Biography Project

Bruce completed the annual biography project. He chose George Washington. I made him read two more books on Mr. Washington, even though Bruce assured me he knew enough from the one he prepared in class. I did help him spell check and enlarge some portions of his poster. He completed the rest in class. I'm thankful for these projects that stretch the kids and make them think outside their current reading interests and knowledge base. 

Cousin Eloise was Susan B. Anthony. 

This is what I'm learning and doing. Adjusting to a hungry wanting to do more baby at 6 mos. He is not always happy in fact he is more adamant than ever how life should be. 

After the resisted naps. He's much more pleasant. 

He thinks food looks interesting and might be worth trying. I thought this was funny he was trying to get to the ice cream and brownies. He is a smart kid. 

Everybody is advancing and growing in experience and understanding. We are thankful for health and strength and daily bread/sweets. Life is so good. 
 

Sisters

Lia went to town with me one day this was her ready to go look. Addie got the glasses earlier this year from a teacher.

Years and years of kids. Not many days are filled with movies but sometimes I have to get to other things and I need a break. Thankfully disney movies entertain and the old ones are reliably safe for these kiddos to watch or sleep through. 

The missionaries stopped by. We like to send a picture to their families. I love receiving these from people far away with my missionaries. It's good to see them working and a tiny glimpse of how they are working. Aliza took the picture. 

Gathering after a long days work getting ready for scriptures. These guys are so fun and so able to do many things. 

One big not pictured item that is the reason behind these pictures is the sister who was visiting. Aliza who cleans, who calms, who covers the gaping holes in our learning lots of new skills family dynamic. The one who is happy and friendly with all. She also provided a lot of braiding. Livy with her full head of hair really enjoyed this new look. 

After church one Sunday. According to my facebook feed many families take pictures each Sunday. We don't it never occurs to me. The organization and push to get everyone out the door on time. Then coming home in a dead run to shed the dresses and ties its a pretty big rush to stop or pause for a photo. I don't know how we sort of managed it this day. But how we love this group. 

The young women leaders organized a temple trip for senior age daughters and their dads. Never one to waste time or opportunity to go to the temple we sent all who could go with their dad on a night when the ground was too wet to work. Being farmers in the spring good days must be used to work the ground or fix things, but this one evening they ran away to the temple.  The instructions were Addie would sit in the front seat and no one else could talk. They had a great evening and the month of April included temple attendance. 

 Life is so good with siblings to share the journey. These sisters share light, laughter, companionship, strength and love with each other, our family, and the world. I'm so thankful for the young people in my home. We sorely miss the older ones who do and are so much to our family stability. We are pleased they take their unique talents and bless others as they go forth living their plans and dreams. We rejoice when they return and pray for them ever after. We are blessed. 

Tractor Time

This guy is changing so much right now. He is getting more stable sitting. He is so interested in moving things. This is why we turn the toys on their sides and let him move the wheels. 

His slightly red cheeks from time spent outside on Sunday watching the cars go by while I teach. Oh my sweet son. 

Andrea and Merle are loving spending time with their dad each day in the tractor. They ride for hours just enjoying something new. 

Andrea was showing me how she could get long roots when she pulled weeds. I love that this key lesson from grandma Saunders teaching years ago get the root so it doesn't just grow back no hair cuts on weeds. 

We have beenw orking to go on walks in the evening after dinner. Sometimes to see what is happening on the farm, always to put the food we ate to work in our muscles. It's a nice time to visit and work on finish out our day. 

I bought this ride on tractor last fall as part of a gift package at an auction. I knew the baby in my tummy was a boy and thought this would be a fun toy for him. He is getting big enough to balance and enjoys the rides the kids provide. 

Andrea playing dress-up with random material from my stash. 

On our walk the girls always look for rocks. Alia found this huge rock with a missing "bite."

Loading up for another few hours. 

Me and Jake after delivering lunch to the tractor crew. My velcro baby challenges my body to carry him wherever we go. Thankfully we have a stroller too and sometimes we use that. Aliza loves to jog with him in the stroller he enjoys it too. 

Spring is springing the trees are dropping so many seeds. The definition of prolific should include an illustration of elm tree seeds. Oh well we love the warmth and the sunshine. Life is great.
 

Fair Pig Pictures

Its that time of year again where we are pig farmers. The breeders were so kind to provide housing for the purchased pigs until the weather settled to prevent shock and illness. Likewise their very secure pens provided for an easier photo reporting experience. 

Afton prefers red pigs. Millie likes the belted pigs. 

Livy still working to bend her legs due to the knee surgery in February. This has been a much longer involved recovery than I was anticipating. She wrote a story or journal entry about the surgery experience it has been very painful for her as well. However she is making progress and hopefully long term will have healthy strong hips and legs. 

