4th of July FUN!

Our 4th of July and FIREWORKS!!!

Needless to say we had a GREAT time this 4th of July! I will add more pictures later, but this is a "typical" Parker idea. We see lots of frogs, big and small, around our house and catch (and release) a lot. So he had caught a baby frog the day before and we were just getting ready to start our fesitivities. Parker yells, "WAIT!!!" and so we wait. He comes back with tape and his frog and a big smile. He decided it would be a great idea to send "froggy" into space :) Yep... you know the rest of the story. My 8 year old with a great big smile on his face, taped forggy to the rocket, lit it, and sent him to space. Don't worry, he did not explode, but I'm sure with the force of take off and the landing, that baby froggy didn't make it :( For all you froggy lovers, I'm sorry and you can report me to BPA (Bad Parents Association). It was the highlight of HIS night! PS click on the picture if you want to see "froggy".

Inline Hockey CHAMPS!

CHAMPIONS!!!
In photo: Drake, Tanner, Parker, Kevin, Brad, Jacob and goalie Noah. (not pictured were Alec and Braden)

Both of my older boys play on what has been a 10 and under inline team. They played with this team for 3 sessions. The first sesion they went to the championship game undefeated and lost taking second. The second session they lost one game going into the championship game and again took second. They weren't about ready to let that happen to them again. So this session they played AWESOME and ended up WINNING!!! They were so excited to get bragging rights and do what the other teams had done when they got jerseys that said champions on it. Well the rink decided to give trophies this session. As a parent I felt bad for them that they got these cheap trophies instead of bragging right shirts, but the kids were okay with it because they really did do good and were just glad to win. Because they've been in the championships at least 3/4 sessions, rink rules are that they move up to the 12 and under league. So we'll see how they do. (This is now age appropriate for Tanner, but Parker's only 8, so he might decide playing 10 and under is just fine seeing that he could/should be playing 8 and under :)

SuMmER fUn aT mARk TwAiN LakE... KiNdA :)

Pictured L-R Tyler Hudson 6, Eric Hudson 8, Evan Condiff 5, Tanner Condiff 11, Kaitlyn Hudson 6, and Parker Condiff 8. (Not in picture Bradley Hudson 14 months, Mason Condiff 9 months)

Same order, just upside down :)

Parker eating an apple on the "scooper".

We don't feed Mason enough, so he's eating a stick and just hanging out.

So because we hadn't put the jet skiis in the water yet, the kids were playing on them. I drove the big kids (no babies) around the parking lot. They had a good time and thought they were cool and now you can read what really happened.

We had the opportunity to take our jet skis up to Mark Twain Lake with our friends the Hudson's on Friday. Lake temperature was good, weather was good, everthing seemed good. We got up there (about 1 1/2 hours North) and found out because of the flooding the lake was so high it had wiped out the beach area for the kids. So not sure what to do, we had a picnic and let them play on the playground. These were a few of pics I took not thinking we'd be able to jet ski (that's what happens when you only have 2 jet skiis and 10 people... 6 kids and no beach to play at). Because I didn't get to go jet skiing last year because I pregnant, the itch was too bad and I just HAD to get in that water!!! So I finally said, sorry guys, I gotta get in that lake! So we put them in and the kids played on the dock (until they got in trouble) and I had a BLAST!!! I forgot how much I love jet skiing with the kids and family and spending time in the sun. Thanks, babe, for letting me "catch up" on my addiction and for being a great babysitter while I enjoyed them for a bit by myself (and wiped it so bad, we were done for the day!!!) Wish we would have had pictures of that to post, but when you're trying to watch a baby and kids on a dock and your truck is way up the hill, pictures just aren't as important anymore.... but we had fun at the playground :)

The Condiff Family PETS :)

This is Parker's pet, a leapard gecko. He's had him about 2 1/2 years now and really enjoys him. His name is Peter. (He named him after another Spiderman had come out and thought that since he had his own room there could be a Peter and a Parker... for Peter Parker :) haha...) Oh to be 6 at the time and come up with that idea. He really likes his lizard.

The kids were wanting to know when our pets would "make the blog", so here is their big debut. This is our dog, Jet whom we got when he was just a pup and have had almost 4 years now. He is a REALLY good dog with the kids. His down fall is that barks at stupid things like airplanes and birds and squirrels. The boys love him and he's for sure daddy's favorite :)

A day in the sun at Raging Rivers!

So I thought I'd try this collage, but it's not as cool as I was hoping for... oh well! We took the kids to Raging Rivers on Saturday. It was a chance of hit and miss as the water park is right on the Mississippi River. With all the flooding we've had here in the good ole' midwest, we weren't sure they'd be open, but they were! We had a BLAST in the wave pool, the lazy river, the Itty Bitty Surf City and the water slides. I added a couple of pictures I took out of the window of the car with debrie from the river coming up onto the highway. We're greatful to be far enough away from the flooding and yet are so close to see so many homes destroyed and families without. All said and done, we had a GREAT day at the park!!!

For my GIRLS who have GIRLS!

Okay, Ladies! I know this sounds like a stupid thing to "blog" about, but I love it and if I had a daughter's who hair I could... I would.... but I don't..... and I won't.........SOOOOO.......... my awesome sister who has 2 beautiful girls (and one handsome boy) was telling me about this website for little girls hair. I checked it and out and I'm addicted! I just HAVE to pass the info on because this lady has great ideas and great tips and I promise it's worth clicking on to check it out. The website is: http://shedoeshair.blogspot.com . Hope you don't take doing your crying, whining, tangled little girls hair for grantide :)