Mega Catch Up on Summer Festivities

Wow we got behind on the blog!  The entire month of June we had no internet so no updates.

First of all, we moved June 27th to the west end of Billings.  That concluded six months of living with Donnie and Kassia.  Now they are anticipating the arrival of their first born, due August 3rd.  Yay!

Some June highlights:

Strawberry Festival in downtown Billings.

Kassia and me.

Kassia (8 months pregnant) and Donnie enjoying some strawberry shortcake.

Father's Day 2013

We traveled to Colstrip and spent the day on the lake with Tuff's family.

Harris Family.  Top row left to right- Toni (Tuff's little sister), Melody (Tuff's mom), me, Shawnee (Tuff's neice), Kylee (Tuff's neice), bottow row- Amara (Tuff's niece), Jerry (Tuff's dad), Kaydee (Tuff's niece), Grace, Tuff and Jeri Lynn (Tuff's sister).

Papa Jerry and Tuff.

Tuff and Grace Fathers Day 2013.

Tuff and Grace Fathers Day 2012.

The move to the west end.

Our small group friends Ben and Katie helped us unload our trailer....many of the things inside being unearthed for the first time since June 2012 when we first packed it out of Pittsburgh.

There it is.

We are renting from Tuff's cousin Brad and got to spend a little time with the family before they left town.  In the picture below is their son Pierce playing with Grace.  An empty house is so fun!

Pierce was teaching Grace to jump on the bed.

We spent the last two weeks going to garage and estate sales for furniture.  All we brought in the trailer for furniture were a few items.  We'll take pictures again when we have it furnished.  Haha.

Found this little critter crispy and tucked in all the packing.  Yuck!

My friend Shari helped me pack a year ago back in Pittsburgh.  She wrote little notes all over our packing boxes.  So sweet to find these notes a year later!

We will miss the spray park nearby Donnie and Kassia's home...now we live 12 miles away.

E.R. trip.

Also in June a fun time at the park landed us in the emergency room.  Tuff was holding onto Grace's arm and she went the other way.  It resulted in Nursemaids Elbow.  The ligaments in elbows of young children are really flexible.  When Grace's arm turned, the ligaments rolled over to the other side of the elbow, making it impossible to move her arm.  The doc took two seconds and slipped the ligaments back into place.  Problem solved.

Not happy about the situation.

Ok now onto July!

Fourth of July 2013

We tossed around many plans for the 4th but in the end stayed in Billings and went to our church's event, Celebrate Freedom.  Tons of fun for the kiddos.

Bubbles.

Kassia, Shawnee, Grace and me.

Grace and me going up the inflatable slide.

Coming down!

Bounce house.  She just sat there and enjoyed everyone else bouncing her.

The Celebrate Freedom grounds just after the fireworks.

Kassia's Baby Shower.  Again she is due August 3rd with a little girl.  We're so excited to meet the little princess.

We left Bilings on July 11th for the annual Harris family camping trip.  This year it was in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  I will update soon on that vacation!  Until then...

Journey to Minnesota

Grace and I flew to Minnesota May 17th.  Actually we flew into Fargo, where my little sister Cydney just graduated from North Dakota State University early May.

The day after arrival, my older sister Dana was running the Fargo half marathon.  She crushed her goal of 1 hour and 45 minutes by a staggering 43 seconds.

Dana is in the orange running down the ramp into the Fargo Dome, where NDSU Football plays.

Everyone congratulating Dana after her run (from left to right, Grace Goodie, Me, Dana, Greg, Cydney and Oma).

Grace Goodie and her Auntie Cydy.

Oma and Grace Goodie at the finish line of the race.

We drove to Staples after race day and visited Great Grandpa Reuben.  Of course Grace took a ride with Grandpa.

She also found joy pushing around Great Grandpa's walker.

Checking out the birdies in the aviary.

Also during our trip Grace's Great Auntie Barb gave her the doted first hair cut.  There really was not hair to cut but since we were in Minnesota and Aunt Barb gave all my siblings their first cut, it was a special day.

Before.

After.



Thanks Auntie Barb.

 At the Shante in Pillager with my sister Dana.

Also at the Shante on their giant anorak chair.

Got in a few rounds of golf while back home, one with Grace pushing the twinner stroller, golf clubs on one seat, Grace on the other.

The face of determination.

Part way in our visit the cousins came up from Princeton for four days.

Bjorn (3), Lukas (3) and Soren (4).

Soren, Bo, Grace and me going on a golf cart ride.

Cleaning up with Cyd.

Rowdy times with the boy cousins in the video below:



Grace and Bjorn.

Also on the trip, I got to spend three days up north with my friend Rachel and her new baby Avery.  She was such a sweetie.

We flew back to Billings, Montana on May 28th.  While we were away Tuff spoke at a few graduation ceremonies, one in Wyola and one in Lodge Grass.

At the Fargo airport next to a giant bison stuffed animal.

Since we returned we were supposed to move into a month long temporary apartment, but that place is no longer available due to a family crisis.  So Donnie and Kassia graciously offered an extension on our stay with them.  We move into a home on the west end of Billings end of June.  So living out of the cargo trailer continues!  

In the meantime we have been spending the rainy days here having fun walking around the stores playing with the toys.  

"Dad, its only $299!  Please?"

"Do I look good in this or what?"

Gladiators!

"Too big.  I'm not ready."

"This is more my size."

Enjoying Milo and Otis together.  Its a 1980's movie about a cat and dog for those that don't know.



Discovering her shadow for the first time.

I wish I had pictures of Tuff's speaking engagements, or even video, but haven't been able to find any online.

Ok I couldn't help myself.  Here's another picture of Grace!   A future golfer perhaps.