And the norm for these girls. Homework. Writing and tracing then coloring pictures every day of this academic quarter. They have hours of homework everyday. It is hard to spare them this much but the idea is that all this working will lead to a large growth factor. So far so good for the other kids who have also been required to complete this journey. So Bruce works with the pigs and spends as much time as he can scratching them and watching them. Afton has less homework and joins Bruce in chores and pig taming. 

Summer is coming soon, maybe as early as next week. The pigs will be there ready for walks and eventually ready for the fair experience. Life moves fast. These girls have a lot expected of them this summer. We are thankful for a new employee at the shop who allows Greg to be home more working on the farm. This is a good shift for him and us. God provides. We are blessed. 
 

Owyhee Field Days

One highlight of spring is the field trip to the Owyhee field day. The high school kids go as facilitators and the elementary 5/6 grade goes as participants. My sons have gained favor and respect with the rafting guides who bring their boats. It is a long day of sharing the delights of the water with group after group of school kids. It was cold this year and Reed was in his outdoor Carhart sweatshirt and coat along with bogs. Some years its t-shirt weather some years its bundle up weather. Thankfully the rain ended prior to the arrival of the younger kids. 

Afton had the best time. I'm amazed at how much she is looking like her older sister Addie in these pictures. 

Innovation allowed the kids to eat their lunch in a horse trailer out of the elements a bit. Small class size is a blessing of her school. 

They learned about fish. My kids are not fans of fish. Afton shined at the tube setting station setting one then two tubes one in each hand. Her teacher accused her of showing off. My mom says its not if you can truly do it. I believe she did.

Reed in the last boat and on shore explaining how to use the paddle. He still had a lot of work to do to make the rides safe and successful. 

The beautiful, amazing, life giving owyhee dam. Forever a piece of my family life. I love this day that student after student can have a small taste of learning how vital water is to our desert existence. 

The highlight of the day was the tour inside the dam. There isn't time for every student to go in the dame but those thick walls have passageways for maintenance and work. The students hiked up and down flights of stairs to get a view of how the dam works. The lights out portion scared them good, and was another memory made. 

Addie was a facilitator along with a fellow FFA member from my alumni chapter. My brother donated one of his jackets back to the chapter and it was being used by this young member. Full circle of growing, giving, and learning. Addie has been asked recently what she would tell people about agricutlure- she responded there is a place for everyone in FFA. Everyone belongs there and agricutlure is part of all of our lives. Whether we grow it, eat it, love to watch it from our daily drives, movies, or books, or like to wear clothes agriculture is part of our lives. This day showcases how many different industries and organizations are part of this water source. 

Anna and Aliza were also able to facilitate the day. They were excited to be able to return to an event they both enjoyed in their youth. We are blessed to know the visionary organizer Vicki Price. She hasg rown this program bigger and bigger each year. 

We are very blessed to learn and live in nature. I love the dam so many good memories of my growing up happened there. Now more removed I don't get there as often as I like. Thus making days like these particularly special as I know the quiet beauty and awesomeness of the dam construction can touch their hearts and imaginations.  Life is good. 
 

Merle Birthday

Merle had another birthday and we had a party. The grandparents came. 

And some cousins for a spaghetti picnic outside. Oh how I love parties that can utilize the big outdoors. 

The Utah cousins came and the kids were happy to share the slower pace of rural life. 

We had the lemon sunshine cake. At our house that just seems to be the standard. The whole event was the norm. 

Afton lit the candles and Merle extinguished them one by one. 

Aliza and her cousin Karadyn washed the piles and piles of glass dishes. I had forgotten to get paper but truly there is good conversation that can come around a sink of soapy water. They were so kind to do that. Jake is positively huge. Here he is showing off his super legs. We were happy to get Reed back he had left for the weekend for the Auto and welding Skills USA contest. Reed had a good experience and is more determined to continue in his preparation for next year. 

It takes a long time to cross the state of Oregon and Reed had less sleep than he liked on Sunday thankfully we had later church. 

And what after school for about 5 hours a night looks like right now. Homework so much homework. They are working through and preparing for state tests, the play, a huge final writing project of 4 papers a week from Livy and Millie complete with illustrations which they are working on. The regular one page active each night, 4 science review worksheets for the week, and maybe some help at home. That's a lot. I know the end confidence that comes from hard things, so I'm biting my tongue, lip whatever. But it is a big stretch in a little time and more than one kid in the grinder is tough. 

We need some blessings to be able to cover all that is suppose to be happening. Yet another blessing of the rain we can't be in the fields they are too wet so we can keep working through this load in the house. These two are serious about food right now they must be growing to need so much nourishment. I love kids who will eat. 

Life is good and we shall survive. Aliza's presence is so nice. We are thankful.