Update

So, I left my camera at school on my desk. At least I hope I did because if I left it on the piano it probably has been stolen. If it's on my desk we will be ok because my office is locked up. I'm a little nervous though because I got some really cool pictures. The mashed potato pit actually look like mashed potatoes this year. They looked so gross in that quantity. I can defiently say that I am sick of the smell of potatoes right now. I don't like much of potatoes any way. When I was pregnant with Natalia we made some amazing potato soup and I threw it up for the next couple of hours after I ate and refuse to eat it ever again. I am now on a two week break for Spud Harvest. I am going to be going down to Kuna (next to Boise) on Thursday after my cross country meet. I am so excited to go shopping and just get away from Rigby for a couple of days. I am also excited to get rid of the kittens. Janie, I love them and they are so fun but when Jaden lets them out in the morning they come and jump on my head first thing. Jaden loves them though.
Last saturday I was at spud day and before I left there was this white dog in our yard. When I came home at the end of the day it was still there and Jaden had named it Elsie. We didn't lock it up so I thought for sure it would leave in the night. We woke up on Sunday and it was still at our house. Jaden was so excited. Came back from church and it was laying next to diamond. Stayed all Sunday night and was barking at something. It was a really sweet dog and Jaden really liked it and it really liked Jaden but I just don't need another dog in our house during the winter. One is to many allready. The other problem was that every time a car passed the house it would chase it. It almost got hit a couple of times. So, Monday morning we called the Sherrif and told them we had a stray dog that was really sweet and needed a good home. We don't have a pound here but one of the vet offices has a pet adoption. So the evil compliance officer came to the house and was actually very nice. He took about ten minutes so the dog would warm up to him and so Jaden could say good bye he could tell Jaden was pretty upset that he had to give the dog up. He put the dog in the back of the truck and told Jaden that someone would come and get him and then told me that if it wasn't adopted here in Rigby they would send it up to Jackson to be adopted. It was nice to know that they don't put animals down. When we were looking at dogs we found an older sweet one that loved to go camping but the owner moved into an apartment and needed to get rid of her. She was a pampered pooch. We decided to think it over during the weekend. Well, during the weekend when they are closed and we had decided to adopt her they got to full and older dogs get put down first and she was gone on Monday. I was so sad. That owner loved that dog and had such a hard time letting go of her and then they went and put her down. People fix your darn dogs! Anyway, when they drove off with Elsie, Jaden started crying and was so sad that he couldn't keep her. I told him that she was going to go home to her mommy and daddy and Jaden said, "she told me she wanted to stay here. She said her mommy and daddy are mean to her." She was a little starved looking and that just killed me.
Other than that and my camera missing I haven't done much. Oh, I did freeze about 20 quarts of corn that tyson planted. I didn't do much Christine helped me and did more than I did. We left the rest of the corn for them and when I get back I am going to help them can the rest of it for them.
When I get my camera back, and hopefully I know where it's at I will post the pictures that I promised a couple of weeks ago.
By the way, Natalia Rae Arnold is now Five Months Old! I can't believe it. I don't want her to grow up any more.

This Week

In the community I teach in we have something called Spud Day. The whole week is dedicated to the potato. There is a parade about potatoes, and booths for potatoes and we have a spud tug. They take a big cement truck and mix mashed potatoes in the truck then they dump them in a pit and they have a tug a war over the pit of mashed potatoes. I will have to take pictures of everything for you after tomorrows events. During the week we have the high school pageant called Miss Russet. This year I had three students in it, one of my students one and I was so excited. She deserved it more than any one else. I also have a student that was first runner up and she doesn't really like me but they announced that her favorite class is show choir. Confusing? I now have a nick name at the school. All the teachers will start laughing and call me teacher of the year or "so and so's T.O.Y."
I am so excited for this week to be over. I am so sick of potatoes. Our float will be one of the coolest floats ever. I will defiently be taking pictures, and pictures of our choir shirts. You will love them they are so nerdy.

