Mom Rides!!

Sharon has some crazy plan to get me on a horse that worked this past week end! I rode for the first time in over 17 years (at least). It's kind of like riding a bike ... errr - well not as easy though. I remembered what to do but it sure was not smooth, pretty or even close to what the horse would expect from a rider. My legs were telling the horse to go left while the reigns were telling her to go right. But, over all it was very fun and I think it's my job to show Acacia how easy it is to canter!! Baahaahaa!! More on that later. Oh, my inner thighs are uh ... kind of hurting ... a little ....

Click the link to see a slide show of Mom Rides.

Slide show of Mom Rides

The Circus for Chris

With Randy in an air cast from toe to knee and on crutches, 6 kids and our friend Matt, we drove about 45 minutes to see the circus for Chris' birthday. Chris asked for a space shuttle cake - so I did my best. Gotta love the aerodynamics of the thing. Anyway, special thanks to Audiovox for providing the in-route entertainment. For sure, Randy and I would have just put the van on cruise and just jumped out of the windows if we would have had to listen to 5 kids go on an on in the car. As it was, listening to the commentary of the movie from Chris and Kirin was indeed - entertaining to say the least. The circus was .... interesting. The majority of the performers might want to consider any or all of the following: day jobs, new choreographer, a new costume manager and / or new dietitian. The men in full body PINK leotards with beer bellies catching the women and their thonged butts mid air had a little something for everyone. The cool conclusion was 6 motorcycles in the big steel cage ball thing all running at the same time. That really was cool. After the 2 hour event ended we said good bye to Matt and Alex and headed to find some food. McDonald's drive through: Lisa: "What is the largest quantity of nuggets I can order?" Speaker box: "20." Lisa: "I'll take 40 ...." Spending $27 at a McDonald's was a first but that fed 7 people!! We took the food to a local park and ate and played before we packed everyone back in and headed back to Madison. A grand time!! Enjoy!

Click the link to see a slide show of The Circus for Chris.

Slide show of Circus for Chris
















Oh - Acacia wanted me to take this movie. Exciting footage ....

Riding a new horse!

Acacia started to ride a new bigger horse this past week. I have also been instructed to wear pants and bring a helmet to next weeks lessons. I have to learn to ride so I can attend the mother/daughter picnic! Wish me luck! And, Chris got to sit on Danielle while Acacia was riding Mister. He was not as comfortable up there as Acacia seems to be!


















Here is a little movie too.

Remodel '07 - Before and After!

Does anyone recognize these rooms? We had decided to get new carpet throughout the house and put in wood laminate in the living room and foyer. To save some bucks we decided to take the carpet out ourselves. This involved Randy and several of our friends moving every single thing we own that touches the floor in the house and moving it to the garage or the living room (phase I). My responsibility was to keep the kids out of the house while this took place. We returned the night before the carpet was to be installed to our dressers and 2 mattresses on the floor in the living room. Nail strips and tacks all over the floor and the basement wood paneling half painted with primer. The primer was not part of the original plan .... So, now we have committed to painting ... Long story short - all the base boards, molding around the doors, windows and closets have all been painted white. The wood paneling in the basement is one tone and the rest of the walls (through the entire house) are a lighter tone. We took the (fake) ceiling beams down from the ceiling in the basement and painted the ceiling white. We did an accent wall in the living room (same color as the wood paneling in the basement). There is a short shag like carpet in all the bedrooms and hallway and a looped carpet on the steps, to the landing, down the rest of the steps and through the lower level family room. The living room has the wood laminate. All the bathroom, bedroom and closet doors have been sanded down and stained a lighter pecan color. It is an amazing transformation and looks totally different. Randy and Dale did all the painting and several friends helped with a lot of the labor. With the exception of the actual carpet installation, Randy did everything else. I think he is trying to keep up with Chris (Wheeler). So, what do you think? Want to come visit now?





No more carpet or pink walls!





We took the wood beams off the ceiling and painted over the lower level wood paneling. The chair rail is white and the walls are a sandy color now.

Chris is 5!!

Well, we have not really done a whole lot for Chris this year. But, Acacia and her cool baby sitter made Chris an Easy Bake Oven cake and we all sang to him. He got a hand full of presents - transformers are very cool!! We are going to take Chris and his friends to the circus this coming week end. 10 kids ... should be interesting to say the least! Wish us luck!

Even More Outside Riding

She's moved up into just wide open spaces now. The film where there are two riders, Acacia is the one in front.

Oh, How sweet our neighbors lawn is ...

This is Acacia in our neighbor's yard. Randy started to mow the yard but you can see how nice and long her weeds get. Just lovely ....

... not.