Life in North Idaho

Thanksgiving & Turkey Bowl 2009

2009-12-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

David And Trisha, Brad and Brittany came again for the week. Here are some highlights of their visit!

Here is a slide with some pics from our Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving!

Brad and I had an encounter with a Moose!

These pictures are from our night out (without the kids) Bowling and Red Robin:

Brad Shot a nice Whitetail while he was in town. Here are some pics of the beast. This is his fourth Idaho Buck! Nice work Brad!

We had an amazing turkey Dinner... The kids set up a slide in the stairwell after they ate to work off some food.

Pointe Pest Steelhead Trip

2009-11-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

Every year we try to do a little activity with the Pointe Employees... last year we did a pheasant hunt and this year we went to Orofino and did a steelhead fishing trip for the day. Here are some pics!

First Snow

2009-11-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

We finally got snow!!!!!!!!!! I know it's only November, but I love snow. Adaline

Basketball

2009-11-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I took after my mom and started playing basket ball for the second time. The first time was just learning the skills and stuff. Now I play in real games. We train twice a week for games on Saturday. So far we have had two games, and we lost both of them. The Mustangs is our team name. Our team color is black. Mom is a coach, but she just helps as an assistant. In the first game we played the Tar Heals. They beat us bad!!! It was 24 to 8!!!! The second game wasn't so bad. The Greens beat us 10 to 8(it was really 5 to 4). I played my best friend from Volley Ball camp! Her name is Rebeca. Adaline

Glamis 2009

2009-11-11T18:20:00.000-08:00

Below is a slide show with some pics from this years "man-cation." This was the fourth year in a row that I have gotten together with some friends from college to ride motorcycles for a weekend. Instead of Pismo Beach we went to Glamis. As you can see we had a grand time. Enjoy!

a small ode to Hauser

2009-11-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

Our family at Hauser Lake, October 2003

We moved to Hauser 6 years ago this past October. I was so sad to leave Boise where we had family and so many friends to love. I was also excited though, to have an adventure and a change of scenery. I could never have guessed how much I would love it up here, so much that we would actually put down "roots" and settle awhile. There's no doubt I have been lonesome at times being so far from loved ones, but I have consoled myself with the mountains and lakes and rivers in our backyard. We see wildlife nearly everyday. Right now there are turkeys and deer all over. The stars here are so bright and noticable. We have fields and forest where our kids can play and truly exciting weather. I have made dear friends and grown up quite a bit. I have to say, I have become attatched to our little farm in Hauser.

Halloween!

2009-11-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

Halloween was great this year. The weather was super warm compared to years past and my kids are older now so their enthusiasm is contagious. We finally let the kids watch Star Wars so of course Jack wanted to be Yoda. I had to get a little creative but I was thrilled with how this turned out. Not bad for a mom who has been kind of indifferent about Halloween until now. I love trick-or-treating and dressing up but the weather has just killed it for me. Last year we were in Boise, trick-or-treating in shorts and t-shirts. It was the best! What a difference from our normal below freezing temperatures that wait to hit us until Halloween night. I'm not usually a weather griper but it really does take all the fun out of it. So, good weather and successful Yoda costume equals fun for joni. Along the same theme, Ada was Princess Leia. Not quite as creative as Jack's but passable. I couldn't get the hood to stay on. It kept slippng off her head. Oh well, next year. Alice the crazy witch. She was almost unrecognizable in the dark. James in the trusty dog costume. So cute. He hated the hood just like Jack and Alice did! I had to add the picture of me doing Adaline's hair. I still remember that feeling of the bobby pin digging and scraping into my head. It makes me cringe! My mom used to give me "Princess Leias" too. I put on an old dress and an old wig. I said to Jacob, "What do you think?" He replied carefully, " Uhmm, you look good. What are you?" I said, "Gwendolyn". This year Jacob declared himself "The Boss"
Yes the wig has some how survived another year. It seriously grosses me out. I am replacing it tomorrow. It really was a fantastic time, especially since I had Bruce serenading me all night.

October Pumpkin Pics!!!!

2009-10-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Elk 2009

2009-10-18T08:06:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of my Spike Elk I got this year. The kids were pretty stoked about it! They can't wait to hunt with their Dad.

Catch up...

2009-09-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well... we have been super busy and haven't updated much the last few months but I thought I would post some links with some pics, etc. Enjoy!

This is an album with pics from a ride I went on with my brothers, Dad, and brother-in-law Roger:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=316028&id=810550376&l=0944d86097

Here are Pics from the BSU game that we went to against Oregon:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=316035&id=810550376&l=18db236bc8

Enjoy!!!!

Jacob

Adaline's Birthday!!!

2009-09-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

Miracle...

2009-07-29T21:05:00.001-07:00

This is a news story about one of my reps!!!

CLICK LINK BELOW:

http://www.kxly.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=3999684&h1=Boise%20teen%20survives%20700%20foot%20plunge%20off%20High%20Drive&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=141833&LaunchPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&rnd=67987175

living the dream

2009-07-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I turned these beauties into...
This!

Thanks for the apricots JoAnn.

