Wade Got Baptized

So Wade turned 8 this month. He was ever so excited about all the changes. So we baptized him.

I think he might have been a bit more excited about becoming a Cub Scout.

Halloween 2009

Well, we did it again. We had Halloween. And for those of you with long memories you will note that this is the third year that the boys have been army men; using the same costumes. Our young princesss is new though. She is sporting her oriental look. Her maid servant is just wearing her normal everyday Genie apparel. So we had fun and got more candy than we should have.

Morning Routine

Getting ready for school every morning consists of a lot of routines and chores for the boys. Each week the tasks rotate. Straightening the house and the many toys (dog, boy and baby), feeding the goats and letting them out of the barn, making lunch, taking out the chicken bucket, unloading the dishwasher, makeing beds, brushing teeth and of course

REMEMBER YOUR SHOES!

New Goats

OK, they are not goats. They are related. I looked out of my bedroom window and found them in my field this morning. I don't mind sharing the field with them as long as they stay out of the garden.

Little Lady's View

Mama and Papa say that I am a good helper.

I am walking as long as there is something stable(or not so stable) to hold on to.

I am really good at finding things.

I love my cat and being outside.

Pooh bear is my friend every morning before Mama gets me out of bed.

I am working on more teeth and Dundee taught me how to gnaw on sticks.

A viable question

As I was waiting for the bus with the boys, I was being read to about sharks and all of the marvelous things sharks do. Out of the blue came a question that took me back for a moment, "Mama how many tons are you?" After collecting my wits I smiled and answered, "none", and then I received an explanation or was it a dissertation on why they thought I was not a ton. It was a good question. One needs to understand in relation to what one knows. There are so many measurements out there.

A Childhood Favorite

I rediscovered Ruth Chew's books when I found a couple of them while shopping for used books, and all the memories came back. I found I could remember individual characters, scenes, and events from some of the stories I had read when I was much much younger. These books are short chapter books (about 120 pages) illustrated beautifully by the author.

All her stories involve one or more of the following themes or ideas: size or shape changing, flying, a magic object that behaves unpredictably, a misfit witch or wizard, being in a different time or place, and/or talking to and making friends with animals.

There are the kind which are full of magical happenings, and there are the kind which involve no magic except for a trip back in time. The books in this second category are more historical and educational in nature.

One thing I really like about Ruth Chew's books is that there is always a tidy plot. There is a friend to be made or a problem to be solved. However, the plot is never such that everything goes back to normal at the end of the book: there is always something gained at the end of the story. The last page of every book seems to wink and say, "Now, wasn't that worthwhile?"

A note to the excessively protective or politically correct: Yes, Ruth Chew did write about witches and wizards and covens and broomsticks and black cats. Have no fear of these witches. If anything, they will teach young readers the values of friendship, independence, and self-esteem, since that's what the books are really about.

Do-it-yourself Magic - When Rachel and Scott pool their money to buy a build-anything-kit, they find that what they build is real. Strange things happen when you start playing with magic.

Earthstar Magic -Ellen and Ben meet a friendly witch who reveals the magic power of the earthstar to them.

The Enchanted Book - The magic words are supposed to make another copy of the King Arthur book. But something goes wrong. Now Serena and Jay are back in the time of castles, knights, dragons, and magic.

The Hidden Cave -The hidden Tunnel leads Alice and Tom on a series of wild and wacky adventures when they discover a magician just awakened from a thousand year sleep.

Last Chance for Magic -A magical tunnel in their Brooklyn backyard sends Terry and her brother Max back into time, when the peace-loving Leni-Lenape Indians lived on the same land.

The Magic Cave -When lightning splits an old oak tree, a brother and sister discover Merlin who has been sleeping inside the tree for many centuries.

The Magic Coin -Meredith and Christopher find themselves on a strange faraway island. The magic coin took them there, but now it will not take them home again.

Magic in the Park - Mike and Jennifer find that there is magic in the park. A strange green glow and trees upside down.

Magic of the Black Mirror -A day at the museum ends up with a black mirror transporting Amanda and Will back to the time and place of the Totem pole Indians.

Mostly Magic -From the day Pete comes to fix a leak in the house and his miniature ladder opens into a full-size one, a brother and sister experience a series of magical adventures.

No Such Thing As a Witch -When Nora and Tad observe a squirrel reading a little newspaper and their dog behaving strangely, they decide their new neighbor is a witch.

Royal Magic -While looking at an exhibit in the Museum of Natural History, Cindy and Jack are magically transported to an early African civilization, where they must save the king and his Royal Jester from the terrible customs they are forced to obey.

Second Hand Magic -Two children acquire a magic kite and, with some second-hand items from a nearby store, enjoy a series of adventures.

