Rain, girls camp and awesome brothers

Tucson had gone 108 days without any rain. The entire state was praying for rain. We especially needed it to rain so we could go to girls camp on the mountain. Thankfully the Saturday before camp it poured giving this dry desert juat what it needed. Whenever it rains this is where we go to see how much it rained. It of course only runs after monsoon storms.

Girls camp 2018 came and went. Bella was a head Youth Camp Leader, she was awesome!! It was great to see her rise to the responsibility. It was so cute to see these younger girls look up to her ( in multiple ways). A younger girl tha didn't even know her would ask her to sit next to her. Bella would happily agree and the joy on the younger camper was palpable.

Olivia did her 4th year adventure in Flagstaff. She went to a ropes course. It was a course that took 4 hours to complete. At times participants were suspended 80 feet in the air. Olivia finished the course and got a black stretchy wrist band for completion!

What did I do at camp? I helped the 1st year campers and tented with two great leaders. I helped with the 4 mile hike. The camp runs like clockwork with the youth leaders running the show, so as an adult you are there for hero support. Each day at camp feels like a week so I was there for a month 😁 Our ward made T-shirts for camp, we are the Bear Canyon ward so the picture on the back is of a canyon in a bear, on the front is a bear paw. So cute! I love these young ladies and leaders♥️

We got home safe and sound to find the three youngest spoiled by Nana. Holman left for scout camp the same day we returned. Parkin was asleep when Holman left and he was so sad that he didn't say goodbye. Benjamin told Parkin that Holman had his phone so he sent him this message, "H it's me Parkin, I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye I love you" Holman texted back "Bye I love you." These two are such good buddies they remind us of Phineous and Ferb, who always aak "Hey Ferb what we gonna do today?"

Speaking of good friends check out cousin Jared and Holman. Silly boys

Summer 2018 in full swing.

Goat babies!!

Last Saturday on the 9th our smallest goat in the middle of the night had one does. We went to go check on the goats and saw our two other pregnant goats, we couldn't see her.  Benjamin and I were joking "where is she?" "She's with her baby goat". Benjamin rounded the corner and I said where is she, uh with her baby. What an easy delivery for us! She had her all cleaned up by the morning. She has been an excellent mamma. Her own mother had rejected her, so to see her step up and be so protective and attentive is quite fun to witness. The second goat who has been a mother before delivered her 3 babies an hour after church got out, last Sunday the 10th. The kids got home checked on the goats then went inside. Meanwhile I got home from a meeting an hour later and as I am driving up I see two more babies in the stall. I go and get the kids and we were oohing and aahing over their cuteness when low and behold a third baby comes! It was a quiet and relatively quick experience. Seeing her birth made us all think that goats births must be easy.... Not so. Our poor last pregnant goat looked so ready to pop. She had the biggest belly, we for sure thought she had at least 3 babies. Her delivery happened yesterday, the 16th, in the afternoon. She was hollering! She was not happy and it was taking forever. We had a  torrential downpour earlier in the day and the kids took off to go check on the wash to see if it was flowing. They wanted out of the birthing experience! I texted my goat friends and one came on over in case there was a problem. While my friend was driving, the goat finally delivered. This buck was huge!! He was already bigger than his cousins who are a week older. No wonder she was struggling!! Sometime passed and my friend was worried she had another one inside that might be struggling. So she told Benjamin and I that one of us had to go in and check... I reluctantly volunteered because my hands are smaller. I put gloves on and lubed up...I didn't hesitate and got right in. No more babies just the one. I felt like such a ranching badass. I reached veterinarian status in one disgusting act.  So now we have 3 adult does, 3 baby bucks and 2 baby does.. Benjamin was asking me yesterday "how long are we going to do this goat thing?" Good question, for now the babies sure are fun 😁

First doe the easiest birth!

The first two births of our second goat

The one we watched that wasn't traumatic

 Because this birth happened on a Sunday there were a lot of well-dressed goat attendants, they look Amish :)

Benjamin is my Trade Secret..June 2nd 2018

Look how smart he is!! He and two of his co-workers were awarded a "trade secret" from their company. This is a program that could have been patented by the company. But some patents are so good that they don't want it to be publically patented because other companies (and countries) can then write similar programs with it, so in the interest of our country (China), they keep it secret within the company as a "trade secret." What it did for our family was get us a cash bonus $ and a dinner at a fancy resort, ohhlala.

