The Girls

Magdalen Abigail. Taken sometime in september

Kaija and Sprinkle

A few moments with Baby Graham Morley Dewsbury III

The First day of School

Im not sure what Maggie was supposed to be but looks like she was a purple and green troll.

Baking with style

Maggie at the BIG RED BARN

Blue Jacket Flint- Mrs. Strahm's Class

This year the first grade classes from our school, Blue Jacket Flint attended the Big Red Barn in Weston, MO. They enjoyed a tour of the huge field Maze, learned all about Apple care and harvesting, and even got to take a pumpkin home fromthe pumpkin patch. I was lucky enough to attend. We had a great time.

A day on the farm is not complete with out all the fun animals

Maggie and Michelle. Maggies best friend

A few slides down the Hay bale.

Hay ride to the pumpkin patch-down hill. We walked back. Up Hill!!!

Shawnee BBQ

Well, It is hard to believe another BBQ season has passed us by. This year has been unusual as we have only competed in one contest, our home contest. We have been so busy with the house we have not had time. Kaija of course stayed the weekend and they all took part in the contest. We had family and friends. Old neighbors and new, it was GREAT!! The BBQ of course was the best. We placed in the top 30 of 108 teams. Which is inching us back to our glory days our 80th placed brisket kind of knocked us down a few pegs. Kaija disagreed with the judging on that one.

We really worked together this time. Bryce had to keep Kaija pumped up.. She sells herself short. The kids really know what they are doing it is amazing.

Competing was not all we did. Friday we enjoyed the company of many friends. The Missionaries made their traditional stop for dinner and enjoyed the fun as well. The food was late as usual, but hey at least there was food.

The kids play games with Jay. We dont have pictures of the Poker match James Bryce and Scott taught Kaija later that evening.

Di and Tam and Di and James. Di was our resident Photographer for the weekend

Maggie took part as well. When Bryce got to the contest for check in Maggie was with him, taking a "free" day from school. I guess some skip school for hunting, our kids for BBQ. After all this is KC. She was at the entrance with Bryce and that is where the meat check in is located. Bryce asked Mag to get out and check the meat in. She said "no way" so Bryce said, "do you want to BBQ?" Maggie said, "yes", and then Bryce told her she had to check the meat in. So she did and the cordinators loved it! Kaija and Meg also handled the Cooks meeting b/c Bryce had to help Brycee with something.

Getting Closer

We are slowly working towards a finished product

Kaija started out her summer by working hard to fix up her pink and green room.

.Bryce is Rocking and Rolling down Route 66 with Sally, Mater and the gang in his awesome lightening McQueen Room!!!

Maggie is all Tinked out with Tinkerbell madness. Yeah They all have Doors on finally!!!

We even have a family room to rest in!! Yeah. We will have a HSM (High School Muscical party here this Friday, it will be the first get together other than family. ) I even had a stove installed Yesterday!! No more camping stove I am so exc ited.

No we havent called "This Old House" Yet!

This is it. The house We have been trying to buy since January. The outside does not need much work other than a new door and some landscaping. That is a project for next spring. The space is great. The work is tiring but with time it will be everything we have ever wanted. We are blessed to have two fireplaces, a nice large deck and a large backyard. A two car garage for Bryce to fill and lots of space for the kids. Definately home.

Everyone has had to do there part. Bryce has become quite the handyman. I think it might be in his genes somewhere. This is the view of the back yard.

There is a great deal of debris to be removed and the deck needs refinishing. Other than that it is simply fantastic.

Plumbing-Well just a bit. This is the downstairs bath room. It is currently out of service. The pipes from the bath upstairs were broke when we moved in. Leaving this nice hole in our dining room ceiling.The bath works well now though.

The Kitchen floor came up right away. The sink is very old and the appliances will not fit, but we make due for now. We have yet to decide what we will do here so we will put a floor down and live as is for now. Currently, we are using a camping stove, toaster oven, and electric skillet until we get the stove.

The Basement flooded before we even moved in. We stripped out all of the drywall before we had closed. Part of the basement is in progress for my craft room. I put the floor down last week and painted the week before that. We are hoping to put the cabinets soon.
Well, That is just a taste of what we have to look forward too, of why we may not write or answer the phone, or why we sleep very well at night.

The 4th of July

We took the day off from moving and fixing to join Jay and the Sinsels for a trip to Hillsdale lake. Kaija and Meg love to strike a pose.

I was really reluctant at first to being a seadoo pilot. I started by holding the doo to the dock and in went my glasses. Yep, Knew it would happen. Then I drove to the other side of the lake without them. Hi, I am Mr. Magoo. Kaija was scared to death b/c I couldnt even see the boats on the lake. Bryce stopped to point out some large logs and I never saw them. Bryce found them after we docked the sea doo's and bought me a really cool glasses band.

Kaija and Annie had a blast riding a tube for the whole morning. They thought Bryce was super crazy out there.

Brycee and Maggie did not go out but they had a blast playing at the shore.

When we got home, James and Diana his girlfriend came over for dogs and brats and we got to see a great fireworks show right from our back yard. The guys had a blast letting off some fireworks for the kids too. It was our first dinner party at the new house. It felt really great.

Mom and dad stole some shots with two of the babes.

Bryce at home on our temporary stove. While our kitchen is a work in progress.