The Secret Summer - When Mom and Dad go on vacation with out them, Joe and Kathleen run away to spend their summer on a small island.

The Secret Tree-House -Margret and Sam find a tree house and it digs a cave by its self. Magic pear seeds help them get in and out of trouble.

Summer Magic -Sarah looked up. Someone was leaning over Timothy. It was an Indian. And he was holding a long knife.

Trapped in Time -Nathan and Audrey find an old watch. It's Magic! It takes them back over 200 years. There, the two children meet a drummer boy with a fancy uniform. Without meaning to, they get him in a lot of trouble. Now the soldiers are looking for him.

The Trouble with Magic -Harrison Peabody, a very pleasant wizard, demonstrates that a great deal of trouble often accompanies a little bit of magic.

Wednesday Witch -Mary Jane's mother tells her not to let any strangers in the house while she's away. But there's a short, fat woman in a long black dress and a pointed hat banging on the door

What the Witch Left -Katy and Louise find a pair of magic boots in the attic, and take off on fantastic adventures.

The Wishing Tree -A bird and cat that talk and a special tree in a nearby park involve a brother and sister in some magical adventures.

A Witch in the House - After inviting an upside down Witch into the house Laura and Jane find a bath mat floating in the air. It feels steady. Now if they could just get it to work.

The Witch at the Window -Marjorie and Nick are sure they see a witch standing on the air conditioner outside the window. Then she disappears into thin air! That's just the beginning of some strange adventures for Marjorie and her brother.

The Witch and the Ring -When Charlotte and her brother receive a magic ring from a vending machine, they never expected a real witch to come after her ring.

Witch's Broom -A new broom and an unusual blue jay involve Amy and her friend in magical adventures.

The Witch's Buttons -A talking button in the shape of a man leads two young girls into a series of magical adventures.

Witch's Cat - A talking cat from Brooklyn takes two kids on an adventure to a medieval castle.

The Witch's Garden -Susan and Josh discover some surprising things about the garden next door and the little old woman who owns it.

The Would-Be Witch -Two children are convinced that the owner of the nearby antique shop is a witch.

Wrong Way Around Magic -Chip turned the field glasses back to front. Wilma stood close beside him. What would happen this time when they looked through the glasses the wrong way?

Note: The Hidden Cave and The Magic Cave are the same book, as are The Secret Summer and Baked Beans for Breakfast.

I tried to pick out a few of my favorites and, I am sorry Brina, I can't. I love them all.

Cream, Frozen, Rich, Chocolate

It was easy.

It was RICH and CREAMY.

A little went a long way.

I thought of Michael.

No extra added ingredients in this one.

My Daughter

My daughter is growing capable. She is crawling, trying new foods, and finding out who she is.

My daughter is learning. She thinks about how things work, solving ever more complex puzzles.

My daughter is curious. She wants to be a part of, to see for herself. She is my little Lady.

24th a day of Service

On the 24th of July, we celebrated those who have gone before by cleaning up one of the local cemeteries. It was hard, hot and sweaty work ( I stayed the coolest, because of the overalls). We stayed hydrated, we enjoyed the company of each other and friends who were with us.

The Last Shilling

The dishwasher went up in flames.

Summer vacations fly out the window.

New dishwasher on the horizon.

Little Sister's Have a Day Too

Learning of Summer

Swimming lessons! Elowyn and I spend part of each day watching Darian and Wade splash in the pool.

Egg Hunt in June

Oregon has the richest deposit of "Thunder Eggs" in the world. Rock hounding was our mission and eggs our goal. There was sweat and toil, even some blood and tears. The best place for digging is above the agate layer in a layer of soft silica. This is where the largest eggs were found.

The unique agate-filled mud balls are found in layers of rhyolite lava flows, which spread over the land an estimated 60 million years ago. This was long before man appeared on the earth and thousands of centuries before the Cascade Mountain range was formed and pushed upward, due to tremendous stress beneath the surface of the planet. Geologists reason that the round-shaped Thundereggs were formed in gas pockets, serving as molds, that were left in the lava plows of the Eocene Geological Age. Over long periods of time, the gas cavities or cooled bubbles were gradually filled by water percolating through the porous rock formations, Water (hot or cold) oozing into the cavities carried rich quantities of silica (quartz). The solution lined and in many cases filled the cavity molds, first with the darker matrix material, then the inner core of agate or chalcedony. The beautiful and varying colors were derived from nearby minerals present in the soil. These processes are still going on, but at a much slower rate than during the times of volcanic action, with huge clouds and deposits of volcanic ash rich in silica (quartz).

Thundereggs are agate-filled nodules found in various parts of the Western United States. They range in size from 1/4 inch to as large as 5 feet in diameter. Generally, they are about the size of oranges. All are similar on the exterior, but no two are alike in pattern, design or color on the inside. The most colorful and beautiful of Thundereggs comes from a small area in Jefferson County in Central Oregon (Pony Butte). In other localities they do not show such brilliant color and gem quality.

