Soccer and Trees

Blake has had a great soccer season.  They have played great and had a lot of fun.  He has gotten to know the kids on his team and made some good friends.  As I mentioned before, he plays goal.  I am no longer nervous, he does really well.  In fact last game when they were trying to make it into the play-offs the coach asked him to please stay in the whole time instead of switching at half like usual.  he didn't want to, but the rest of the players convinced him to, because they like him in there.

They won and are in the play-off tournament today.  Then soccer will be done for the year.

Last week we planted our trees.  140 trees.  Mostly poplar, then some lilacs and dogwoods.  I have wanted dogwoods for years.  I sure hope they grow.  

Leah and Blake helped us plant.  It was a full two day job.  We dug a trench line, Dave rented a machine for that.

We measured and staked it all out, mixed in fertilizer and manure.  Dug holes, planted, buried a drip line in the trench, and got it all running.

Our water will kill the trees, so we have been hauling water every other day.  Luckily at the farm it is all set up with the pump ready to go and it only takes a few minutes to do.  A few times Dave and I have gotten up at 5:30 to get the water before he heads to work. We fill the big tank and then let it drip out all day.

Dave has been doing the soak and dry out method.  This is supposed to give the roots lots to drink then leave for a day and so the roots shoot down looking for more water, then a good drink again.  It will help get those roots deep and strong.

So far our little trees and doing well.  Only 2 we are concerned about, but hope they bounce back.  So in 20 years I should have beautiful, lovely trees. 

Catch up 2

We had more incredible rain and wind.  Although not as crazy as last time.  Leah was at school doing a service project, Cora was at fire practice (where they got a call to fight a fire during. that is some good response time) I honestly can't remember what Dave was doing.  

Which left Blake and I home when the power went out.  We read and talked until it got dark and then we lite some candles and played card games.  It was kinda a fun evening.

Cora and her team played hard, but not hard enough.  I still think it is cool that they can say they went to provincials.

Saturday morning we were scheduled to move cows.  I had spent Friday way up at the tournament and was a little sad that I was going to miss her last game and a little nervous as one of her teammates had been ambulanced off the field the night before.  So when Jared text Dave to see if we would be ok putting off moving cows till after lunch, I was all for it.  I quickly jumped in the car and made it just in time.  She was also glad, because she didn't want to miss the cows.  

We had a few stragglers that we had to push the entire time.  Amber had her family help as well,  They were all way ahead of us.  One calf was fairly new and would keep sitting down.  She would kick at us when we came close to try to get her up.  Poor thing was so tired.  We finally got her on a four wheeler and she rode to the field.  Another one was sure we were taking him away from his mom the entire time.  It took all of us to keep it going.  It was trying to turn around the whole time.  Finally 2 miles into our 3 mile journey it got past me and headed home at a dead run.  Dave jumped on a four wheeler and could barely catch it.  After many attempts he let it go home and we would get it later. 

We finally got the cows to the field and came back for the determined calf.  As we were trying to catch it, Jared got a call that we had a few others that had got through the fence and were trying to find their way home.  All gates were closed, so we left the one and went to rescue the ones on the road.  We were to go check the fence and see how many were out.  Dave had his loud truck.  Just as we were getting close to go by, Jared almost had one close enough to snag.  We didn't want to scare it off with noise so hung back.  But it was not a successful try.  Cora, Jared, Blake and Emry ended up walking it back to the summer field as I walked up to meet them.  After when we were driving home, we saw another WAY out in an open field.  Cora, Blake and I jumped out and try to steer this calf back to the road.  Two miles later of walking around in this field, back tracking and so tired, we walked it back also to the summer field and made sure it found it's mom.  At this point I had walked 10 Km.  We were so tired, had blistered feet and were hungry.  We meet Jared on the road (he had captured on more) and informed us that the one at home was missing.  So tired.  So we started driving around, and around, and around.  For hours.  We stopped for a bathroom and quick dinner break, meet back with Jared to see what he had checked and seen.  Put messages up on FB and prayed like crazy as it started to rain.  Eventually it got to dark and stormy to see much.  The next morning first thing I looked out our window and there in the field was that beautiful little calf.  It had found it's way home.  Answered prayers.

Yesterday was Cora's seminary Grad.  Four years of early morning seminary are complete.

It was a nice short program.  Cora gave and excellent talk.  We were so very, very proud of her. She was also the only one in the stake with 100% attendance. She was asked to speak for 10 mins on her personal experience of acquiring spiritual knowledge.  After the meeting, the regional seminary leader asked if he could take her talk and make copies.  He told her that her talk was exactly what the goal of seminary was and that is was excellent. How cool is that.

Cora and Tyson have been good friends since Sunbeams.  Both spoke and graduated last night.

Cora is sad that rugby is over.  She has really enjoyed the game this year.  Especially not being injured.  She is really growing up and I love who she is becoming.

Catch up 1

I thought things would slow down after basketball, but I was mistaken.  I have had a hard time finding the time to blog.  Blake is loving soccer.  After 2 years of trying baseball, he decided to go back to soccer this year.  He wanted to play keeper.  At first this made me nervous, I felt a lot of pressure for him to do well, but he does do well.  Quite good actually.  

He can really kick far also.  He even made a goal one time.  He kicked it out of his net and it went into the net across the field.  I was not at that game, but Dave said it was a fabulous winning goal.

A few weeks back we had our Stake YW Recognition Night. Leah is almost done her Personal Progress.  Now all she has to do is finish the Book of Mormon.  Her goal is to be done by the end of summer. 

Most of my YW from my ward plus my upcoming beehive.

It was a year ago this event that these 4 started the great friendship that they have.  It has been a wonderful year and I am so glad they found each other.

Emily and Leah wanted to stand in the exact spot where they were introduced last year.  (photo credits to Natalie Toone)

Monday Cora's team played and place 2nd in zones.  Which sent them on to provincials.

Blake had his county track meet.  He placed in all the events but one.  Mostly 4th and 5th, but some 2nds as well.

He had a fun day no matter what.  And it was much better weather than Leah's track meet.

This friend of his is moving at the end of the school year.  They have had some fun adventures together.

He can jump pretty high. I have enjoyed watching him and spending time with him this spring.  Basketball was crazy and more focused on the girls.  Spring is generally Blake's season of attention.  So it all balances out.

Grade 9 Grad

Leah had her Grad 9 Grad ceremony this past weekend.  I feel the pictures speak for themselves, and there are a ton of them.

Emily wasn't able to come to her grad, so she spent the day with her getting ready and hanging out.

Champion Grade 9 Graduating Class of 2017

Leah had a 20 min break every morning between seminary and school.  Not enough time to come home and back so she was invited to spend that time with a family in town whose son also goes to seminary.  This girl in the picture is the only girl in her family and loved that Leah was there every morning.  She said it was like having a sister for a year.

Leah and Corban were in charge of writing the future predictions for their class.  Mr Jackson gave the tribute to the students and had wonderful things to say about each kid.  It is fun how personalized you can get when you are in a class of only 9 kids.

Tradition is a child/parent dance at the end of the ceremony.  Myrna got this picture for me.  It was a nice evening.  She has had a fun group of kids in her class.  Wishing them well and good luck in high school.