Froggies and Foul Smells....

Upon going to bed gratefully the night we arrived at my parents, there was a gas-like aroma emanating from the downstairs bathroom which also houses the furnace, water-heater and water softener. I mentioned it to mom who said it was likely the new vinyl sheet protectors she had put on the bunk beds. So I went to bed and prayed for a better day.

The next day Mom and Dad worked so it was me and the 4 boys, my three and Braden, my 5 year old brother. We slept in a little then got up, ready and went outside to play. Tiff (my sister) came and hung out with us while the boys rode bikes. Finally her pregnancy low blood sugar got the best of her and she wanted to find lunch. I told her we could go in and I would cook. Upon entering the house we were taken aback by this strong, foul propane or natural gas odor. Tiff immediately called dad and I told the boys to go back outside and play in the fenced in backyard. After all the things that went wrong on the way down, I was not taking any chances.

I grabbed all the vegetables and hummus I had brought down and sent Tiff to the store for lunch meat. We had a backyard picnic. Dad eventually made it home from his service calls and was attempting to locate the problem while I did more praying that he would not blow up as 2 of our old high school friends' dads had passed away within the past 36 hours, mine was not going to be next. Superstitions often get the best of me, it drives Wayne nuts but is breed into the best of us.

Grandma showed up and we decided to take the boys on a walk up the street to Sonic for a Strawberry Limeade Slush at happy hour. Zach crashed about 3 times on his new big boy bike but we made it and they rode around the sidewalks in the shade while Grandma and I chatted and Tiff went to pick up Gage from daycare. The gas company was called and were still there by the time Sonic was tired of us and getting busy, so Grandma and I took the boys 4 blocks away to the park.

They had a blast. There was frog they chased and chased. Andy and Braden are so timid and would only scream when it would come their way. Zach and Luke were on it though! Eventually Zach caught up with it and picked the poor thing up by its skin on its back.

"Zachie, why don't you hold it a little better? Grab its whole back bone."

"no, I don't want bumps!"

"Bumps?"

"Warts!"

Oh okay, I see. We had once had a conversation about getting warts from frogs when they pee on you. Andy had then asked if you pee on frogs, do they get warts. No Andy, we don't pee on frogs.

When the gas situation was figured out and had been discovered some lady in Texas had ordered it shut off because the payment had been misplaced by their office and words had been said and reconnection fees waived, all was well. (The smell apparently is present when the gas is shut off.)

By now Aunt Liz had dropped in and all of us women sat in a line in lawn chairs out front watching the boys play and catch more frogs. I thought we looked rather intimidating.

"Zachie what's our frog's name?" "Frankie" (first time it wasn't thomas)
Braden and Andy named their's Flippity Flop and Fred, there may have also been a Ferdinand.





We had a yummy supper of pork and loaded baked potato gourmet mashed potatoes and corn on the cob all sitting on a long white utility table down the living room. LOVED IT. Then we watched a movie called "Flooded" about a damn that was build wrong and busts flooding the town below. Zach absolutely loved it. They all did but Zach is really into my disaster movies. He recreated many times after on the beach, with Legos and still does today.

Gage helping Gpa make popcorn

Tiff & her boys

Me, my boys & Aunt Liz

All and all day 2 went well.

Uncle Braden's or Bust!

Every summer the boys and I take a long vacation down to Nebraska when Wayne has his busiest week. This year he had so many commitments and a time crunch to get them done that we decided to take a 2 week trip down to spend time with everyone.

Here's your sign!

On our way down to Nebraska we ran into some bumps in the road. After picking the boys up in Hot Springs from Grandma and Grandpa Tonsager's we started to head down. After getting back in the car in the 96* temp (entire week before it had been in the 70's) the AC broke down (again). We had just took it in the week before and spent a couple hundred bucks to get it fixed for the trip down and it worked for 2 hours. Ugggg. It was HOTTT!!!!!


