Family Fun at the Lake

Sunday, July 28th - Saturday, August 31st      

 

We left Des Moines on Sunday and stopped in Greenfield for a short visit with one of John's cousin's and a drive through the countryside. 

This is where Johnny and Kathy grew up and where their Dad was born and lived his whole life, until he retired and moved to town.   From here we went to Sioux Falls where we spent a couple days with Dawn and up to Brookings for a couple days at the sheep ranch again.  Thanks again, Rich and Kathy, for your hospitality and all the delicious salsa and garden goodies.   Friday we headed up to my baby brother's lake place in North Dakota. 

This birthday surprise was waiting for my niece in their camper when she arrived for the weekend.  What a sweetheart of a hubby she has! 

And their little boy, my great-nephew "the mechanic", can't wait to try and figure out how it works! 

His Papa is at the top of the hill giving him a little push down the hill in his jeep, where his Mom is waiting to catch him. 

Lookout for all those bushes on the way down! 

Trying out the new patio, job well done, bro. 

Do you mind Papa?  I'm trying to mow here.  You're kind of in my way.  He's still a little hard to understand, but I'm pretty sure that's what he was saying. 

I sure hope he's got some better equipment than this, if he expects me to be doing the yard work. 

Happy Birthday, Lacey!  Oops!   Gunner thought that was a mighty tasty birthday cake.  That's the last time Grandma's in charge of the birthday cake!  Ahhh, memories! 

Luckily, Dawn brought an ice cream cake for our anniversary, which is the same day as Lacey's birthday, so we still got dessert.  Happy 40th to us!  Thanks, Dawn. 

Let's see now, what does this do?  Now where did Papa put those keys again?  Don't you think it's about time to get back to work, Papa?   

Well now that's what I'm talking about.  Here let me drive. 

Let's dump those rocks by the new building, so Uncle John has something to do.  He looks like he's getting kind of bored. 

Great Grandma Clem to the rescue, so Papa can work on his own for a little while. 

This is the life!  A little break with Mom after all that hard work. 

Everybody needs a bath once in a while. 

Things are starting to shape up. If someone would just water those bushes and that new grass every day. 

Nice patio! 

No Morgie, don't go to college!  I'll miss you! 

I suppose we could mow the lawn, but maybe if we just stay here out of sight for a while, Papa won't notice that we're slacking off.   

Ready, set and they're off....or one's off and one's down!  Well, it is your birthday and you are over 50, or maybe it was just the tequila. 

It's amazing how silly grand parents are willing to look, just to get the little ones to do something silly. Bock, bock, bock, come on do the chicken dance. 

Giddy Up, Gunner!  I'm sorry, buddy.  This was Papa's idea, not mine.  

Papa's and my Daddy's birthday are the same day.  My Aunt and Uncle (to be) have birthdays in August, too.  Five birthdays in August, birthday cakes every weekend, Mmm, Mmm! 

My little brother relaxing in his hammock with his three beautiful girls, who gave it to him for Father's Day. 

Livin' La Vida Sofa just like Homer.  Retirement is getting closer everyday.  Hang in there.  John had a little problem with kidney stones while we were here.  I guess he wouldn't say it was so little, as I had to take him on midnight runs to the emergency room twice  because the pain was so bad.  But, as the saying goes, this too shall pass, and it did.  Easy for me to say. 

When we got ready to leave on Tuesday morning for Montana, this guy was the only one around to see us off.  Kind of quiet and lonely at the lake in the middle of the week. 

This is the Abby at Richardton on I-94 west of Bismarck.  My Mom says they give an excellent and very interesting tour.  We haven't been.  We stopped in town to pick up some breakfast sausage and beef sticks from the meat market.  My Mom's cousin used to run a meat market here, but he owned the mineral rights on some property here and there's now an oil rig pumping on it.  So they retired and are traveling, just like us. 

Glad to be back with the grandkids!  We arrived back in Helena Wednesday afternoon and are on our own with the little girls Friday afternoon and overnight and all day Saturday, so Mom and Dad could spend a little special time with their teenage brother.  So we went out for supper and ice cream and the playground at Burger King!  We went to the Farmer's Market for lunch and snow cones and honey sticks, Tierney's favorite.  Yummy!  Then we painted our fingernails sparkly pink and our toenails sparkly purple so we would match.  What fun!  We will be here until sometime in October before we head to Portland and then south to California. 

Tarra