Blake Purcell Family: August 2021

August 1 - Road trip to Ken and Cindy's continued - We spent Courtney's birthday driving in the pickup. Some slept, some read, some played games, one drove. Stopping at rest areas with a little playground is a bonus!

We stopped at the biggest truck stop on I-80. It was a fun stop, lots to see. It was Courtney's birthday, so we had a birthday dinner in the this huge truck stop.

It was nice to get to Cindy's and be out of the pickup. Ruckus decided he felt the safest with Courtney or me.

August 2 - We went to Silver Beach for pizza and some fun at the spray park. Ryder mostly liked to run around the edges of the water. When the big guns shot the water, it would send spray over to us on the bench.

We walked down to the beach and dipped our toes in the lake. Ryder liked the waves.

We took all the pop cans and bottles to be recycled. It's always a fun little activity. Then Ryder rode the really slow horse in the store.

There was some good down time to spend with Ruckus and the cats, and take a little nap.

August 3 - Look who joined me at the table while I ate breakfast, yep, Sunshine! Randy and Blake got some time with him too. Ruckus decided to sit on Cindy's lap.

We went to pick blueberries. It was the last day they could be picked. We had to look hard to find some good ones.

We went to Captain Mike's Fun Park. We got to drive some go carts, some of them were really slow, some were faster, but it was fun.

Ryder got to drive his own go cart on a smaller track, he took it very seriously. Ken got to go hit in the batting cage.

We also went mini golfing. We didn't keep score, but had a great time.

A Hole in One! Blake got two, Cindy, Randy and I got one!

We drove down to the lake to see how much higher the water is, there is very little beach left in this area. We decided to do a little photo session.

August 4 - Randy And Ryder joined Cindy and Ken for a morning workout in Mukduk. Randy was limited by his injured shoulder, but did what he could. Ryder was a little trooper and did it all. He even got stung by a wasp, but went right back out to finish his workout.

We went to a cool place called Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park in Shipshewana, Indiana. It was run by Amish. We went on a wagon pulled by Clydesdales. We each had a huge bucket of feed, and the animals of all kinds would come up to the wagon for food. It was great fun. We were totally amazed by the size of horns!

There was also a petting zoo, with all kinds of animals to feed and pet. Cindy was definitely in her element. It was a fun place, I think we would all return again.

There was plenty of time for some petting of animals back at Ken and Cindy's. Ryder loved the Dr. Seuss book called, on Beyond Zebra. He tried to get everyone to read it to him. He pretty much had it memorized.

August 5 & 6 - Our trek back to Idaho - I didn't take many pictures, but I did document a bloody nose, crossing the Mississippi River, and rain on both days.

August 6 - Nikelle took this cute picture of Hallie helping her daddy to mow the lawn.

August 7 - Pickle Ball time. Maden wanted to try playing and did really well.

Annie is so good to help Hallie, and Hallie loves Annie!

August 14 - Blake went with Brian above Birch Creek to take the tent and set it up to get ready for hunting.

August 16 - Hallie had to sit by "her" Randall, she was very worried about him. Randy had surgery on his shoulder on the 12th. Look at the really smoky skies.

Randy borrowed some of Blake's shirts because he could't put his T-shirts on yet.

August 17 - Nikelle and I took the kids to see the Smurf Movie at the Blackfoot Movie Mill. It was Hallie's first time to see a movie in the theater, she loved it.

August 18 - Ryder's first day of 1st grade at Moreland Elementary! And Courtney's first day with students in her 10th year of teaching at Riverside Elementary!

We had a huge rainstorm, it flattened the petunias in the front of our townhouse, but they bounced back pretty good. I drove Randy to his Dr. appointment, then he chose to go the Mongolian Grill for lunch. He did pretty good eating noodles with his left hand.

I got to go with Molly to the back to school day at her new school, Groveland Elementary! She was way excited to meet her teacher and see her new school.

August 19 - Molly and Hallie came to visit, so we made some play dough. I didn't have any food coloring, so it was kind of plain.

August 21 - Annie came to play! Molly, Hallie and Annie are having a coloring party. Nikelle and I took Clark, Hallie, Molly and Annie to see the Paw Patrol Movie. They loved the movie! We got these handy little baskets to hold their pop and popcorn.

August 23 - Molly's first day of 1st grade at Groveland Elementary. I got to go see her get on bus. It was kind of DeJaVu, since her daddy was the last time I saw someone get on the bus at the end of that driveway.

August 28 - Mountain View Hospital hosted a party at Tautphus Park. Blake got tickets for Molly, Hallie, Ryder, Randy and I. Brian got tickets for his family. The kids loved the bounce houses and games.

It was free admission to the zoo, so we went and saw the animals. Hallie loved riding on Brian's shoulders.

There was a free dinner, free ice cream, cotton candy, snow cones and some other goodies. We waited near or in Brian's pickup for Courtney to come get Randy And Ryder.

August 29 - Blake and Brian headed up to the tent so they would be be ready for hunting early in the morning. They had a lot of stuff to haul up there!

August 30 - These three smiling kids are ready for the first day of school. Annie is in 3rd grade, Clark is in 1st grade, and Maden is in 6th grade at Summit Hills Elementary! Man, these grandkids are sure growing up! I sure love to see those smiling happy faces!