Then we made it to Oshkosh and the boys woke up from naps and needed to go potty. I checked the gas and there was 50 miles to empty and 45 miles to Ogalalla. Way too close to push it. So we parked and went in to go potty first as it was b then an emergency situation for the oldest. Luke just peed in his seat. x-( While in the store the boys each picked out a drink and a snack and we asked if we could leave them on the counter, pump the gas then come back and pay for it all. The clerks said "sure". So we loaded back up and went to go to the pump. Wouldn't you know out of 4 pumps only 1 is occupied but an old lady decided to park so that she was blocking the entire drive into the pumps to wait for the 1 occupied pump. Grrrrrr. I finally decide to drive up on the curb and get to the other pumps. I then realize I had taken myself back to my Malibu days and that the gas tank is on the other side. So I reposition the van AGAIN and get out to pump the gas.....must prepay or use credit card. Are you kidding me!?!?!
I just asked if I could pay after inside and every time I try to use my credit card it says "see cashier inside". What the heck?
So now I am furious. I go park the van by the door go in ask them what's up and as I ask the lady behind me at the pump comes in mad her credit card won't work at the pump either. So she says sometimes the pump is stubborn like that. Well I just want to pay for the drinks and snacks and I will stop at Lewellen at the curve by the lake instead. I have had enough with Oshkosh. Okay, she tries my credit card in there, nope. I get out my emergency card, nope! I said well all I have now are my SD checks. She agrees to take it seeing my frustration.
I leave and drive the 20 miles to Lewellen while venting to Wayne on the phone. He then reminds me that I do have my garage sale money and, "there should be $80 left in there, but just pump $50 incase you need something the rest of the way down. Will $50 get me to Holdrege?" Yes that will get me there but nowhere else.
So I get there and there is no credit card machine on the old school pumps that are all cracked and have the ticking dial scroll numbers. I chuckle at this, trying to find the humor in it, then go in to pay.
Neither credit card works again and she will not take my SD check. Okay I am very mad and calling Wayne trying to get him to call the credit card company. She calls her manager to ask what to do, and I remember the garage sale money. I tell her I am going out to look for cash in my van. I come back in and empty two 5's and 40 ones for her to count out. I had one check, a roll of nickles, a handfull of quarters and three 1's left after paying for the gas (PLEASE GOD, don't let anything else go wrong on the way home.)

Alright, screw the panhandle I am taking the Big Springs Road 12 miles and jumping onto I-80. Pull into Big Springs and there's a train. Great there goes another 5-10 minutes on top of the hour spent with the credit card ordeal and the extra half an hour it took us to get out of Hot Springs more than I had planned. now running 1.5-1.75 hours behind. They are waiting in Holdrege for us to get there before they eat supper.

We finally get on I-80 and make it to Darr Road before the boys need to go potty again. We just pull off onto the on ramp and open he door then buckle up and go again. Well somehow Luke's buckle came undone going down the interstate and he starts screaming "My buckle! Stop Mommy my Buckle!" I don't ant to just pull over on the side of I-80 with all these damn semi's and business nor is it legal to do so, so I tell him just sit nice till we get to the next exit. He is really nervous about this because we always tell him woo woos will get us if he doesn't stay in his seat buckled as a fear tactic.
Well the next exit is less than 5 miles away and I am passing a semi who all of a sudden veers left and comes 3/4 of the way into our lane! I am taking deep deep breathes and my tires pass the rumble bars and start to go for the grass when finally the noise or something must let him know we are there and he goes back over. My heart is in my throat and the boys are scared shitless.
I get to the turn off and immediately call Wayne to tell him we almost got taken out. He says "why didn't you honk?" Ummm.....10 and 2 buddy, preparing for the median and praying we don't roll or shoot across into oncoming and die. Freaking the hell out here. The boys potty again and we prepare for our last 7 miles of I-80 and the 17 from Elm Creek to Holdrege.

Then I tried to stop at a store to grab a connector for my iPhone to the TV so I can catch up on Secret Life and watch it with my parents, but I got there at 8:02 and the doors were locked, so I went to Sonic and figured I deserved a Strawberry Limeade Slush for that hell of a ride. I thought, I will try that credit card see if it works here, a few hours further down the road, sure enough it works just fine! The satellites were apparently out in the Sandhills.

We had chicken strips and french fries waiting for us and all was well, we made it!

June....Garage sales, Anniversaries, Grandparents, Mr. Holland & a vaca "back home"

June came fast! School is out, tee-ball has started, Wayne is busy taking classes for his Master's and driving kids for Driver's Ed, doing yard work and attempting to find time to sleep.

