the beginning of some summer fun(ssf)

well, since we don't seem to be moving anytime soon....i decided we better just make the most of what will probably be our last summer in moscow, idaho. (tiny bit of sad, here)
i plan to take advantage of as much "palouse-area" fun we can and spend as much time with friends doing as many fun things as we can fit into the time we have left. ned continues to job-hunt. it is a slow process, but we continue to be optimistic and hopeful for the future. (a little bit of positive energy from friends and family is welcome)

some fun things we have been up to lately are as follows:

william loves water. even though it has been too cold for the swimming pool, we have had a few days with warm weather and were able to pull out the kiddie pool for william. he is fascinated by the hose and loves to drink the nasty moscow water(yuck). i added a few buckets of warm water, but only when his teeth began to chatter and his lips turned blue(jk).
i can't believe he is actully licking his lips. gross. 1 bad thing about moscow is their water! i never thought i would be someone who drank only bottled water, but there's a lesson learned, "never, say never."

it has been exciting to see emma and hunter receive more independence as they mature. because they are trustworthy, responsible kids, i feel i can give them more opportunities to do things with their friends without mom around so much. (it also helps that we live in a safe community, except for the shooting a few years ago..hmmm).
anyhow, they are able to ride their bikes to their friends houses, to the movies, the library, church for scouts, dollar store, swimming pool or park on their own or with friends. they love to be "grown-up" and it also gives them time away from the "baby-stuff" at home. this is the summer of more independent fun for the older two kids.
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every time we drive to spokane, i notice a sign for klemgard park located about 10mi. outside of pullman. i have always wanted to check it out, so this week we did. it was a wonderful park with big open spaces, playground, v-ball pits, horseshoes, pavilions, river and a really fun hike. after eating lunch and checking out the playground, we went on the hike. it has some fun bridges and streams, beautiful flowers and great trail covered with foliage( i love trails like that). as is common on the palouse, we climbed a small hill(only about 2mi. hike) and at the summit was...you guessed it, wheat fields. i just had to laugh out loud at that one. i thought we would at least be able to look down into a little valley or something. but no, it was just more rolling wheat fields. aahh, i will miss that when we move!! lolreaching the summit of wheat fields. beautiful, but funny!

issy said this is her "hiking" face.

emma is always looking for bugs and insects or creeping spaces when we go on hikes. here, she found a really small spider web with a spider on it. below, is a great little hideout under some trees.*********************************************************************

i took will with me to the dollar store the other day. while we were browsing in the toy aisle, he noticed this bat and ball and grabbed it and began playing with it. i let him hold it as we shopped some more but when we were checking out and i took it from him to put away, he became quite upset. he cried loudly and kept trying to grab the bat. so, i did what any mother would do with a crying baby in the check-out line, i bought him the bat. he cried when i handed it to the checker to scan, he cried when he dropped it in the car, he cried when i removed it from him to unbuckle his seatbelt...well, you get the idea. any time he wasn't holding the bat he would cry. it was quite entertaining. he mostly likes to chew on the bat or stick it in someone else's mouth for them to chew. strange kid??!!


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emma and her friend sidney enjoy doing lemonade stands in the summer. one afternoon last year, they made $10 selling lemonade. this year they have upgraded to lemonade, kool-aid, homemade cookies, gum balls and candies. they sit on the corner of 7th and lynn, if any of you locals want to check it out. today was their "Grand Opening." so far, it has been a slow start to the season. however, i am sure it will improve as the summer progresses. they also have a tip jar and homemade signs that they hang up on surrounding streets. it is quite the little business. they have talked about taking their store "on the road" this summer. so, if you see two cute 9 year-olds walking around moscow shouting, "lemonade for sale," don't hesitate to cough up 25cents, it is worth it!!