{4th of July}

Time has flown this summer, but we had such a great time the weekend of July 4th, I think I need to write about it. First, we bought an RV. And not just any RV- a 1984 Winnebago that Chad promptly named Harvey the RV as soon as we bought it. The kids were so excited- it was like Christmas for them. And we were excited too- they had been asking $8,000, and we got it for $1,000. Yes, everything works in it...and camping was so much more fun.

So, my sister and her husband flew out from New York and went to South Fork with us and Kara. And what a time we had! Friday, we went to the lake, then after a hike around it, drove to the delightful hot springs in Pagosa, right by the river. Yes. We are suckers for hot springs...one of the reasons we love Colorado. Anyway, Saturday, we rode the dirt bikes, made homemade strawberry ice cream, played corn hole... If you're wondering, it's kinda like horseshoes, but you throw bean bags (filled with corn) and try to get them onto the board and into the hole. Very fun. That night, while eating the ice cream, we watched fireworks on the hill at eye level while the booms echoed through the canyon. We even shared ice cream with the people parked behind us and made some new friends. Afterward, we had a bonfire and smores. Sunday, we were sad to leave, but we've decided to make a tradition of going south on the 4th. Thanks Michelle and Ted for coming out with us!

{WARNING: do not share the following story with your children!}

{so it all started when...}

...Jonathan and I thought we'd rearrange our room yesterday. We started painting a bookshelf (to match our bed) with paint that looked more like chocolate pudding than something that was meant to be spread onto a bookshelf. Which made us think: "Wow, homemade chocolate pudding sounds like a really good treat. Kate chimed in "Choplit pudding!!! Yummy, yummy!!! So while Jon continued to paint, I made the pudding (feeling a little bit like wonder mom) and gave a small bowl to each of the kids. When Jon called me upstairs to help him move the bookshelf into place, I left them unattended. Mistake #1. After a while, Chad came upstairs to thank me, and like clockwork, had put his empty bowl and spoon into the sink. Not 2 minutes later, Katelyn waltzes into our room looking like this:

Such a horrific and incredible sight, how could you react with anything but a gasp and hysterical laughter. Mistake #2. Of course the laughter was to keep from crying... Oh she had painted with the chocolate pudding all right...My carpet, that outfit, a library book on the bar where she had been sitting...all destroyed. Well, we banned her to the great outdoors where she sat licking her arms for the next 20 minutes (while we cleaned up), then on to her punishment: she got hosed off with ice cold water while screaming the whole time, and then a bit more "focus time"- about which I will not elaborate, but was thought to make a dent in that strong willed armor of hers. Did she learn her lesson? NO. Will she do it again? Well, it didn't take long to find out...Later that day, we found her up on the bathroom counter lubricating her hair and skin with Vicks.