So, our big project for this week is to get rid of the old "green toolbox". I didn't think to get the camera out until it was half done so here it is, going...
going.... (They said they found a rat the size of a house cat!)
going.... (they cut it in pieces with a saws all)
and almost gone!! (now we just have to haul off the rubble and store the stuff we are keeping??)
It is already having such a huge visual impact on the property. It looks way bigger back there.
Todd turned 31 on Friday. He had a great birthday! There is a detailed update on our blog.
So, Bruce and I had a chance to go to Oklahoma and hang out on a little ranch. We were supposed to brand, vaccinate, de-horn and all the other stuff that needs to be done to calves. It was too windy to have the fires and such so we did other stuff like go to the livestock auction to buy more cows, (all bred or with new babies), feed, water, visit the most amazing antique/junk store on the face of the planet, trim trees, hang out and generally have a great time. As Uncle art would say, you can really "stretch your eyes" out there. The sunset we saw was phenomenal. We had one cow that went down in the stock trailer on the way home from the auction. We tried everything for 2 days to get her up, even an intravenous medicine. We think she broke her leg or her hip. Anyway after we did everything we could think of we ended up having to put her down. It was really sad but they say that is life on the ranch. Later that day when we went with the cows, we found out another new little calf had just been born. One of the things Bruce wanted to see was an armadillo. Well, we never saw one alive but we found one out at an old abandoned home and brought it home for him as a present. We were able to explore some old abandoned farm houses. If they could only talk, what stories I am sure they could tell.
Last week just after a rain, Koko had a bout with the swollen face. It really looked bad. We think she must have tried to bite a toad.
Poor dog. We gave her some antihistamine and in a couple of days she was back to normal. She never seemed to be in pain or have any kind of discomfort. Watch out for those toads.
He is qualified for Western Reigonals in Pocatello, Idaho! He placed 5th today out of 12 wrestlers...and he got a medal. WAY TO GO JONNY!! I missed the first two matches...he pinned both opponents!! The 3rd he lost by points...and the 4th he was pinned. He was quite devastated about the last two matches, but he really did GREAT (and we told him so)!!
So, it looks like we'll be vacationing in Pocatello this June. As long as we'll be up that way, we are thinking of hitting Yellowstone and some of the sights in Salt Lake City on our way home. The kids have never been to Temple square, etc. and I havent been there in AGES. Looks like it could be a very fun trip!!
Sadie and Isaiah making masterpieces.
We all got into the act (except Rob who apparently had some texting to do). Halia almost had Donald wearing the pink and purple dye. She was practicing the old "pull the tablecloth out from under the dishes on the table" trick. It almost worked too. But we stopped her just in time.
Isaiah and Jon were really getting into it. Sorry no pictures of the finished product. But they were very fun with all kinds of cute hats and faces.
Easter Morning 2008
Easter Morning 2009
Yesterday was Sadie's last Kindergarten field trip. They were going to the Stuffington Bear Factory. Sadie REALLY wanted me to come on the field trip, so I arranged my schedule so I could (although I did have to work the night before, so by the end of the field trip...I'd been up for 24 hours, and I had worked over 12 of them----->pardon my YAWN). We learned all about the origin of the teddy bear, how the first bears were made and what they were stuffed with. Then we toured the factory and got to see the whole process. After that, each child and parent chaparone got to make a bear! So fun!! Sadie's bear is Pink, and she named her "BubbleGum".....my bear is brown, and I named her "ButterScotch".