Boating with the Coon's

Boating with the Coon's

So I (Sunshine) went to the lake on Saturday with Niki, Rob and their kids. Who knew that they had a boat dedicated to their kids (notice picture), We also had Annie and James (coon cousins) tag along with us. We left about 5pm and got to the lake around 5:30pm. Talk about the best time of day to go. Everyone was getting off the lake. After lathering the kids up in sunblock we got the boat into the lake. Niki did an amazing job of backing up the boat trailer. I was so impressed. We then proceeded to tow the kids around the lake on the tube. They also proceeded to tow me. Rob was so awesome with the towing. He actually went slow. I thought for sure he would pull a fast one, but he didn't. Even though we were going slow Abby, Annie, and Alice were screaming as if there was no tomorrow. I had so much fun with them. Rob at one point even let Abby drive the boat with the boys in tow. We were all laughing while Alice was worried that Abbys driving would kill us all, which made it even more funny. We then stopped the boat for a while and let the kids all swim. Even Jolynn got in on the action with Niki, but I don't think she care'd for it too much as the pictures show. Talk about the best time of day to go there was nobody on the lake and it wasnt 110 degrees. I LOVED IT. After swimming around Rob got Brigham to wakeboard. It was a sight to see. Rob had Niki drive the boat (by the way she still is in boat training). Rob would hold the rope for Brig to give him an idea of how to be pull out of the water, then Rob would hollar to Niki "go mom, go, more power, go mom goooo." He would then proceed to give Niki pointers on how to improve her driving skills. For example Rob would say "okay babe, take the boat and point it right at Brig as if you are going to hit him then bring it around him so he can get the rope, and give more throttle don't be so hesitant." At first I was offended by Robs yelling at Niki. I kept thinking "be a little nicer." but then I realized he was being nice, that was just how he was trying to train two people at once. Brig on one end and Niki on the other. After that, I found it quite comical. "go, mom, go, faster, throttle, throttle" all at the top of his lungs ( it actually sounded like grandpa P yelling at us kids to move cattle). thanks to Robs talented coaching Brig popped right up, but at lass Nikis boat driving skills need improvement as she just didn't get that throttle thing quite right, but she will.... shes a very dertmined woman. Then of course I got up on the wakeboard. I begged Rob to go slow he said he would but I thought for sure he wouldn't. At lass I was proved wrong. He DID go slow and it was great for me, probably boring for him... but hey Ive got to work up the confidence to jump the wake. I had so much fun with Rob that day. He was so cool, and he didn't play any practical jokes. It was the best day at the lake. And Niki was amazing at backing the trailer into the lake in the dark of the night. Over all it was a very fun evening spent with the coons.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Love your kids

Attack of the tree and the bees

A few of us were standing outside in front of our house discussing the events that had occured earlier that morning (the passing of Grandma Patterson)when suddenly 'crack...creek...kaabaaaaam!' This HUGE ancient Cottonwood tree, that mom had been saying for years that was dead and was going to fall down one day, came thundering down shaking the ground like a mini earthquake. The tree was so big it covered the main road in front of our house starting from the neighbors house to the apple orchard in front of the old milk house. Being "Thinkers and Doers" as our mother has taught us, our brother Jared and 2 of his friends who just happened to still be here ran to go get chainsaws to try and get the tree out of the way for the morning traffic. (Interestingly the first vehicle on the scene was the Mingus High School's bus filled with kids, anxiously waiting their first day of school!) As the boys ran towards the tree to save the day someone yells "BEEEEEES!!" Just then a swarm of bees starts attacking anything and everything in its way that had disturbed their hive. To make details short my dad and several of the others got stung, they called the fire department, who had to water down the tree with their one brave "concocted fireman suit bee man". My mom and our neighbors were able to jimmy-rig the pasture fences so that people could get by. Eventually a couple hours later the battle was won, with only a few minor setbacks of the wounded(notice the picture of our dad)!

Denmark Trip Photos