It has been a few quiet weeks!  I have loved having my weekends back.  Last weekend I tackled some of those huge time consuming projects and actually got a few completed!!!  It is amazing how long the evenings can be when you get home at 4 and have no other commitments that evening.

It has been full on hunting season around here.  JR, Jacob and Ben have all gotten bucks.  Among them all I think there are still 8-10 tags left!  We have finally gotten a big upright freezer.  Bree is still on a raw diet so I am enjoying not buying her meat!  All three bucks were harvested at the same 700 acre private land they hunt.  Joseph still has no interest in hunting!

Jacob has just decided to play basketball so mentally preparing for all the games!  He is also seriously looking at off season Rugby and Baseball with both active seasons being in the spring.  He is concerned that his bear hunting season won't happen but it's like I told him, he has the rest of his life to hunt.  If you are gonna go out big, do it your senior year.

Jacob recently, through a random connection, had an opportunity to go out with a buddy of his and the two of them assisted a Purple Heart recipient with a big horn sheep hunt.  Tags are a once in a lifetime opportunity and this gentleman - probably mid 30s had drawn a tag and had been out for most of the allotted 30 days.  He had not gotten an animal so the guy called Fish and Wildlife and a ranger knew Jacob's buddy's dad knew the area well..so made the connection.  He was gone 24 hours and said it was an amazing experience!  They ended up finding a ewe that the guy shot.  Due to his limitations, Jacob and Brayden rolled/carted the animal out.  The crazy thing, the guy is an outfitter up near Glacier and invited Jacob and Brayden up to duck hunt.  The connections that kid makes!

Ben stopped by recently and was eating some homemade cookies.  I asked him about them and he said "you don't know about Doris"?  He proceeded to tell me when he was doing utility work downtown this summer there was an 80 year old woman that always baked for the crew.  When the job wrapped up they swapped numbers and she said to text her whenever he wanted cookies.  He said he had called her once and that she had recently called him and said she had baked if he wanted to stop by...I think she loaded him up with a couple dozen cookies!

Joseph has started up football workouts.  Two mornings a week they are in the weight room.  Jacob takes him to the school and then Jacob heads to the gym!  Proud of both of them for continuing to get up early and get moving!  He has started working 2-3 more shifts a week, so enjoying more money coming in.  I still think that kid will have 15-20K by the time he graduates!  Although he did recently admit, he has locked up his debit card cause it is too easy to spend.  He even said with cash it hurts to watch it leave your hand......all three of the boys have learned that early. 

The snow has held off, yay!  So not looking forward to the snow.  One of these days I will have a car with a self starter on it!  

I think that is it for now!  Here are few pictures!

Oh my word...I thought it had been a few weeks since I posted, but it has been 6 weeks.  Football season takes it out of me!  Every weekend I was traveling either for Varsity/JV or Froshmore!!

Today we had our last game.  Varsity went 1-9 for the season but huge improvements seen.  Jacob had a good season with a hand full of touchdowns, a few interceptions and some big defensive plays.  He has visited I think 5 schools.  He is very indifferent on whether he played for a small school in the fall.  Not real sure the process from here, but he is okay if he doesn't play.

Joseph played about half the Junior Varsity games and all of the Froshmore games.  He told me today after the last game that he thinks he will be one of a handful of players to play all four years.  Excited that he is wanting to play all four years...more so it is wonderful to just be a part of something bigger than yourself. 

We played football for 9 weeks and every week was amazing weather, except one - which was rain and snow for 6 hours!  So thankful for great weather.

I will say there are some huge players at other schools.  6'4" 235 pounds.  You can train for skill, plays, etc but if you don't have the height or size, hard to get there anyway other than organically.  

The big news from the season, is our new head coach, Jeremy Curry, quit the day before our second to last game.  Very very controversial thing that I have no energy to get into...feel free to google his name.  It is a nightmare PR situation for the district!  Jacob was not "the" student but he was the first one to get to the two of them (read the articles and you will understand). 

Jacob is still on the fence about basketball (which starts in week or two) and Joseph is ready to get back to more work hours.  I am ready to have weekends back for a bit.

My mom was out for a week and joined in on the football action.  Always great to have her here.  Then a few days later, my sister, bro-in-law and two nieces came out for a few nights...they were here for the terrible football weather.

