Friday night at the the Ross house

The deck is nearly done so we decided to move the chiminea to the top. Who needs cable when you have such entertainment....

Can't have a fire without s'mores...

Fun with flashlights:-) I believe Tucker was looking for critters between the slats of the deck...

Cutie patootie....

" 'Adies an Gemanan' please welcome Sawyer dancing!!!".... She likes to announce herself:-) Such a little performer.

What a beautiful night to just hang out on the new deck:-)....and where else are you going to find entertainment like this on a Friday night???

My Health Nut

I made a Pineapple Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting for my book club meeting tonight. There was quite a bit of frosting left in the bowl when I got done so of course the kids were ecstatic! Sawyer went right at it. Tucker took a couple of licks, got a quick sugar rush, then said,

"I'm ready for a carrot, Mom."

I wish I could stop after just two licks. Is this really my child?

Does it make me a bad mom if.....

....I was in the kitchen and I hear these monstrous "elephant" imitations coming from the living room followed by wild laughter?
Does it make me a bad mom if I let it go on for quite a while, not knowing what that obnoxious sound was but hey, they're laughing not fighting?
Does it make me a bad mom if I finally walked into the living room and this is what I saw?

Does it make me a bad mom if the "elephant noise maker" is the hose to my vacuum and they are playing it like a very long tuba....lips right on it?
Does it make me a bad mom if as soon as I took these pictures I turned around and went back to my business in the kitchen?

hey, they're not fighting!

Growing Up

Scenario:

Tucker is sitting on my lap

I give a big, tight hug...

Me: I'm gonna hug you tight so you stay little forever. I don't want you to grow up.

Tucker: But Mom, I have to grow up.

Me: No you don't. You need to stay little forever.

Tucker: Mom, I have to grow up.

Me: Why?

Tucker: So I can have permanent teeth:-)

???

Sunburns, Sand in the underwear, Stinky bodies....

....but what a PERFECT weekend at the Lake.

This weekend was the 2nd Annual Lake Trip for Darrin's side of the family. This year we headed to Wilson Lake. Can I just say beeeeautiful!!!

The weekend couldn't have been any better. The weather, the company, the FOOD! Everyone seemed to have a great time. I am so blessed that I get to be a part of this family.

We broke out the Minnie Winnie for it's first road trip. It made the trip with flying colors and got quite a few glances. I'm sure everyone wished they had such a beauty:-)

Yes, Life IS Good:-)

Did some kayaking.....

Go Girls Go!!!!!!

Did some swimming....

Did some boating.....

Gotta love a good boat ride...wish we had one at home -- if not for this reason alone:-)

Did some fishing....

Did A LOT of eating....
Nothing better than a campfire breakfast:-)




Nothing says 'Life is Good' better than a girl with a perfect pedicure and a fishing pole:-)

Which one of these is not like the others?....


Grandma and Grandpa Bucholtz with all but 6 of their grandkids....

Exhausted and ready....(not really)....to go home....

Can't wait for next year:)

Family, Friends, and FUN!

My, my, my what a busy summer we seem to be having. The day after the fair we all loaded up in the van and headed east to Kansas City. Darrin's brother, Ryan and his wife Jaime had a new baby back in May and we finally got around to meeting such a PRECIOUS addition to the family.

Baby Grace Northrup -- such a little sweetie.:-)

It was the perfect weekend because not only did we get to finally meet this little Princess, we had also planned a Great Wolf Lodge mini-vacation with our fabulous friends, the Bressler's.

We ate A LOT, we swam A LOT, and Trasie and I did what all girls should do when traveling to KC, we shopped A LOT!

What a great weekend with family, friends, and tons upon tons of fun!

Poor Porter -- not too much of a water park kind of guy...give him a year or two:-)

county fair

There's nothing quite like the county fair. Even though we live in Wichita, which is a metropolitan big city (for Kansas), which is in Sedgwick County, the fair has never felt like a big city experience. I don't know if few Wichitans attend or it's just that I grew up always going to the fair and I, being from a small town, never really thought of it as including a whole county of people...who knows?...it was fun nonetheless and the kids had a blast. I hope this is something my children will want to do every year just like I did. I have missed VERY few county fairs...I believe 2 to be exact. My summer isn't complete if we don't catch a little 'Midway' action:-)

First, we stopped by the 4-H Building to check out the poultry and rabbits....

Can't go to the fair without chowing down on a 'Pronto Pup'...

This boy's eyes go straight to my heart....

Then we made a brief trip to the petting zoo.

I don't care who you are....this animal is gorgeous....

This little guy was INFATUATED with Porter's toes....

TIME FOR RIDES....

Sturgis, here we come!!!....

Sawyer was HILARIOUS!!! Almost every ride she got on...the same expression....:-)

Tucker's was pretty much the same on every ride too....the need for speed....

Ahhhh...nothing better than a summer evening at the fair

but ....one complaint....this was the first year I walked out of there with NO cotton candy!!!! I'm a little disappointed in myself. Oh well, there's always next year:-)