Zach the Pirate

Andy the Storm Trooper

In all his chaos we decided back last fall while taking the commitments of Driver's Ed and Master's classes and sports camps that the boys and I should just take a long vacation this year "back home" to NE. At that time I had only had one part time kid enrolled in my daycare/preschool. Since then we have spent a couple hundred dollars in advertising and got a couple more kids, then quit advertising and enrollment boomed to nearly full! In fact I received 8 calls while in NE! So I did let each of them know I would be closed but did have back up care available for them in my absence. I continue to receive calls and will have to start turning little ones away soon. This is a milestone and we are excited.

Andy playing new keyboard
for Grandma T from G&G T

Lego Table from G&G T

Back to the SCHOOL's OUT

Andy & Mrs. Huffman

As you may recall, the last day of school was cancelled due to the floods, so our last day ended up Tuesday May 24th. Andy's end of the year program was adorable! I was going to upload the entire video however Wayne accidentally deleted it and we are attempting to recover a copy from friends. I do have some picture of course ;-) They began with a play of  Mrs. Wishy Washy where each child had a different part. Andy was a washer dressed as a farmer who blew bubbles to wash the animals. His bestie, Devin, was a pig. They then did the alphabet in ASL (American Sign Language) and sang a few songs, followed by each reading part of a poem about why Mrs. Huffman loves her job, which made lots of people cry. Andy and Devin read "where else can I get called Mom and Grandma by accident," which they both did. There was a sideshow with Andy holding a worm and many other shots. Then they each got to hug Mrs. Huffman and take a picture with her. Last they received a summer work packet, their report card and next year's placement. Andy will not be with any of his friends next year so he is pretty nervous to go to a new school with new classmates. His teacher is one he knows well though. She was in many of Wayne and I's classes, then worked with me at Rising Kites Preschool where she helped in the 2 year old room that Andy attended. She also is the roommate to one of our babysitters whom worked at the college daycare with me at BHSU and was the new hire Kindergarten teacher last year when they had too many students. She is moving up to first grade to replace a retiring teacher who is mother to anther college friend. (I love small towns). Finally she taught intersession days all year at kindergarten where Andy would go once in a while for learning games and extra support with reversal letters that I am so worried about (they are improving though and I keep being reminded boys take longer, but when you have degrees in Sped,  El Ed and Early Childhood you tend to stay on top of your children's milestones a bit more closely). He is happy that he knows his teacher, Ms. Brenda Cupp.

 

Lexi & Andy 1st day of Kindergarten

Lexi & Andy Summer after Kindergarten

Back to TEE-BALL...

Zach's first time at bat.

Andy's first bat of the season.

We played our first game June 3rd at one of our parks in the grass as the fields still had standing water. We are #1 (Zach) and #3 (Andy) on the yellow team. We played our neighbors and best buds Lexi & AJ on the Red team for our first game. The boys missed their next 4 games while in NE and came back just in time last Monday to play the Red team again, this time Lexi and AJ were on vacation. They each got a hit from a coach's pitch and used the tee after 3 pitched strikes for their other hit. The games are timed this year for an hour and they seem to take their time allowing for boredom and lots of dirt or grass hills on the field. The boys love playing though and its fun to have a social hour with adults! I feel I don't get out much lately.

Zach switch hitting.

Andy running to first. 

Ski & Wayne on 1st

Talking Hot Sauces w/ Banks

Fast Break Yellow Team

Good Game Red

cleaning party break time

all by myself....its clean

Annual Garage Sale

On the 4th Wayne and I had a GARAGE SALE with the neighbors and sold about $300 worth of stuff (of which we spent $150 or so of at the neighbor's) then celebrated 6 YEARS together by checking out Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City and picnicking at Pactola reservoir in the hills. I was naughty and fed a friendly goose who came right up and sat by me. All of a sudden there were 50 around us honking and begging for food, drooling and chomping their beaks as we took bites. Wayne scolded me good after catching it on video. I could not help but laugh. I love my animals too much and found it fun.

One of the things we bought at the neighbor's sale was 100+ bottles of hot sauce!!! If you follow my Kandi's Kitchen Keeper's blog, you may have read about Wayne's obsession with Tabasco. Well our neighbor Tracy's mom Bev Banks (School Board President and photographer Western web Photo) has collected hot sauce from around the world over the years and no longer has anywhere to store them so she sold them for $1 a piece. Wayne went and bought 20 of the hottest before the sale then went and bought the rest after it was over. There were Senator Obama ones, ones with alligator feet, ones she had to sign a waiver for stating she was over 18 and understood the risk of using such a devastatingly hot sauce and one that looks like a lava lamp with lava as sauce. We are going to feature a sauce on the blogs from here on out until they are gone. He already finished one and I am nearly done with one as well.

