My tribe: Just a wee bit more

The kids had a 3-day weekend. We will now have one week of school and then be off for spring break. I don’t like to be a whiner, but I need another couple of days to accomplish the mental list I made.

I guess if we survive the week, I should have plenty of time to finish!

We did have a pretty productive weekend. Madison and Andrew’s washer is still broken. The girls spent Friday here washing laundry. I am not complaining - I got a few hours of time with them! I was laughing at Wrenley - she was being her usual feral self- and then she crawled up beside Madison, popped that thumb in her mouth and was out! To me she looked incredibly uncomfortable, but I wasn’t about to wake that baby!

At some point in the afternoon, Mallory showed up. I was headed to get groceries, and since Harper and Saige did NOT want to go to town, nor did they want to help me sack groceries at Checkers, I conned Mallory into going with me. The girls babysat the dogs. We got my errands done, ordered papa Murphy’s, got home, unloaded, and cooked the pizza right before Jim came home from working late. The grocery haul being done was enough for me to declare the weekend a success! That is a job I don’t mind doing, but it is time consuming and there is no way to do it without going into town. Town is too people-y for me.

I was happy that I talked to all the kids this weekend, regrettably I didn’t get to see them all. Cameron texted me to say he had exciting news - 1- he was on some sort of team at work and they won some giant trophy. When asked if he gets to keep it, he said nope and you get in trouble for even suggesting that you wanted to try to keep it!

And 2- after the great angry bowling episode of 2009, he vowed that he would never bowl again. A vow he decided he could let himself break. He said that he had fun and even won one round. I wonder if, perhaps you win while bowling a 111, your bowling friends might be letting you win? I am glad he had some fun. He told me he is also the captain of the bank's corn hole team. I guess we wait to see how that goes!

I worked at the liquor store on Saturday. Jim and Andrew and Evie went fishing.

Madison drove a bus trip. Wrenley is her ever present assistant! Looking more like Wrenley is planning a hostile take-over of Madison's job!

When I got off work, Harper and Saige and I went to scout out some 4-H goats. I think we found some really nice looking ones, and the girls were excited. I would still prefer to buy does, and might continue to look, but we will probably just go with these. The person is local, and was very nice to the girls, is giving them a pretty decent price, and will give them their shots and band them before we pick them up at their weaning. The guy had around 100 goats, almost all had kids. A few had kidded in the last couple of days. It was goat cuteness overload! I absolutely love little baby goats! The guy was also pretty knowledgeable, and I learned a few things as well.

Colin was asked by Uncle Harold last weekend if he ever climbs poles or if they always just get to be in the truck. Colin sent this photo for Harold - he said he does occasionally have to climb! Of course, the photo is a little hard to tell if it is actually Colin! :)

Colin and Quincy were also fixing Quincy's brakes this weekend. I sincerely appreciate how Colin helps Quincy, taking her out for dinner, inviting her over to do stuff, and helping her with her car. I love that he watches out for his little sister. I love that she allows him to help her out. It makes me happy that they get along and watch out for each other.

Quincy said she had to work most of the weekend.

After the weird blizzard and cold windy days of last week, the sunshine and warmer weather were very welcome this weekend! Jim and I love how these girls love to be outside!
Jim got some brush trimmed. Saige and I picked up a truck load of sticks that had fallen out of the trees this winter. I was happy Saige wanted to help, as the last time I picked up branches, I ended up in the ER with a broken shoulder! I didn't want a repeat of that insanity. I figured if I got hurt, at least she was out there with me to go get help! Luckily, nothing bad happened. We even got most of the sticks and a pile we had made earlier this winter all burned up!

I enjoyed my Sunday. We got so much done after church. The girls came out for Sunday dinner. Madison and Andrew threw a couple more loads of laundry through. We made my grandma's cream puff recipe. I got the house mostly cleaned, and I enjoyed visiting with the grandkids and the girls.

Preston had Chayt and Liv at his house this weekend for Fake Patty's day. I don't know if you are familiar with this KSU tradition, but it is where the students all celebrate St. Patrick's day a week or so early. It is an entire town party. Literally. Every house near campus sets up a party, the students go from house to house, to bar, to house, to bar, drinking, hanging out and doing goodness knows what else. It is also a day that both the campus police, and the city police hate. I warned Preston that they monitor and are out in full force to watch for underage drinkers. Preston assured me that they would be careful, would not drive and that he would watch out for his friends. He says he had a great time.

I am happy he had fun, and also thought it was pretty cool that he caught up with some of his old high school friends and classmates. He went to 13 years of school with some of these guys. There is a set of twins that we have watched grow up (and loved, and laughed at for their crazy ideas). Which is why when I saw one of them dressed as a full on leprechaun, I lost it - always hilarious!

Also, Fake Patty's day was not a thing when Jim and I were at KSU, however I did accidentally attend once. KSU had swine producer's day, and invited the 4-H kids to attend. I took my children to Manhattan, and when I got there, I realized the error of not knowing what would be going on. There were half-naked, drunk students everywhere! Driving through campus was all but impossible. Driving near Aggieville was even worse. My kids got a pretty good "education" that day! We have laughed about it several times since then. Needless to say, to me it made me feel old, and I won't be going to Manhattan in the month of March ever again, unless I double check to make sure that isn't going on! :)