"Mom, the magot's gone." Well that is something you don't here every day. Imagine your son coming to you with an empty bag with a hole in it, face distraught. Then your face is distraught. Not only is the Nature Scout Merit Badge in jeopordy, but hey, there is a magot in your house! Probablly on the counter. Probably stuck to a peice of bread you ate. Oh the possibilities. Luckily (hmm) the other already dead magots did not get out and they will be taken as an offering to the scout master. And one day we will swat that magot, now fly, flat!
fyi: Magots, compliments of the Francis's dead bird they found in their furnace.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Mom, the magot's gone
Happy Birthday Grandma Harrell
Bring your gloves and a side dish, it's Grandma's birthday! We were excited to get the invite to Grandma's Clean Up Birthday BBQ. We'd do ANYTHING for Grandma! Together we stained the porch, repaired the fence, fixed the shed, put in a ramp, patched the roof, installed a few ceiling fans and had an AWESOME BBQ. Thanks Tom and Pam for orginizing a great time together. Happy 76th Grandma. WE LOVE YOU!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Camping
We decided to slip in camping the last day of our vacation. Found a beautiful spot west of Colorado Springs on I-24. We snatched up two sites right against a humongous mini mountain of rocks (I think that's an oxymoron...but hey, that's what it was). Perfect playground for seven kids. Jack and Hank were the first to get their tent up. The rest of us sat as spectators as Eric and Shauna raised theirs. Fits 2 queen size Aero Beds. Plus room for 5 or 6 more kids.
Cereal in a cup. I loved it!!! 
Eric took the kids up the mountain on a hike. Jack made sure Ethan came along. Took a ton of pictures of us all up on a great huge rock, the size of a semi. Grandma and Grandpa climbed up there too. The pictures don't show it but they are precariously perched as well. SMOOTCHIE SMOOTCHIE!
Pikes Peak or Bust
Officially stated, Pikes Peak, "The most visited mountain in North America and the second most visited mountain in the world behind Japan's Mount Fuji, Pikes Peak forms a stunning backdrop for Colorado Springs. At an altitude of 14,110 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak is the 31st highest peak out of 54 Colorado peaks. It is the farthest east of the big peaks in the Rocky Mountain chain, which contributed to its early fame among explorers, pioneers and immigrants and made it the symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush to Colorado with the slogan, "Pikes Peak or Bust". But to my kids, it's Grandpa Rossin's mountain.
In the summer of '56, before my parents were married, my dad (Fred Rossin) and some of his buddies decided to reach for the Peak. They packed up their things, hopped on motorcycles and set off cross country to Colorado. Minnesota to Colorado would have been an awesome ride. It's crazy to think of him rising higher and higher as he ascended this mountain. We drove through clouds and rain and at the peak, snow. My dad rode on back of his friend Don Wanek's motorcycle and I am sure they had quite an experience. I loved to see the kids faces as we told them who had been here before them, probably standing in the same places. Grandpa Rossin is in heaven now. We all looked up and said "Hello, we are here!"
Half way up we stopped to eat. Sammy and Dana had a little lunch buddy come visit them up top their rock. Sammy was thinking "Hey there is not enough Doritos for the two of us!"
As a mass of clouds enveloped the peak, static was in the air. It made for entertaining fun.
Grandma Valentine, Grandpa Valentine, Jack, Hank, Evan, Sydney, Sammy, Dana and Ethan (Laurie and Shauna not pictured). I wish Eric had been here. That would have been all of Fred's kids and grandkids. Next time.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Castle Rock
The morning of the 4th we went to the Rossin's ward pancake breakfast. Had the best coconut pancake syrup. We then left to hike Castle Rock (the cities name sake).
The kids made it to the top first, ready to go "all the way". We realized the very top was not possible without blazing a trail, and gave up on the idea. 
We climbed around for a good long while and took some great cousin pictures..... "Smile, now move your head a litttle straighter, move your head back I can't see your sister, SMILE, not that smile, ok great."
Emergency...Again
For some unexplained reason the Harrells and the Rossins cannot get together without a trip to the emergency room. We vacation in the "Bermuda Urgent Care Triangle" and fall in every single time! Last July Eric went to the emergency room for dehyration with a side of pneumonia. The next day I got carried off the mountain with dehyration as well (don't hike the "Y" in July at noon or at least learn your lesson from the day before).
This year was no different. Ethan fell off a stool while making cookies and bit his lip clean through to the other side. Took him to the doctor who then sent us to the plastic surgeon. No stitches. Ate his bag of cookies on the ride home.
Jack then jumped off the tramp and sliced his foot on metal curbing in the backyard. Went to Urgent Care and made it one minute after closing. Made a U turn to the hospital. Stayed an hour, no stitches.
Got a funky wrapped toe .....and a bill.
Denver on a Dollar
It was decided. July 4th...Eric and Shauna's. That was no quick decision mind you. "How about the 14th?" "No, can't do that Jack's got Scout Camp. But I could do early August." "No, we can't do that my kids will be in school by then. How about next week?" "No, Dana has Girls Camp." ...and so on and so on. Grandma and Grandpa were cool though. "We're open whenever." Gotta love that. 
Packed up, minus Jerry (he had to work all of the weekend of the 4th), and headed to Castle Rock, CO. Traveled I-80. Not fancy on the eyes, but pleasant on the pedal. 85 all the way! We arrived and were escorted down the lane by a scooter entourage. 
The next week and a half we laughed, played, ate and took a few trips to the emergency room. We decided to do a cost free vacation (minus my left leg I gave for gas). Hiking, camping, free movies, eating, tramp jumping, picnics, board games, Guitar Hero (thanks Sarah), swimming...just being together. Shauna showed us how to grind wheat and make bread. I showed Grandma how to set up her blog. Dana straightened Sammy's hair with a flat iron. Ethan wore big boy underware. Jack Guitar Heroed everyone to shame. Eric hiked with the kids up a "mountain". Syd smiled her smile and could have got anything she wanted. Grandpa took us to Pikes Peak. Evan quickly became a Pente master. Hank showed Shauna a thing or two (cooking).
All in all...the best 3 tanks of gas ever spent! We LOVE you. We miss you already. XOXOXO
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