Montana family fun!

I look forward to our visit to my Dad's cabins in Montana every single time. We try and get up there at least once a year but lately its been pretty tough with gas prices being what they are and trying to save up the cash to buy what we need to get there.

It was soooo much fun this year! We started out our drive on Wednesday the 30th at 12:30 as the kids only had a half day of school. So we picked them up and headed north without delay. The kids have been absolutely giddy waiting for Wednesday to come. Tatumn actually wrote out a calendar on her new easel she got for her birthday just so she could count down the days until we left. Cort would help her each day by helping her remember to cross of a new day before they went to bed.

It so nice seeing the kids get so excited about something. Some days I feel like we get into a routine of just school, homework, cleanup, bed...and who wants that for their kids? There has to be a little fun thrown in there right? I remember when I was little my sister used to think up the funnest games for all of us to play. One time she gathered up a whole bunch of old toys and collectibles and such from wherever she could and did a game show type game where we could all "win" things from behind the counter. I couldn't have been much older than 8 or 9 but I still remember it well...who knows? Maybe Cort and Tatumn will have fond memories of trips up to Montana.

Not to mention poor KC who works all day every day comes home just in time for dinner, some homework, maybe a show and then bed just to do it all over again. He needed a break more than any of us.

So we headed up after school Wednesday and drove for about 6 hours. (It should have been about 5 but I swear my kids bladders are smaller than normal) We got to the cabins with the help of our good friend "Ken Ken" (its really the Tom Tom my mom got us for Christmas but we renamed it Ken Ken cuz we have the voice of "Ken from Australia" on it...we still giggle when he says in that thick aussie accent "You have reached your distination") haha see? it made me giggle just now...

When we got there we unpacked and headed to our cabin that was all ready and waiting for us with the heater on and everything. It was wonderful! My Dad has made some amazing improvements on them since he has been there. I looked forward to that amazingly wonderful shower each and every night before bed.

Here is the front of our cabin we stayed in. Lucky number 9!

Charice, Carissa and Cade and Chancy, Tanya, Bridger, Aspen and Emery got there in the wee hours of the morning so the next day we all saw each other and there was at least a good 4 inches of snow on the ground so what do we do? Make a snowman of course! Check out the kid's masterpiece.


Here is Uncle Chancy helping Tatumn get the eyes and nose on straight.

And we tried to get Aspen to do the Charlies Angels pose with Carissa but she wasn't having it. haha

Later we realized that they made too many balls for the snowman so they made this fellow here...

Poor fella...didn't have a chance with those buck teeth and goofy hair.

But we love him anyways...it was really snowy the next day...May he rest in peace.





OK this made me laugh. So the next day we decided to head up to Ennis where there is this fishing pond just for kids and its free and you don't have to buy a fishing license so we try to get the kids up there each time we go. On our way there traffic was stopped so that these cows could be rounded up and crossed the road. And this rather serious cowboy was yelling at cars so that we didn't spook the cows. He did eventually clear the road for us though.

Thank you mister cowboy man!

So thankfully Mom and Dad brought our fishing poles up from their house and we took them up to the pond in Ennis. We decided that Tatumn has graduated from her "princess fishing pole" and let her use Cort's old one so that Cort could use KC's "Manly Fishing Pole".

We headed in to town to gather some supplies from a sportsman's store and then headed to the pond. We waited a good while until Cort got his first nibble. Then it got exciting for the kids. They would sit and stare at that bobber for hours. I've never seen them dedicated to one task for so long. Then after a while Cort landed a big one!
I'm so proud of myself for getting a picture while he was reeling him in.

So now Cort was having the time of his life.




Now it was Tatumn's turn. Now don't tell the rangers but I was casting in the line and holding the pole for her...OK I was hooking the fish too but SHE reeled it in! So I don't think I was realllly cheating....right? She was so excited to pull that monster up too.

OK so we couldn't get her to hold the fish for a picture but Daddy was very brave for her and held it for her.


