This is what happens when you feed yourself!! He is at the fun stage of LET ME DO IT MYSELF OR I WON'T EAT phase. So I just let him go today.......beans & mashed potatoes. And he thinks putting your SPOON on your head & touching your hair is part of how you eat. Straight to the bathtub he went after lunch today. YES I have my hands completely full with this guy!!

I attended my first college volleyball game last Friday! The MSU Mavericks took on St Cloud. MSU won the first 3 games & Ashley did GREAT!! She's there in the middle with black shirt on & hands on her knees...getting ready for the serve!

Girls night out!! Lexi & I went to the game!

Grandpa, Fred, Eric, Barb, & Grandma were all at Ashley's volleyball game last Friday.

We were all invited back to the girls locker room after the game. Here's Ashley signing someone's T-shirts. Gramps said "you don't have to ask me twice to go to the girls locker room!"

Big girl rode the School Bus today!

I have been taking Lexi to preschool in the morning, but there is a bus she can catch & so we decided we would try it today. We told her on Monday that on Wednesday she would get to ride the bus to school. She was so excited!!

Last night after daddy put her to bed, she came back downstairs all sad. Daddy asked her what was wrong & she said she didn't want to ride the bus. Very odd...since she was so excited about it previously & has been asking ever since school has started about riding it! So daddy told her she wouldn't have to if she wasn't ready yet & mommy would take her.

Well this morning I went in to wake her up & laid down next to her & the first thing she said was "I GET TO RID THE BUS TODAY!"

Of course it was a rainy, icky day this morning so I drove her to the corner & we waited for the bus. We got her on...she sat in the second seat across from I think she said a kindergartner.

I picked her up from school today & asked her teacher if she got off alright & she said oh yes, she came off the bus with a huge smile!

So that will help me out....a little less running in the mornings!

She is really loving preschool. Monday when I picked her up, her classmate Gina gave her a goodbye hug. So now she's making friends & remembering their names as well. Today she talked about her friend *Gina*. Otherwise, when I asked the other kids names, it was always "I don't remember".

Monday morning, Zander & I went with Lexi & her preschool class on their first field trip. We went to an apple orchard!

Learning the correct way to PICK an apple.

Lexi picking her apple!

Zander enjoying his apple!! He just couldn't wait to get back to wash it...had to take a bit right away after he picked it!

This is what you do when the boat doesn't start (I think we are done for the year with it....wiring issues???), you borrow the neighbor's PADDLE boat!! We were out for about an hour today....it got really hot & wearing them lifejackets didn't help!! Would have been a PERFECT day for tubing!

I guess he liked my joke???

Zander LOVED looking at the fish daddy caught. He kept touching them too!

This is what you catch when you leave Eric's pole on the dock by itself. Cast it out & come check on it later. A nice bass.....don't worry Eric, we were able to fish your pole out of the lake.

Break downs....

As long as we had trouble with the van, we may as well have trouble with the car too. Phil took his in today & repairs were close to $200 & then they called back & said that what they did to fix it WASN'T the problem & it's still not working right. HUH?? He left to pick it up now so not sure what the outcome will be. Oh yeah.

****UPDATED**** Shop called, starter is shot. We just put the starter in last Oct & it's still under warranty. So we only have to pay the labor to install it. Phil's getting a loaner car tonight & his should be done tomorrow.

In other news...I placed another ad in the paper. This time for clothes inventory. Just got a call....took me by surprise as I forgot it was coming out today! So now I have someone coming over with hopefully some good stuff I can buy cheap!! My new way to save on gas money!! Have them COME to me!! Not sure how many items they are bringing but we'll see how it goes.

Off to the bank quick to get some CASH on hand as I stated in my ad....paying CASH!!

****UPDATED**** The guy said he'd come after 4:00 & would call when he got into town. Well I waited around until after 6 pm & then we went to the park. My first no show!! However, I did get an email for another pump so I may be able to pick another one of those up!

Lexi & her friend Nolan came marching down the stairs with their hats on....even Zander had one on for a little while!

Having a band and wearing their cowboy hats!

These two have really become good friends!

Sunday afternoon, the kids enjoyed one of the last HOT summer days! Lots of the neighbor kids were over....seem they always come to our house, what's up with that?!?! (Nick's in yellow shorts)

Eric & Lexi are ready with their cups!

Lexi got a hold of my camera today & took a couple of pictures.

Big Brother Nick!

My BIG Month!!

August was a record high sales month for me doing Ebay. Now if I could only get myself to keep better records & know what my actual profit was!! I wish all my months were like this one was. Course I had to work my butt off to achieve it.

I've been able to earn enough to pay all the groceries every month & now I decided that I'm gonna start to SAVE some of it as well! Since I'm not contributing to a 401k plan anymore, I need to at least by an IRA every year. So my goal is to save at least $2000/year to put towards our retirement. I started saving for my retirement from the age of 20 until 32...and hate to see that amount not grow while I'm staying home. I just sold the balance of my MTS Stock that I was holding & that will be a start to purchase an IRA in January.

