Let the honeymoon begin

Due to Josh's motor needing some TLC from the engine builder who lives in Grants Pass Oregon, Josh surprised me and took me away on a little ocean getaway.  We lefted Friday morning @ 4, made our stop in Grants Pass and then headed for Brandon Oregon.    As we sat and watched the sunset while having dinner, Josh and I couldn't think of the last time we had taken a weekend getaway.  That was because it has NEVER happened.  There has been a night here or there that we have lefted the kids, but never 2 nights.  And the last time we were at the ocean just the two of us was before kids, so that was about 8 years ago.  It was truly an AMAZING time and very much NEEDED.  Thank you Lyndsy and Sally for offering to keep our little monsters while we were away and thank you Uncle Lyndsy and Aunt Ashley for helping out and keeping everyone under control.  The kids had a great time while dad and mom were away.

The weather was GREAT!!  Nothing like it usually is in Winter when we are here.

We had a ton of fun and I'm sure the people watching us jump and laugh at our pictures thought we were crazy!!

We had made plans of making a few stops on the way home, but due to the pickup breaking down in Portland and putting us about 4 hours behind schedule I only got to take pictures from the car window as we drove by.  There is some amazing scenery between here and Bandon.

Wintoniak Racing

It was looking so good for the orange #9 Saturday night.  Josh had a time in of 12.707 which gave him 2nd fast time and the best time in of his career at the Wenatchee Super Oval.  With a 100 lap main event, Josh started dead last but that didn't slow the #9 down.  By lap 22 Josh Roberts was running 1st and pulling away from the pack.  As he counted the laps down he had no idea that he would find himself in a problem at lap 51.  As #9 began lapping the field he found himself hung up by one car, the #21 car.  The driver wasn't making it easy on Josh and eventually caused trouble for him.  #9 had almost finished getting completely around the #21 car when out of the blue Josh was taken out by #21 taking him out of first and sending him to the pits with a flat tire.  No driver finds it funny or necessary to cheap shot a driver who is passing you and putting you a lap down so why in the world the #21 driver thought it was necessary we don't really know but I guess that is why he got the black flag thrown at him.
Josh and his crew where able to get the tire replaced and get the car back on the track just in time for the green flag, not putting the #9 a lap down.  With half the race completed and half still remaining, Josh was fighting his way back through the pack of cars.  He had managed to get himself into 4th place when the real trouble started for the #9.  It's never a good sign to see a large amount of black smoke come out of the back of your car.  With only 8 laps remaining in the Main Event the #9 caused a yellow flag due to spinning out.  As it turned out, Josh's car had lost it's oil belt which lead to having a small oil leak which caused him to spin out. 
After a long night of thinking about the car motor and what the options where, it was decided to take the motor out and have it taken to the motor builder.  As Josh put it, it would be a lot cheaper to have it fixed now than wait and possible have the motor blow up.  So with that decision, more than likely the orange #9 won't be making the next race, which would have been July 3rd.  We are hoping to make it back for the August Race.  We will keep you posted.

Summer Break is HERE!!

 Well finally it is Summer Break and this Roberts Family is LOVING it!! 

The water was AMAZING

That is one way to get her on the tube, DAD!

Ready, Launch

The boots really help the swimsuit look. 

Seriously, who dressed that girl?

Have a GREAT Friday!

Combine Derby

It's like NO other event you have EVER seen.  Three years ago when Josh's family bought a dry land farm in Lind, WA., we attended the Combine Derby having NO idea what we where in store for.  Let me just say it's been 4 days since the derby and Hans still won't take his bracelet, that is how much our kids love the derby.  There is only 361 days until next years derby and my kids aren't going to stop talking about it until then.

Just a few of the combines that competed in the derby

Meet Jaws, he is usually the favorite to win and most of the time does win.

But this year there was a NEW winner!

Jail Break

My boys, Alyee got to spend the day with her Grandpa and Grandma.

