The Armadillo Hunt

The last few weeks we have had a family of armadillos try to over take our backyard.I first noticed a big hole dug next to the side of our house and going under the fence. Not being from around here, I thought the Ryan had tried to fix some pipe and didn't finish yet. I didn't say anything to him for a few days, but noticed that the hole was getting bigger and deeper. So I decided to ask him what the heck he was doing. He had no idea what I was talking about so I went out and showed him. Then the next few days we started noticing that there were chunks of grass pulled out around where the hole was. After asking around, we found out that we had an armadillo problem.They come out at night and stick their freaky looking nose down into the grass trying to find bugs to eat and destroy your lawn while doing so. Ryan looked online to see how to get ride of them- shoot 'em or trap 'em in a cage and have animal control come get them. Ryan also found Bob "The Critter Getter" in the phone book. Bob charges 50 bucks everytime he comes out and catches one. Bob said that when they find a yard to attack, they usually are there for good and will keep coming back. So my husband decided to take care of them himself. From that point we were on the armadillo watch. At night we constantly would check out the window to see if we could see them. After a few nights of the "watch" we finally saw the creature. Everyone had just gone to bed and I was up watching TV. I decided to check out the window and there he was. I ran into our room and woke up Ryan. He ran to his waiting pile of clothes and "weapons" and got prepped. He handed me the golf club and he took the shovel-yup, those were the weapons. He told me to go get my brother next door to come help. Oh so quietly, we went into the backyard. We got the thing surrounded and he had no where to go except under the deck. The nasty creature wouldn't come out because he knew he was looking at death. So I grab our hose, turned it on, and sprayed the thing until it came out. He ran right to Jason, my bother, and he whacked that thing like there was no tomorrow. The nasty creature jumped straight up into the air and when he was back on all fours he got whacked again. By this time Ryan had come over and helped in the whacking. After a few more hits the thing finally gave up. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life-watching to grown men beating an armadillo to death.
.......The next night more returned.............the watch started again............Ryan woke up every hour for several nights trying to get the thing..........didn't happen...........Ryan got very tired.........Ryan doesn't do well without his beauty sleep............Ryan bought an armadillo trap sold at Lowe's............Ryan put a fence screen along our backyard that lines the woods which funnels to the trap...........haven't seen any armadillos since...........but our neighbor a few doors down has seen them!










































Our friends next door didn't think that we would be able to ever catch and kill an armadillo. Little did they know that you never tell Ryan he can't do something. So after the killing took place, we kindly put the creature on the driveway for them to see when they got home from a movie. The next morning the armadillo was on top of our mailbox. Ryan then decided a proper burial place would be our garbage can. In Alabama, if you have a dead animal in your garbage can mixed with humidity and garbage day 3 days away-------It STINKS really really bad.

Oakley's 2nd Birthday!

We had an Elmo party for Oakley with some of the neighbor kids.
Grammy Hammond was even able to be here for the party!
Oakley loved having her here!






















Oakley holding onto her Elmo pinata.
























Oakley riding her new Jeep. She loves this thing!























Oakley thanking Daxton for her birthday present.























Grammy Topham saved the day with this present!
We call this Oakley's "DS". Every time Kobe had his DS out Oakley
would freak out until it was in her hands.
So now she will go get her DS when Kobe has his.























Oakley giving her new Kitty a hug.

TRI-STATE 100

In August, Ryan was looking online and came across a bike race that was going to be held in Dothan. He showed me and told me that I should do it. I wasn't so sure since I never had done a race before. You could choose between the 25 mile, 60 mile, or 100 mile race. I knew right off that the 100 mile race was out! So I figured I would try the 60 mile race. It was scheduled for August 23rd. I had about 2 weeks to mentally prepare. I had already been riding 3 days a week for awhile so I hoped that I would be ready physically and not make a fool out of myself. Well a few days later I found out that I was pregnant! From past pregnancies I knew that I would be starting to feel like crap right around when the bike race was scheduled. I decided to go ahead with the race and if I felt like crap the day of then I wouldn't do it. Well on the 22nd the race got postponed till the following week because of a Hurricane that was about to make land fall in Florida and Alabama on the 23rd. After I found that out I thought that I was not going to do the race. I thought for sure I would have my head over the toilet by the next weekend. I guess I mentally talked my body into feeling decent by the time the race came. So on Saturday morning Ryan and I headed down to the race. There was a good crowd of riders that showed up and I started to get a little nervous. The race started and off I went. The route had three pit stops along the way that I was great full for. I stopped at each one, scarfed down some snacks, and headed out again. I buddied up with a guy from Dothan and we took turns taking the head wind which I was also great full for. Well come the 50 mile mark I hit a wall (not literally, but physically) My pregnant body was done, but I was not. I kept going. I had to sit upright as much as I could so I wouldn't throw up. The last 10 miles were slow but I finished! I couldn't believe that I did it! I did the race in 4 hours and was the first female to finish. I can't wait to do it next year!!!




















I have a smile on my face because this was the beginning.





















These 3 guys were amazing! They blew everyone away
and finished way before any one else.


















This senior citizen, bless his heart, decided to tackle the
60 mile race with his beach cruiser and all!
What is funny is that he was in the lead for quite some time.
He didn't stop at any of the pit stops which caught up with him towards the end.























Having just entered the beautiful state of Florida

The Southern Hang Out----CHUCKY CHEESE!!!


We all went to Chucky Cheese to celebrate Gage's 3rd birthday.

Kobe's First Day of School!

I can't believe Kobe is in 3rd grade already.
The first day of school was August 7th. I would of not
been happy if I had to start school that early.
I felt bad that they had to be in school during August
because it was so bloody hot. Luckily, they have air conditioners.
Some of the days it was so hot that they wouldn't let them go outside to play.
They only time they let them be outside each day is during P.E.
They don't have recess here in Alabama. Since Alabama is
rated one of the lowest school systems in the states,
they figure that if they are in the classroom for more
time then maybe their ratings will change. Poor kids.

Kobe's Baptism

Kobe was baptized on July 27. Grammy and Grandpa Hammond,
Chucky, Sunee, and Bubba were all able to come!
We missed the rest of the family that was not able to come.
Events like this make you miss being closer to family.
We only have these two pictures from the baptism.
In our ward, the parents are responsible for putting
together the program for their child's baptism
since it is just your child getting baptized.
It's not like in Utah where the Stake has a baptism day
the first Saturday of the month for 15 or so kids.
So needless to say, I was a little stressed and forgot to take more pictures.
We even forgot to get a picture of Ryan and Kobe dressed in white. Oops!

Washing Bikes
















Kobe and Daxton washing their bikes






















Oakley is wanting to "help". She insisted on having the
elbow and knee pads on.






















Oakley and Gage's version of a Southern bath.