Now at this point we figured we were probably done for the day as we were actually planning to eat these fish any more would be a waste. So KC and Cort took a last trip to the bathroom while me and Tatumn waited at the pond. Well while they were waiting I landed another one and tossed the pole to Tatumn to reel it in. Well she is so excited she starts throwing her hands all over the pole and reeling in just as fast as she can. I'm watching the bobber and its getting further and further away...I was a little confused until I realized Tatumn in her excitement had hit the release button on the rod so the fish was just swimming away with it haha. Well I fixed the rod and handed it back to her and she started just a reeling away for quite a while so that I could get to the net. By the time I got the net and got to the edge of the pond she had it right up to the edge. I stared at it for a while and just wondered...how the heck am I gonna get this on land? ITS TOO BIG FOR THE NET! It looked like Monstro the Whale from Pinocchio. So I sort of scooped its head into the net and kinda had to fling it up on land. Perfect timing cuz right as I did the hook came off of the fish. So I keep pushing it up further and further until KC and Cort got back from the bathroom. Tatumn was doing a little dance she was so excited to show Daddy what she did. Well as I was getting the fish into our bucket I realised that this thing had another persons hook in its lip that must have snapped the other guys line cuz all you could see was the hook and a swivel. That's right...she caught the one that got away. I couldn't really do this fish justice with just a picture so I had Tatumn lay down next to it so you can see...its actually the size of her leg.
See here you can see it is almost as tall as her from her knee up.


And here she is laying down (well..as close to it as we could get her to) and its about from her hip to her toes.



We headed back tot he cabins after that bit of fun. Then we got to start the dirty work of gutting and cooking. So I made some before and after pictures.






Mmmmm Fried fish...it was delicious. We froze the other two and took them home. I'll be making them for dinner tonight.

So the following day we headed to West Yellowstone to see what kind of trouble we could get into. KC found this really fun place. It was a reserve for Grizzly bears and wolves. So we had to check it out. This statue was in front of the place so Tatumn decided she needed to have a picture in front of it.


We learned all kinds of interesting facts about bears and wolves and the kids got to play in a wolf den.


Then we got to meet this monster. She weighs 918 pounds!!! And the funniest part was that she had dug out a hole for her to recline in and basically sat there and swatted at the raven's and stared at the humans. At the end there was a play area that Cort and Tatumn had some fun at as well.


This was a photo op if ever I saw one.

So then we headed back to the cabins to hang out with the Family and try and stay warm. How better to stay warm then a bonfire? My dad's cabin camp has a HUGE area set aside for people to set up tents and there is a huge fire pit there that we always have to set up a big fire and then cook tin foil dinners. If you have never had one of my moms tin foil dinners...you havent lived. Its like a whole pound of hamburger, onions, potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon, cheese...lots of gooey delicious cheese...mmmm



Rissa's orange hat...need I say more? I'm so jealous.

All in all it was a great fun trip! I'm looking forward to next year already.

~Ciao

Parent Teacher conferences

Does anybody ever actually look forward to these? Parents or students? ever? *sigh*

Well today is the big day for it and I get to go meet up with Cort's teacher today at 6 and Tatumn's teacher today at 5. KC is even going to try and get out of work early so he can come along. This just brings back memories of my parent teacher conferences...ugh! I remember my English teacher telling my mom that "Karen isn't one of my brightest students (insert that whiny irritating laugh of his here)" and my mom coming back with "Then you aren't paying attention to her." (insert my high pitched giggle here) I always thought my teachers just wanted to tell my parents how horrible I was even when I had good grades. I don't remember any good things coming out of these stupid things and I know that I will not tolerate it well as a parent either.

So I've been trying to get everything set up for Tatumn's big birthday party. She wants to have it at Chuck E Cheeses. I looked online and their birthday parties go for like $150!!! Holy crap!!! So yeah....wayyyy out of my budget. Were compromising though and I know she will be very happy. Thankfully she is still at the "easy to please age" and will be thrilled with anything she gets.

Well I'm off to go get them from school now and forcing them to clean their room...YAY!