Here are lots of football pictures.

 

 It is all things football the last 10 days.

Both boys have had two games.  Varsity won one of them 3-2!  Could have been 10-2 but a 70 yd run by Jacob got called back.  That game the team set a school record with 5 interceptions.  At that game, (as you will see in pictures) some of the students wrote J A C O B on their chests!)  A great defensive game.  In Jacob's 2nd game, he had a huge (legal) hit that sent a kid flying a few feet.  Fortunately he got up.  (Pretty sure he should have been on concussion list but they put him back in later.)

Joseph and Froshmore team won their second game 38-0.  Quite the shutout and how nice it was to be on the winning side.  Joseph has been in for most offensive plays!!  Beautiful weather both weekends!

Just a few pictures.

Busy weekend here!

Bow season opens tomorrow and Jacob is ready to go!!  He has tags for

It is all things football in this household.  Last week we had our first game.  All three teams lost but they all got on the scoreboard - which is an improvement.  Varsity was down 33-0 at half and lost 40-7, which means both teams played an even game the second half.  Tonight is the first home opener so lots of excitement.

The football coach is a hustler.  A T-Mobile rep reached out to him about a Friday Night Lights 5G contest they were hosting.  They invited our school to participate.  From what I understand there were 300 schools and it all came down to social media.  How many times the contest was shared on social media.  Our school won.  We won $5,000 a week for 4 weeks!!!  Now the contest progresses to step 2 and that winner received $25,000.  Then there is a final phase and that prize is a stadium remodel!!  We are one of the few, if not only, 2A school that does not have turf.  We could really use a remodel!  The further you go the less schools that are participating, so...who knows.

At the froshmore (freshman/sophomore) game on Saturday, the coach got heated.  He was in a chair near the goal line just watching - letting the froshmore coaches do their thing.  When he got up and starting yelling at someone on the sidelines to get their stuff and go home...you don't talk back to a coach...go on, get out of here.....there needs to be some discipline at this school.... Turns out it was one of the student managers.  I felt sorry for the kid for all of it to happen in front of the parents, but the coach made a huge statement!!  Not only to other players, but that he has the back of the coaches.

Joseph enjoyed his first game.  He is offensive and defensive line.  I think he likes defense better cause the only objective is to get the quarterback...you don't have to think about specific plays and how you need to line up to protect your quarterback.  Jacob scored the only touchdown in the varsity game.  He wears a monitor on his shirt and it said his top speed was 20 mph.  He averaged 6.6 yards a carry.

JR is almost done with his huge project!  Hopefully this next week.  He went on a 2 night back pack trip with some men from church and is going on one overnight this weekend.  

Pictures below

#3 - that's my boy - he is a captain this year

Players dress up for game gays (Joseph was in a mood and chose not to)

Dot's Pretzels, finally came up with the perfect combination!  Love these and love the story that the lady who started them years ago was from a small town outside of Minot and she recently sold to one of the big brands (Nabisco?) for 1 billion!!

Did you hear about the armless US archer that just won gold at the Para Olympics??  Crazy determination!!!

Parents were able to decorate kids lockers at the school.  In years past, my boys didn't seem to care but this year I got to decorate!!  (Joseph didn't want his decorated)

Bree absolutely loves hanging outside in the sun at work!

 First day of school!!  A freshman and a senior!  Jacob is in full swing and loving the Big Man on Campus thing!  Joseph is pretty nervous, but I would be too.  Thankfully, we only have 1 middle school so he should recognize most kids on the campus.

Friday is the first football game...I think the whole state of Montana has eyes on us and our new coach.

I have reworked my work schedule a bit and going in later a few mornings a week.  I offered this to Ben his senior year but he never took me up on it, so will see if Jacob will.  I told him I will take him out to lunch/dinner once a week  - lets try some new restaurants and food.  At the high school they have a honors study hall where kids can have an off period.  Jacob did not quite meet the requirements but since admin loves him, they gave it to him.  So every other school day he has 4th period off, so has a break from 10-1.  Will be interesting to see how he fills that time.