6 year anniversary

The boys spent this weekend with G&G T and I picked them up on the way down to NE on Monday. It allowed them a shorter ride, us an anniversary date night and spared us Andy the emotional hoarder for the garage sale. They were very spoiled and got to go to the Mammoth Site and be the ones who carried around the giant bone for everyone to see like the kid on the advertisement. They each got a very cool glow in the dark shirt they couldn't wait to show off and were very excited about the new hot tub with the fountain and changing lights. They had a great time. 

Pactola Picnic

Kids jumping off picnic tables
into the lake

some places are still flooded

Playing with Pattern Blocks Daddy got from Master's Class

Wayne has had a rough start to DRIVER'S ED as the car he was given has had to have the brakes replaced, the blinkers worked on twice and a few other things go wrong which took out a week and a half of his already pressed time slots. He had hoped to be done before the rally as there is so much traffic and so many tourists who do not know where they are going and bikers who do not follow the rules of the road and will travel in packs that hinder adequate practice of skills. One of his fellow instructors from the area who went through certification with him told a very scary story of an incident he had one year with a biker in the Ed car with a student driver. Wayne was to drive from 6 am to 10 pm the 2nd week we were gone and the car was in the shop from half of Monday morning to the Wednesday we came back. We don't know how he will ever finish before school starts now. The districts retired driver's ed teacher from years ago did agree to help out some while Wayne is at his Master's class this week, but they still only have one car.

His Master's classes he is taking this summer, one in Rapid and one at BHSU campus in Spearfish ended up using identical worksheets, tests and discussions, though titled different and with different instructors. He was bummed as were a couple others in both classes. He is still taking the class as he gets credit for both and stipends for both, just boring to sit through. They are also geared more toward elementary math. The instructor he has at BHSU has been trying to keep it interesting for him. He decided to challenge him to come up with the probability of drawing 4 Aces in a row from a randomly shuffled deck of cards. This ends up being 1 in 5,500 some.

Wayne's new Plum tree he
got himself for Father's Day

The dirt Wayne hauled down
by wheel barrow.

We put in a new retaining wall last summer on the West side of our house where there is a decent slope. This is where I planted my upper garden last year (my choice spot) while Wayne had helped to plant the lower garden (his choice spot). The lower garden had washed out and been overran by grass last year so we decided the upper plot was best. It is a narrow area with no windows to the house on that side and of no other use. It is also right across the fence from our neighbor's garden and we enjoy gardening together, comparing, sharing tips, picking up stuff for each other at Menard's and just standing there taking till we are covered in bug bites.  To all of this we needed dirt hauled int his year to fill behind the retaining wall and even out the slope a bit before we could plant. With the floods all the dirt around was too wet (shale does not dry very fast) so we were not able to plant until father's day when the boys and I were back and the dirt had been delivered and Wayne had been bored enough to haul it down the hill by the wheel barrow full. It was somewhere around 5 cubic yards! We have 24 ish tomato plants, a dozen pepper plants, 50 some onions and as many garlic, spinach, and salsa garden seeds. We also planted pumpkins, gourds, watermelon, zucchini, chives, rhubarb, cucumbers and lettuce. Somehow we lost our peas, beans and carrot seeds, but the garden is full anyhow.

 Our Holdrege Trip was a blast. We did so much and this post is so full already, I will make it the next post. We are so very happy to get home and are trying desperately to mesh into our old routines. The preschool kids are trying as well with much frustration to having to return after many of them had 3 weeks with their grandparents as well. They all seem so much bigger when they come back, it makes me sad. I did get a new 13 month old GIRL!!!!!! Who started this week. This makes the ratio 5:2 for boys to girls. I was so excited I got out some barbies and bought some Polly Pocket sets and dolls at a garage sale. She is such a sweetheart and it makes me truly enjoy by career switch when I get to hang out and help these little ones develop, learn and grow. We had bug week this week and made bug jars, caught bugs, made toilet paper tube bugs, stencil bug collages, played the Ladybug Game, Elefun catch butterflies game, read many buggy books and started our Butterfly garden where we will watch caterpillars eat and grown and spin cocoons then emerge as butterflies. It has been a great theme for our first week back.