Bugs

Just had to post this...cause you wouldn't believe it if you didn't see it! This is how our 2 bug zappers look EVERY morning! You might need to click on it to enlarge it to get the full effect. Each night you can see the soft blue glow coming off of them...and by morning there is not a single faint little light shining through :) Ahhh Country Livin'

The chickens are no more :( :( :(

When we got home from vacation Bill informed us that the little chickens were gone and he suspected raccoons. We reinforced the coop as best we could covering all the holes, etc...thinking that would be enough. We woke up Thursday morning to quite a shock. They were able to get into the nesting box EVEN with a brick on it by tearing off one of the boards under the latch then lifting it and.... :( :( :( We found the carcass of the white chicken (Lockhart) and lots of feathers of the brown and black chickens (Lupin and Quirrel). We had set up a night vision/motion sensor and have some pictures of the culprit...they're huge! I won't post pics of the destruction...but they are available upon request :)

Alaska

I think I've emailed most of you these pictures...but as this is my primary source of journal keeping...here are some fun cruise pics for posterity :)

Drake, can we snudge?

Ketchikan, Alaska

Tribal lodge at Totem Bight Park

Scott debating whether to take a stroll down the red light district :)

Mendenhall Glacier...Juneau, Alaska

Waterfall by the glacier

Drake wanted to climb like the big boys!

Yum Yum!!!

The cutest tigers ever!!! Drake is 2nd from the end and Grace is 5th...

It's a SQUATCH!!!

Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C.

The coolest piece of driftwood on a beach in Ketchikan

The longest piece of kelp EVER!!!

The trees in this forest would grow so neat! The roots would dig in and grow up out of the ground first, then the tree would start to sprout...Vance is over 4' tall if that gives you any indication!

Here is a very mature one, but grown in the same manner. When you stood at the base and looked up, you could NOT see the top...NO JOKE!!!

This entire gift shop was made out of driftwood! Skagway, Alaska.

Waterfall was so forceful that the boys could drink straight from the pool below. Skagway...border of Canada.

Canada/Alaska border...SO BEAUTIFUL!

Panning for gold :)

Let me show you how it's done Vance...

See!!!

Lookie there Grace, I can see the dolphins too!

Vance and Hailey were regulars at the ping pong table :)

Get back here married man!!!

Vance's team lost...so the team leader had to take a cream pie to the face...I tasted him...he was delicious :)

There was always a fun towel creature waiting on our bed when we'd get back from dinner :)

Scott got close enough to take a photo of this bear in Juneau.

The cousins rocking hard at the White Hot Party!

The trampoline claims it's first victim!

Well, I knew that eventually someone would fall off! It didn't take long :) I actually wouldn't have even found out about it if it were not for the boys trying to entertain themselves by taking videos of themselves! They thought they had deleted them all, but when I went to upload my latest pictures I found a stray video that I did not recognize...I played it...and found proof!

2013 Highland Games!

A girlfriend of mine from church put on this whole Scottish/Braveheart themed party last night and it was SO fun! It was for grown-ups only and William wanted in on the action, so he went to work designing and making Ben's costume! Enjoy :)

Will printed a template off the internet for the blade, placed it on some foam board, cut it out, etc., etc....

The shield he made for Ben...

A close up of the shield. He made the middle simulate wood and the exterior ring simulate metal...

This one was the most impressive. This is paper-mache' made from cereal boxes and scrap paper...  

He sewed the kilt and put the "family crest" on the breast sash...that boy! I swear I didn't help! This was all him!!!

Getting ready for the party...

Holy smokes!

I can't believe I didn't take more pictures of people's costumes :( I didn't even get a pic of the best costume winners. But this may give you an idea at least...

The big chair :)

That drum stick is bigger than his head!

Ben at archery...

 Me at archery...Needless to say, neither of us placed in the archery contest!

 Ben did place 2nd in one of the "Feats Of Strength." This one was called, "The Island."

I didn't get a video of the guy he lost to....no exaggeration...he was at LEAST 6'6" and probably close to 300 lbs. It was SO HILARIOUS! 

Anyway, we had a blast and won some fun prizes, including an edited copy of Braveheart - Our kids can finally watch with us!!! - and we can't wait til next year! Thanks Mandy :)

Drake turns 5 and Liliya being cute :)

Drake turned 5 on Monday and he couldn't even wait until after breakfast to open his presents...sorry for the underwear pics!

Bubble blower and bubbles from Dad.

Web-shooter from Will and Vance.

Talking Yoda from Mom.

This I just added in because it cracks me up! Vance always wakes up with the funniest bed hair...this one I called "The Unicorn!"

We did make him wait until evening for cake and ice cream so our friends, the Johnson's, could come over.

He's so proud of himself for finally getting those candles out! It took a few tries :)

Will was playing dress-up with Lil the other day...

So stinkin' cute!

Then Will played dress-up with Drake! Legolas...only way cuter :)

Now, he definitely needs a bow and arrow instead of a screwdriver though if he's going to complete the look!

Liliya just learned to say, "da da," so precious!

I told Vance that there would be dancing on the cruise next week and he proceeded to demonstrate his "skills!"

We always told the boys that we'd get the trampoline if they'd dig the hole. Well it took 3 months, but they did it! Even the two neighbors joined in :) We finally got the net up yesterday...I think Drake's feet are permanently black...any suggestions?