August Memories

Yeah, yeah, I know. But here we go...

The Hike of the Year

The guys got back from hiking Philmont Scout Ranch safely. No bears--thank you Lord!--and all in one piece. I'm told they earned their man card with this one. Over 86 miles hiked and up to Mount Baldy and ...(some other mountain I can't remember). The pictures are amazing and a trip Scout will never forget. He loved it so much that he says he wants to move to "a house in the mountains in New Mexico". Guess it was that awesome!

THE Fair

Good year all around. PinkOne got FIRST--thank you very much!--for Junior Showmanship with her rabbit. Scout and Emma got a first for agility! They did well with obedience too--HA! (ho would have ever thought it; Emma is maturing into an awesome dog.) PinkOne's chickens went for a whopping $60 at the Silent Auction; thanks, Grandpa ;-). Scout won the pie eating contest--3rd year in a row. LOL Scout did well in rabbit showmanship also--but he doesn't think so. He's such a perfectionist! It was his first year as a Senior and he placed 6th.

Weather was great except for Thursday when we had tornado warnings. We finally made a dash for the car and headed for home only to find out that a tornado had actually cut through our subdivision at home! We had power, but most everyone else in the sub did not for several days. We were also blessed with no damage to our house or yard. There were homes damaged, but no one was hurt.

Misc. Happenings

Scout had a Senior High Youth Group retreat that was a blast; so I'm told. LOL He especially loved the afternoon of paintball with his buddies.

PinkOne fractured her radius/elbow during a dance class. She kicked really high--yeah!--but her other foot slipped out from under her--no!--and down she went. She finished up dance--of course--but started feeling the pain on the way home. We iced her, but by morning it was still hurting. Several trips to various doctors/hospitals later and we had it confirmed; broken. She didn't let it stop her though; dance try-outs were the next evening. She did her best with her arm in her sling.

School Pictures

Yes, I homeschool our kids. I decided early on that I wanted to shoot pictures of them each year--just like "school pictures" only better. We've gone to the same park for several years now and I love the pictures I've gotten. But we have a new park right in our neighborhood and I've noticed LOTS of weddings coming to take pictures. A few weekends they've needed a traffic director for all the limos! lol We decided to check it out and WOW--it is awesome.

We only shot photos for 45 minutes and then the clouds started to move in. We want to go back and shoot a few more. And we want to take the dog with us too. But I got some good pictures all ready.

It will come as no surprise to those of you who know Scout, that he still doesn't like this process. However as he gets more "into" taking his own photos, he is pointing out shots for me to try.

Like this one; it's one of my favorites actually.

Although THIS ONE is my favorite--PinkOne still loves her brother!

Ready, Set, Go!!

It is 10:30 pm and everyone is heading off to bed. We are all set for the craziness of the fair to start tomorrow.
All the displays are set up, entries are tagged and turned in--or are going tomorrow.
Animals are all ready to go.
Laundry is done--for the moment; house is picked up--for the most part.
Both kids have done their best to be prepared. It should be a fun--if crazy-busy--week.

Sunday--4-H craft/project judging; rabbit & poultry turn-in
Monday--PinkOne finds out if she won Youth Achiever
Tuesday--4-H Dog Obedience & Showmanship; 4-H Poultry showing
Wednesday--both kids want to work the Petting Farm for the morning
Thursday--4-H Rabbit Day
Friday--Livestock Auction & Petting Farm duty
Saturday--4-H Dog Agility & Fun Match; Open Class Rabbits
Sunday--last day--everything comes home

July Memories

National Dance Competition. That was a quick girls' trip to a huge waterpark hotel. PinkOne danced her heart out and then we played all the next day in the pools. She had a blast with her galpal and I read a book by the outside pool for a couple hours. That was awesome!

