Summer isn't over yet...at least not on this blog

Almost a month ago, we had a visit from the Omaha Pauleys and we all headed up to the mountains for a camping trip.  The official tally was 7 humans, 2 dogs and 1 cat.  Yes, we took Coco camping again, and she probably caught a respiratory infection because of her cold weekend camping, but all's well that end's well.  So back to the camping trip.  We headed up to the top of the Snowies to a campground that we'd visited before.  It was raining a little when we set up camp but that was a nice break from the summer heat. 

Tootsie and Trigger have lost their "off-leash" privileges due to several infractions during previous camping trips.  Really the infractions are basically "completely ignore frantic screaming of our names as we race wildly into the woods towards freedom." 

Coco made fast friends with the Omaha Pauleys and she assumed her perch on Ben's shoulder for most of the weekend.  I'm mad at myself for not taking more pictures of the cousins and Uncle Mark and all of the gang everybody was there, you'll just have to take my word for it. 

Coco's favorite way to view the world. 

Will and Reina fighting over what I can only assume is sugary cereal, a camping tradition.  (the fighting AND the cereal)

Our campground was heavily impacted by the beetle kill and most of the trees have been cutdown.  There are a lot of little saplings coming up but it looks much different than it did even a few years ago.  The light was so pretty and I tried to capture it.  Still working on framing pictures but my cute kid makes it worth saving. 

A man and his kitten. 

The next day, we packed up camp and headed to Brooklyn Lake.  The older half of the family (besides me) headed off on a long hike and I stayed back with the kiddos and cat.  Reina and I took a little hike by ourselves while Will napped.  She's a trooper.  We didn't hike far but we stopped to look at flowers and animal tracks and a tree trunk that was particularly interesting.  Life is one adventure after another for this kid. 

Nature girl! 

After the mom/daughter mini-hike, we came back and picked up Will and the cat and walked down to Brooklyn Lake just a short distance from the truck.  The day was still a little cool but that didn't stop the kids from sticking their feet in the water. 

Pretending that he's being dragged into the water by a shark or sea-dwelling monster of some sort. 

This is what I get when I say, "Smile for me sweetie." I think this one should probably be saved for the graduation collage. 

I played around with the camera while the kids launched into some complicated scheme that involved lava and bad guys and definitely not touching the water.  I slowed them down for a few seconds and grabbed this shot.  Without even seeing the picture, Will says, "You should save that one for the Christmas card, Mom."  I think he's right. 

And it's not even a chokehold! 

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school.  Man this summer sure went fast.  Both kids were ready for school to start but also a little anxious for the big day.  Will changed shirts about four times before deciding on the clone troopers.  Reina had her outfit picked out for weeks.  Everyone was dressed and ready in record time which probably won't happen again until the first day of school next year.  First grade and third grade, here come the Pauley kids!

Coco gets in on the first day of school pictures too, because why wouldn't she? 

My little hams.

Goodness, this kid is growing up.  He told me over the weekend that third grade is the first year of not being a little kid anymore and I have to agree with him.  After school he informed me that this year they have to take big tests (standardized state stuff) and keep a daily journal of things they worked on.  He had a great first day but was a little dismayed by the fact that there are only 5 boys in his class and he's girl-trapped at his table (surrounded on all sides by girls).   

This picture says it all, doesn't it?  A little worried but sitting patiently as the teacher starts the day.  Reina's best friend moved to a new school so she's a little adrift right now. I know she'll find her bearings and get in the groove soon.  But looking at that face makes me want to drive to school right now and sit by her side for the rest of the day.  Hang in there girl. 



Camera recap of the summer

It's been a heck of a week.  Coco came back from our last camping trip with a respiratory bug and we spent a couple of scary days (and two trips to the vet) watching her and hoping she was okay.  I know when kids aren't feeling well, I know when dogs are under the weather, I know when Glenn's feeling puny, but I don't know cats, especially little 1 lb 7 oz cats who don't eat for a while.  It's no secret on this blog that we've all grown a little attached to her and it's pretty scary watching something that tiny get droopier and droopier.  Luckily, we got her on some medicine and after forcing a few syringes of a cat smoothie (tuna water or watered down wet food) down her throat, she started to perk up and she's doing so much better today.  She's still a little quiet and she's not very playful but we are hopeful that in a few days she'll be back to climbing curtains and chasing Trigger.  

So besides sick kittens, I've also had a weird dental thing that is driving me a little batty, super busy at work (State Fair week!) and this was the last week of the summer rec program for the kids so things are a little hectic around here.  I did find some time to finally clean off my phone and put some small, blurry photos of our summer festivities on here, that didn't make the fancy camera. 

Reina's first big-girl haircut.  She loved the blowout part the best. 

Will at the annual Frontier Day's parade in front of my office, drinking a hot chocolate all grown-up like. 

Rodeo selfie.  Reina was more concerned for the animal welfare this year but they both did well cheering and our favorite is still the Dinner Bell Derby (baby horses racing to their moms)

Love Reina's 'jail' expression and Will's lightsaber/sword/rolled up poster

When Reina met Coco - taken about 30 seconds after Reina walked in the room.  "Are we really keeping her?"

A sideways picture of Coco looking out our front door.

A sideways picture of Coco looking at me. 

Well this is just getting ridiculous.  A sideways picture of Coco sitting on Glenn's shoulder as we drive to Estes Park.

Coco camping (not the the cold camping trip)

Where's the cat, anybody seen the cat? 

There she is! 

Coco and Trigger sharing a moment.

Coco fell asleep and Trigger sat there looking slightly concerned for a few minutes until Coco started purring.  Trigger then levitated off of the bed and ran out of the room. 