What the French?!...May 31 st 2018

Olivia took a written and oral exam in French and was ranked the 9th best Freshman in the NATION who speaks French! Wowzers. She was awarded the 6th best in Arizona! Go Arizona! I'm not sure how many came from Arizona in the top ten but I know at least 6.  Im really wondering when Arizona schools will go up in national rankings. The top five high school in the nation are all in Arizona (my kids school is #4 Basis Tucson North). Basis schools are really doing some impressive things and I wish that all the Basis "haters"( and let me tell you people love to criticize the school, I could write an entire post of Basis criticises) could look at what the schools do well and model after them....and apparently that is teaching the kids French!

Wahoo Olivia!!!

Olivia was awarded a snazzey medal and $25 in Amazon money she promptly bought a dress :) I think the French fashion industry would approve.

Olivia was also awarded the top Literary student of the year in 9th grade! The teacher said oliva would help keep the conversation rolling and often provided comic relief for her and her peers and that she was an excellent writer. I believe it!!

Parkin Bridged from Cub Scouts to Boy scouts May 22, 2018

Parkin is officially a Boy Scout, wahoo!  The Cub master handed Parkin the microphone and asked him if he wanted to say a few words. He said yeas, that he wanted to thank the three mos important people in his life ..."Me Myself and I" Gotta love that boy! 

Mothers Day May 13th 2018

Anna made this lovely sign!! 

Parkin made this blue bird at school with a kiln, it was beautiful!

Holman made me breakfast in bed again, what a champ, it was delish!! He even included baked chocolate pudding my favorite!

Bella and Olivia bought me a purse and matching sandals, they are so cute !

If i cut my hair and dyed it this is what it would look like....not my best look!

We had Mom and Dad over for dinner. It is always great having them over and makes every occasion that much more special.

 Parkin and Anna made this board game, it was so creative!

Overboard Girls trip May 4-6!!

We had Holman Women Weekend to San Diego, what fun!! Unoftuelty Robin ended up not being able to go and poor mom had herwst in a cast and her other wrist in a splint. We went to a tea party, went to see Overboard at the movies, went to Balboa Park, saw several museum exhibits, participated in an art class and went to the beach. A truly relaxing fun filled weekend. I finally got to appreciate my sisters who normally drive on our trips, driving in California is no joke. We also attended church on Sunday, it was a really lovely ward. 

Mom and I almost got into a fight with an ex con.....

When traveling on a girls trip what happens in the car can really set the tone for your whole adventure. When my sister suggested we listen to "The Gift of Fear" I was intrigued. Basically, I learned how to be a cop in 6 hours, specifically Jamie Reagon. The very next morning we woke up just in time to catch the last 10 minutes of our complimentary breakfast which happened to be located on the 4th floor...odd that it wasn't held in the lobby. When we arrive I see a woman in a white sleeveless hoody nearly unzipped (with nothing underneath), a dressy skirt, and combat boots; an odd combination. Instinctively I tell myself "don't stare and most definitely don't look into her face." She proceeds to load up 10 plates of every food item they have, mumbling as she goes. "Stick to the plan cadet don't look up." My mom and I are the first to sit down, my mom speculates if she could use a carryout bag to make the trip out the door. The suspect walks right by our table and begins to quietly threaten us, "my daddy taught me a lot....I know you B#$!% are talking about me... I dare you to look into my face and I will show you how tough you are...LOOK INTO MY FACE!!..LOOK INTO MY FACE!!" "Sweety that is the last thing I am going to do." If we would have locked eyes that lady would have wiped the floor with me. Later my mom said I knew you could take her, Are you kidding me?! A suburban woman of 40, maybe but an ex-con who has been fighting in the streets since birth, no. She would have done moves on me that I didn't even know existed. Who knows where she was hiding her shiv, not the hoody... People read "the gift of fear" by Gavin De Becker it is now required reading for my teenagers.