June is GONE!

Well - I'm not sure what happened - but June is OVER! WOW. I didn't FEEL that busy -but I guess we were!! The kids got out of school last week. We are now enjoying the lazy days of Summer 2008. A couple of weeks ago we went to a friend's wedding south of Buffalo. On the way home we went to Niagara Falls. What a site. It is a pretty awesome natural wonder. On the last day of school, some friends of mine organized a fantastic end-of-year party. We went out to Grafton State Park for a picnic lunch and time on the beach. Everyone had a blast.
Here is a shot of the beach. It was a beautiful day - and one of the few in recent memory where we had NO thunder storms mid-afternoon. The weather remains unsettled and a pain-o-rear.
The chickens are doing fine. I think we're about 11 weeks old. They're outside all day long. Before we went to the wedding we gave away 4 of the roosters - so our flock is down to 14 (10 hens and 4 roosters). The remaining cocks have only a couple of months left - IF THEY BEHAVE THEMSELVES!

Winter Break IS OVER!

Well, Winter Break 2008 is OVER! We did a lot. Yesterday we got our 4th Family Ski lesson in. Despite a LOT of rain this month - the conditions were pretty good. All of us are shot tho. Energy was at an all time low - and we didn't do a ton of skiing after the lesson was over.

Today we got back to church after being absent for most of the month. It was nice to be missed, and nice to start getting back into our normal routine.

David and Grace are enjoying their books. Grace is finishing up a section in a FARMING book. SHe is reading all about raising chicks and taking care of chickens. This well MAY be THE PROJECT for Summer '08. We'll just have to see! First - a chicken coop needs to be erected. And, here is what YOU ALL have been waiting for (HA!). My 2nd pair of socks. THE BEST part of these is that they cost 16 cents apiece! My dedicated knitting friend - Lore - bought a high class fashion sweater at Salvation Army for $1. It was probably originally a $60-80 item, not worn at all, and a very nice cappucino color (according to Lore of course). It's make-up is 80% wool, and 20% nylon - perfect for long-wearing socks. She washed it first. Then one day during Nor'Easters - she took all the seams out and then we unraveled and rolled it up together. She gave me the "haul" for the 1st pair of socks. I'm proud to report - that they took 40 grams each - and she should be able to get AT LEAST 2 more pair from the sweater. By my calculations - that is approximate of course and does NOT include LABOR - about 16 cents per sock! LOVE THIS - and am really enjoying my first taste of the lace patterns too. I purchased some nice yarn (on sale - but NOT recycled) and plan to start sweaters for the girls later this spring.. Grace's is acrylic worsted weight in shocking pink (like I'll probably need to wear sun-glasses during construction) and Ingrid's a really nice medium tone purple cotton witih lots of colored speckles in it. I tried to convince Grace to go for a nice soft fluffy pink instead - but she read the ingredients on the ball of yarn (angora and lamb) and opted NOT! "I'm not wearing bunnies and sheep Mommy!" Wonderful - this reading stuff ain't always the best gig in town!!

2008 Winter Break Take ONE

A TRIP to the New York State Capital

This is Assemblymen Tim Gordon - meeting with the kids - and trying to shake Ingrid's hand! He is newly elected in our district - and the ONLY Independant party candidate elected to the current Assembly. He was very gracious to met with the kids and talk with them for awhile about NYS Government and being an elected official. An OFFICIAL NYS photographer was there to take some nice group shots. We'll look forward to them soon! The 4H Thrills & Skills Club (and a few Mermaids and family members) went to tour the NYS Capital on Tuesday after we met with Mr. Gordon. Here is "George" our tour guide - pointing out all kinds of neat things in the NYS Senate Chamber. The kids asked some GREAT questions. George was WONDERFUL- really able to talk to the kids at the level they are. The kids were GREAT - well behaved - and seemed to take it all in.









The kids looking at the ceiling in the Exectutive Waiting Area. This is where people with appointments to SEE the governor wait. Imagine if he had walked in and found all these kids passed out on the floor! What a sight.
There is a VERY cool mural on the ceiling. Without being told - they all laid down in the middle of the floor to get a better view! George said that originally it was designed to be viewed from 40 feet away in what was supposed to be a dome on the Capital (which we DON'T HAVE)- so this is INDEED the best way to see it because it is only about 15 feet off the floor!

And here we are on the MILLION DOLLAR STAIRCASE. It is beautiful sandstone, 4 stories high and fully carved with tons of faces, animals and flowers. Quite an impressive sight. Apparently, when Teddy Roosevelt took office at the turn of the 20th century - he suspended all work on the capital - which had then been underconstruction and costing big bucks for some 30 years already. Many features remain incomplete.

Here is an attempt at a group shot ala Gretchen. Mr. Gordon's assistant, Kayla, who helped to arrange all of this was also on hand this morning.

Monday's Dance Class
The first video above is of the TAP routine. The second one is from their JAZZ routine. They aren't QUITE done learning the routines for the June recital. Grace is on the near end in the back row (light blue sweatshirt). Ingrid is also in the back row - about 4 kids down in a yellow shirt. They move around and from row to row - I seem to have captured them in the same place in both videos. Grace has come a LONG way since this time last year! They both seem to enjoy it and talk about what the class will be like next year - and what music Miss Sharon will pick for their class. So I guess I'm in for the long haul on dance class!