Business Time

A summer day with nothing to do...why not try to make a buck? Too bad we don't live on a street with a little more traffic, they worked hard for paying clients.  They even offered me a glass of cool sweetness, only if I was willing to pay 50 cents.  Geesh, they drive a hard bargin.  I opted for the organic limeade.

Doing the Prep Work

Ready for Business!

We aRe FAmiLy

Summer is a special time for Warren's family.  Back in the day Warren (Chris' grandpa) and his brothers were either working in the field or playing ball on the field.  Either way, it was a time to work hard and play even harder.  In honor of Grandma and Grandpa the modern day Raabes (Ray.be) come together for a weekend of fun and games. 
-This year was a little different, no bocce tourney, no pizza, no group photo as well as missing a couple people.  We did have an addition to our crazy group...Steven.  What a great guy, I hope the family didn't scare him off. 
-Our annual reunion includes 3 days at the cabins, gift exchange, campfires and smores, swimming, fishing, lots of teasing and this year we added an Easter egg hunt.  Pictures below.

Ready for the hunt!

Emma enjoyed time spent with Levi

Olivia's quote: "We can do whatever we want and not ask our moms."
These three played so well all weekend while their brothers hunted for frogs.

My Blondies!!

cooling off with ice cream on a hot day

While The Cat's Away

'Tis the season for Father-Son bonding on a lake.  Each year Dean and Chris go away for a few days, we assume they are fishing even tho some years there isn't much to show for the time away.  I'm pretty sure they fish but I really don't want to know the details of their eating, sleeping or general hygene.  Eww!  All I know is they come home with all kinds of lies about the fish they caught and who was the better fisherman.  It makes me laugh. Unfortunately, brother-in-law John is not in the picture.  Don't think for one minute that because he is not "blood" that he can't hang with Chris and Dean in the fishing or the lying. 

SOOO, the girls and I decided while daddy is gone we could do some fun stuff.  We've had softball games, soccer practice, movies, library time, sleepovers, Krispy Kreme, painting pottery (didn't know how expensive that was going to be.  yikes!!) and tonight we will do some bonding with Nana...dinner and shopping.  I'm not sure that we'll be ready for the "cat" to return.

Note to self:  this would make for a fun girls night out.

The Graduate

Officially I can't attend MOPS any more.  Not that I did anyway.  :)  But now I CAN'T!!  Sniff Sniff!!

My baby graduated from preschool this May; she's a kindergartner.  I don't know how that can be possible.  It's exciting to see my girls grow and become interesting educated young ladies, it just blows my mind how quickly we have gone though the baby and toddler stages.  I remember bringing home each of the girls from the hospital like it was yesterday.

Olivia and Max were peer models in a fantastic preschool this past school year.

The kids are performing one of several songs during graduation.

 Olivia with Ms Sarah

Getting the diploma

Olivia, I know you really enjoyed your teachers Ms Sarah, Ms Pam and Ms Jenny as well as all the kids in your afternoon preschool class but you are going to love kindergarten even more.  Your big heart and bubbly attitude makes you a joy to be around.  Keep that sweet spirit.  Mommy and Daddy love you dearly!

Salt of the Earth

One of the many things Aunt Delma loved was Hutchinson and all the small city has to offer.  Our phone calls would include stories about the most recent musician, nationally acclaimed surgeon or author who had just visited Hutch; or maybe something about the Kansas State Fair or Hutch JuCo.  However, taking a journey down to Hutch would always include taking in one of the many attractions in the city.  The last time we visited before she moved to Nebraska we planned to tour one of the salt mines underneath Hutch.  As bad luck would have it, I got food poisoning from Village Inn and had to head home.  (SIDE NOTE: not a pleasant trip home!)

We couldn't think of a better way to honor Aunt Delma than to take a tour in Hutch.  The day after the funeral the family took the trip 650 feet below ground to investigate what we had missed.  I have no doubt that Aunt Delma would have been so pleased!  The salt deposit under Hutch is 400 feet thick and stretches 150 miles by 200 miles.  It impressively holds 30 trillion tons of salt.

Aunt Ruth, Marianne, Emma, Chris, Reagan, Rodger, Olivia, Eric Regina



A huge slab of pure clear salt which weighs 6,000 pounds.  It's not often that miners find salt blocks like this without sediment or other impurities.

The crew ready for a tram ride into the rough areas of the mine.

Picking out souvenir salt

This shows one of the "hallways" blocked off with empty dynamite boxes.

There are LARGE areas of the salt mine rented out by the government and other organizations to preserve documents, historical artifacts as well as much of Hollywood's treasures.  Here you see an outfits from the movies "Talladega Nights" (Chris loved this movie), "The Terminator" and "Bat Man".  It is impossible to get to the high security areas.

What a very informative and interesting afternoon.

Gardening

This morning we went outside to plant a few flowers that I forgot we had purchased.  I walked around the corner to see these beautiful flowers.  Last week they were pretty but today they are gorgeous.  What a little gift from God today.

 Below you will see some of our plants in the garden.  Chris is really good about planning, planting and harvesting wonderful food for our family.  We are all looking forward to fresh tomatoes more than anything else.  Looks like the lettuce and baby spinach is ready to be picked.

We are co-oping with some friends this year.  Just to give them a hard time...not sure when the co-op part comes in...maybe they are going to harvest.  ha ha  To be honest we haven't asked for any help yet.

ONION



CUCUMBER



SPINACH . LETTUCE

STRAWBERRY . BASIL . TOMATO . BELL PEPPER



MINT . ZUCCHINI

NOTE:  garden fresh produce should be washed before eating...today my husband tried to "make" me eat a bug.  :)