State Fair

Every year the choirs work at the fair to make money. The Shelley Kiwanis have a Scone Nugget booth that we work at for half the day for about $400 dollars. This year we worked the last day of the fair and did clean up so we got an extra hundred dollars. Anyway, it wasn't very busy until about 4 or 5 in the evening. The demolition derby was starting then and we got bombarded. I went to the fair earlier in the day so I could walk around. Every year we go with Temala, Mark and their kids and go look at the animals, and the petting zoo. We aren't much for the rides. This year Tyson and the Kids ended up making a day trip to Kuna for a family friends funeral. So I went by myself with Temala, Mark and their kids. We had fun, when we got to the petting zoo they also had dogs for sale and Mark was so excited, they ended up buying a dog. He's cute and Conner and Carter seem to like him. I don't know what they have decided to name him. After that it was about time for me to go work in the Scone Nugget booth. While I was working at the frier some of the oil splashed when I put the scones in and I burnt my arm. I have about 6 nickel sized blisters that are nice and pussy on my arm. While I was walking out of the fair I hit one on my purse and it popped, so when I got home I wrapped it up to protect them. Good thing becuase Natalia kicked them this morning and man did it hurt. Jessica loved the scones and was pretty upset that I didn't bring any home for her. I have the recipe memorized and the honey butter they use is sold hear at Broulims in Rigby. Maybe when i'm not so grosed out by them I will make her some more. I came home smelling deep fried and I had a layer of grease on my skin. Literally. It was so nasty.

Visit to the Vet

On Thursday I took the animals to the vet. I got Janie and Kelly (Tysons Parents) two little black kittens to put on their land to catch mice. Right now they are still at my house till I can bring them down during Spud Harvest break. Well, they needed their first set of shots and Cali and Diamond needed their shots as well. So, Cali doesn't like other animals. I decided to take all four animals to the vet at the same time beacause then I only have to pay one office visit. I am sure they are still talking and laughing about how entertaining it was. I caught Cali and put her in the cat kennel and put her in the back seat of the Focus. Then I put the kittens in a empty diaper box and closed the top and put them on top of Cali in the back seat. Then I put Jaden and Natalia in the Car. Finally I got the dog and put her in the front seat next to me and she got hair everywhere. We got to the vet office and I took the kittens and Natalia out then I got Cali and finally went back for Diamond. They took Cali in by herself, gave her the shots, put her back in the kennel and took her out to the car for me. She was meowing so loud it is horrible sounding. Then we took Jaden, Natali, the kittens and Diamond into the room. Took care of the kittens, and then it was diamond turn. She was so scared and growled a little at the vet. She wouldn't hurt a fly but she was shaking so bad. I had to pick her up and put her on the exam table. She was freaking out so they put a muzzle on her and Jaden stood by her telling her she was ok. It was actually kind of cute. $188 later we were finally done. Went home and took everyone back out again and let them loose.

Some Funny Pics

The first picture is of Natalia. She had spit up on her blanket and then rolled over into, so when we picked her up she gave Jessica and I this huge smile and she looked so funny because she got it on her forhead.

Jaden loves to hold his baby sister.

Jessica with Jaden and Natalia

Jaden playing Wack A Mole with Grandma and Grandpa Drake. It was so funny. Grandma really got into it.

Yellowstone

This summer we didn't travel much. We had alot of family come and go this year, which was tons of fun. Right before school started we went on a little famly trip. Every year we go to Yellowstone because we only live an hour away. It wasn't the nicest day up there but we had fun. No we didn't see Obama up there. We went the week before he was in Yellowstone.


Jaden and Tyson in front of Old Faithful

This year we didn't see much for animals. We only saw a couple of elk, a dear, and the buffalo. If you have never been to Yellowstone you usually see tons of animals. The bears you usually find in North Yellowstone and you should bring some binoculars for them. They stay away from the road for the most part. The others you find everywhere. The buffalo are all over the park but they seem to like the area near the Dragons Caldron the most. Well, this year we were 3/4 of the way through the park and we still hadn't seen any buffalo, all the sudden we were in stand still traffic for a good half hour or longer and I was wondering what was going on. We thought someone must have hit an animal or got in an accident with another car. When we finally got to the front of the commotion we realized that ALL the buffalo in the park were in one place and since no one had seen any everyone was stopping on the road. The rangers had to keep traffic moving. That one place was right next to the Dragon Caldron.

Random

Natalia is growing up so much. She still is smiling all the time and is just so sweet. I don't think there can possibly be a cuter girl than her. She is such a good baby and is still letting me sleep all through the night.
Not much has been going on in or lives except for school and cross country meets. My team is struggling right now, for some reason we don't have the dedication that I would like to see. But, we are working on it.
Today Jaden got out a big book to practice his letters that I found at Seagull book. He was tracing the letters than writing them him self. He knows A B C and D and he is doing a pretty good job. I can't believe he is four years old.
By the way don't forget anyone that Tyson is turning 29 on Wednesday. We are teasing him that he is getting old and losing more hair. We keep on telling him his hair will be gone in five years.
We also started this kind of bet. Who ever works out the most will get 20 dollars every month. But, we can only count 30 minutes a day. I plan on winning.