~ciao

Ahhhhhh

You know I feel so much better now. I think sometimes you have these really really bad days and you almost just have to wade through the crap to see the light on at the other side of the tunnel. We took another lovely trip up to the library for some "free fun" and the kids ran straight to the computer games. I took my book I've been working on now for almost a month and sat down and read a HUGE chunk of it. I can't remember if I've said this before so at the risk of repeating myself I highly recommend the sword of truth series. I'm on book 2 now and it is AMAZING AWESOMENESS!! *echo..echo......echo* I'm completely entranced by it.

My family every year due to a HUGE family now draws names so we only buy a Christmas gift for one person each. Well this year my Mom did something quite fun that I'm really excited for. She wants to switch up the rules a bit. This year our gift must be home-made and supplies costing less than $15. I drew my sister Charice's name and I've thought up some pretty fun idea's that I've started working out the kinks on as of late. I don't want Christmas to come and me not be prepared. I mean I'm a procrastinator by nature but last minute Christmas shopping isnt a issue but last minute Christmas MAKING is. KC already has some fun idea's for Levi too. I have NO CLUE about what Cort and Tatumn would be interested in making though...

Well I've run out of things to talk about...I guess that means I'm done. lol

~Ciao

Deep thoughts...by Karen Coon

Now that I'm at home with the kids I have all this time to think. Thinking can be dangerous I've decided. Ignorance is bliss right? Its true. Ignorance IS bliss. I think sometimes not knowing something is happening makes it less painful even if you have a pretty good idea that it is. I haven't been myself lately. I don't know if I know who I am anymore.

It reminds me of a quote...I can't remember who said it though. "When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better."

I took the kids out for a walk today to take my mind off of things. I like to take random pictures of things I find uplifting and pretty. Check out these beautiful flowers.
They were so beautiful. Every shade of my favorite color at once. Like a rainbow of purpleness =)

They still make me smile. They remind me of my wedding flowers. I had the most beautiful flowers....they were a very special hybrid of rose made to be a light shade at the bottom and dark dark purple at the tips.

My kids are so amazing. They love spending time with me. It makes me feel so good about who I am. They are just happy sitting here with me on the couch watching our favorite cartoon "Avatar: The last airbender" just because they love me for who I am.

Sometimes its nice just knowing that everything you do isn't just I dunno...Wrong. Cort and Tatumn are so amazing. So full of fun and life and energy. They can find the simplest joys out of something like a walk to the park. We walk down to this favorite park of theirs and lay on the grass under a huge tree and I'll read a book while they show me everything. They have become very excited about Halloween as of late and are telling me all about their costumes and what they want to be. Cort wants to be Avatar Ang and Tatumn wants to be the warrior Suki. We keep talking about how were going to make it obvious who they are. Tatumn wants her fans and makeup to be just perfect and Cort refuses to shave his head lol



Here is avatar Ang as Cort wants to portray him. I tried to convince him his hair would grow fast but he wants nothing to do with shaving his head lol



And here is Suki as Tatumn wants to portray her. She used fans to fight with so I think its a fun excuse for Tatumn to get some hand fans lol

Well I think I've spent enough time thinking. I'm going to go and do something mindless like folding laundry.

I'll leave you with one more quote from an unknown author.

"Depression is nourished by a lifetime of ungrieved and unforgiven hurts"

~Ciao

Girls weekend!

OK...for those of you who have not actually been to one of my Mom's yearly girls weekends, you will never understand how amazingly fun they are! But, I'm willing to try and show you on my blog how much fun they are.

I can't remember how many years ago my Mom started these but it's technically a birthday party for all of the girls in the family age 12 and up. We used to drive south to see a play or two at Tuachon each year but this year Mom decided to try something a little different.

So we all met at my Mom's house on Thursday and I was greeted in the driveway by my Mother...I have no words to describe her so I will just use a picture lol

HAHAHAHA!!! I nearly pee'd my pants at the sight...no folks for those of you who don't know her my Mom doesnt usually walk around in a hot pink moo moo, a lai and flamingo sunglasses. I knew from this very moment I was not going to be too dissapointed at missing a play in St. George.

