Photo Journal

A few pics from the last few weeks:

I love how she props up on her elbows when he holds her.

I love my babies.

AK.

Ike <3

Gorgeous countryside between Crow Agency and Colstrip.

Prettiest Baby Mama in Colstrip!

Sweet Baby R turns one!

Beau & mini-Beau.

We rented Grampa Shorty & AK fell in love.

Debbie & one of her babies.

Most of the fam watching the p-rade.

Since forever, Smokey has always been my favorite part of the parade.

Daisy Doo was craving something salty.

That parade wore us out!

AK has a cousin crush on Zoe.

Bai, Kenna, & AK.

Daddy-daughter swing time.

Buck <3

Rope 'em, ride 'em.

A quick game of frisbee post parade, pre-rodeo.

Whats that look on your face, Beau? Could it be baby fever?!

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E!

Fireworks are better with S'mores.

That's the kind of smile that is contagious ... for sure.

<3

Clearly Tobias was having a grand ol' time.

My siblings minus two.

Pam & Debbie.

Taylor Grace Duneman.

I love this little cherub.

Mini-Shinta.

My very sleepy family. They were such troopers last weekend ... letting me haul them all over the countryside & whatnot.

This looks like a very serious conversation between Ken & Robin. Truth be told, we were all laughing at how fast Taylor ran to her Papa when Ken walked over to meet AK!

<3

Whats that? Chase smiling in a picture? Sweet!

It's a different kind of party than the last time we were all in the same place. Ha.

Pretty baby.

Beautful Eliana.

Slip n Slide.

Isaac getting a face full.

There are hundreds more photos to go through ... but I'm exhausted. I had a late night at the salon so I thought I'd use time between appointments to upload some shots. But now it is creeping up on 11 pm and I am seriously aching for my bed. G'nite, ya'll. 

Radios & Avalanches

Yesterday was one of those amazing road trippin' kind of days. The sun was shining and I had the whole road to myself.

Sure, my 'road trip' was only 15 miles long, but it was a great one anyway. And, if I'm being totally honest, I found myself a nice little dirt road detour so that my 15 minute drive home suddenly turned into an hour long solo road trip. It was fabulous.

I knew there were dishes that needed washing and clothes that needed folding but I couldn't manage to drive myself home. My fellow music lovers will understand me when I say: The radio was playing really great music. Every song that came on forced me to turn the volume up another notch and sing a little louder.

Do you do that? I'm not sure you'll all agree that the music was "just so good" --- but for me, these were definite sing-along songs:

Jason Aldean ... because how could you NOT love this song?

This song always reminds me of my sweet friend, Angie. When we were younger than we are now ... before husbands and babies, before time and distance took their toll ... we drove thousands of miles on dirt roads blaring the country music. This was always a fun one.

Like the last song, this takes me back to my high school years. And, oddly enough, reminds me of another friend named Angie. We used to drive around in her grandparents blue Buick and listen to mixed tapes. Yea, mixed TAPES. Haha. One of my favorite memories is the time we decided it was in our best interest to skip track practice. We hopped into the car (My car this time .. a 1987 VW Fox ... wagon. Her name was Gertie & she was ... um, 'unique'.)  & headed up Beartooth Pass with two wine collers and a cigar.

Real classy, I know.

The Pass was closed .... but the barricade was a total joke. We drove around the side of it & headed up yonder. We found a place to stop & climbed out to sit on the rocks. Billie Meyers blaring out the windows, we sat & talked about ... who knows what.

When it was time to leave a fantastically scary thing happened.

We got hit by an avalanche.

No shit.

Picture this, if you will:

GErtie is be-bopping down the road at a top speed of maybe 20 miles an hour. 20 yards ahead we Chris McKittrick's  green Bravada headed our way.

Then suddenly I hear Ang --- laughing hysterically --- shriek:

"AAAAAAAVAAAALAAAANCHEEEE!"

I can still see her frantically rolling her window up as the rocks and ice pushed my car into the other lane.

Chris slammed on his brakes and I gunned it!

Seriously, if we had waited ten more seconds to leave we (along with my little car) would have been stuck up there.

I don't even want to think about the trouble we would have been in.

Anyhow, thats what Kiss The Rain reminds me of.

And I relived it all last night when it came on the radio. Ha.

There were several other songs that kept me happy on my jaunt last night. But I'm drawing a total blank now that I want to tell you about them.  However, I'm pleased to tell you, today is another great music day. I'm working @ the salon. When I hit 'play' on the CD player, I expected to hear Allison Krauss whisk me away. But, on the contrary, Karla has clearly been imbibing in an ecclectic jam session this week. I've heard everything from Janet Jackson to Johnny Cash. It's safe to say that Karla's curling irons have been used as microphones this morning. But really, can you blame me? There's a big-ass mirror right next to the irons ... they were begging to be sang into.

Ladies, see what I mean? How can you NOT sing to that?

And now, let me tell you, I will be surfing Janet Jackson's YouTube channel until my next appointment shows up. Because, I freaking love her.

Anyhow, that's that.

Have a lovely Saturday, ya'll.