According to legend, Thundereggs were so named by Native Americans of Central Oregon. The natives of this region are said to have believed these strange, agate-filled stones were missiles thrown by angry, fighting "Thunder Spirits" or "Gods" who dwelt on Mount Jefferson and nearby Mount Hood, two of the several snow-capped peaks high in the Cascade Range. The Native Americans thought when thunderstorms occurred these rival, jealous gods hurled large numbers of the round-shaped rocks at each other in furious anger. Thus, according to Native American legend, Thundereggs were scattered over the high plateaus of Central Oregon.

Meet the New Mousers

White Cocoa and Milo have become the newest residents of Underhill Farm. Litter mates and good friends, Milo and Cocoa will become the most pampered barn cats in the Northwest.

Silver Falls Hike Hike!!

I took part of Friday off to go to Silver Falls with the family. We hiked about two miles. Thats not far, but it was up and down a valley. Julie thought us boys were all wimps.

I packed the baby.

What do these three have in common?

Russel M Nelson

Wade Davenport

Darian Davenport

They all shook hands today at Stake conference. The Church is true.

Kids

The lively kids bounce and jump up and down the hill as their mothers watch protectively. Toly, Orlan, Brownie and Cookie roll over each other, they butt their heads and climb each other as well as the hill. Where does all of their energy come from?

All of this running around has made Brownie and Cookie a little thirsty.

Brownie decides to have a little chat with dad.

Spring Break

Our break included a day at the Tulip festival racing rubber ducks.

A hike in the rain, bird watching, I not sure wether we watched the birds or if they watched us.

We identified eight diferent kinds of birds, and many kinds of plants, but no posionous ones. sigh.

Building pine wood derby racers in the shop with Pop.

And a rainy night in a heated cabin. Elowyn was thankful for the cabin and so was her mother.

Lookin' fir a fight

These couple of farmers have done got thir dander up with that o'l coyote that's bin after thems chickens. Now theys really mad.

The Game

We did it. We went to a game. It was college women's basketball. The last game of the season. I suppose the reason was cub scouts. Some requirement about attending a live sporting event. So we went, all five of us. Elowyn was transfixed by the specticle. I thought Wade was board by the way he was wiggling all over his chair and his mother's chair, but that was just tired excitement. He was voting for the underdogs because their cheerleaders had more modest outfits (his words) Darian was going for the home team that was in the lead that most people were cheering for. Julie was against the agressive nature of the home team in contrast to the visitors skill and teamwork, so she was rooting with Wade. I agreed with Julie. I had to explain the rules for the first few minutes, but after that the boys only occasionally asked what happens when the referies or the mascotts get the ball. Home team won.

Baby Goat names.

Ok, this is not important, but I have named our goats. They are all does.
Bridget's does are called Brownie and Cookie.
Jane's does are Toly and Orlan.
They are all does.
Again, this is not important.

Oldfashioned Stuffed Animals

These are stuffed animals made like they used to make them. The boys made them and I embellished them. The kangaroo has a joey in her pouch. The rabbit is holding a carrot. The kitty was made by Wade especially for his little sister before she was born.

Surprise!!!!

Bridget Boer Doe gave us quite a surprise. She is so fat we had a hard time guessing her due date. Last night she gave birth to three skinny weak doelings. Again we missed the begining of the birth and we lost the first one out. It has been quite a night being a new mom all over again. We stayed up late helping bridget figure things out and cleaning off the newborns, then spent the night waking several times to hold the tiny skiny doelings to their mothers teats, they have only started to stand this morning. Elowyn had to get her share to. All in all we are exhausted, and pleased with all our little does. Jane had two doelings and a buckling. It was the buckling that died. The boys didn't have school today and have been out several times "saving" the kids from being sat upon by their mother.

New Arrivals

Jane Boer Doe gave birth to triplets this morning. As a new mother she was confused and worried. We didn't get out there soon enough to save the first kids life, it suffocated with all of the mucus on its mouth and nose, but we did help the other two get cleaned up and nursing. Poor Jane was not sure what they were doing back there.

Baptisim

Darian was baptized on valentines day. Family came, Wade sang, Darian now has two CTR rings and he wears them both.

Fighting Fear

Why would a sensible woman put plastic wrap over her sink?

In the spring as the temperatures warm the queens rise and seek new nesting sites. My home was the rising place of this particular queen. She doesn't look so big in the picture, but the fear that filled me as I locked my baby in the other room and so slowly and carefully trapped that queen. Tears streamed down my cheeks from facing the fear inside and the hope that the queen wouldn't escape until my knight could come and rescue me and mine.