Scout Mountain

 With the poor weather over Memorial Day weekend, we decided to head out camping the following weekend.  We didn't have much time, so we headed to Scout Mountain up Mink Creek.

 There are lots of hiking trails.  We all enjoyed this view of Pocatello.

First thing in camp, Hudson decides to try out my new hatchet.  I found him whacking away at this quaking aspen.  We tried to teach him that you try to take care of your campsite and you can't cut just any tree down.  But boys will be boys.

 

Little did we realize that we had three stow-away birds in the camper until they started chirping for a snack.   I was content to let them go the way of the earth, but Brent decided it would be fun to catch worms and feed them.

 Hudson took this responsibility very seriously.  Straight out of bed and he was headed to get the birds breakfast.

 Dalanie on the other hand didn't share the same enthusiasm for the slimy worms.

 By time Hudson finished his worm harvesting, it looked like an infestation of moles because of all the overturned soil from his shovel.  I'm pretty sure it was another campsite rule violation.

 With the protection of a cup, Dalanie became much more involved.

 I impressed the kids by turning over a log.  They couldn't believe all the worms.

 The kids especially loved riding their bikes.  There weren't many flat spots so Dalanie had to learn to use her brakes.  It was a little scary learning curve, but she improved in leaps and bounds.

 Ruby could have played on the hammock and washed her hands the entire time and been content.  She is quite a clown and kept us all laughing.

 On a hike, the kids found all of their ages.

Memorable Memorial Weekend

We pulled into Lava and quickly discovered that the girls' bag didn't get put in the car.   That put getting into the hot pools on hold until we could track down some swimming suits.  No luck at the little shops in town, so we headed over the mountain to Alco in Soda with a little more luck.

 

It was the perfect temperature and after a few hours we had to pull the prune-y, wrinkled kids out.

Dinner at Fat Jacks.

The next morning, the kids were ready to get back in the pool.  I on the other hand, was feeling quite sick and could barely make it through breakfast.  I sat out swimming but took in the walking tour through the town.  Of course, this bull couldn't be walked past without getting ridden.

After little improvement in how I was feeling, we called it a trip and headed home via Chesterfield. 

We decided to try out the Reservation-Reid road with encroaching clouds.  I had to stop and get out and puke, but we pushed on.  Soon enough, the rain had made the road quite greasy and for a time, impassable.  We had a pudding and teddy graham picnic once while we were stuck and waited for a break in the weather.  The rain let up for just enough time to dry things out a bit so we could get out.  It was such a blessing since it continued raining for rest of the night.

We were so glad to get back home.  Sometimes you wonder why you ever left in the first place.

End of the Year

 Power point presentation.

 Field Day

 Joy School Graduation and {indoor} picnic

 Last day as a First grader.

 Saying good-bye to Mrs. Stegelmeier.

 Awards assembly.

The Mill

 The old grain elevator and mill are at the heart of the town.  It's our small town icon and gathering spot. You can buy your chicks, feed, and garden seeds here while getting in on the latest news.  The kids love running down to the mill.  Every visit guarantees a dum-dum sucker and being called "Bill."

It's so small town and so endearing.

Weekending

Oh how I love the four day school week.  We can leave town Thursday night and be back home by Saturday to get caught up all before Sunday.  Since I couldn't think of a gift worthy of giving my Mom for Mother's Day, we decided to go and help her in her yard.  As an added bonus, Deidra and Millie were still in town so we could play with them too.

The kids adored Millie and loved playing with her. 

Hudson manned the rototiller and became quite fond of the job.  He was finding places all over that needed tilled, Mom had to make sure he didn't put in the back of the Suburban to take home.
 He found an old single-row planter in one of the flower beds, that he convinced Grandma and Grandpa to let him have so he could make me a Mother's Day present.

Hudson kept Grandpa company at Father's and Sons.

The kids stood against the measuring board, man how they're growing- all of them over 2 inches in the last 9 months.

Nothing rounds out the spring yard work like a weenie roast. 

Baby Bunnies

The cute little fur balls had become orphaned and some friends of ours were bottle feeding them.  They won Brent's heart and attention during a visit.  The next night,  he had arranged for us to adopt three of the two week old babies.  So we spent out FHE at CAL Stores buying kitten formula, syringes, and nipples.  

By default, feeding time became my responsibility.  But the kids enjoyed taking them out on the grass, observing them, and playing with them.  It was good exposure, as our kids have a tendency to unravel around animals.  Before long, they were picking them up and taking them for picnics.

 It was a lot of fun having bunnies.  And they were just so cute.  Hudson even talked me in to taking them to show and tell, and boy were they a hit.  They even got to take a road trip with us to Grandma and Grandpa's. 

But in the end we learned that baby bunnies really need a mommy bunny.  Although we tried, we couldn't give them every thing they needed.  I felt like a failure, losing all three (but found a little consolation that our friends had not fared any better.)

Moral of the story:  Not many things can take the place of your Mom.  Moms are given special gifts and abilities to nurture and raise her children.  And boy am I glad that I am raising little children instead of bunnies.

Big Week

 All in one week's time, Dalanie, learned to ride her bike without training wheels, graduated from Preschool, and helped me create plant stakes for Mother's Day.

She had set a goal to learn to ride her bike without training wheels this summer.  I practiced with her one day, but it didn't happen- she was too busy watching the neighbor boy over her shoulder and giggling.  It wasn't until I was in a meeting and the neighbor got her to focus on balancing instead of him.  She's picked it up rather quickly and only had a scrape or two.

She went down to the elementary school for one day a week to get some extra help on her speech.  She enjoyed making art projects, getting speech "homework," and meeting new kids.  Even though it was just once a week, she got to participate in their fancy graduation.  She buried her head in my shoulder instead of reciting her nursery rhyme, Little Bo Peep.  Maybe as a kindergartner she'll outgrow her timid-ness.

 She was delighted with the opportunity to help me make a craft, 130, as a matter of fact.  Rarely a day goes by that she doesn't make a decoration for the house, picture for me, or a project to keep her busy.  She loves to be busy creating.  And she stuck it out until the last one was glued together.

Can't Get Enough

In the the ideal world, cousins would live next door and life would be one continuous play-date spanning weeks and months.  But since family gets spread across states, you do the best you can.  The kids and I made an impromptu visit to Cache Valley to hang out with my sisters.  There was no shopping, no crafting, or real late-night talks.  But the kids got to run and play and there was some whining and complaining and feet dragging when it was time to go.  But that does something for a mother's heart.  It feels it up and makes it proud and grateful- for love and for families.

Planting Time

 Brent started planting corn on May 2nd.  Our planter was among those that got an overhaul and Precision Planting makeover this year.  New row cleaners, the new vSet meters to swap out our finger meters, and hydraulic driven swath control.  I tease him about his "pimped out planter."  He assured me that it's a fine-tuned machine and has the data to prove it- 99.9% singulation!

 

And after traveling extensively as a salesperson, Brent is still such a farmer at heart.  Nothing makes his heart go pitter patter quite like freshly worked ground on his own farm.