WATER!

The water finally came down the ditch at the first of the month.  It is a welcomed site!  Everything is so dry from all of the wind and lack of rain this spring.  Ryan has been starting systems all over the country.  It’s been nice to have him close to home.  I think this is my favorite time of year for sure!

I think it is interesting how the grass is yellow and dying but the weeds are thriving EVERYWHERE!

The strawberries are up and looking good.

This kid is my sidekick, I don’t dare let him out of my site with all of the water running.  I hope he stays away from the ditches.

Everything is so much greener with only one watering, it’s great!

Ashley’s 6th Grade Yellowstone Auction

Ashley’s class gets to go to Yellowstone at the end of the month.  We are getting so excited to go!  She had a big final fundraiser that was a dinner and auction.  A couple of her friends came over and we baked up a storm.  They each made something to get auctioned off and then I made them do a little for me too!

Ashley, Sydney, Shelby.

There was quite a bit of giggling going on! 

I wanted to get a final picture with them and all of their items for the auction, but we got majorly photo bombed by this toothless funny man!

That’s more like it!

I had them stem 8 pounds of strawberries to make into jam.  Then they stirred it all until their arms were going to fall off,  of course while watching a Hallmark channel chick flick!  It was a fun day.  The auction was a success they earned $2,400!  It was great!  Two weeks until Yellowstone!!!!

I’m Going To Miss This!

I always feel like the mornings are such a rush to get the school kids off, but the REAL work begins once they are gone!  These two need some attention NOW!

This really happens as soon as my big helpers are gone. One pulling from the front and one from the back! 

Ryan keeps reminding me that I am going to miss them being little.  I know he is right, but it’s also not always peaches and cream around our house!

Sunday Shots

Sunday started out like all the rest of the days this week, WINDY!  But the wind stopped!  The wind NEVER stops, once it starts in the morning it blows ALL DAY LONG!  We were excited that it changed its mind so we could go outside!  The kids even ran through the sprinkler for a minute.

Ryan got to sit down for a minute, before the kids started begging him to come here, or go there.

Ashley reading the funnies;

and petting the kitty;

Some how the bb guns made there way outside for a round or two.

This kid headed out to the pivot point!  I was ok with that because there are no ditches in the field and I could see him, but he has no fear at all!

Ashley is determined to learn a cartwheel for cheer.  She has a little ways to go yet….

Finally the baseball gear came out.

We love our summery Sunday’s.

Picnicn’

Ryan came home in time for dinner!!  But I wouldn’t let him in to eat it!  I wanted him to work on these old beds for me. 

I made the kids move out on the lawn to eat their dinner so we could kind of be together?

Ryan had come earlier and taken the boys, I didn’t realize he took Rett with no shoes or pants, imagine that!  One of my kids with no pants on?!

We all have been loving this pina colada drink, its yummy!

Watching dad working.

And he is off!

I have my hands full this summer keeping this curious boy out of trouble!  He loves the outside, and we have been loving this nice weather!

This Bird

We are down to one lone chicken.  She is so lonely too.  She follows the kids all around when they are out. 

We have had only two for quite a while and then we left the coop door open Sunday night and a raccoon got in and ate the eggs and killed her last friend. 

Ryan has set a trap for the raccoon, we have seen him a couple times, but he hasn’t wandered into the trap yet.

Every night she settles down on the back step, she even came in the door with Ryan!  I screamed! 

I think she knows the predator is out there and going to get her next!  Ryan carries her every night to the coop and shuts the door tightly and sets the raccoon trap!  We need to get some new chicks to keep her company, but I don’t know if she will like them or not.  Poor lonely bird.

Shooting

The kids have been begging to shoot bb guns.  I finally just let them go out and do it themselves.  They did fine, Ryan has taught them to be cautious and not to shoot each other.  Hopefully they wont shoot a kitty or chicken either!  Justin technically doesn’t have a gun, but some how has made what’s left of Ryan’s original bb gun.  It is just the barrel no stock, but he makes it work.  I think we will get him one for his 8th birthday.

They can even knock the cups off now.

It worked good until little brother figured out what was going on and came over.

Justin tried to run him off but it didn’t work to well.

We are happy to have some non windy spring days.

Ashley’s School Project

In 6th grade we do 3 big projects in the last 6 weeks of school.  The first was the Einstein report, the second was a wonder (not like just the 7 wonders) but a wonder of the world.  She had Yosemite National Park.  (Then her last report will be about Yellowstone since we are going there on a field trip at the end of May)

Ash made a nice little diorama of Yosemite Falls and some of the forest.  It turned out good.

Of course once the glue gun was out everyone had to make their own.  It was a fun project.

Ashley got an A!