A few pictures.  Seniors have the option to claim a parking spot and paint it.  Check out Jacob's.  First day of school pictures.  Notice the photo Jacob is holding.  So thankful that the school district allows Kindergarteners to walk in the parade and give them all shirts!  Looking forward to getting a picture of both boys in their uniform together - #3 and #65!!  Last two pictures are the annual ribbon fry booth our church does and my bookends help!

 Football 2 a days start tomorrow!!  It means summer is basically over for the boys!

The last several mornings I have gotten up and put on a light jacket as I leave for work.   Wearing jeans and flip flops is my favorite time of the year.

Jacob is quickly stacking cash and hoping to buy a truck by the end of the year.  He has been looking online and is shocked at how much cheaper trucks are in other parts of the country!

We celebrated Joseph's 15th birthday last week!  Hard to believe.  He can now go to the gym by himself and is loving that freedom.  We continue to practice his driving.  He does really well.  I keep telling him if I yell at him, its not because I am mad....just concerned for the moment.

JR is trying to get his big staining project finished at work.  He has his sights on several back packing trips.  One is local and the other is Wind River Range.  Perfect time of year to go, with the summer crowds gone.

Benjamin makes an appearance once or twice a week.  He has been showing up more in the evenings and grabbing food - love it.

Work continues along for me.  We are moving into a season of huge swings and construction cleans.  I have a new appreciation of trying to schedule staff.....so hard when you need 3 one day and 8 the next.

With football games looming, the big unknown is if Joseph will play on the freshman team or the JV.  My guess is he will get more playing time on the freshman team but suit up for JV.  What that means for me....JV and Varsity play Friday nights and Freshman play Saturday mornings and if JV/Varsity are home, Freshman is away and vice versa.  So, that possibly means football from 3pm-9:30 on Friday nights and Saturdays 9-11:30 (with a 2-3 hour drive between the games)  Lots of bleacher time!  As long as it isn't super cold, I am good.

Not much else happening!!!

Can't believe it is almost August and we have been in the 90s most of the last week.  We have never had AC but we always seem to get through it - the cooler nights help - not to mention blinds and effectively using fans.

Ten days ago Jacob, Ben and I went to Ohio for my niece's wedding....always a good time and I love watching my boys interact with their cousins they don't see very often.  Catching up with family is always a highlight!!!!

Joseph stayed behind because of driver's ed.  He is now a permit carrying kid and working on his 50 hours of drive time.  His driver's ed teacher compliments him all the time about what a great driver he is.  I would have to agree!!

JR is super busy with a big project at work but hopefully it will wrap up in next 2-3 weeks!

My work has been crazy busy with some very high end clients and staffing issues.  Seems like the work force these days is a moving target and finding people who want to work.

Some random pictures!  A river outing, Joseph driving, picture from wedding, boys shooting hoops (I love watching them interact) and another one of Jacob's welding projects.

 Summer is in full swing here!  We have had wild Montana weather.  A week ago we had snow and now we are in the 90s.

Joseph is staying busy with work 6am and 4pm football workouts and will soon add driver's ed class time and driving time to that list.  Joseph had his 8th grade promotion so it is off to high school!!

Jacob is busy with football too, landscaping, fishing, hunting and all things friends.  Jacob's allergies have been the worst yet this year - to where he had to sit out part of football practice since he couldn't breath.  I bought him one of those nasal suction machines and  either his allergies haven't been bad the last two days or the machine is working.

We are all anxiously awaiting the football season, so much hype with the new coach, etc.  Joseph has really gotten into football and even volunteering during practice to go up against some of the bigger seniors.  Really fun to see the two of them connect with something.

Ben has been making more appearances around the house, so feels like we see him 1-2 times a week.  He is still doing excavation/ditch work and has that secured until end of October.  Then the work changes to diesel mechanics for the winter and that is nothing that interests him.

Things are rolling along for me at work.  Getting busy and somehow we are able to balance the workload with the staff we have.  JR has lots of summertime projects at work and gearing up for the fall hunting season.

Jacob, Ben and I will be heading to Ohio in a few weeks for my niece's wedding. (Because of driver's ed, Joseph is staying behind with JR)

Random pictures - love seeing progress pictures of Joseph, one of him at work and then his 8th grade promotion.  My football boys, Jose's big summer work project and one of Jacob on a college visit.