Shelley Spud Day

I like giving Joel and hard time about his high school mascot, a russet!  I love giving him a hard time about spud day!  I've been to my share of spud days, and honestly don't get the excitement over it.  Joel tells us about the "good ole days" and how spud day was a huge highlight in his life.  We like to hear about how a small town boy had a good time after all the spuds were harvested.   He would get out of school for a couple of weeks for "spud harvest" and work in the fields on combines and in the cellars.

The day is full of various festivities.  There  is a "spud run".  We have ran the 5k before and this year Coelton ran the 10k in 38 minutes.  They also have a half marathon! 
The festivities include a parade, free baked potatos and milk, vendors, fair food, spud pickin contest and a tug of war over mashed potatoes. 
Many of Joel's family come to Shelley just to attend spud day.  It's a fun way to gather and share a childhood memory with your family. 

Baby Ammon

Some of the sights you may see at spud day.

Taylor giving Chloe a ride on the segway.

We went to Grandma Hammer's house and ate our baked potato and free milk.  Grandma and Jill made funnel cakes for everyone!  Yum!!

We were also able to see Chase, who just returned from his mission in Iowa.  We attended his mission report on Sunday.  Afterwards we went to the middle school were Jill teaches home-ec.  She had her class room all set up to feed everyone.  I wished I had taken a picture of chase, he hasn't changed a bit.

Coelton came down from Rexburg with Chase and Paige who also attend BYU-I.  It was good to see him again.  We stayed at Julie's house in shelley on Friday night and then we stayed at the Hampton Inn on Saturday night.  We used one of our hundreds of free nights : )  I picked up Joel at the airport on our way to Shelley.  He had been gone for 11 days to England.  Poor guy had to get off an airplane after 12 hours and then drive in a car for 4.

Lance was hunting with Dad and Clint in the hills when his horse rolled on him.  He had to be life flighted out and found he had a broken pelvis.  He had surgery and stayed in the hospital for 3-4 days.  We were able to see him.

We all met in Idaho Falls Saturday night and attended a fun gym that Jill had reserved for just our family.  We enjoyed it a lot and topped it off with some yummy pizza.

Cade, Jace, Brysan and Caden

Joel holding Aiden, Jeremy's baby. 

 



Our amazing Daddy!

In the last 4 months; June, July, August and Septmeber, Joel has been home 58 days and gone 64 days. (Give or take a day or 2.)  He went to England 2 times and each time was 10-11 days.  He also went on the Priest High Adventure which was 5 days.  He usually travels to his clients in SLC and Reno on Mondays-Wednesdays.  Sometimes it's Monday-Thursday, which he did quite a bit this summer. 

The travel comes with the job.  He has always traveled with this career. Had we known or understood what an accounting degree entailed, we would have chosen a different path.  However, Joel is amazing at what he does.  He loves his work and the people he works with and they love him.  He is a hard worker and is honest and ethical in all he does; which says a lot about the kind of individual he is. 

Joel gets tired of traveling and he misses his family a great deal.  It is lonely for him and he feels guilty, leaving the burden on me.  He has meant some great people and has worked for some huge companies and gained invaluable experience.
 His frequent flyers, hotel perks and rental car points has allowed our family to fly and stay for free to Nauvoo, Illinois.  Our family flew to Maui for free and had a "dream" vacation together.  Joel and I have been able to go to Vegas, Florida and SLC (several times) all free.  This November we are taking the family to Disney Land since Chloe has never been.  All for free.   So I suppose it does have some perks.

 I must confess that I do my fair share of complaining and feeling sorry for myself, but I find that when I really support Joel and stay close to the Lord, he makes my burdens light; just as he did for the women in the scriptures.  He knows when I can't do it anymore, and makes my back stronger so I can better carry those burdens. 

We try to stay a family unit while our "main man" is on the road.  We have discovered the world of SKYPE and love seeing eachother.  We like to turn on skype and kneel in our family circle and say our family prayers together at night.  We also do our scripture study together through skype.  The kids can get Daddy caught up on their "goings on" while they talk to him face to face.  It's a blessing. 

We are truly grateful and blessed to have employment in this difficult economy.  I have always been blessed to stay at home with the children.  I can't ask for more than that!  I love being a homemaker and a mother and above all a wife to a man I am crazy about.  He sacrafices much for us as he provides, presides and protects his family.  I love you honey!  You're my hero!!

Labor Day Weekend and Welcome to BYU-Idaho

We drove to Pocatello on Saturday morning and met Mom and Dad Hammer there.  Joel and the boys jumped in their car and they drove to Provo to watch a BYU football game.  They played Washington and WON!  They stayed in Tooele Saturday night and drove back to Shelley Sunday afternoon.

The girls and I drove to Black Tail Reservoir and met up with the Judy's, Weston's and Lafever's.  Rhett had his boat and Rick brought his Dad's boat.  It was VERY windy and the water was awful, but we managed to have a good time.  We rode the atom and I even skied.  Nate and Blake did some wakeboarding and Hailey tried knee boarding.  Blake did some cliff jumping and Chloe and Brittany chickened out but did some mini cliff jumping.

We stayed Satrurday night at Heather's house.  It was quite the slumber party.  Lance's girls came ove and stayed too.  Brittany and Kylie slept under the couch!  We went to church with Heather's family and Lance's girls.  It was quite the row of girls, and one Tyler.  We took up an entire big row.

