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.

 Some pictures of one of my favorite anglers!!

 

Jacob has been out of town this weekend, bear hunting and doing vinyls (billboards).  He has visited 3 college campuses/football programs.  I think it has been a great experience for him and probably more visits to make, but pretty sure he has his eye set on other things after graduation (next June 2025).  It is almost time to set up his senior picture appointment!!!

Sunday May 19th, this happened around 2:30pm...sleet

By 5:30 that same day, this is what we were doing.  It was a nice 3 par course, so just took us 1.5 hours to play.  I chose to just watch!

Celebrated this girls 9th birthday recently!  Bree and I have been going on walks most days before/after work.  Often she will struggle to get up off the floor.  Not sure if something is wrong or if she is just sore.  I do know she is very very fluffy, so I have started her on a raw food diet.  As long as I can stay on top of prepping food, it should make a difference!

Mother's Day lunch (crazy to me how much Joseph favors Ben, mannerisms, voice inflection, etc)

Shout out to my niece Kendall, Scott's oldest.  She just graduated from UT Law school!  She rocked it and we finally have a lawyer, hopefully attorney in October when she passes the bar)

There recently was a huge geomagnetic storm and the northern lights were out in full force.  They are absolutely amazing, but pictures like this only come through with a camera....you never see these kind of colors with the naked eye - although I was able to see a very faint red/pink

This kiddo has put his 'high school' pads on about 3 times in 24 hours.  He is stoked to play football this fall.  We also just found out he is in the summer driver's ed class!  Looks like he will have his full on license early 2025.  Crazy.  He also just passed $4k in his savings account...all from working 10-15 hours a week.  I anticipate the kid will graduate high school with 15-20 k in the bank!!!

 

We got back yesterday from Kauai.  It was a great week!  Not too jam packed but busy enough that there wasn't a lot of down time.  The condo we stayed at over looked the ocean.  I enjoyed every morning getting up and watching the sunrise on the balcony in my robe with my hot tea.  As soon as the sun comes up, it gets pretty warm.  We attended a luau and went on a kayak/hike tour.  We were able to travel the whole island.  They had some flash flooding several weeks prior (14 inches in 4 hours) so the trails were pretty muddy.  We stayed at Pono Kai resort in Kapaa - a great location. We ate out several times and through our friends, hung out with some locals and attended a Hawaiian church.  Did some shopping.  Ate some great shaved ice and went to a large farmer's market.  

Boys did well (and had no incidents that I am aware of) while we were gone.

Random facts about the trip......

There are only 13 letters in Hawaiian alphabet - that's why the words look so weird

I enjoyed the Mustang convertible as much as I expected, but boy, it is like a low rider and not very comfortable seats for longer distances

Chicken, chickens everywhere

Po'ipu Beach has amazing sand

Because of cost of living there, there are lots of homeless....vans filled to the top

The Hawaiian's are very hospitable giving people

Anini Beach has amazing shade and plenty of room to spread out

Gas was $5.25 a gallon, versus about 3.70 here

Lots of traffic on the island, way more than I expected

Turtles at Poipu Beach are something.  Every sunset, turtles come up on shore, anywhere from 2-122 to rest for the night.  When we were there only 10 were there.  Monk seals can be seen too

April isn't best time of year to surf but great because it is just after the rain but before all summer tourists

Salt Pond Beach is beautiful and lifeguards will get on their microphone if you get on the lava rocks (I know from personal experience)

Jose and I are not meant to be in a double kayak together

Next island trip, take reusable bags because there are no plastic grocery bags on the island

I like wearing sun hats

Snorkeling and I still don't mesh well - could never relax in the water

There is a missile facility on the south part of the island

Gooseberries, before they are ripe, are not very good

Lots of traffic with very few roads

Photo dump -