Yes that is Josh, not Jose.

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for another wonderful Combine Derby experience.

Boys lets go ' RACIN '

For Josh's birthday, Ashley made Josh some really cool Racing Flags so of course we had to test them out.  I am sorry to report that the Black Flag seems to be the flag that's thrown a lot more than any other flag.  I had to watch the boys race a little at a time for the simple reason that they SCARE the heck out of me.  Hans is by far the most aggressive 1 out of the bunch.  It seemed like the black flag was either being pointed at him or waved at him, either way, that still isn't a good thing.  Hans hasn't fully got the whole concept that blocking isn't OK, he was rubbing tires, cutting others off, and just flat out blocking anyone who attempted to get around him.  It was even more entertaining to watch Josh and his brother race on the little boys 4-wheelers, Yes their is a weight limited but that didn't seem to stop either of them.  Oh well, what are you going to do, they all had a GREAT time.  As you look at the pictures, you tell me who you thought had more fun, Boys or Dad?

as my boys put it to me, "It's just a little rubbing, rubbings racing mom".

Hans was shown that finger and that black flag ALOT!!

As did his Dad

Watch out boys, cuz when these girls start racing, your all in trouble.

Oh the Places you will go

Friday evening Josh and I sat and watched our niece graduate from High School.  I couldn't help but be filled with excitement for her.  I have watched her blossom into an extremely beautiful young lady.  I am looking forward to the future and watching her begin this new adventure in her life.  She has a VERY bright future ahead of her.

It turned out to be a beautiful evening for graduation

After receiving her diploma

Celebration began

 After graduation we went back to Brian and Tamar's to congratulate Devyn.  Because I couldn't find Tamar, Josh stood in for his sister.  Isn't that a cute family?

Josh and I with Devyn, she is 1 special young lady to us and we are very PROUD of her.

Family Photo Shoot

As I get older, and wiser, I have made it my mission to make sure my family has at least 1 good family photo a year.  Thanks to my sister-in-law having an amazing best friend who just happens to be a great photographer, we have had 2 successful family photos.  My hat is off to Staci, Alyee didn't give her much to work with and somehow she still managed to get some REALLY great pictures.  Thanks Staci for all your patience with my wild, funny and crazy family!!

Memorial Weekend

 If there is one thing the Roberts Family knows how to do, it's how to have a great weekend full of good times and good memories.  For Memorial Weekend this year, we had a campout full of laughs, boating, and LOTS of food.  I have to say that this was probably one of the best family get togethers we have had at the lake house and the most under control.  It was so great watching all the kids play and have fun as well as the adults who sat and talked about the good old days and all the memories they have from the past.

We always try to make sure we get a group shot of everyone who attends.  This was everyone!!

Although the weather seemed cold, these kids weren't going to miss out on some boating and tubing.

When they weren't tubing, they were busy with other fun activities.

To top a great weekend, we also had a great time celebrating these 2 girls who are about to graduate from high school this coming weekend.  Meet Leslie and Devyn.  Devyn is our niece and Leslie is Josh's cousin.  These 2 girls have been raised together throughout their lives.  It has been wonderful watching them both grow into very respectful young ladies and I'm looking forward to watching them continue to develop into women.  This family couldn't be prouder of them both.

SERIOUSLY!!

There is no mistaking that Alyee is a farm girl.  If their is anything that she is excellent at, it's finding water and mud.  This past weekend we were enjoying an evening of no rain when it dawned on us, "Where is Alyee"?  As Josh and I looked out across the yard, there she was, happy as could be, just her and her mud puddle.  Some would jump up and freak out, but seriously, what harm is she doing?

Look how happy she was

She began telling us all about how fun playing in a mud puddle is in her own words.

Of course, she did have 1 problem.  How was she going to get her boots.

I have NEVER seen a child like water as much as she does no matter what the temperature is.

ALL better