Timber!!

The 'broken tree' is finally gone. I think it was the hottest day of the year that they decided to clean up the fallen tree and take down the rotted one. Thankfully the sun wasn't shinning otherwise it would have been even hotter! The tree came down very smooth. If you watch the video you'll noticed it happened very quickly...I missed taping the first part it went so quickly. I didn't get an after shot of how naked the east side of our house now looks. It is raining today and I forgot yesterday. I'll get one sometime. Miya had a ton of fun riding with dad in the tractor all day. You'll notice in the picture she is wearing her rubber boots. She thought she HAD to wear them. I don't know how many times she tripped and fell, but she still wanted to wear her boots.

Next week we will be on vacation (kinda). We will be gone on Monday and Tuesday with the Wassinks at a cottage up north. Thursday and Friday will be spent at Miner Lake with my parents and the Meyers. The lake is close so we will just be spending the days there -too bad, they have air conditioning!!

Weasel??

Okay, so Deane Wassink (aka papa wassink) saw the picture of the little guy and said it was a weasel. They have had them at their farm before in the feed barrels. So this little critter was IN our house! He as no fear of people what so ever. The little guy also really, really liked Jayden's spit rags. If you want more details, give us a call. Miya called it a squirrel. She saw me coerce it outside and when she went outside later she was looking around and calling for the squirrel to come back. Next time I think I'll let her get the bugger outside. Well, if there is a next time there will also be a for sale sign in the front yard and I'll be living someplace else (Jodi, do you have room?)!

Sorry there are no pictures today. Tomorrow the 'broken tree' is going to be cut up and the remaining tree is going to be pulled down. Deane and his crew will be here doing the work. Jeff took home a big tractor from work and will be helping too. Miya is very, very excited for tomorrow. Jeff is gone right now and she keeps looking out the window at the tractor. She can't wait to ride in it again tomorrow!! Grant, you can come over tomorrow and ride in the tractor too if you want!! We know how much you like them.

Swimming in the Pool

Today Wendi asked us if we wanted to go swimming in Dan's pool. Of course we said yes...our house is turning into an oven as I'm writing this...and it's only 4:30 yet. Our house doesn't reach it's peak temperature until around 8:00. As you can see both girls like to lay in the water with their arms stretched out to either side, they must get that from their dad! Miya actually went in the water and tried to swim (Jodi, can you believe it? She's trying to be a water rat like Jackson). Even Jayden went swimming today.

As for the picture of the critter, everyone seems to think it's a ferret. A couple of people said a weasel. We're going to go with a ferret. Dad Westra said that it's a sick mink or sick ferret and that they live by streams or woods. Dad, we don't live near either and it was still here at our house!!!! Is a sick ferret the same type of ferret that people have for pets? I have to ask Jeff if I can tell the story on this blog (I may just have to tell those that want to know over the phone). I'll try to post again tomorrow :)

What Is This??

Okay everyone, I have a question for you. I know I'm putting myself on line here to make an idiot of myself but I have to know. What is this a picture of? I think it is a ferret, but that seems a little weird. I'll tell the story behind the picture once I know what this thing is...maybe.

Jayden

Jayden is officially rolling over. I can't believe she is doing this already. They grow so quickly. Yesterday Jayden was on the living room floor and Miya was playing in the living room and she started yelling 'no' to Jayden. "Jayden turn around. No, Jayden, Mum...Mum...Jayden turn around." She kinda freaked out. Once I explained to her that it's okay for Jayden to roll over she was okay with it. Now tries to 'help' her roll over. I thought it was a fluke thing yesterday but Jayden has rolled over five times since. She even was at the other end of her bed after her morning nap this morning. Thank goodness they make railings...and bumpers! I'm testing out the video aspect of blogging, this one is very cheesy, sorry. I just want to see how long it takes to upload and view. Hopefully they'll be more in the future :)

Big Lake Fishing

Last Saturday night, the Cammenga's were nice enough to take us out on the big lake salmon fishing. We had a great time. The weather was absolutely beautiful, which is probably why the fish weren't biting. There was a bite on one of the lines (I don't remember which line...sorry to all the salmon fishermen reading this), and Jeff reeled it all the way in, as Bob was reaching to net the honker, it got away. Needless to say the guys were not happy campers. I don't think it would have been so bad if there were other bites throughout the night, but that was not the case. I know Jeff and I had a great time, fish or no fish. Hopefully Bob and Shelley did too!

4th of July

We had our annual 4th of July rafting trip on Friday. The weather was absolutely beautiful for floating down a river. Miya had a ton fun. She actually went into her own floaty tube pretty much right away until well over half way through the trip. We were very surprised since she doesn't really like to be in the water. I think she just wanted to be like everyone else. Jayden spent the afternoon in her car seat in a raft with me (and the cooler). She decided she didn't want to miss a thing on the river, so she was awake for all but about 20 min of the river trip. Thankfully she was happy the entire afternoon, just looking at the sky and trees. I think Miya's favorite part of the day was riding the 'school bus' to the drop in point. She thinks school buses are the coolest thing and was mesmerized riding inside of one...even though it reeked like B.O. She even started singing 'The Wheels on the Bus'.

At night we went to Overisel's fireworks for the first time. WOW! They were amazing. We will definitely be returning next year. We have never seen such great fireworks. They were even handing out free sparklers and glow-sticks for the kiddos. Uncle Tyler helped her with her first sparkler....who else but the firework king himself! She was very ready for bed when we finally got home. She could hardly keep her eyes open on the five minute drive home. Jayden was so tired from the rafting trip that she fell asleep just before the fireworks started at 10:00 and didn't budge one time throughout the one hour of LOUD fireworks....even the huge earthshaking, bone rattling, heart pounding one at the end. She was very, very, very, very tired! What a trooper.

A Visit from the Cousins

Some of our family from Iowa was able to stay with us for a long weekend when they came out for a wedding. We had a house full, but it was a lot of fun! We went to a couple of parks, to the beach, and even to Craig's Cruisers were they kids were able to ride 'race cars' as Miya calls them. Miya had a lot of fun with her cousins, aunts, and grandma. She woke up Monday morning after they left and walked through every room saying, "Gramma, where are you? Rissa, where are you? Carter, Janelle, where are you? In Iowa?" She was not a happy camper Monday morning. Hopefully a little catchup on sleep will help that.