31

Aug

Junior high

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Jacob in his new junior high sweatshirt. He looks pretty wiped out because he just finished football practice and he had his all night birthday bash last night!  His schedule just arrived today and he is all set for Junior High though!

31

Aug

Alexa’s first day of school

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31

Aug

Update

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So looking back it has been quite a long time since I have updated on the Busy Brill Household.  It has been a busy summer filled with projects, sun, river fun, and friends.

Grandma and I ran new water lines to a garden area between my cow fields.  This was one of the easier projects and one of the best for me this summer!  I had a pretty productive garden in the lower field and am already looking forward to next year when I will grow more!  Recently I put some posts in to fence off the garden completely from the animals.  We all worked really hard on creating a path to the chicken coop that is graveled.  This will be a huge advantage this winter when we would normally have to walk through tall wet soggy grass!  Early in the summer we had problems with something attacking out chickens.  We originally thought it was a raccoon but now think it may have been feral cats.  More posts were dug and a small yard was created outside their chicken hole.  The entire pen was reinforced with fencing laid on the ground and then graveled.  Then to really keep the climbing critters out we ran 3-4 runs of barb wire above the fencing!  So far 3 months later we still have all our chickens!  It did take them quite a long time to realize they had to fly over the fence to get in.  I am happy to report that our chickens aren’t as dumb as we originally thought and they did figure it out!  Next year I am getting ducks to help maintain the slug population.  I am not sure how they will get in the chicken coop though.  May have to come up with another little hidy home for them.  Doug may kill me if it includes more building though!  We also started tearing into our laundry room.  As of right now the room is still torn up though!  Other projects and sun took over and it is at a standstill.  Once complete though it will be a big pantry/utility room!  We are also running water for an outside shower, outside sink, and outside animal waterer (for the cats and dogs in the yard). 

The big project this summer was to roof the house and build a front offshoot.  It is nearly complete!  The ridge pieces need to be completed but other than that the new roof is done! 

Grandma and Grandpa bought a house in town mid July.  They still come out for lots of barbecues and good meals and they are just in town to come help on projects when need be.  Most recently Doug’s tires on his boat locked up.  Poor Doug was heading out for a Halibut fishing trip.  The rest of the day involved Doug and Grandpa tearing apart the wheels to remove (break) the brakes out!  What a mess, but it is done.  The lucky thing, if there is anything lucky about this, was that it all happened right here in our garage.  Could have been worse and happened at the launch!  Doug has even made a trip on the ocean since and the boat towed just fine. 

Doug has had a few very productive and fun trips on the ocean.  Emily and I went out on a tuna trip.  We went about 50 miles out which was a bit long and bumpy for me but once we got there the fishing was great!  We caught 14 tuna in less than 2 hours.  Everyone on board was very involved in the fishing.  Em and I both agreed that for our one ocean trip this summer, it was the best!

As for the summer fun we spent most of our days of fun up the river swimming with friends.  Nicolas always brought his fishing pole and alternated swimming with fishing.  Emily spent the entire time enjoying her friends.  She has been pretty scared of fish in past years.  This year she has conquered her fear and swam right through schools of them!  Jacob and Lex took a big camping trip to California with their mom.  Jacob even did a backpacking camping trip with John and his stepbrothers!  Jacob thought this was pretty awesome!

We didn’t go on any camping trips like I had wanted.  Maybe next year.  Doug did however go on a dusty camping trip with Nicolas deep into the Eastern Oregon desert.  His dad drew a antelope tag so the three of them met up somewhere amongst tumble weeds.  On the last day to hunt early in the morning Grandpa Brill shot a big ol Buck!  Nicolas was pumped.  He still talks of the hunt and is anxious to go again soon.

Alexa came home for the week before her school started.  She had a girl style campout birthday party in the backyard.  We set up the hunting tent, did pedicures, and had a campfire.  She is back at mom’s and starts school today!

Jacob had a birthday party last night with his favorite friends.  They are still in the cabin enjoying no parents being around!  I have no idea what time they went to bed but my guess was late!

Emily’s birthday landed on the opening day of Harry Potter.  The night before her birthday we loaded a minivan with her friends and headed to Portland.  We celebrated her birthday at midnight to the first showing in 3D!  Then we all drove home to get some sleep. 

Most recently I moved all the kids around to give them each their own rooms.  Lexi moved into the old den.  With purple curtains and a real bed in there it is a pretty darn cute room.  And she has a place to call her own when she visits.  Jacob moved into the cabin.  It isn’t complete yet but it is good enough for him.  He thinks he is in heaven!  So far he has been very responsible and trustworthy with it.  Emily is loving having her own bedroom.  Nicolas is not.  He doesn’t like sleeping alone.  I keep telling him someday he will love it.

Emily, Jacob, and Nicolas all start school in less than a week and summer fun is over.  We still have projects to work on to keep us busy through the school year though.  Laundry room is project number one.  Kids bathroom may get an overhaul this year as well.

I will try to keep this updated better as our lives slide back into a routine, however hectic that routine may be!

16

Aug

Antelope

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