walk ever make you tired? They dig a hole in the dirt and plop in a hurry after their jaunt in the hayfield. Life is rough when your only three responsibilities are to eat, walk, and gain weight. By the way - we will be in big trouble at the fair this year when the fair board sees that we have named our pigs after them: Patsy, Davey, Delvy, Joey, Sandy, and Keithy - sorry Jim - we with think of you next year!

My Flowers 2 "the sequel"

This is how I keep my sanity - out in the garden. I do love my flowers this summer - after the perenials are in a year or two they really shine. All the rain this spring has helped too - now I just have to keep everything from drying out the next few months. I may not know everything about gardening, but I enjoy getting out and digging a little in the dirt - and watering before it gets dark is my relaxation in the summer. Too bad Grays Lake summers are not just a little longer!

Bell Flowers (campunala)

Rock Cress - Star of David

Day Lily

The dianthis re-seeded from last year (white, pink, red) and the purple coneflowers will bloom next month - I hope!

More of the same with hens & chicks to the right and my black eyed susan in the back is looking good for next month too. The violas are everywhere - some consider them weeds, but I use them to fill in so I don't have to spent money at the nursery each year. I have spent a whopping $12.00 on plants this year - I love perenials!

Gravel Creek Hike

Megan, Shelby, and I headed up to Gravel Creek for a hike a couple of nights ago. It was a beautiful night and we went up the trail about a mile, until the mosquitoes became too much to handle. Here are a few photos of the trail and the wildflowers. I'm a lucky gal to live this close the the national forest. Enjoy!!

$269.00

That's right this guy cost us $269.00 in vet bills today. I couldn't even begin to count the quill coming out of poor little Rowdy's nose. In fact, we have found more since he came home from the vet's office. Pepper didn't have quite as many, but too many to take care of at home. They had to spend the night at the vet's office and they sure were happy to see the kids when we went to pick them up. As for the porcupine - Jim managed to find him and he met a timely death - Seth gave him one last boot as he said, " This is for Rowdy!"

Aunt Jan

I've been thinking a lot about my sister-in-law Jan this month. I can't believe it has been 13 years since cancer took her from us. Sometimes it feels like yesterday, and other times it seems like a lifetime ago. It was nice to be back in Elko and think about the good times that we had with Mike, Jan, and Jeremy while we lived there. Mike's new bride was a neighbor and good friend of Jan's - it was nice to be able to mention her name and not have Elaine be uncomfortable. Jan died when Megan was just 6 weeks old, and I had the opportunity to stay at their home and help Mike take care of her needs for her last couple of days of life. It was difficult, but I'm glad we were there and that I had that chance to be with her during those last few minutes of this life.

Elko

Jim & I are in Elko - we made a quick trip to be with Jim's brother Mike for his wedding! I need to post the pictures so my kids can see their new Aunt Elaine. I'm so excited for him - he seems happier than I have seen him for quite a few years.

Here's the bride & groom!

This was Mike & Jan's home in Elko - I loved the tree in front so much that we planted one just like it in our front yard. It is overgrown, but in the spring it has beautiful white flowers.

This pix is of our former home in Elko - it hasn't changed much at all, but the trees are bigger. This trip has made me a little bit homesick for Elko, except the 100 degree weather!

Family Photo

I told you about our trip to Rexburg.

My brother Blake sent me these pictures after we got home..

They're on their way!!

I can hardly wait - this is the weekend! I love it when my family get together and this is the reunion weekend. I can't concentrate on work - just waiting for a good game of pinochle or nasty, lots of food, visiting and fun!!!!

July 4th

Soda Springs is the place to be on the 4th of July! We couldn't miss the parade, but then this year we skipped town and headed to Rexburg. Here are the pix:

Mater showed up in Soda on the 4th!

We sat at out traditional spot by the cemetery and played a game of Boccie ball. We were joined by Grandma & Grandpa Petersen, John & Michele's family, Roylene, Jared & A.C.

Our cousin Sierra showed up first with the TMS drill team - then a few minutes later Megan came by with the cheerleaders.

Check out this shot of Hunter(9) letting his big cousin Jared(26?) ride his bike home - who is the bigger kid ?

Water fun and volleyball along with bike riding, 4-wheeling,basketball, boccie ball, and kite flying!

Grandma & Grandpa surprised us by driving to Rexburg too - yahoo!

Shelby was trying to make all the girls hot pad thingy - Katie came up with a new use for hers?!?

This is late at night watching videos of Jake on his mission. Craig came over with his kids and a couple of their Canadian cousins too.

Mara just had to have a photo for Katie - this is from the square ice cream store in Swan Valley.

Palisades reservoir on the way home - it hasn't had this much water for years. Makes you want to jump in, but it is all snow melt ~ brrrr!

It was a fantastic weekend, although too short. I was glad we got to go and visit Blake and his family and get a look at their new home. We got to hang out with Craig's bunch too. We stayed up too late and ate too much ~ what could be better than that?? Oh, I know next weekend when a huge bunch of us will get together for a family reunion on the hill!!!!!!

Mara's cool pix!

Mara claims to hate our camera, but she sure manages to get some great photos with it. Monday she played around a little and these are 2 of the results:







Aren't they awesome? The pig is my favorite - do you think he is a little hot?