central, here i come!

It’s late…

Can’t seem to want to go to bed. First day of school in the morning. I have a second, fourth, and sixth grader. Two still home.  Watched L.A. Ink tonight, think I know what tattoo I want. Not sure if I want to go to Miami, or L.A.  When I was pregnant with each one of my kids, Steve and I picked out an animal for them. Something we could buy before they were born, before we even knew if they were boys or girls. So, if you were in a store, and saw clothes, or stuffed animals in their animal, you could buy it, but not if it didn’t have them. A way to curb our pre-baby spending. We have continued the animal thing, and the kids love it, so when they see something with THEIR animal, they always want it. Consequently, the tattoo I want, will be of  footprints from their animals… a lion for Emily, a giraffe for Isaiah, a zebra for Hannah, an alligator for Micah, and a raccoon for Brody. BUT, tonight while I was watching the show, in my own little world it hit me. I can’t get the tattoo until I pick an animal for the next member of our family. The fact that that thought even entered my mind made me all warm and fuzzy. SO, it will probably be a while before I get this tattoo….. BUT if anyone has any ideas for an animal choice for a little Haitian boy, let me know

An Official Middle Schooler

That is my baby on her way to middle school orientation. A beauty indeed.

More on Crazy Horse

Micah told me that he was going to take his kids here when he grows up to see Crazy Horse when it is finished, he promised I could come with them.

Post ATV

Sorry Maria, it had to be documented!

Moon Snails

Definately something you don’t see every day in Muscatine! This is Grandma Maria showing Ella and Brody the ever prevelent Moon Snail!

A funny story

Just before we left town, my friend told me a story she had heard recently about a woman who had her nephew with her when she went to a rest stop. They went to the bathroom door, he went in the men’s while she waited outside the door. Many men came and went, and the boy still had not come out, finally, she asked a man entering if he would check on the boy. Well, the boy was dead. One of the many men, who had passed by the aunt, had killed him, after doing who knows what to him. I know, the story isn’t funny yet… SO, I proceeded to tell my children this story, in detail, so that when we stopped over the next three days, at rest stops, they would wait for their Dad or I to go in to the bathroom with them. Consequently, I completely freaked them out, and they wouldn’t even open the stall door alone, for fear someone was lurking! So when we got to the next rest stop, and saw this sign, Emily looked at me, and said, “Great, Mom, like we don’t have enough to worry about already!” Sorry kids, I am sure I have scarred you for life.

It’s me.

My sister took one of the few pictures of me on vacation. As I had MY camera close at hand, and wouldn’t let Steve touch it! So here is proof I was at the beach!

Wall Drug

An absolutely bizarre place in the middle of South Dakota. Super crazy fun, and the kids LOVED it.

Un-Patriotic?

Mt. Rushmore…. glad we saw it, hadn’t seen it before, but come on, dead presidents, who cares?