Rewind - Winner of the Egg Drop - Elrod 2011

You are looking at the winning contraption for the Elrod Egg Drop of 2011. How does such a little box win? Let me fill you in. First, the rules . . . no packing materials and the egg that doesn't break in the lightest contraption wins. So the box was pretty little and then we took fish line and weaved in all over in the box every which way and all over to create a web inside and then we popped popcorn (it's not packing material, just a nice snack). Chad and I thought that it the egg was placed inside the weaving it would provide some give when the box was dropped. What can we say - every now and again we have a brilliant moment.

Wasa 2011 - the year of the blood suckers

Well it was Wasa time again. It started out great, Sunday was hot and it looked promising . . . that's were the heat ended. The rest of the week was pretty cool. The minute we stepped out of the vehicles the mosquitoes started attacking. There were so many of them we all looked like we have chicken pox. Like always, the food was fantastic, the company great, and the kids always have a great time.



This is Keston . . . can't you tell. He was able to get a couple days away from Melita to come with us and since Paul, his usual tent mate, couldn't make it Keston decided to sleep in his hammock. It only lasted a night, after that he would sneak into the motorhome.


Monday morning was grey, cloudy, and a bit rainy but we are die hards and when we have a lake and a boat, they must be used. Tylissa had already been knee-boarding by the time I got there so she went for a ski.



She found it was warmer to just stay in the water. Alyssa and Tylissa showing us their stuff. Yes, I was questioning where my daughter went because she never just plays in the water.

It got colder and it started raining more so we started packing up to head back to the campsite and wouldn't you know it just when things got packed up the sun came out so we hauled the food back to the beach and had a great afternoon.


This is Becky on the knee-board.


Kayden getting some air.



The week before Wasa, Chad got to go to Canada and he learned how to ski and I couldn't wait to see it. Look at him go.



Then after years and years of trying he finally made it up on the wake board. He can get up pretty easy but now he needs to learn how to control it.


Alyssa on the wake board


Do not adjust your computer screens. Yes, what you see is the actual picture, it has not been photoshopped. Grandpa is wearing shorts. He little white legs haven't seen the sun in a very long time and it wasn't so bad, we all still have our eyes - no one had to pluck them out after this site.


During the colder moments the kids made bead and pom pom animals. Hopefully Sherylee will post the critters on her site because I didn't take pictures. Granny also found the lawn darts. A game that has been banned because the darts can be harmful. Everyone who played had a good time and no one has extra holes.


The men having a serious game . . .


Keston giving it a toss, throw, pitch . . . I don't know the correct term one uses for lawn darts.


This is Keston's first year trying new things. He usually just tubes. He has tried to wakeboard but hasn't been very successful. So he tried the kneeboard and did awesome.


Getting ready to double kneeboard, I think with Alyssa.



Keston wanted to wake board again and we tried to get him to ski first but he is a stubborn kid. He proved us all wrong when he got up on the wakeboard. Go Keston.


Austin getting some help out of his wetsuit. Due the to lack of sun and the mosquitoes that tried to carry him off he would wear a wetsuit. What will we ever do if Uncle Monte doesn't come to the lake . . .


Preston showing us just how strong he really is . . . he pushed the boat out.


Look at those muscles.

I have been trying to decided what year of Wasa takes the cake, the year of the hail storms in 2009 or the year of the blood suckers. Hummm we'll have to think about that one.

Glacier on the 4th.

We went hiking in Glacier for the 4th of July. Val lead the way along McDonald creek.





How is she so gorgeous - I am so jealous of her hair.


Chad always makes everything fun. He always has a smile on his face and the one liners he comes up with . . . we were laughing so hard along the trail.


The falls along the way. They were sure flowing - talk about white water.


At the top of the falls.



Yes, we're still at the falls.


On the foot bridge. I told them to get close and Val made sure they were really close.


Who wouldn't love this face.


Still jealous that she is so cute.

Are you asking where Keston is in all our fun . . . well he is working at Melita Island the scout camp. He will be there for two weeks then he is going on a 50 miler so we won't really see him for a long time. Hope he has fun.

It has been a great weekend. We went out to Ashley Lake with friends on Saturday, the Sunday we went up to Toren's for food, fun, football, and fireworks. A great weekend to celebrate all the freedoms we have.

Poor Grandpa

This is what happens when the house is overrun - you grab a nap when you can get it. Watch out though . . . never sleep with your toes uncovered. Ask Kayden about that one.

Jumpin Rope . . . with Grandpa

Saturday afternoon Grandpa Paul got out the rope maker and made a rope for jumping but Tracy needed some for girl's camp so they made some heavier ones but boy did the kids have fun.



Becky helping Preston - it didn't take long, soon he was jumping all on his own. And then he watched the older kids run in and he ran in and started jumping. He was so excited.



The boys getting in on the action.


Grandpa had a senior moment and forgot that he was a grandpa. It didn't stop him. He joined in with the kids. Afterward he had to go lay in the chair. He quickly remembered he was a grandpa.


More of the gang. They were getting pretty good but only Aunt Tracy was able to do the double dutch.





Chad showing off some tricks.

Learning about the days of yore

We went up to Granny's to visit because Sherylee and Kayden came to visit and it was time to head north. While Chad and I were getting ready for bed we found the records again and Chad had no idea what they were. Can you believe that Granny still has the old record player from when we were little. So Chad and I plugged it in to see if it would work and it still does. So we found my favorite Smurf records (no laughing) and the Raffi record and we put them on the ol' turn table. We taught Chad how to be careful not to scratch the record when he put the needle on. It was the scratchiest, most static I have heard in a long time but we sure had a good time. Then we found the little 45s and Chad can put the middle piece in. What is funny is we found Billy Idol, Bruce Willis and other ones that Ken used to listen to. It was a fun night - who needs to go to bed when you can play with old record players.

We didn't find the Disney record or the Easter record. How fun!

The End of an Era . . .

Yesterday was the end of one chapter and the beginning of another chapter in the Hemsley home. First, Keston completed middle school and is on his was to high school - he is a Freshman. How is that possible? He did great in his last year and was on the honor roll every trimester so he received the President's Education Award and he received a KMS Health Enhancement award. He was great.

And then . . .sniff, sniff. My baby graduated from Elrod Elementary, they . I didn't get to the first part of the program but he also received some awards. He received the Presidential Physical Fitness Award and a Volunteer Appreciate Award for his job this year. He was the teacher assistant for the Kindergarten P.E. classes on Tuesday and Thursday and he loved it. The P.E. teacher loved him and said he did a great job. When I picked him up yesterday the cute little kindergarten kids were running up to him and giving him high 5s. Say it with me . . . cute!

At his graduation ceremony they showed a cute video of the kids growing up. I was not the only one with tears. After it was over we said goodbye to his teachers, Mr Bunker and Mrs Wakefield were amazing and this has been Chad's best year ever. We stopped by to say goodbye to Ms Diede the school secretary who always answered the phone and of course the best principal ever . . . Mr. Hornby. We will sure miss everyone. The tears really started flowing when we said farewell to Mrs. Sinclair. Chad even let a few tears slip out as they were sharing hugs. Mrs. Sinclair is such an amazing teacher and person and she has made such a positive impact in our life. We will sure miss being where she is. Words can not express our gratitude to everyone at Elrod, we sure loved it there and we look forward to more great things as our kids move on. Now the question is . . . how will Chad do in middle school? He is excited but thinks he will get lost.

So now we are on to summer and the busy schedule. Is it sad that we have already planned our back to school shopping trip and school just ended.

Have a great Summer!