Play On the Go

I have been trying and trying to come up with ideas to keep the boys busy when we go to Leelah and Michael's Football Jamboree this Saturday in Carson City.  From past experience, I know that it's going to be a long and hot day, and that Anthony and Drake will need to be entertained.  Well, I know I've said it before, but I LOVE Disney Family Fun Magazine!!  They recently had instructions on making a take along play mat out of a vinyl table cloth.  So, I grabbed my copy of the magazine, read through the instructions, and the boys and I zipped over to WalMart for supplies.  We bought a clearance aisle table cloth for $1.50, and two rolls of duck tape.  The end result is hours of entertainment that is easy to take along for less than $10.00.  Yay!!

 Anthony immediately figured out how well his Imaginext toys fit with our "Road Mat".

Summer Fun: Catching up on the Summer That Got Away From Us

Wow, it's hard for me to believe that school is back in session in a week!!  Where did the time go?!  I've been meaning to update this thing with all of the adventures we have been having, but it would seem that time just got away from me! 
We spent some time at the park on the base.  If you haven't been there, and you can get there, you should go!!  It's covered, and quiet, and wonderful!  The kids really enjoyed it!



Amongst our many summer adventures, our longest trip was one to Bodie, CA.  What a fantastic drive!  We passed some beautiful scenery, and spent some time in an amazing standing tribute to history.  On the drive home, we added two historical markers to our quest to view them all, AND earned our second Disney Family Fun Badge.  Man, we are an up and coming family!  Look out Jones', cause pretty soon it will be keeping up with the Thunders!!!

So now as Summer Vacation comes to a close, and another school year looms in front of us, I reflect back and think that my quest for family fun was a pretty successful one.  At no point was it perfect, sometimes it was quite chaotic, but it was a damned good time, and a summer full of family memories we won't soon forget.  And to a school year that brings me back to college, and gives me a 5th and 6th grader, I say, BRING IT ON!! LMAO

Summer Fun...Bones in the Desert!!

    We are a family of desert rats by nature, and spend a vast amount of time following unknown dirt roads and exploring the wilderness (haha) of Nevada.  On one such recent occasion, we rediscovered an area that is filled with mounds of buried animal bones (Alex says they are horse bones). We have been to this location a few times, and actually stumbled on it the first time when we went out to see the old Grey Hound track.  I'm not sure why they are here, but I am sure my children are fascinated with them, and with any other random weirdness we come across in our desert travels.

Summer Fun...We LOVE the museum!!

    I am a bit late in writing this blog, and so the activity I am writing about occurred about 2 weeks ago on a very rainy day.
    We are museum lovers in this family, and the Churchill County Museum is wonderful, and free.  So, we loaded up in the rain and headed over to spend a couple of hours exploring things we remembered, and discovering what was new.  I have to admit, this trip was not entirely free, because we did buy some color changing cups and old fashioned candy in the gift shop, which we enjoyed to no end.  We explored the museum and the back building, and then spent some time in the children's discovery room, which is just phenomenal!!

Summer Fun...Backyard Camp Out

   If any of you other parents out there read Disney Family Fun Magazine, you'll know what I'm talking about when I mention their new activity of earning badges for the next year.  For those of you who don't, here's the low down (haha!): The magazine is celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, and is offering ways to earn a badge and enter contests in every issue.  This month's issue was a Backyard Camp Out Badge.  We didn't sleep in the backyard, but we did have a good time earning our badge!!

Summer Fun...Fishing at the Reservoir

   On Saturday, we had planned to take the kids out to spend the day at Lahontan.  But, according to the weather, doing such would mean braving up to 60 mph gusts with 4 children.  Yay, well, you can guess that we changed our minds on that one! So, instead, we spent the bulk of the day at my grandparent's house, visiting with my uncle who came to see us from Battle Mountain, and had a tasty BBQ.  Very nice!!
   When the day cooled to evening, and Mother Nature was absent the ominous gusts we feared, we loaded the children up and took them to Harmon Reservoir for some evening fishing, a nice scenic drive, some very smelly bug repellent (no DEET!) and a ton of family fun!!  It was wonderful!!

Michael and Alex fishing

                              Yup, that's Drake trying to start the truck...T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!

Anthony loves anything involving dirt!!

                               Our beautiful Leelah Jo walking in the sunset.

Summer Fun...Finger painting!!

   Our next activity?  Finger painting!!  Of course, this amazing adventure was had on the back porch, and it's a darn good thing since I had to hose Drake off in the shower afterward.  In his usual curious manner, he did sample a bit of the paint, but it was apparently not to his liking because he didn't eat anymore of it.  Some days, I am so happy that things like finger paint are non-toxic these days!  Anyway, after a half hour of giggly mess, we had two very painted boys, one stained mama, and 3 master full works of art!