Misc. 4th of July weekend pics

2009-07-06T23:00:00.001-07:00

It has become a tradition of ours to rent a boat a couple times in the summer. This time we are on Lake Pend Oreille. I love this place!

Downtown, on the stairs at lake Coeur d'Alene. We had to cool off after that parade

classic distraught Alice

After the parade and the cool down swim, the Groovy Garns and the Kool Kartchners came over for a BBQ and fireworks. This seems to be the only shot that made it in from the BBQ. We were to busy stuffing our faces to take pictures.

Fireworks at home... There's nothing like lighting them yourself! Plus, the big shows never have ground-bloom flowers, my personal favorite.

Grand Finale!

sunset in front yard

2009-07-06T22:49:00.001-07:00

I snapped these a few nights ago in front of the house as the sun was setting and leaving some amazing colors across the sky and mountains.

Jacob

Borg Kids "Mash-Up"

2009-06-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here is video of our latest dance party with a little reggae mash-up!

Camping with the Cousins

2009-06-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm blogging again, and I love it! I am going to tell you about our latest camping trip. We went camping with our cousins at Ensign Ranch. It was the best camping trip I have been on! We did so many fun things. My family got at the campsite a mid-night! It was very chilly, and I had to sit at the camp fire with a blanket, it was so cold. After we went to sleep, I was the first to wake up. When my Uncle Chris and my mom woke up,( Witch was around 45 min. after) we made reservations for horseback riding. When we came back, everyone was awake. Asa, David, Alice, Jack, and Chloe were up and playing. We had a breakfast of pancakes and fruit. It was very good. A few min. after eating our meal, the kids went down to the lake. We got the family down there, and started jumping off of a rope swing into the water. David was a pro. He was also one of the last ones to get in. He was just swinging back and forth, jumping onto land. when I got in, I went under, and when I got back out, I felt like I was going to die!

After we did that, we went to a Slip & Slide. That was loads of fun!

At 2:00, Alice, Ethan, and Jack went riding horses for a while. I bet it was fun! here are a few pictures. After they had their turn, it was Asa, David, Mom, Uncle Chris,and my turn. We were going on a trail ride. I rode a horse called Harry. He was my dream horse. Harry had truoble going out of the corral, but he was just perfect, other than that. It was so fun, I did it again! First, we got tacked up. Next, we mounted, and after that, we started on the trail. It was a sight to see. There were plants every were. One part had a tattered old troll's house! I loved that part. When we got done I wanted to do it again on Monday.(I did.) On Sunday, we had a little meeting for church. We had a testimony meeting, and after that, the kids put on a little play.Here is one of them.(Mom is trying to figure out how to put on a video. You might need to check back later.) On Monday, we are to leave, but I went on another trail ride with my dad. I rode Harry again. This time, he didn't haste to leave the corral. I had the time of my life! Adaline

ee e

our farm

2009-06-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

A week ago Sunday, our nap was interrupted by these guys attacking our dog. It was wild and scary. I have never seen anything like this enormous swarm of honey bees. They settled in a tree that our dog run is anchored in. Teddy was going bezerk and everyone was mad. I ran out to grab Teddy and hit this wall of bees. The sound was really awful. I was immediately stung on the eye so I ran back to get Jacob. He put on his helmet and goggles and gloves and got Teddy away. They were all over her so we tried to hose them off but they were all caught in her hair. Then she went into shock I guess because she looked like she was going to die. It was all very upsetting. She got worse but now she is getting better. I have picked over 80 stingers out of her skin. That is no exageration. So here are some pictures of the dang bees. I called someone to come remove them. It took him about 3 hours to scrape them into a 5 gallon bucket then dump it into a bee box. It was very interesting. He said there are over 30,000 bees in this swarm. He was very excited to take them home and eat their honey. I was excited to get them off my farm. I think my kids are scarred for life. They are the ones who saw them all over Teddy first.

A happier story is called We Now Have Chickens. We have this cute coop for them to live in. I love it so much. Our little chicks are Buff Orpintons. We are calling them Russet and Rose. They are supposed to be a very friendly, pettish breed. I hope that is true. We also have two Ameracaunas on order. They are also supposed to be friendly and they lay blue/green eggs. They are coming on June 30. We can't wait. The picture in the cardboard box is where the girls are living until they grow up and can go into the adorable coop.

Here is a picture of some lavender and other flowers I'm growing on my patio.

Here is my first attempt at a vegetable garden. I have 3 tomato plants, 4 green peppers, 1 jalepeno, 1 zucchini, 1 cucumber, and 6 bean plants. Also in the bed, Russian Sage and lots of weeds. In a bed near my front door, I have 3 winter squash growing. Next time I am posting about the front yard.
I added this cute one of my little Jims because we musn't forget I'm growing people too.

catching up...

2009-05-31T21:15:00.001-07:00

Uncle Dave, Sue, and Ruthie visit us in May...