A peach pie that I didn't totally screw up.  One of my summer resolutions is to figure out pie crusts. 

Tootsie off of the leash and sitting in the same sector as Coco without wanting to eat her. We call that a victory.

In cleaning out closets last weekend, Reina inherited Will's #18 Broncos jersey, which she wore on Monday.  It's almost football season and it's always cat snuggling season. 

Other stuff besides more pictures of Coco

This is quickly turning into an all-Coco-all-the-time blog.  So here's a recap of everyone else while you wait for kitten pictures.  Kiddos are fine and healthy.  School starts in two weeks.  Will had basketball camp this week which he enjoyed.  His coaches filled out a little evaluation form for each camper and Will had high marks in ball handling, ability to get along with teammates, attitude and coachability.    He needed new shoes for basketball camp and four stores and a bit of grumpiness later (mostly on my part), we found acceptable footwear.  Will wears a 4.5 shoe and he's growing like a week.  At the beginning of the summer, his head fit firmly in my armpit, now he's almost to my shoulders.

Reina, what can I say about Reina.  She had her first 'big girl' haircut at the place I go to a few weeks ago. She enjoyed sitting in the chair and chatting with the beautician.  In looking through the blog, I realize that I forgot to memorialize an important event from this summer - Reina got her ears pierced.  How did I leave this one out?  The week after she finished kindergarten, we went to the mall, she picked out little blue stars and we got her pierced.  She was a trooper and didn't shed any tears.  Enough time has past now that she has traded out the little blue stars for a never-ending parade of kittens, ducks, owls, whales (?) and precious little baby deer earrings (thanks Aunt Vicky!).  I have pictures of the ear piercing extravaganza but they are on my phone and it's on the other side of the room and that's the kind of evening I'm having. 

We camped this past weekend with the Omaha Pauleys and had a great time.  Pictures coming from that soon.  Last weekend, Glenn and I did a race in Estes Park with the Fry's and we had a great time and we have pictures from that too.  We took Coco camping on both trips so by 'pictures' I mostly mean 20 snaps of a little kitten sitting on a sleeping bag.  But she was a trooper and we all enjoyed getting out of town for a few days. 

And it's bedtime. Pictures to come! 

Meet Coco

So we got a cat.  Well, a little, fluffy, tiny, baby kitten to be exact.  After much discussion and negotiations, we've named her Coco.  We picked her up on Wednesday and she's already found a place in our hearts and in our family.  It's no coincidence that Coco rhymes with loco, she's a little crazy ball of fur.  

How did we get here?  Why did we get a cat?  Well, Glenn and I have been talking about it for a few months.  Reina loves kitties and has wanted a cat for as long as she could say "cat."  For a while we thought that Tootsie and Trigger would try to eat any other animals at our house and that stopped us.  I'm technically allergic but my allergy shots have been helping with everything else.  So we kept talking about it and thinking about it and then Aunt Vicky found some kittens who needed a home, we went and visited and the rest is history.  

Much, much to say about all of this including a video of when Reina met Coco, a list of other names we considered and how the dogs are doing.  Coming soon.

Scenes from a tball game

Reina's t-ball season ended a few weeks ago.  Tball was lost a little in the shuffle of baseball, but Reina had fun playing and we enjoyed watching her run around the bases.  For her last game, the team played on an actual baseball field and she seemed to like getting to run around like a big kid.  I remembered to take the fancy camera and got some fun pictures of my almost first-grader. 

First base!

What do you mean it's not snack time yet? 

Yes, pink kitty comes to tball games too, naturally. 

"helping" sister warm up for the game. 

Tball game or fashion runway?  Tough call. 

I tried to talk her into a ponytail but what do I know. 

Reina's teammates were 5-8, with quite a few little 5 yr olds running around. 

Hey batter batter...

Look at that swing! 

Photo shoot and other sights of summer

Last week, we participated in a photo shoot for the Game & Fish.  They were taking pictures for their upcoming online catalog and needed people to model all of their G&F wear and naturally they thought of us.  Or Glenn volunteered us.  We had a free night so we headed outside of town to model away.  The official pictures will be online later this year but here's my version. 

Reina meditating.  Yah, I don't know why either.  

Reina modeling clothes and an unnamed juice pouch, unless they want to want to buy this picture from me for their ad campaign?  Hey a model has to stay hydrated. 

One willing model and one not so willing.  

There's a smile! 

Reina was supposed to be gazing on to the horizon but she decided to turn and get a closer look at her dad's pores.  

In my quest to be a world renowned wildlife photographer, here are a few shots of Banjo and the gang out our backyard.

Banjo!  Or another buck, I really can't tell at this point.  

Glenn had to restrain me from jumping over the fence to go snuggle these babies.  Not that they would've appreciated it.  We think she might have triplets because there was a third one not too far behind - on the edge of the frame actually.  They are already getting big.  

Will's baseball season ended a few weekends ago when they lost in the tournament.  It was a fun year again and Will did really great.  He was a reliable hitter and played some good defense.  We sure had fun watching him play.

I thought I'd get an action shot of him sliding into home but he didn't need to this time.  About halfway through the season he figured out sliding and he never ended a game with a clean pair of pants after that.  

Hanging out on second.  The league he'll play in next year allows stealing bases and leading off.  This year, he had to stay put.  

Getting some advice from the third base coach.  

Reina and I are home again today while we wait for her antibiotics to kick in and keep her from infecting the rest of the summer program participants.  Will's feeling good and opted to go bowling with the summer program kids this morning.  Fingers crossed that he (and the rest of us) remain strep free.