Thoughts on the Seasons!!!

At our house we have five seasons - Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and MUD seasons. And I am not refering to the kids getting into trouble, although that can definitly happen during MUD season. I'm am refering to the season that comes between a long, cold, wet winter and before the very short one or two weeks of dry days in the spring. MUD season officially begins as the snows of winter beging to melt and ends when we get the one or two dry weeks of spring. Some years we just skip spring altogether and move from MUD season straight into the heat of July! This year MUD season has begun with a bang. As you can see from the following pictures!!

I said to K.J. yesterday, as he came in the door, "leave your boots by the door, I don't want MUD in the house." He promptly complied as you can see!!

 

But having just endored the very long and cold winter my mind was not functioning properly - I didn't think beyond the boots- and since MUD has away of attaching itself to other items the trail began.

Across the carpet!

 

Into the Kitchen and back out again!

 

The trail proceeds down the hall and into the bedroom (picture of this not included) finally stopping in the bathroom!!

 

Where K.J. decided to leave the rest of this years first MUD pickings. It is a good thing that this house hold is the proud owner of a carpet cleaner and lots of elbow grease. Especially since MUD season is only starting and the initial predictions are that it will be a long one this year. I think too that yesterday's experience might have acted as a catalist to wake the long sleeping brain and kick it into gear. However with MUD season things are always unpredictable and MUD has a way of sneaking up (and in) on even the most vigilent of souls. I think MUD should be a four letter word!!

A River Ran Through It ..... Or Not!?!!

Goose Landing on the River! With an Added Touch!!
(this was one of the first pics I took - didn't notice the goose in the pic. until I uploaded them to my computer - decided to have some fun with it! :0 )



This last Friday the ice on the river just west of town began to breakup. The river was running high with snow melt and rain water when the ice created its own natural dam. The resulting ice jam/dam caused flash flooding in some neighborhoods and evacuations as well - until the ice jam broke up and floated on down the river. Sunday after church we went down to the river's east bank to take some pictures of the residue! Here are some of the things we saw:

Large ice slab floating down the river!

Huge slabs of ice stacked up on the west bank of the river!

J.D. and K.J. standing next to a beached ice slab on the east bank of the river!

River ice that is still breaking up!

Another large slab of ice beached on a small island in the middle of the river!

Ice Slab up close and personal!

Ice meets tree up on the bank - trees are thrashed!

Same tree with J.D. and K.J. next to the ice!

J.D. and the ice!

Taking on the ice!

K.J. vs. the ice - who will win?!

One last Picture!!

It's to bad we didn't make it down on Saturday to gets pictures when the ice had created the jam and stretched all the way across the river. One of my friends got some awesome pictures of the ice dam. But it was still pretty cool to see what nature can do. I don't think J.D. or K.J. will forget this experience for awhile!

Just a little Reminder!!!!

 

 

K.J. is having a birthday in a couple of weeks. He wanted to make sure that Mom and Dad know exactly what he wants for this event. So about two weeks ago- with the help of J.D. he made a list. But just making a list was not enough - after completing the list he taped it to Mom's and Dad's bedroom door. So that we will be sure to see it everytime we go into our room. He also made sure there was plenty of extra space on those papers so that new things can be added to it as he thinks of them. Now all I have to do is refer to this paper as I do his birthday shopping!!!:) And of course K.J.'s job is to check in once in awhile to make sure I've looked at his list recently - like within the last ten minutes or so - and then inquire if I have acted on these suggestions!!! :) :) Can't wait to see what will happen when he can create this list entirely on his own, with no help from his big brother. I'll probably have to widen my bedroom door to make room for the expanded list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!!!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday K.J. and the other kindergarten students at school celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday. They had "Green Eggs and Ham". I got to celebrate with him. We had a great time. And don't those green eggs look YUMMY!!! :)