Day before the First Day of School

So, yesterday was the last day before school started, and Adam wakes up and says "We should do something today..." We talked a bit and decided on Starved Rock. Starved Rock is a state park where you can hike, fish on the river, go on boat tours and rent canoes and boats and the like. It was bought as a state park in 1911. It's called Starved Rock, because approximately 40 or so Indians starved there. Very sad.

Here are the boys leaving the visitors center...we're going to get some bait in town.
David and Jacob, set up ready to fish on the river. The current is strong, and many people are speeding by on wave runners and boats...I couldn't imagine any fish hanging around, but we tried it anyway.
This reminds me of fishing on the river as a kid. I used to go fishing with my dad and grandma.
The current was so strong our lines kept crossing, no matter where we started out from. I gauged my bobber running into Jacob as taking maybe about 30 seconds to do so, so we were constantly reeling in and recasting. After 15 minutes of this the boys lost interest and went exploring. Jacob found a shell. :)
Pretty soon we all got bored...and went for a walk...this area was nice and warm in the sun, and very relaxing.
Finally Ad let the boys wade in the water and a barge comes down the river.

Here it comes :) What do you suppose is in it?

Finally, the first and only catch of the day :) A pretty fish...but it swallowed the hook and it was hard for Ad to remove....r.i.p. little fish.

All in all a very relaxing and enjoyable day. :) Today, the boys both were excited and woke up early to get to school. I hope they had a great day!

Softball is finally over!

I know this sounds just terrible...but, I'm glad the season is over. We had our final game on Monday, with the end score being 8-4...we had one very bad inning and that pretty much cost us the game.

I made a beautiful fly ball catch in right field, and decided I like Right Field cause there is quite a bit of action over there...and the guys weren't trying to knock me out of the way to try and catch the balls meant for me. :)

I have a feeling we'll play again next year...but I plan to practice my hitting way more! I hate hitting sissy grounders right to pitchers, really burns my britches! lol

Cookout in two weeks! woo hoo

Band Camp!

Ah, those days of watching my brother in high school marching band are gone, but it's ok, cause my oldest, Big D, is going into high school and we are back to the awesomeness of marching band once again!

Last week was "band camp" where the kids got together and learned parade marching as well as the routine for the field during football games. :) It's all very exciting and David is happy cause he knows mostly everyone in band already. I really like the idea of band. They get to learn focus in learning an instrument, while also making some pretty close friends in the process. J starts band this year, and we're hoping he gets as much fun out of it as D did...but we'll see! Enjoy the videos, and pics from the Friday night gathering where parents got to see what the kids learned. :) Love, Jill

Above, Big D in the center, playing his mellophone, below is the mellophone line :)

Baker watches the band :)

Here is a video of the french horn line marching forward :) Fun stuff!

Showing the Ropes

One day I came home to a curious sight...the sight of the men in my family laying under the car together. :) Adam had told me he would be changing the oil in the cars, but I didn't expect to see the younger Slutsky men under there with him...it was so cute, I had to mark the occasion, much to their dismay, I whipped out the camera...what a better way to get a picture of them, and they can't do a thing about it! muuwaahhaahhaa!
This is them complaining, but you know the mama doesn't ever listen!
I got one last picture...of big D getting ready to let the oil drip in the pan. Adam reported to me that he did most of the oil change by himself...a new big D first! They are most certainly growing up. Now, David has told me he wants to be like Chelsey and start to learn driving right on his 15th birthday...yikes!! I hope he's more alert on the road than he is any other time! :) Wish me luck.

Love, Jill

Stone People

My friend and I went playing out in nature...we had a purpose, but we ended up just enjoying the nature spirits instead. I felt very connected, and with I had the drive to go out in the car and do this regularly...but I have to put it on my list of things to do...that's what you do with a family. Anywho! Tina and I came to this place, she said to me, you want to see something beautiful? I sat outside the gravel pit in my car wondering what I could possibly see that was so pretty? She said it's on top of that hill right there...so we, who were so rightly dressed in sandles, with no backs...plodding up a very steep hill, set about finding this beauty.

At first, I looked around and it was pretty, but then I felt urged to check out the rock itself. When I did, I saw all the faces in the rock, looking right AT US. Not just hey we're a bunch of faces, or what looks like faces...but faces looking at US. It was amazing. There were faces from many different walks of life in that rock. My favorite two ladies are in the top picture. They are definitely Native American. But there were all sorts of ancient faces, and I was worried that taking a picture of them they would disapear...but you can still see them! Or can you? Can you? If so, how many can you see...Let me know!

Home Sweet Home

Last weekend I sat and weeded this patch too...it was horrible, due to the bird feeder, and all the seeds planting themselves...I am now in the market for a bird house instead of a feeder. I think the finches will enjoy that. :)

Well, my parents visited the other week, and we had a very busy, very nice time, thanks to them, my bushes are all pretty...I'm still waiting on them to fill in as promised...but I may have some plant spikes i can stick in the ground to help move things along. We continued in the tradition, by trimming the bushes in the back and around the side of the house, just two days ago, the energy around our house is just amazing now. I feel like I disturbed all the plant beings and wooded ones out from hiding. The night we trimmed all the bushes in the back, I couldn't sleep! The energy was so vibrant. I don't know what it means, but if we have to move...then at least my yard will look more manicured. I think I prefer the wild look, but someone else may like this better :) anyway, enjoy the pics!!

Happy Birthday Chris!

With Chris turning 40 on 8-8-8, Brian decided to do a little early party and have Jenna plan it. Jenna enlisted the help of several people, and the party was great, so thanks for all your work on this party! It was great :)

As with a lot of surprise parties, she had an idea of what was going on...but she managed to look a bit surprised when we yelled surprise...and her sisters wasted no time in getting out the shots. I sorta feel bad for Chris but you can tell by the video, she was having fun...until about 10, but that's another story...lol. Chris, at least this video isn't on you tube, and not on facebook, so I kept my word! I tried to email it to you, but it was too big...so I HAD to post it here! Happy Birthday on 8-8-8! Love ya!

what is sad is that I didn't have my memory card in it, so I ran out of space...lol, I managed to get one more hilarious 1 second video too...enjoy!