Maybe Manual IS Better!

Wed morning it was raining just as Nick was to leave for the bus. So I got him in the van & we waited together at the end of the block for the bus. Bus came & so after he got out, I backed up to the mailbox to get the paper. Rolled (I should say PRESSED the button) down the window, got my paper & pressed the button again. Nothing, nada......window won't go up. It's raining so I head into the garage quick. Dead. No power, nothing. Great, I have to leave in an hour to take Lexi to preschool. Let's home the rain stops.

It's raining even harder now as we drive the 4 miles to school. I held my coat up to block some of the rain but it wasn't a fun drive there!

Course this is the day Phil is working 12 hrs so can't use his car!

Thursday morning it looked again like rain, but we managed to get to town to get it checked out. Except they have no openings & there is nothing they can do in the meantime to get it shut. SO I head home quick to avoid rain showers again.

Phil tried working on it & determined it was the motor that was shot. So we call the garage to get an appt for Friday for them to fix it. Take it in Friday & they determine it is NOT the motor but the button/switch. Which they say, that little switch costs more than the motor.

$160 later & my window now opens & shuts. So if you have a vehicle with the old roll up windows.....be glad!!!

First day of 1st grade for Nick was yesterday!!

Putting his supplies in his desk. Miss Hoppman is his teacher this year. I know I'm getting old....my girlfriend said SHE had Miss Hoppman as her 2nd grade teacher. Tami's daughter Hannah had Miss Hoppman last year & she kept calling Hannah Tami!!!

This would have been a nice picture if he'd have his EYES open!!!

On the way into school.

We got to the lake Friday night & took a boat ride just at sunset. Beautiful, isn't it?!? It was a great weekend full of fun for all of us. I hated coming home today. The weather was so nice....and then we got home & it was HOT here, had to turn the A/C on. It's so nice to sit by the lake with the wind blowing.....We had a storm pass through Sat night with some wind & rain. Cut our bonfire short but it was close to midnight so that was long enough anyhow! We are sad to see our summer at the lake is coming to an end. With our schedules we are still hoping to get in two more weekends before we have to close it up for the year. Water gets turned off Oct 1st. We'll be pulling the dock out that weekend as well so if there are any VOLUNTEERS to help with that....well you know how to get ahold of us!!

Thanks for the hammock Grandpa!!! Kids LOVE it......and of course we love to hear them (Nick & Lexi) FIGHTING over who's turn it is to go in it!!!

Nick taking his turn in the hammock! (Neighbor Adam on the left).

Lexi & Nick getting a ride from the neighbor (Mark). They LOVE riding around on the golf cart. Especially Lexi....cause usually it's just the boys that go. Dear Santa, all we want for Xmas is a golf cart.

Lexi did some fishing this weekend!! Yes Eric, she borrowed your fishing pole!! See what happens when you're not with us?!??! She didn't catch anything but did a great job casting!!

Sunday afternoon we took our neighbor's paddle boat out. It was so nice of them to let us use it & now of course we HAVE to get one!!! The kids loved it!! Nick fished from it & was catching sunnies & crappies right and left. He said it worked best when we were trolling....AKA as mom peddling & him reeling them in!! The two kids fishing are on our dock. Neighbor boy Adam & his cousin. Our boat is on the right of the dock there.

According to Nick, the paddle boat we get HAS to have a live well!! Here he is putting yet another fish into it. He caught 9 in the time we were out there. He LOVED it!!

Nick with one of his crappies he got while fishing off the paddle boat.

Lexi, Phil, Nana, Zander, & Grandpa heading out on the lake on Sunday afternoon. Nick wanted to keep fishing from the paddleboat so that's what he & I did! Dear Santa, all we want for Xmas is a paddleboat!!

Grandpa holding his Bass he caught this morning & letting Nick hold his other one!! Lexi is holding the basket full of sunnies & crappies that they all caught today. Nana, Lexi, Zander, & I stayed & fished off the dock while the guys were in the boat.

Grandpa seeing if Zander wanted to touch his Bass.

Lexi on her way to her 1st day of Preschool!! She had a great morning!! Made Gingerbread cookies & cut out & colored a huge Gingerbread man! I was worried she'd cling on to me when I left but she didn't. Said goodbye & continued her tracing & cutting!

In front of her cubby where she'll put her coat & backpack. Girls on this side, boys are on the other side. She is 1 of nine students. Five boys & four girls.

Every time we have gone to Lexi's school, she right away sits at this table & traces & cuts! She loves to do that!

Gas Prices........

Boy, I'm glad I filled up at $2.52/gallon. Today it's $2.95 in Courtland & Phil said New Ulm is $2.99/gallon.

What's it at where you are??