Moving Cattle and the Krav 1 Test

Lots of things going on this spring!

The boys were able to help the neighbor drive his cattle from our place up to his summer range in the mountains.  They skipped school on friday, and also went Saturday.

Prairie Spy's horse, Nikita, was pretty excited about all the action and the cows.  The cows flew out of the holding pen and down the road and Nikita flew after them.  The last I saw of Prairie was him loping down the asphalt sideways chasing cows.  I pondered this for several minutes and then I convinced Mr. Bechtel that we needed to go see if our son was still alive.  This is what I saw them doing next:  Prairie trying to do groundwork while the cows moved on ahead.  Notice that Nikita has an awful expression and is not listening at all.  Sigh.

Meanwhile, Nova Spy and his horse, Pepper, were having a better time.  

Mr. Bechtel and Granny Smith and I trailed behind them for a half mile or so, just to watch all the exciting action.

Prairie did get Nikita calmed down.  (She looks better here, huh?) 

They went 10 miles or so on Friday.  On Saturday Chad (the neighbor) picked them up and then headed up again.

Saturday was also the day of the Krav 1 self defense class test.  This is a 3 hour test, where people try to kill you and make you cry and make you throw up.  I think it sounds horrid, but lovely Golden Delicious was determined to conquer.  She made it!  She did not die, or cry, or throw up either, which was good.  As soon as she got home I tucked her in an epson salt bath, and then put arnica on all her bruises.  Then she fell asleep.  Then she woke up and was very hungry.

Meanwhile it was starting to rain.  I got worried about the boys because when I looked up at the hills where they were everything was purple and black.  Mr. Bechtel and I decided to go check on them and take some dry clothes.  They were very wet, but were just fine and they had seen some amazing thunder and lightning very close to the horses.  We got there just in time for dinner at the end of the drive.  Perfect timing!

The Dahnse

Miss Delicious was resigned to not going to prom this year.  It was early, no one had asked her, blah, blah, blah.  So 4 days before prom in Calculus class, just before standing to say the pledge, a boy asked her.

What!

"How will we possibly find a dress??"  Was my first concern.  But, amazingly, she found a great dress to borrow, complete with Cinderella skirt, which was very fun to wear.

She then borrowed jewelry from a friend, ordered a flower for her date, and was ready.  The "morning group date" was a rather hilarious (read: pitiful) attempt, but makes for a fantastic story.  They met at 5 in the morning and the plan was that the boys were going to make the girls breakfast up on the hill and watch the sunrise.  Unfortunately, it was raining steadily.  So, all the couples drove to the top of the hill together in an old suburban.  The boy pointed the car facing West, and they all just sat there, until the sky went from black to grey, and it was light.  Then they went back to the boys house, and the girls sat in the living room looking out the window at the boys feeble attempts to make breakfast outside on the grill.  G. D. says this mostly involved them half heartedly poking at sausages for several hours while the rain drizzled on them.  Then she came home and had a nap.

That evening, not wanting to be the first couple at the restaurant, she texted her date and said she wasn't quite ready, but would be ready soon.  About 15 minutes later he texted her and asked if she was ready now.  She said yes, he could come now.  In 10 seconds the doorbell rang!  He didn't want to come to the door if she wasn't ready!  I thought that was hilarious.  But he was a very nice person, and a chivalrous date, and G.D. had a lovely time.

We also give him extra points because her corsage was perfectly beautiful.  So fun!

The Salmon Sale

Every year there is a big horse sale in Salmon.  Last year Mr. Bechtel and I went and I thought it was a blast.  So this year we decided to take the kids.  Everyone got their duds on.  We even found a "cowboyish" hat for Granny Smith to wear.

The sale was lots of fun.  It is almost as much fun to watch the people.  This year I knew a little bit more about different kinds of tacks, and saddles and riding, to know what was going on a little bit better.  There were several strange happenings though. An old man rode his horse into the arena strapped into the saddle with a seat belt.  This looked very unsafe.  What happens if the horse rolls on him or something?  Crunch!  Mr. Bechtel bid on a horse while I was across the arena, which caused me to have a minor breakdown.... I am still trying to recover from two years ago when we bought horses at an auction.... It scares me.... but then afterwards we all agreed that the horse would have been an awesome horse. 

I've decided horse sales are like gambling.  If you're going to go, the only way to relax and have fun is just to take a certain amount of money, and then just not care how you spend it.  But!  Since I don't gamble, I also didn't buy a horse!  Good Girl.  Maybe next time!

Lawn Mowing Season is Here!!

Another lawn mowing season is upon us!  

The boys sent out letters to all their past clients and got everything scheduled to start.

I

They've also got the machines running.  (with Mr. Bechtel's help) and even had the neighbor weld on an attachment to one of the mower handles so you don't have to bend over "thorndyke style" to mow.

Have fun boys!

Springtime Evening Outside

Last week we all spent the evening outside working with the horses.  Dancer is so pretty.  I just love her.  She is still tiny, though.  So even though a lot of people start their horses around here when they are 2, we will wait until she is 3 before we ride her.

The boys still work with her though.  People say you always ruin the first horse you start.  That makes sense, I guess.  The first time you do anything, it's not as good as later on.  But you have to start somewhere!  So we will start with Dancer... and try not to ruin her too badly!

Prairie Spy had a good ride on Nikita

And Golden Delicious spoiled Nikita and braided her hair and brushed her down.

And then she went for a short ride on Pepper.  

Random Trivia

When Nova Spy and I were down at the BYU bookstore, we bought some cowboy poetry magnets for the fridge.  Now we can be creative.  That night we each created a work of art, some of which are below:

Always gallop west if the sun in wandering

Dust that cow on a rough range

Try to rope the philosophy of a cowboy

We understand you must drink in freedom.

Ha!  Such talent...  We are all Henry Wadsworth Longfellows!

Mr. Bechtel, in his "smart glasses",  reading Western Horseman.  He can only wear these if he's wanting to do "official legal business" stuff, because if he wears them to the parts store, or to get the tires rotated, or to the butcher shop, the people working there experience cognitive dissonance, and cannot treat him normally.

Golden Delicious printed her novel out:  HUGE!

Happy Birthday Granny Smith 2013!

Granny Smith is now 11.

The years fly!

What a wonderful, delightful boy.  I love him lots!

He wanted, "chocolate cake with chocolate frosting".

good choice.

Happy Birthday GS.  I hope this is a fantastic year for you!

Quiet Homeschool Morning

I love mornings like this.

They can be rare, which is why I like them!

The house is clean,

we have new, interesting books from the library,

and everyone is happily reading.

Ooh, and the sun is shining.

That is an extra bonus.

I wish all mornings were like this.