Summer Dance. This is the time of year the studio decides which kids will make up which groups for competition teams. PinkOne has danced with the same basic team for 3 years. She is one of two 12 year-olds on the team; everyone else is at least 14/15 and up. They've been great, but I've been praying for a group she will have more in common and maybe/hopefully find a good friend or two for the long haul. Well, PinkOne got a new group. I'm thrilled--they are her age--and she is thrilled. The group includes 2 boys (yeah, Mom, we can do lifts now!) and they are a group that is better suited in work ethic as well. PinkOne is serious about her dancing, and so is this team. It's a nice group too--parents and kids all get along with each other. The only bummer is that her one friend from the old group--the other 12 year-old--was placed with a different team this year.

PinkOne decided to do a Poultry project this year for 4-H. We picked up the little darlings right after the fourth of July. They head to the fair next week. It's been a learning experience all right! It's a good thing they don't stay this cute for long. PinkOne is more than willing to sell them at the auction now.

PinkOne spent a week with her BFF at a church camp. They swam, rode horses (yep, she loved her horse, SpitFire), sang songs, and had a great time. Their counselor was the awesome Ms. Hayleigh--who showed the girls that you can be super-smart, fun and love Jesus all at the same time! Thanks, Hayleigh! And yes, when we picked the girls up they were still BFFs. lol

Philmont Adventure. DH and Scout headed out for the Scout High Adventure backpacking trip of a lifetime in New Mexico. I heard from them a couple times, once when they were standing at 12000 feet up a mountain. No bears--thank you, Lord--and they had an amazing trip. (So I've been able to piece together. They are currently stranded in Chicago waiting for their train to be fixed/swapped so they can head home. Phone signals have been sporadic.) They should be home sometime tomorrow. Can't wait to see them. Last I spoke with Scout, he'd taken about 600 (gasp!) pictures, so I'll have lots to see of the trip too. (LOL--he is his mother's child.)

June Memories

Scout's week of serving on the island with the MISST troop (Scout Service Troop). This year he even met the governor and shook her hand. (While we aren't that happy with the job she's done for our state, he thought it was cool to meet her.) And he was polite. Gotta love that Scout oath!

Emma's first trip. She rode in the van, slept overnight in a hotel, rode on a ferry boat--twice--and spent the (rainy--it really was NOT nice) day in a crowded town with very little options. But she got to see her boy after a week of being apart. I guess that made it all worthwhile.

Recitals--need I say more? PinkOne was in 4 out of 5 shows this year--sheesh!

First Dog Match. It was HOT! But Scout and Emma did well and learned a lot. Emma loves her agility! Scout actually learned that he needs to slow Emma down for the Novice class this year.

The Mother of All Estate Sales. I worked a lot of days to help wrap up this sale. Three houses emptied out and the family is pleased. Learned it is a LOT of hard, nasty, work; but I got paid well.

Cedar Point. Scout's first trip. He had a blast with all his Youth Group buddies.

Backpacking Prep weekend. DH did awesome! He was worried, but I wasn't. He bounced back from his hernia (double) surgery really well. Scout did well too.

Emma's first swim. We spent the day with Mom & Dad at the boat. Everyone--except my Dad--got in the canal and swam around. Emma loved it once she got in. She also took a dinghy ride with her boy. Scout did a great job driving!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Sheesh! Where does the time go?!?! This mothering gig is tough work! I am always on the go/doing something and the time is just flying by. But the kids are happy and healthy. Some days we even see glimpses of what awesome adults they will be. : )

I haven't posted since May?! I can't believe it, but see above. Maybe I'll try a monthly update. (Yeah, I know I totally missed June and it is almost August. But I'll see what I remember.)

My NEW Favorite Thing

The Magic Eraser!

Why didn't anyone tell me about this cool thing? Well to be fair, I was told to use it to clean PinkOne's jazz shoes--and it does that beautifully! I don't know why I didn't try it on other things until this past weekend. But those scuffed (awful) counter tops--magically clean! The floor--oh my! My nasty-looking floor--(it NEVER looks clean after all the sand, etc. that has been tracked through there forever)--so much better! Still scuffed up, but not nearly as nasty-looking. Scout crated the puppy for a bit on Sunday and Magic Eraser-ed the whole floor. I love that boy!

One warning though, don't use it on wood surfaces. I tried a spot on one of my kitchen cabinets and it left a cloudy spot. But everything else so far--I love it!