4 kids all starting school with all different TIME schedules...

Happy days!!!! school has started and we are getting back into routines and a schedule (really the main thing I like about school, I don't care for the homework and driving).Carly is in SECOND grade at Queen Creek Elementary (Mr. Jeffers).
Conner FIFTH grade Queen Creek Middle School.

Lindsey EIGHTH grade Newell Barney Jr. High

3 happy kiddos ready to see their friends and met their teachers?

Cole goes to Queen Creek Elementary's Little Coyotes Preschool 3 days a week and will soon start another preschool 3 days a week at LIFE (it is a structured hab. program ran like a preschool). Excited that he is interacting with his peers and learning academics at the same time. All my kiddos are back in school!

Marley had to have a bath after Mt. Graham

Marley was sooooo dirty after playing in the mt. dirt. We had to give him his FIRST bath. He actually did great. (He likes water, several times he has jumped into swimming pools).

Look at the water, gross! We had to cut out sap and other things that had gotten stuck to him before he could even take a bath. He had things totally stuck in his paws.

Not very cute wet! Oh he smelt so good and looked so WHITE! Luck for us he loves loud noises and didn't mind us blow drying his hair.
Erik giving him loves letting him know everything is okay! Sad I didn't get an after bath photo!

I wish he could smell and be that clean more often!

Playing on Mt. Graham

Mt. Graham was so much fun. The kids ran around and enjoyed all that nature has to offer. Animals we got to see or that found us, squirrels, deer, bugs, lizards (Cole called them iguanas) and a bear.
Lana and her family got to stay until Sunday early afternoon. They brought with them bows & arrows and a BB-Gun. The kiddos and some adults (Jodi) took turns aiming and doing quite well with the targets.

Carly our future Annie Oakley.
Olivia and Lindsey

Jodi, she is so patient, helping Cole shoot a gun.

GO Lana, she recently killed an elk with a bow/arrow, wow!

Cole thinking I am crazy for making him take a bath in the SINK! Now all my kiddos have taken baths in the cabin sink. Fun dirty-clean memories!

Charlie (he is such a good guy) he let (encouraged) Marley to run and get super dirty!

One of the amazing forts the kiddos made (I love the mts. no tv's, radios, video games) the kids get away from those things and have to be creative.

Cole doesn't always like to wear shoes, but after getting pine sap all-over his feet he kept his shoes on more.

More cool photos of the kids in their fort.

Hiking up Ladybug trail. Jodi took Cole and Carly up the mt. to get to the top to sign their names in the book (kept at the very top) along with the cool chest where kids bring a toy to leave and then get to take one someone else left. JJ and Justin already up there waiting for them.

Carly loves Marley and Marley loves hanging with us in the mts.

Great job...Carly after returning from the very top.

Aunt Joyce...oh so tired after her l-o-n-g hike up the mt. (NOT)! She and I stayed down and had some time to talk. I love Aunt Joyce she has always taking time out for me! Thanks!

There they are the hiking fools, great job!

(Jodi, Justin, Carly, JJ, and on the bottom Cole)

Sunday night we started to have plumbing problems, no more flushing toilets allowed. Time to pop a squat! Our city girls survived (it was either that or go home, we didn't want to leave). Lindsey poising with the two necessities.

CARDS, one of my favorite things about the mts. Lots of time to play cards. Jodi and Aunt Joyce taught us some really fun games.

I think we even got Olivia addicted to cards. We just moved our table around to stay in the cool shade. Notice the truck doors open? Jodi had us jammin to Momma Mia songs (ABBA). Everyone around us had gone home so we could turn our music up and not bother anyone.

Another great year! We love the mts. and are so grateful to Aunt Joyce for taking time to go with us. The kids are already talking about next year (even Olivia). Conner said he was for sure going - I hope so we missed him!

Roping in Pima...heading up Mt. Graham

Charlie Howard (Lana's husband) and Cole

Friday, July 17 we went to Pima. Lucky for us it was the Alders night to do their roping. We got to go watch and ride a few horses. As I was grabbing Cole off this horse the horse moved and stepped on my foot (I was wearing sandals-newer sandals). I can say it hurt and I now need to buy new black sandals.
Cole and Carly watching the calves.

Lana and Charlie Howard (Lana is my cousin - they live in Claysprings, Arizona)

Saturday we got up and headed for the mountains. Stopped at the creek to let the kids play before reaching the cabin.

Immediately shoes came off and feet got wet!Roper, Carly, Justin, and Rowdy

The weather was gorgeous and the company fun!
It was so green. The kids found lots of rocks to throw into the water and sticks to carry.

Olivia Knapp and Lindsey

I am so glad Lindsey brought Olivia. They had a great time together and were big helpers with Cole!

Jodi and Joyce Alder - two of my favorite people (cousin and aunt)

Carly enjoying the creek.

So fun to have cousins to play with.
We were there a few minutes when Lana sat in some gum. My heck we are in the mts. and she sits in GUM! She leans against the tree and her bottom sticks to it....ha ha ha!
Marley is in hog heaven. He ran around and loved exploring.
Me, Lana, Jodi, Aunt Joyce

We are all teachers, I'm the only one not teaching at a school.

Lana is attempting 2nd grade this year (last year she taught 6th grade), Jodi teaches High School biology and anatomy and Aunt Joyce is teaching 6th grade English for the first time (she has always taught Jr. High English)

Marley thought he'd try out the water...or was he pushed in the water?

Surprising Cole...

On the way home from Utah we decided to surprise Cole and Erik by picking Marley up.
Everyone was excited to finally get to bring him home!

Carrie wasn't so sure she was ready for him to leave. She was so good at preparing us to take him home. Thanks for letting us have MARLEY!

When we got home Erik and Cole were taking a nap. We brought Marley in and laid him by Cole. Marley started licking Cole's face. Cole woke up and was SURPRISED to see Marley and us! Want to say us more than Marley, but I am not quite sure.
Once he finally realize what was going on he was full of energy and words.

Cole loves Marley! They love to play and run around chasing each other. Sometimes Marley runs to one of us hoping to escape Cole. Cole always says, "he is so cute!"