Dog Park

In Salem there is a really awesome dog park. It is really big and it has no fences. When I first heard of it, I thought it was a little crazy they didn't have any fences. How did they keep the dogs off the road? I was pretty sure if we ever went it would be super stressful, because I would be worried about Copper getting hit by a car. Well, we have gone many times and it is great. It's like the dogs know where the boundary is. We have been several times and I have never seen any dogs in the street. Even Copper stayed away. I can't say the same about the bike trail at the west end though. He will wander a little to far every once and while, but always comes back. Anyway, the park has a trail you can walk around and a huge field for play fetch, chasing, or any other social activity dogs like. This last time I went with my Aunt Sheree and her new dog. His name is Barley. Him and Copper have become pretty good friends.

Copper hurt his foot this last time we were at the park, but we are pretty sure it is healing. He should be back to normal in no time.

Barley

Sorry about the Dog butts, but it is the only shot I got of them together.

MMmmmmmmmmmMonkey Bread & a gross Spider!

While we were making our shopping list and menu this month, Josh got really excited about something he wanted to make... Monkey Bread! So while we were shopping he called his dad and got the recipe. We had the Elders for dinner last week, so Josh made them Monkey Bread. He was really excited and it turned out to be really yummy! Thank goodness for secret family recipes that get passed on from generation to generation! One Elder had never had it before and the other was really excited. We had to give it to them to go because it wasn't done in time, but it was worth the wait in my book! Oh and Josh is a pretty good little chef!

Finished product! Not bad!

Half gone in about a tenth of the time it took to make it!

We did share with the Elders...I promise! 

Josh was really excited! I told you!

 

P.S. we know the recipe comes on the cans of biscuits...and so does Josh now too!



And, on a really gross side note...Josh found this spider crawling across the great room floor!

YUCK & YIKES!

I strongly dislike spiders, but couldn't resist taking a picture of this nasty guy!

What's in a Yard?

Last year our lease was up and we had to move. We had 30 days to find a new place that allowed pets and wasn't outrageously over priced. We lucked out and got a tiny little house in a tiny little neighborhood in Salem. We were excited because it wasn't an apartment, it was a real house.  The best part was it had...I will call it a little courtyard. A place where we could plant things and watch them grow. So this last spring we got some seeds, plants, dirt, plant food, and so on. Was our little courtyard worth a $250.00 electricty bill? Probably not, but what can you do?( MOVE!) We are hoping to find a new place before the big winter freeze comes, but until then here are some fruits of our labors.

Courtyard bliss!

Yeah more collages...I don't like waiting for all the pictures to upload. Anyway here we are having a little front yard BBQ. Mom~ Todd really liked your corn!

 All of the following flowers we grew from seed!

Camping! Beaches! Crabs!

Camping is one our most favorite things to do! Unfortunately we only got to go camping a few times this summer. This time we got to go with our best friends and family! It was a blast! A little crazy at times, but we all had a great time! We had promised our nieces and nephews that we would take them camping sometime this summer, and I am happy to say we got to keep that promise. I hope they had as much fun as we did!

Kids on the drive over

Emily helping set up camp

The first day at the beach the weather was amazing! We had a blast. I took a bunch of pictures and I couldn't bring myself to delete any of them...so enjoy!

Emily playing in the sand

There was an estuary that the kids loved playing in...

Kemiry loved the beach! She slept the whole time!

When I say kids y'all know Josh is included right?

 

Sisters!

 

These few of Kroten are some of my favorite shots! Especially because while I was taking them I was thinking about how Kristen had told me to try and keep him dry...Opps! He had a blast though!

We also got to go to old town in Newport. 

Finally... we got crabs!!

Well, we got to go crabbing and we ended up with a few too. I think it is now my favorite thing! Sitting on the dock, hanging out, listening to some music...it was a really great time, and I can't wait till we get to go again.

 Again we took a ton of pictures! Even more so because my sd card was in Kristen's camera. So. a lot of these pictures she took, and some I took.  I made some collages! 

 

Needless to say we had a blast! I am so glad we got to go have fun with the people we love! I don't have pictures of Noel but he was there too! He was a great help with the little kids and they really loved him. Noel can go on a camping trip with us anytime!

My last picture is of my nieces and nephew. I hope they had as much fun with us as we did with them. I look forward to taking them on camping trips next summer! Thank you Kendra for letting them spend so much time with us! We love it!