Life with these monkeys is always fun! 

Caleb is tackling 3rd grade (I can't believe it!) and Owen is officially in 1st. 

I love that they are both with me at school all day. 

It works out great! I get to see them at some recesses, all the assemblies, in the hallway and sometimes at lunch as well. What a perfect way to spy!

Caleb "thinks" he has a girlfriend. 

Owen "thinks" he has 12. 

We have had many talks about girlfriends and how they are not allowed, but Caleb still blushes bright red if you ask how a certain girl in his class is doing and I still overhear Owen telling Caleb how "all the giwls just wuuuuv" him so I am thinking that our little talks are going in one ear and right out the other. 

In the interest of education, Mark and I have encouraged (and even participated in) some experiments around the house with the boys. Owen finally, finally, finally had a loose tooth. He was over the moon and wiggled that thing like crazy. I think he was just excited about the idea of some money from the tooth fairy. That and the fact that he was actually going to be like the other big kids (Caleb). 

He asked Mark and Caleb if they would help him pull it out. 

Being the great father and brother that they are, they very enthusiastically said "YES!

You will have to ask Owen the rest of the story!

Another soccer season came and went. The boys were on the same team this year (Hallelujah!). That meant we only had soccer 3 times a week rather than 6 like last year. 

The best game was when both boys scored a goal. It was perfect. Owen scored first and Mark and I were talking strategy on the sidelines on how to congratulate Owen without making Caleb feel bad and then Caleb scored so we could just be super excited for both of them. Much easier that way!

Here's Caleb dribbling to the goal...

He shoots...

He scores!

Here is Owen scoring... he is so short I couldn't see past all the other players... use your imagination...

This is what he looks like dribbling.

Great ball control and all heart.

The boys had a great season both of them and I really enjoyed that fact that they got to play together. Wrestling started tonight for Owen (yeah...thoughts of ringworm are already dancing through my head) and Caleb chose to do basketball this year. We bought the boys a hoop from a friend of mine so they have been out shooting quite a bit in the driveway. 

Mark and I joined the gym about a month and a half ago. I was tired of running in the dark with steak knives hidden in my sleeves to defend myself from "attackers". I tried to run with Kye a few times but after about jerking my arm out of socket when she smelled a cat, I decided she wasn't the running partner for me. So a gym membership it was!

The boys have loved it as well. We have taken them swimming a time or two and the boys have discovered Zumba. They love to do the kids zumba class and if we time on Tuesdays or Thursdays Mark and I take them. 

Mondays Owen has guitar (which is going great!) and while he has lessons, Caleb does free art lessons at the same place. It works out perfect! 

In all their spare time, the boys are perfecting their new obsession -

Risk.

The two of them will play and sometimes a game will last as long as a week. 

Other times, they will convince Mark to play and he teaches them all kinds of sneaky strategies. They are learning quickly!

Mark

Time to get caught up! 

Life has been crazy around here but only in the best kinds of ways.

School, soccer, zumba, running, guitar, art, school, weights, family time, friend time. etc. 

You get the idea!

Here's what has taken up most of Mark's time (and not in the correct order!)

Since he has been back from hunting Mark has focused on the garage. He has starting to build a workbench and he also made me a corner storage pantry for canned foods. He has had a ball and I love the fact that our garage is getting more organized. 

He has hung up our extra molding.

And our bikes.

I took this shot 3 days ago and it is finished now but for the top (and I of course have already organized and stocked it full of food!). 

This is what I see when I pull into the garage now. 

Mark is still finishing up projects in there but he is loving this project because we are on y $40.00 into it since he was given most of the wood. 

Before the garage project it was hunting season. And hunting season lasts forever. 

And ever.

And ever. 

I swear it. 

Hunting season starts in August with scouting trips and this year Mark drew an antelope tag as well so he was gone ah-lot. 

When he blew back into town he did take the monkeys out with him a few times.

Owen still loves every minute of it but Caleb is ready for a lot more action. Bow hunting isn't the easiest thing in the world and I think Caleb wants a little more shooting.

Towards the end of the season I was pretty much begging Mark to just kill something since we needed meat and I didn't draw a doe tag this year. He obliged me and shot a buck. Nothing spectacular but it was something dead so I was happy. 

Yeah! That was the end of hunting season! His mom was with him when he got this fella. 

Before he got the buck he was off hunting for some wily antelope. Mark, his Dad and Mark's friend Tyler headed down to southern Oregon. 

I have been told the whole story a few times now but honestly all I can remember is this:

They walked up hill.

They walked downhill.

It was really, really hot. 

Like in the hundreds kind of hot. 

They were all tired and starting to feel discouraged.

But then they saw them.

The ones they marked for death. 

Mark shot an incredible, amazing shot that killed his antelope. 

Then he walked uphill.

Then he walked downhill.

Then he got lost. 

But then he found his animal and brought it back on a 4-wheeler.

Then he came home to me the next day. 

(For more details please see Mark)

Throw in some work, Round-Up week, and being a great Dad and husband and you have Mark's current events for the last two months! 

Next up is Caleb and Owen!