Flyin' High in Montana

There's been so much fun stuff going on since my last post, but I haven't taken the time to post like I should. 

But so many things this past weekend have brought my thoughts to my sweet grandparents, so wanted to share pictures with them. 

Grandpa, we went to the airshow in kalispell yesterday, and kids had a blast! Us adults did too, of course...we got there at 10 am and pulled out of the congested lot after 5:30.  Kids did amazing all day long!!8

The boys got to step up into a little Civil Air Patrol Cesna. It was a new one with fancy screens and got to chat with it's proud pilot. Come time to get out, they made it known they could have stayed in there forever. It was cool!

Grandma B also bought them tickets for some pretty awesome bouncy houses shaped like aircraft coolness. They went in one shaped like a navy ship and plane taking off, and also in a spacecraft shaped one. 

After the show, the Thunderbird crew came out to sign autographs, and Coy got a picture with and signature of Major Joshua Boudreaux. A local hero, Capt Jason Curtis, returned home in a Thunderbird to Kalispell, making the event even more exciting! There was also a woman Thunderbird pilot from River Falls, WI :)

Here are a few more pictures from the day; 

Wild Hair Bentley demonstrates why ear muffs are needed....the Birds were so loud...we now know why they put the word Thunder in there! 

For the rest of the evening, we played up at Ade & Anna's hilltop home. They all rode horses, played airshow, jumped on the trampoline cousin style (meaning all 9 of them at once) and wrestled till they were sweaty and stinky. ❤️ 

Then this afternoon Duane and Janette took us up to West Glacier to take a bike ride in the park. Unfortunately, a flat bike tire and a rainstorm put a damper on the riding, but we got to eat a nice dinner in the park and threw rocks in Lake McDonald after the rain ceased. The sun coming out and the mountain view was extraordinarily beautiful tonight! 

And like any good day at the pig farm, we ended the day with ice cream and stories with Papa before bed. 

Today was beautiful. 

More Than Just A Thunderstorm

I know we have those days (maybe too many for me!), the days where we create a massive out-of-control thunderstorm within. Today was my day... Boys scratched my newly refinished turquoise table, 3 milk spills in one meal setting, Legos everywhere, poop, 4 whiney pants, headache, and making myself miserably drown in a puddle of self-pity. 

Then we had a real thunderstorm. Lightening. Hard, hard rain. Strong wind. Lost power, even.

The storm died down, and the sun peeked out offering warmth again and reassurance it was still there. 

Then we looked up. 

FreeToBe

There seems to be a whole movement of "wild and free" lately, and I can't help but LOVE the sudden acceptance of kids being wild. Being free to to be wild. 

Not the undisciplined kind of wild, but wild imagination, noise, crazy kind of play that awesomely enough, only kids understand. 

The wild boys are in a boy hideout as I sit nearby in the shade and blog. Adults are not allowed, unless it's to rescue babies, says the captain. They're running to and from the garden, collecting green beans and onions that pass as brownies and pancakes. The tball set-up is getting whaked as they shout "touch down!" without a care or knowing that in a world of rules and critics, they'd be dead wrong. The play set is a rodeo stand, it's a deer stand, it's the Titanic. 

Oh, to be a kid again. It makes my heart sing just watching them <3

Here it is, August already! With a constant temp of above 90, we can say that it's time to start looking forward to FALL! Well, no matter what season it is, I pretty much always look forward to and yearn for fall :)

I just love this picture of B-bug napping on daddys shoulder. Nevermind the comments from daddy saying that he was a typical boy...falling asleep while shopping in World Market. ;) It's especially meaningful because the night before this day, a 20 year old kid was killed riding his 4wheeler right down the road from us. I went out running my usual route and missed being a witness by about 5 minutes, and am so thankful that wasn't something I had burned into my memory forever. Our hearts are so heavy...that family losing their only son, brother, grandson, friend...

I still feel this, which was my instagram cry;

I want to love my boys with all my heart, every single second. I pray that they are kept from pain and darkness without comfort. That they always look both ways and wear their helmets. That they always work hard and reap bountiful benefits. That they love purely and know love like none other. That they hold open doors and are respectful and in return are appreciated and respected. That They eat their veggies and have good health. ❤️ The kid down the road died from blowing a stop sign he'd crossed a thousand times. And no helmet because itd become habit. My heart cures out for his parents and little sis. 💔 #lifewithboys #amotherscry #alwayslookbothways #protectyourbrain

I set myself up for punishment every time I agree to the mud..but they just looove playing in the mud! They cake their trucks, fill the buckets, occasionally throw mud balls (a no-no), make rivers and pathways in the mud which keeps them busy for a decent amount of time. And we 're all SO glad that this house has hot water in the outside spicket, because it makes an easy clean up. Out comes the soap, off go the clothes, and we can soap up and watch the muddy water run off the porch without a drop in the house. Just kidding, mud and dirt ALWAYS make their way in. Groan..

Before it got so beastly hot, the kids made the grassy shady island their "hideaway." We had picnics there, story time, truck races (crashes), and games out there. I just love watching the boys make a whole imaginary world out of nothing. When "they" say that kids in the old days only had sticks to play with, I strongly believe that they were happier kids then kids today!

The hideaway, however, was not a convenient place to take a nap. Just ask this mama...this was the view during (un)restful time. :)

Reid will be your friend. IF you have ice cream. Or cookies. Anything sweet. Eating dessert on the porch the other night with Nick & Beth, little Reid showed his dimples and walked bowl to bowl, knowing full well he'd get a spoonful from each person he rested against. For only being alive for 18 months, I'd say he's learned things pretty quickly ;)

C'mon...how cute is this bundle? I got to spend a few hours with just him the other week while our friend Leonika awesomely took the kids to see Planes Fire and Rescue!! The kids had an absolute blast with her, and this bug and I spent most of our time browsing Target. :D

Feet to the sky? Oh yes!

4 handsome boys. 4 boys living wild and free. 4 unimaginable blessings.

Kids and I took an impromptu afternoon trip to the river with Beth, Abi & Talon (her big kids!). Abi survived a car accident the week before so she sat with her bruised feet in the cold water and Talon (who the kids idolize!) helped the boys make a minnow pond out of river rocks. Sunshine and fellowship proves a wonderful afternoon <3 doing="" has="" hours="" meant="" much="" never="" nothing="" p="" so="" spent="">
Hope you all out there in blogland get to spend profitable hours doing nothing! <3 p="">
Oh, and keep cool this month!