Slide-show from trip to Leavenworth...

thoughts on gardening

2009-05-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

First a quick thanks to Jenn for that encouraging post... Well, what have we been up to? Until last week my main concern in life was training for my half-marathon in June. I had no idea I could ever run 20 miles in one week. That is how I've been spending lots of my time. Running and being really tired and thinking a lot about sleep. But something new has entered into my life and given me a little break from my running shoes. It's called Spring in late May! Right now we are in the middle of our first official planting season. It is intense and I am loving it(I think). I am totally consumed with weeding and planning and purchasing(the best part) and planting. I should mention that my kids have been champion weeders! I have to say that we had obviously never grown anything before when we made all of our flower beds around the house. Landscaping is a term we'd heard of, but all we've ever been involved in is dirt because we moved every summer for so many years. Since I've always been excited for this day we made these really great wide beds everywhere so I could plant lots of beautiful flowers all around my house someday. So I've been trying to weed these huge huge beds and then I go to choose this perfect, reasonably priced plant and holy cow! I need thirty of them to make a dent. It is very satisfying work but I'm finding it is emotionally draining. I've been waiting my whole adult life to grow things and I'm finding that my yard/garden is one more thing that needs my attention and care. A couple days ago I glanced out my window and saw my maple trees, that we have been nursing along, looking positively withered up. I was on the move. I dropped what I was doing and ran out the door, grabbed a hose and ran down to my poor trees. When I was considering my reaction later, I realized that when I saw those trees it was like I saw my kid fall off her bike or something. It was that knee-jerk I'm-coming-to-rescue-you feeling. I'm thinking, What have I signed up for!? So I'm a mother of 4 investing myself into helping more things grow and nurturing more living things to reach their potential and feeling exhausted, why? Do I really need to be responsible and care for more than my house and my family and my primary kids and my friends and my dog? No, but I do want to garden so I'm sure I'll find the energy somewhere. And I'm sure I'll get something in return for all of this effort. Since I'm a first time gardener, it's just a mystery what it might be. I'll post pictures when we are all planted.

The First Blossom of Spring

2009-04-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

This story is about a scavenger hunt. All of the animals were invited, but only one animal could win. The thing that all animals were shooting for was a little purple flower. The animals that were competing are Deer, Cougar, Rabbit, Turtle, Horse, and Eagle. ''The scavenger hunt will begin in 5 4 3 2 1, Go!!! '' said Fawn. As every one rushed in diffrent directions, only Horse stayed behind. ''Wait up,'' she said, as she hurried along behind them. Wishing that she was faster, Horse galloped across the plain, when she reallised that her hoof was stuck under a root. As she tugged at the root, she saw a little purple flower! Horse had won. As a gold medle was placed around her neck, she felt a glow of pride. My mom and I had a similer experence when she and I were looking for plants that survived the winter, we saw this flower.It was a sighn that spring was FINEALLY here!!! Adaline

Albino Peacock Alert!

2009-04-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

So I guess you have heard about our trip to Bosie. While we were there, we went to Walter's Ferry, and we saw Albino Peacocks!! Not only that, but we saw swans, regular peacocks, wild rabbits, and statues made out of horse shoes. There was also a little place that you could rest at. At that place, there was a bridge that had a troll under it! It was very funny. I know you would love it there. The Albino Peacocks were very,very,very cute. I got to touch the fethers on this one. Albino Peacocks are now my favorite birds.
Adaline

craigslist

2009-04-12T01:12:00.001-07:00

Wednesday night I was on my computer perusing craigslist when I came across a deal on a TW200. So... as it turns out I came home Thursday with another motorcycle. I was eager to clean it up and start the transformation to black. Here are some pics of the fun as the kids helped me clean it up.

Arrival/ As-is

Jack helping me clean up the Bike

Adaline watching Jimmy while Jack and I are working...

The kids were getting restless so I loaded them up for a quick ride (the four-wheeler has a dead battery so we all loaded up on the bike)

Detailed, Painted, added front and rear rack, dyed red seat black, etc.

Still needs new tires and more black paint... but it is looking nice and ready to roll...

Anybody that wants to come up here and go trail riding... let me know!!!!!

spring cleaning

2009-04-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

This morning I told Jack to go get in the cruiser because it was time to go to school. He ran out there and I followed a couple minutes later. As soon as I walked into the garage I could hear him yelling something, that is nothing new, he is really a pretty loud kid. I opened the door to climb in and saw an alarmed grossed-out expression on his face. He was shouting, " MOM, IT SMELLS LIKE THE INSIDE OF A PUNKIN IN HERE!" I guess the warmer weather has encouraged the cruiser to blossom along with everything else. I'll have to tackle the beast tomorrow. The best part of this story is that I'm safe. I've been having some crazy sinus troubles so I can't smell a thing...

2 hour Stop in Boise

2009-02-24T23:30:00.000-08:00

I had a flight back from SLC on Sunday and didn't realize that I had a 2 hour layover in Boise. When I got in I called home and Justin came right over to grab me. I made it for Sunday dinner at Mom and Dads. It was an evening birthday celebration for Amy and Caleb. The visit was much too short but I had a great time. I have really great Parents and sibblings and nieces and nephews. I miss all of them and got a bit camera happy so I could show my kids some pics of their cousins, etc. Here is a slideshow of all the pics...