Memorial Day Weekend

We had a fun weekend with and got to spend time with family.  We started on Saturday with the Hague family going miniature golfing then back to Mom and Dads for a BBQ and relaxing!  Sunday we all went to Uncle Steve and Aunt Diane's house for a BBQ.  Their yard is amazing, as you can see.  They live right up against the mountains and this beautiful river runs right through their yard.  It is beautifully landscaped and was a wonderland for the kids.  Heather asked where the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was.  It is like a little mini Garden of Eden!  Thanks Steve and Di for the fun evening!  Monday we went to Mt. Pleasant and stopped to visit graves and then on to ride horses.  We got to have dinner with Grandma and Grandpa McAllister which was yummy, as always.  Today was back to school for four more days and then (aaah) summer.  I'm not quite ready for it because I'm not sure how to juggle four kids and teaching piano every morning and make sure Kate gets a decent nap and make sure my kids do jobs and reading while I'm teaching, not beating each other up and making messes.  Could be an interesting summer!  

Daniel on the golf course.

Hailey and Emma- such cuties!

Grandma Judy and Kate

A view of Steves back yard that doesn't do it justice.

Jon and Aunt Di's "engagement picture".  Jon really is available if anyone is interested or knows any cute girls that he could marry.  He's a great catch!

Daniel is on the brown horse, Marie, and Landon and Emma are on the black horse, Black.  I was impressed that Landon was able to hold on to the reigns and have his arms around Emma at the same time.  They are all growing up so fast!

Emma's Graduation Celebration

Emma had her graduation on Wednesday and did a fabulous job.  The program was darling, but we didn't really get any clear pictures.  Emma was cute as could be and sang her little heart out!  The next day Miss Tina treated all her preschool students to a celebration at Liberty Land (its like a mini Boondocks).  We thought only the kiddie rides would be running, but the bumper boats and roller coaster were open too.  Emma went on the roller coaster 5 times!  I only accompanied her the first time and then she went with her little friends.  She had so much fun!  Here are some of the fun things she got to do.  

This was called the Frog Hopper.  Emma was fearless, and because she was with friends she was willing to try everything!

This is the roller coaster that she went on 5 times!    

This is her friend McKaylee.

Lovin' the bouncy slide!

Wheeeeeeee!

On the bumper boats with McKaylee's mom.  I'm glad it was her, not me, because I can't steer those stinkin' boats- and they got soaked.

Kate was a great sport for the 2 hours just watching Emma and hanging out in the stroller.

Six months old

Well, she's really closer to 7 months, but surprise, I'm a procrasinator.  She just got this cutie picture taken 2 weeks ago.  So here are some things about Kate at 6 months old.

Nicknames:  Katers, Kater-poo, princess, Kater-poos-a-lot

HATES:  Any form of store bought baby food.

Kinda likes:  Any food from the table that is mushy but still has a lot of texture.

Teeth:  She has six!

Sleeping habits:  Still wakes up every 2 hours.  All. Freaking. Night. Long.  I know, I need to let her cry it out.  

LOVES:  Studying faces. Her siblings.  Her Daddy.  (She loves to hold Richards face in her hands when he gets home from work and slobber on his nose).  Being paid attention to by anyone.  Her blanket that Grandma Judy made her.  Going for walks in the stroller.  Kelly Clarksons "Beautiful Disaster"- she stops crying everytime she hears it.  

She Can:  Roll over (She's only done it 2 or 3 times).  Burp and toot like a truck driver.  Melt any heart with her gorgeous smile.  Make anyone smile with her darling laugh.  Make Mommy ready to pull her hair out every night.  

Things she can't do:  Sleep through the night.  Sit up.  Take a bottle.  Poop daily (we're having some issues with that).

Despite the sleeping problems, we love our little Katelyn so much.  She is a very happy baby (during the day) and we are so happy she is part of our family.  We love you Kate!

Happy 10 Year Anniversary!

It's hard to believe that we have been married for 10 years!  Here are the lyrics to "our song", I Know How the River Feels, by Diamond Rio.  This pretty much says it all.  I love you Richard!

They say for everyone, there's that certain one
Out there, somewhere
Id been looking hard, searching every heart
Getting nowhere
Didn't know I was making my way to you

Now I know how the river feels
When it reaches the sea
And finally finds the place
It was always meant to be
Holding fast, home at last
Knowing the journeys through
Lying here with you

 I know how the river feels

Miles of loneliness, now make perfect sense
Here beside you
Tears like water fall, it was worth it all
Just to find you
And yours are the last arms I'll run to

Now I know how the river feels
When it reaches the sea
And finally finds the place
It was always meant to be
Holding fast, home at last
Knowing the journeys through
Lying here with you
I know how the river feels

Mothers Day lunch

Emma has the cutest preschool teacher, Miss Tina, and she does the most darling things!  Today I was invited to a Mothers Day lunch.  The preschool kids all wore their Sunday best and came out to greet all the moms when we arrived and presented us with a tissue paper corsage to tie on our wrists.  Each child took their mom to their designated seat in the backyard and then they served us lunch that they had prepared themselves (ham & cheese sandwiches, cheetos, celery, bananas and juice).  They gave us each a litttle mug they had painted and then we made a little chocoate cake and cooked it in our new mug in the microwave and shared it.  (It's a really easy 5 minute recipe if anyone is interested.)  It was so cute and the kids were darling!  She will graduate from preschool in two weeks and will be going back to the older class in the fall.  Even though she would be totally ready for kindergarten (she is writing and starting to read!) she has one more year of preschool.  Thank goodness her teacher is so awesome and Emma loves it so much!

The shearing process

Start- tip the ewe out of the chute and set her up.  At 3-4 seconds in, he throws out the belly wool (trashwool- it's the shortest, dirtiest and least desirable).  Keep in mind she is 5 months pregnant out of a 5 month, 5 day gestation.  They keep the feet off the ground and control the head and neck at all times to minimize the struggle. 

 When finished, they push the ewe out for inspection, branding and dipping.  (Ticks, lice, fleas).  The fleece gets pushed out the back with their feet to be graded, sorted and bagged. 

The flock comes in to the corrals, then under the shed.  The shed is for surprise storms or for starting in the morning with dew free sheep.  Can't sheer if the sheep are wet and the shed has enough protection for a couple of hours of sheep shearing in the event of rain.  The end of this clip shows the sheared sheep in pens.  The pens keep each shearers count and also keeps them honest.  If one of them gets sloppy and cuts off an ear or teat or slices one open you know who it was and then you can doctor it.  

This is the back of the plant where "Kate" separates out the belly wool and grades the fleece.  She puts the fleece in the appropriate bin and the guy packs the like grade fleeces into a bale of wool that will weigh 350-500 lbs.  Each fleece with an average of 11.5-14 lbs.  When Richard was a little boy they didn't have a fancy "wool mashing machine".  They used big, round burlap sacks and Richard would get in them and tromp down the wool with his feet as it was thrown in the sack and would keep doing this until he "tromped" his way out.  The machine is much more efficient.  

And there you have it!