FHE Picking Peas

Randall's parents (the benevolent souls who let us live in their basement) have a huge garden where they raise

corn, potatoes, tomatoes, squashes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, chard, spinach...the list goes on.

Anyway, we get to help tend the garden and then, enjoy the bounty.

 And on Monday night those peas needed pickin'!

 And once picked you must pod and preserve.

The hands of an experienced podder.

First Meet

Ever since we pulled Addi out of her pre-comp team and started private technique lessons with Casey and Dad, she has been looking forward to this day.

Her FIRST SWIM MEET!!

We put her on a little county team, the Stingrays, and she's loving it.

Her cousins came to cheer her on, she's pointing out her events on the heat sheet.

She is in the 8 and under category and the only 6 year-old in the meet.

 Just before her first race, they called out her name and lane and she saluted the crowd with a hearty wave.

 On her mark...waiting for the buzzer...

 And she's off!

 This is her first race, a 25 Yard Freestyle.

I don't want to brag but all those girls behind her are 8...I'm just saying...

 Second race, 25 Yard Breaststroke, she was smiling nearly every time she came up for air.

 This is her third and final event the 50 Free

This was a combined heat so that little pink cap is her and everyone else is between 8 and 10 years-old...I just feel like I can't reiterate that enough...because I'm a bragger I guess.

 Home stretch.

Meet...accomplished.

Second place in every event...not too shabby.

25 Free

Riding

So in this case it's more like sitting (Temmy didn't have her saddle on) but Addi is excited none the less to hang out with Amy and her horses under any condition.

Luckily we had Uncle Ryan there to help her mount.

Life just seems so much better from the top of a horse.

 

Visiting the new colt Domingo.

A Tiny Step In The Right Direction

I feel a little obliged to mention the mini-job Randall started this week.  

First, I just wanted to thank everyone for their kind words and leads.  We appreciate it so much.

He got a clerking job at a firm here in the land of milk and honey...Provo to be exact.

They, said they only needed him part-time but he's been there full-time so far.

It pays next to nothing.

But it is really great experience in a law he loves to do, so that's good.

Also good, there is some real potential here, once we go through the whole bar thing again....for Utah this time.

Wheeler Farm

We were looking for some fun and free entertainment for our balmy (NOT-it was cold) Memorial Day.

My brother and his wife and little girl came up and we went to the good old Wheeler Farm.

(disclaimer: I think this is the only picture with an animal in it because I find the same photographic problem here as I do in zoos.  Either you get your child facing YOU (not looking at the animal behind them, thus not capturing their reaction good/bad/funny/amazed/amused, etc. of the animal) and the animal behind them or you get the animal, and the back of your child's head...also not getting the aforementioned reaction.   This is an ongoing dilemma for me and I would love any suggestions to, as they say, have my cake and eat it to.)

 I realize that this is both the back of the heads and no animals but I still think it's cute.

I have a very similar picture of myself in this spot when I was about Addi's age but since I don't have a scanner I can't put it up here...someday I'm going to have a scanner and you'll all be so amazed at my cuteness...and then wonder where all that cuteness went.

Garage Sale

We had 2 yard sales going on on our street this weekend.

Addi and Ashley thought they would take advantage of the yard sale traffic.

They put together a good assortment of items and set up shop.

 They worked very hard and put a lot of thought into the pricing of the items.

As you see these items are not cheap!

You may notice a small pink horse near the bottom left corner of the table.  She's going for $12.

When I asked them about the price they both looked up at me and in unison insisted,

"It's worth it!"

Then when I asked what exactly was that red plastic item bottom right center on the table going for $13.

Addi informed me that she didn't know what it went to but if she didn't know what it was then it was "going for a high price!"

They waved and shouted and flagged people down.

(this is Addi's stressed face, there was a car coming and she was afraid I was going to take too long taking the picture and she would miss a potential customer)

They accumulated $3 for there trouble.

$2 of that from a lady who said they made her laugh and deserved something for that.

And in case you are wondering that sign says that this garage sale is open 24 hours a day!

So come on down any time.

SRO

 I came in to check on Addi's practicing and it was standing room only!

Then, I may have mentioned that she needed to re-do that song and...she melted.

 We go through this once or twice during a practice session and I have found that we are both to blame.

So we came to an agreement.

I have agreed to soften my tone and not get frustrated while correcting mistakes and she as agreed to graciously accept correction...we are both practicing if not perfecting our parts of the bargain.

She really does love to play and when she masters a song she is very proud of herself and loves to perform for anyone who will listen.