In the hills. In a cabin.

 We took a nice drive to the hills yesterday to Custer State Park.  We saw buffalo.  A LOT OF BUFFALO.  HERDS. UP CLOSE. 

 We had a cabin rental for the night.  A Christmas gift from my parents.  It was at The Blue Bell Lodge.  

 We took the pup with us....she loved it.  

 She played fetch with Dave. A lot. 

 It snowed a little

 Nate ran around playing with sticks in the woods

 We roasted marshmallows

 Listened to wild turkeys gobbling, watched bunnies run by, watched white tail deer go back and forth, listened to the trees, smelled the woods and campfire.

We woke up this morning to the sound of turkeys, enjoyed a pancake breakfast at the lodge sitting under a big stuffed elk while the fire roared. 

 On the way home we watched more wildlife along our drive.  

 We love this place... where the buffalo roam

 where deer and antelope play

 and wild burros beg for food at your car window

 We saw mountain blue birds and magpies and all sorts of birds!

Even turkeys.  The man that sat next to me on my flight from Minneapolis to Rapid schooled me on turkeys.  He was coming to South Dakota from Tennessee just to get a turkey from South Dakota.  I hope he found one.  I did!!(but I shot mine with my camera not a gun)

a friday

I love Friday.  I love it's predictability and it's relaxed feel.

getting over a stuffy nose. he had the grumps this morning, but then he told me he was sorry cause "you're my girlfriend and I love you."

laundry day. this basket is my ticket to a fun weekend no chores required(well i cook dinner and keep dishes done)

afternoon playtime

the pup with her 'cigar'. she used it to tease Anna

when that doesn't work she hops on for a piggy back ride

wise enough to make cute faces...she knows there is bacon cooking for our hawaiian pizza

weather rolling in and out all afternoon.  we NEED rain bad

smooth pizza dough day. must be the weather

dessert... couldn't bare to make it black and white.  

family movie night. popcorn and Bee Movie.

like a weed

and she thinks that chair is hers....but she looks proper when she is on it so we kinda agree

7 weeks to 17 weeks.

she is sweet and happy

and hyper

and excited

and springs alot

and sleeps at our feet

and follows us around

and likes walks

and likes to play fetch

and likes to stand on Anna and get a piggy back ride

and likes to nibble on Nate's ears

and eat paper

and eat Nate's toy airplanes

and eat puzzle pieces

and chew on socks

and chew on the toilet bowl brush

and stick her head in the toilet

and swim in rivers & ponds

and annoy Anna
and snooze

and cuddle

and give kisses

and comes when she is called

and sits and stays well

and wiggles her little stump all the time

We love her.

Family Time

I will probably be singing ' Ooooo give me a home, where the buffalo roam' all week 

First Steps

 Today was the last meeting of Nathan's first steps soccer.  Its has been beautiful out and they were able to play outside today!  

 This program was a skills learning program without the pressure of games.  A parent plays with each child ages 3-5.  Today was a "game" with all of the three sessions playing together.  

 kids just kind of wander on and off the field or whatever.   A few kids refused to step out there all together. But it was fun for them all

I think Dave really enjoyed playing with Nate.

I will have to play the first few weeks of first steps baseball.  Heaven help me. I might learn something.  

Before and After

Before

my $100 purchase from a girl on the Ellsworth AFB classifieds facebook page.

after

$ 44 in hardware
$ 38 in paint

Makes me feel so adult like.  I get to display all the stuff I have been collecting over the past ten years.  Stuff that was a pain in the rear to find spots to store them....but now that look amazing on display.  I am so pleased.

New Skills, Old Skills

 Things have been a little quiet on this here blog eh?  We have been busy/lazy.  Nate has had soccer every week, and I have been taking a camera class.  I am learning how to take my camera off auto and shoot on MANUAL.  Seriously I'm pretty proud of myself  Just because learning to get the photo properly exposed is a bit feat to me... But I'm pretty happy. 

 I took this photo on my class field trip.  We had models.  It was awkward.  But the point is I'm getting the photos properly exposed.  

 I have seriously spent hours in my house near good light practicing, and learning how I like things.

 We are trying seeds again this year.  We have three or four week old cucumber plants doing pretty well.(so far)

Look at those pretty eyes! Took it on MANUAL!  

btw took this on manual too!

Along with all the new stuff going on lately there has defiantly been an adjustment period to get used to being a family again.  Grocery shopping and meals have been something I didn't think or worry about for six months... getting back to my planning and budgeting has been work.  I know Dave is happy to be eating homemade meals and has lost that 13 pounds he gained during his deployment.  If you know Dave you know 13 pounds is a lot for him.  The food was just garbage over there.  

We will enjoy the next two months together, probably get into a well oiled groove, then Dave is going to the academy at the end of May.  Six weeks apart.  It never ends I tell you.