After church we met up for a dinner at Rhett's house.  Dad, Lance and Clint were hunting and came back to join us.  Justin was recovering from his fall off a shed roof, also came with his family.  I drove out to Shelley and brought Joel and the boys back.  It was fun to get caught up and visit.  We didn't have a summer reunion this year, so it seemed like a long time since we had been together.  We took some pictures of Coelton with the 5 oldest cousins.  We have a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and college, all one year apart.  Of course Coelton and Nate have always been close cousins and have enjoyed growing up together.

The girls stayed with cousins Saturday night and Joel and I stayed at the Hilton with the boys.  We had planned to stay in Rexburg, but they don't have Hilton or Hampton.  Joel earns free nights with all his traveling, it is a nice perk.  We ended up on the river with the temple right out our window.  It was really pretty and we saw the spot where Joel asked me to marry him. 

Monday morning we drove to Rexburg and started the day in the manwaring center to realize that everything is different.  It's not Ricks college anymore and doesn't even look like Ricks College.  We realized that exactally 20 years ago, Joel and I were going to college there. 
We waited in lots of lines, book line, I-Card line, Tuition line, apartment key line.  We were very proud of Coelton to see him pay for his tuition and books with his own money.  He also earned a scholarship that helped pay some of his tuition.
   Finally we were able to get him moved in.  He lives at the Nauvoo House apartment 215.  I didn't get any pictures : (  

We met 3 of his room mates; Kevin Nester,  Daniel Evonko and Nate.  They seemed to be nice enough.  They are all older guys in their 20's.  Daniel is 27.  Nate went to Austrailia on his mission. 
We went to Walmart for groceries which was a mistake.  It was so crowded and they don't have very much food.  But we did get the last twin mattress cover!! 
At about 4:00 we took Coelton to meet up with his I-group at the Hart.  We gave him a hug and said good-bye.  There were a few tears on mine and Coelton's cheeks, Caden quickly ducked into the car, so I'm not sure about him, but can only imagine he was very sad to see him go. 

We picked up the girls at Heather's and drove the long 4.5 hours home.  I was happy that it had all gone so well, but wished he knew more guys and didn't look so lonely and scared when we left. 

When we got home and the garage door went up, we saw the white pick up with the "runner dude" bumper sticker on the back, and I was crying.  I looked at Joel and he was crying.
We got the kids to bed and walked around the house, it seemed so empty and all of Coelton's things he didn't take with him made us cry even more.  We gave ourselves one night to mourn the changing of our family and the fact that our boy is a man, and living on his own, only to return "home" to visit.

 We are so happy for Coelton and the wonderful experiences that lie ahead of him.  He will be a great student, missionary, husband and father. 
I suppose the saying is true.  "A Mother holds her childrens  hands for just a little while... their hearts forever". 

A night of bowling

We decided to go bowling for FHE and we brought Kelli with us.  She is fun and competitive.  We have enjoyed playing our bowling game on the wii, but it is nothing like the real game. 
It was a fun night.  We enjoyed being together and watching all the wierd people that bowling ally's attract.  I really liked that with a push of a button I could bowl with bumpers!
  So here are a bunch of random boring bowling pics that I hope I can think of some really cool, creative way to display in my blog book.

Chloe is pretty intense.  When we play wii, she always wins in bowling.

First Day of School

Had I known this year would be like this one I would have planned when my kids were born a little better. ( is that possible?)
Coelton went to college, Caden is a sophomore and Hailey is at the middle school as a 6th grader and Chloe went to first grade all day!  I wished Chloe was at home with me, while I got over loosing Coelton for like ever. 
It's kind of a rip off.  You get this sweet new baby, raise him up to be a fine young man, and BAM, he leaves when he is 18 years old and only comes home to VISIT.  It's a terrible trick. 

Joel did arrange his travel so he could be home with me on the first day of school.  He has learned over the years that I don't do so well on that day.  He gets phone calls from his wife in tears when her babies start kindergarten, 1st grade and even high school.  I don't know what it is, I do really well up to the point when I turn around to leave.  Then all I see are these little babies that used to snuggle in my arms, and I loose it.

This year I guess Joel thought it would be exceptionally bad. 

Caden made it to school without riding the bus.  He catches a ride with friends and neighbors. Joel was able to snap this picture on his way out the door.

 
Joel drove Hailey and some of her friends to school and went in with her to help her with a jammed locker.  He also helped her decorate her locker with some stuff she bought at the $ store.

 

We both took Chloe to the bus stop and watched her get on

                                    and then drove to the school and watched her get off. 

No big deal.  Then we walked her to her door that she lines up at when the bell rings.  I snapped a couple pictures and she really wanted to go and play on the playground.  Chloe has Mrs. Kohli for 1st grade. 

 So we gave her hugs and kisses and turned around and walked away.  The flood gates opened and I just saw my baby, when she was a little baby, and wishing her back into my arms, but realizing that she will be gone all day, from THAT day on.

Floating the Boise River

Floating the river is a fun activity to do on a hot summer day.  We have been down the river several times,  and always try and go at least once a year.  This year we invited our friends and neighbors the Eastman's to go with us.  We drop off a car at Ann Morrison Park and then drive to Barber park and blow up rafts etc.  They have a nice area to get in the river and begin your journey.    It is a nice lazy float, depending on the time of year.  There are a couple of good little water falls that get exciting, but for the most part it's a lazy river.    We ended the day with some New York style pizza down town, Yum!!