When I pulled in the driveway I was followed in by my sister-in-law Heather and my other sister-in-law Tanya. Let me first just say this. I am one of the luckiest people in the world when it comes to family. First off I have the funnest and coolest parents but they are still parents not "I want to be your friend" parents but "I want to have fun with you but still teach you right from wrong and I WILL tell you when your being stupid" parents...this is important to me as many of my friends have moms who want to be a friend not a mom. Then as if that wasnt cool enough God saw fit to send me here with 3 awesome brothers. Chancy, David and Levi. I don't get to spend as much time with them as I would like to but I do know they love and care for me and would back me up no matter what. If I had a problem or was in a fix I didn't know how to get out of they would help me out if it was in their power to do so. Then my sister Charice who has got the be the FUNNEST sister in the world! She has always got something exciting going on at her house. I think she must never have any time to just "sit" but I think its because she wouldnt want to lol. She's also got my back even when I don't deserve it haha. OK OK I know what your thinking...Wow, Karen really lucked out on the family side of things...how did she do this? BUT it gets better!!! Each and every one of my brothers married some amazing women. I consider all of them to be just like a best friend to me. They are so much fun to hang around with. Oh but theres more! What do we have behind door number 3? OMG a Neice who is just like her Mom!!! (Carissa this means you) and of course Alicia too! I really look forward to these weekends just to have some time with "the girls" and be completly myself with no worries or thoughts of day to day stress's. Once again I have to thank KC for watching the kids for me and taking friday off of work so I could go and do this.

OK so back to day number one. We walk inside the house and go in the basement to find that she has completely done up the basement kitchen and living area to look like we were living in Hawaii!





So of course on night number one we were reminded of our youthfullness with a birthday cake with our combined ages....ouch lol



Yes folks...that says 252!! it says "Happy Birthday From sweet 16 to one foot in the grave" and no...I wont say who they meant. But I'm like right in the middle so I don't think it was me Muah ha ha ha!!

OK so then we had this really fun luau in the backyard and the citronella candles said that bugs weren't invited but check out the WTF bug of the day we found



I have no way to describe it except to say there were a lot of people there and none of us has ever seen it before. It had wings like a queen ant does where they go the length of their body and it had a stinger like a wasp but it was black. Creepy to be sure. I think Carissa threw it lol


Here we all are blowing out our birthday cake with our cool new glasses and flowers...cuz were cool like that.

MMmmmmm dinner was soooo yummy. But then again dinner at moms house is always yummy.











So at one point were all in the basement having fun just talking and hanging out and out of nowhere there is a loud bang and I turn just in time to see Tanya hit the ground. Me being the sweet, gentle soul that I am didn't run to see if she was ok...I got the camera out. Sorry Tanya! hahaha



Here I am enjoying our "Midnight Margarita's"

Carissa brought along her supply of glitter stuff to do glitter toes for all of us! It was so much fun. I got a lovely color of Lime green on my glittery toes.











Here is a picture of all of our toes done. Carissa did a fabulous job.














You just never know what might happen when your having the girls weekend. So at one point my Dad comes home and says "Hey Sue, I need some help moving the cows" LOL!!! My Dad has cows now...and we got to herd the cattle from one field to another...YAHOO COWBOY!


Then we went to go for a motorcycle ride. All the girls have one but me so my Daddy let me take his 4 wheeler for a spin. It was a lot of fun cuz the girls let me try their bikes out too. Ahh I do so miss my motorcycle racing days. But then half way through our ride the clouds started rolling in and it rained and not just rained but it rained so hard it felt like hail and it HURT! I had Alicia on behind me so I took her back to the house and then went back just in case anybody needed help. We were soooo soaked. We got in the garage and then we all took a picture for laughs at how soaked we were.

Yes...we hung out the bra's to dry. Wanna fight about it? :P

So all in all it was a really really good time for all. I already miss them all and I can't WAIT until next year!