Leaving the Nest

We have been keeping an eye on our friendly "hooting" neighbors, and I thought I would update you on their status.  The chicks are now leaving the nest.  They successfully hatched 2 fluffy, head bopping, car stopping owlets.  I say "car stopping" because occasionally someone who is driving by will notice them and slam on the brakes.  It has been great watching this whole process.

It is hard to get a good picture of them being active because they get active as the sun is going down.  During the day they hunker down on a branch or in their nest and sleep/hide.  That is why I took 50 pictures and only a few were not completely blurry.  Plus, I don't take the time to learn how to properly run the camera.

(Mama owl, plus both her owlets)

School is out!!!  My favorite day is field day.  This year I was a timer for the 50m dash.   Ellyn and Quinn did almost every event and loved all the running.  They both took Second Place in the 200m.  Quinn took 1st place in the long jump,  Ellyn, took 3rd in the 400m and softball throw.   And they made it into the final races for all their events.  They inspire ME!



This picture turned out weird because it was still on the "eclipse" setting but this was Coulson's last day of preschool.  He loved it.

On my birthday the kids got up early and decorated the house, what sweeties.  They used window markers to write messages on our windows and mirrors. Ellyn wrote this on our bathroom door mirror.  I say this all the time when they are wrestling or roughhousing and someone comes crying to me that someone else hurt them.  I don't know where I heard it, or if I made it up, but Hey, I'm QUOTABLE.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER EVERYONE!!

Total "Eclipse" of the Heart

That song has nothing to do with this post other than it has the word "eclipse" in it. And it is a fun song, and this was a really fun, unique, great experience.

Yesterday evening we all gathered down the lane to watch the "Annular Solar Eclipse."  The sweet spot for watching the eclipse was about 15 miles south of our location so, we were in a prime spot for getting to see an awesome sight.

Dave, Kayla, Adilaide, Grandpa, Michael, Jayson, Quinn, Bridget, Seth

In honor of the occasion, Jenny even made "Eclipse" cookies, see the Ring of Fire. 

 I thought this was really clever.

Adi and Kayla having fun while waiting for the "ring of fire."

  The newspaper advertised where you could get the glasses

for free but they always ran out of them before we could get there.

Gratefully, our cousins were able to get some special glasses to watch the eclipse,

we also used them to take pictures by placing them over the camera lens.

And here it is.... The moment we had been

wating for......

RING OF FIRE

 The eclipse affected our shadows, making them look looney.

Grandma, Grandpa, Dave, Jenny, Michael

Good Bye Eclipse!

Other things that have been going on lately:

Fathers And Sons! 

The boys had a great time at Red Creek Resevoir, fishing, hiking and having fun around the campfire.  The girls had a great girls night at home.  Let's just say it involved pizza, rootbeer, movies, dancing, donuts and a sleepover in Mama's bed.

 Coulson's Preschool Program.  They were all so cute, and did their parts so well. 

Coulson got the award "being a Scientist"

He loves to tell people what he knows and apparently at school he liked

to share his knowledge with his teacher and the other kids.

What a great year for him, he learned so much about everything.

Now he's looking forward to kindergarten.

He loved his teacher, Miss Marnie, so much.  He decided that when he grows up he's going to Asia to get her a King Cobra egg, so that when it hatches she will have a pet King Cobra.  Aaahhhh, that is so nice of him.   RROOOAARRR!!!!

Mother's Day was amazing this year.  The kids, and Seth, treated me like I was a queen.

Breakfast in bed, lots of cards, and gifts, flowers, chocolate, and chores being done before

I even woke up in the morning.  This was the best Mother's Day EVER!!

 Ellyn and Adilaide made Tootsie Rolls for Grandma next door, on Mother's Day. 

Ellyn spelled out "Happy Mother's Day"  with them.

Chicken Day (not for the faint of heart)

April 30th Coulson and Daddy bought 20 Cornish rock chicks....$.99ea.

Adilaide helped me get their living arrangements ready......no cost already had all equipment; heat lamp, newspaper, waterer, feed dishes (we do this every spring.)

2 bags of chick starter feed.....$16.99 ea.

Total cost....$53.78

We lost one Chick, and took care of them for 34 days, then in a two hour harvesting project

(May 4th), they were all in the freezer....which comes to a cost of...... $2.83 per bird.

Family Project, Knowledge our Children gained.........priceless

Yes!  That is a chicken with it's head cut off.

Finished project, 19 home-grown cornish game hens in the freezer.

Healthy meals for our family of 6.

Adilaide and her style, pink, purple, fancy, princess, fairy, famous star, puppy lover,