Here We Go Again!

We just picked up Kianna from camp yesterday. Hard to believe my little Katlin leaves for another camp tomorrow. I'm gonna miss her! This one is a National Guard sponsored Youth Leadership Camp. They get to participate in the Lighting Ceremony at Mt. Rushmore, and visit Reptile Gardens, Crazy Horse Monument, and swim at Evan's Plunge (Natural Warm Spring Water that is an self filtering indoor swimming pool with slides, rings, a wave maker, and so much more), plus hiking, archery, shooting, canoeing. I am so jealous! Then she'll come home for a weekend and leave for bible camp. Lucky girls! Kianna has a Volleyball camp next week as well. Wish I were little!

"Living the Dream, Loving the Dream"

My husband said this the other day, and I think it is befitting of how we are feeling, living right now. Self-employment does have its advantages at times, and I am grateful to have him back again. He's always been able to attend all of our daugthers' events, and that in itself is a dream! We live in a huge old church, and though it's still not finished it has the potential to one day be amazing. And we paint signs/artwork for a living. How fun is that? I'm feeling happy right now. Wish I didn't have to get back to work on my taxes! UGH! Why do I despise bookwork?

Kianna gets back from camp tomorrow only for Katlin to leave again on Monday. Gotta love camps! They are so lucky! I want to go to camp...

To Move or Not to Move? Not!

Here is our girl a few days after she got hit in the eye practicing fast pitch with a friend (last week). Wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but the first day it was swollen around her eye. Should've got a pic then. Right now she is at camp, and we missed her terribly at our fast pitch game last night in Kadoka. We got killed! Our other pitcher did a good job, but she threw perfect pitches, the kind that every batter can get a real hit on! And they did, everytime... right to our little 10 year olds covering the outfield. Needless to say, they scored big! 20:2 (okay, we were short handed; we were missing 4 of our older girls, which is why we played the little ones. They had fun, though, and learned lots!) Our slow pitch was good though. Katlin pitched that game and did a great job. 5:2; we won! Woo Hoo!

Okay, time for the big news! Are you ready? Things changed a bit yesterday when Barry and the Hustead brothers sat down to go over some figures on cost for remodeling pole barns/equipment needed, etc. and they have decided they aren’t ready for Barry to move just yet. (I think they weren't prepared for the costs involved on top of Barry's salary.) Therefore, we are going to continue to do their signs, but from our own shop, at least for now. Perhaps we’ll try again next year, but I have a feeling not. So we won’t be selling either place as of yet. Strange how after 17 years of self-employment and one week of work, Bary is once again self-employed. Ha! And yay! It gives us a little more time to finish our house and our sign shop remodel projects! They have been extensive.

Disgruntled

The opposite of content is discontent, so what is the opposite of disgruntled?
Disgruntled: This is a word we use frequently in our househould, but when it came up this morning, it also brought about the above question. The English language is so strange, at times (don't get me wrong, it's also wonderfully versatile!)
I am a little bummed about something else, however. We had to cancel our softball game in Kadoka tonight due to the heat. It's supposed to be 111 degrees by 5 p.m. Crazy hot! Plus with the electrical storm activity that is also predicted, we thought it would be best to call the game. Feels like it's about time to jump in a lake!

A Golden Time Gone?

I am missing my hon. Barry's first work week is almost up and he's still going at it, but I didn't expect to miss him so much. I sort of thought I would enjoy having a little time to myself, since we used to do everything together 24/7 - seriously, we're together almost daily, except when I'm at Guards for the past 14 years now. As for me, it's just been paperwork and cleaning the entire week. Not my favorite thing. Ugh!
Today I am paying bills and working on my taxes. What fun! Not! It's starting to hit me that we had been living in a golden moment; everything is going to be so different with me in school this Fall, him working regular hours, and the girls back in school. The girls even asked him when they would be able to come with him to work. :( I think we all took it for granted that we could come and go as we pleased. Anyway, it's going well enough; it's just so different. We'll have to give it some time, and we'll all adjust, I am sure, right?

Second Day on the Job

Well, today is day two for Barry at his new job. I think he is a bit on overload these days. It doesn't help that he showed up during Wall Drug's busiest two weeks of the year. One of the owners asked him if he "could hit the ground running even though there is no one there to tell him what to do." Barry said "sure, but if you see me running in circles, feel free to reach out and grab an arm, straighten me out, and send me on my way again." Too funny! I hope he likes it there. He's been self-employed for 17 years, so this is a huge change! And I think I'm going to miss working with him every day. Who would have thought?
The scrimmage went well the other night. Kianna fast pitched four innings and did very well. She looks good out there and was consistent. Plus, we won, so that makes it fun for everyone. We didn't let the girls steal bases, yet, but they start doing that the next game. Woo Hoo! This is a new thing for the area. We're the only region in the state that still does slow pitch, so it may take a while for this change to take a good hold. Plus, it will open up opportunities for girls for college and scholarships, etc. Katlin got to play since we were short one of our older girls, and she even got on base a couple of times. Oh! Poor Ki! She was working at it last night with one of the other girls and got nailed in the cheek. Today she has a swollen, black eye.

Getting Away for a Moment

Hello, hello!

Thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to visit my blog. I promise I am getting to yours. We've been running around like crazy, so I'll soon be finding the time!

Last night we went to a friend's wedding in Deadwood, gambling capital of South Dakota, which was a nice get away for us. I didn't want to leave the Black Hills. It smelled like pine trees and fresh mountain air. Yummy! It was hard to come back to all of the chaos when everything seemed so serence and perfect in 'The Hills.' Deadwood is filled with great history and entertainment. I've included a link. (though I can't quite figure out how to make it active for ya.)

http://www.deadwood.org/

I coach girls softball, and tonight is our first fast pitch 'scrimmage' against another team. We've alwasy been a slow pitch team, so this is a new and exciting change for us. Kianna will be pitching tonight! Should be fun.

Afterwards we're out to Lake Waggoner for a fireworks display, put on every year by our own local volunteer fire department, and they do a fantastic job!

Barry start his new job tomorrow. I am excited and a little bit nervous for him. This is a completely new position at Wall Drug and they are creating it as they go. Plus, they are way behind in signs right now, so he is going to be swamped with that as well as getting his building built to shop specifications, getting supplies in, and so much more! I'm a little nervous, too, 'cause we still haven't found a place to live in Wall, yet. I'm sure it will all work out, though. I am an optomist. Here is a link to Wall Drug, the place he will be working for. The first picture you will see is of an actual sign we painted on location, on the interstate.

http://www.walldrug.com/