The Cool Down

That's what I feel like November is - the Cool Down after Soccer Season.  We're glad to have it here!  Not that we're not busy.  But I think a change is as good as a rest.  The Fall leaves have been beautiful.

Bruce and Joseph went elk hunting at the first of the week.  They took six llamas and hiked in.  As they were hiking, they took a wrong turn, and started going down the wrong canyon.  It was disastrous.  The vegetation was really thick, and there was no trail.  Besides, it was snowy, so they couldn't find the trail anyway.  By the time they figured out they were in the wrong canyon they were "deep in the heart o' Texas", so to speak.  So they said a prayer, and headed for a ridge to get a look at where they could go.  They ended up camping on that ridge. One of the things Joseph commented on was the silence at certain times of the day.  When there wasn't even a hint of a breeze, and the birds weren't singing, it was so silent that it was almost noise in itself.  He also said that being in the mountains felt like being in the Temple.  They didn't even see a bull elk, let alone get a shot at one.  Bummer.  They got home Wednesday night, and I was glad to see them.  One funny thing on Bruce:  Joseph said that one night Bruce said, "Joseph, if you get cold you can come and snuggle with me."  Joseph said, "I think I'm good Dad."  When do boys get to old to want to snuggle?

With Bruce gone, my adventures on Monday were compounded.  Monday morning at 5:30 am, I got up to read my scriptures.  I wanted to listen to a Conference talk, so I opened up my laptop.  On the screen, I saw that one of the kids had gotten me a Sub job (substitute teaching) for that day.  I had until 6:00 am to cancel the job or not.  I thought of all the things I had to do that day, and on the other hand, all the reasons I needed to go and earn an extra $70 to help out.  It was a dead even between the pro and con.  Finally, I decided to stay home, and prayed - asking Heavenly Father to confirm that decision, which He did.  Only later would I know just how good of a decision it was.

After getting the kids on the bus, I didn't go exercise because Jesse ended up being sick and staying home from school. (The first reason it was good I stayed home).  As I started checking my email, I glanced out and saw Buttercup (our dairy cow) on her side.  I wondered if something was wrong, but then I dismissed it thinking that she was just tired from having calved the day before.  Bad choice!  About an hour and a half later, I looked out and saw her still laying on her side.  Oh-oh.  I high-tailed it out to the field and found her head all twisted around, groaning, and looking awful.  Oh, man.  I'm not really an animal person, and although I care about our animals, I'm not too attached to any of them.  Except for Buttercup.  I guess it's the milking and taking care of her, but I really do care for Buttercup.  I called Lane, our friend who also has a dairy cow, and asked for the name of a vet.  The vet said he could come out in about two hours.

So then I had to figure out how to keep her alive until the vet got there.  Of course I took oils out there - Geranium, Frankincense, and Peppermint.  I tried giving her grain and water, but she wouldn't having anything to do with that.  I got Jesse out there to help me get her head around, and it took us awhile to figure that out.  I brought out a calf bottle and milked Buttercup and fed it to the calf.  He was mooing, and putting his nose up against her face. 

At long last the vet came and diagnosed her with hypo-calcemia (spelling?), also known as "milk fever".  It is a condition where the regulatory mechanism for blood-calcium levels is malfunctioning, and the body sends all the calcium to the milk instead of keeping it in the blood.  I have a new respect for calcium!  The vet gave her an IV of a calcium-magnesium solution.  But she didn't respond, she just stayed the same.  He then gave her a calcium paste in the back of her throat.  He didn't give me much hope when he left.  He said she was probably too far gone.

This was hard to hear.  I spent the next hour in mourning - feeling guilty that I had not checked on her the first time I saw her down, and just overall feeling bad.  It was sobering. I prayed for her, but not with much hope.

In an hour or so, the vet called me and said that in talking to a local university veterinary clinic, they had offered to do a blood test on her.  So he came back out and drew her blood, which I then drove down to the Veterinary Clinic.  They ran a test quickly and determined that his diagnosis was right - very low blood calcium.  They said to use another bag of solution, so he came out again and put another IV in her.  She was a little more alert, but still wouldn't get up.  He decided to put in the rest of the calcium paste in the back of her throat, but when she saw him coming with that white tube, she pushed herself up on her feet and got the heck out of there.  It was so funny!  She didn't want anything to do with that paste in her throat.  We were very relieved that she was up.  She fully recovered, and by Wednesday was being a Mama again and letting her calf nurse.  I am grateful for good vet care, and grateful that Buttercup did not die on my watch!

Even though this was just one of our animals, it gave me a perspective on how people feel when a loved one has health problems and their life is in danger.  It was very taxing emotionally.  I chalked that one of up for experience, and will be more empathetic in the future.  Oh, which brings me back to my decision at 5:30 am to stay home and not go in to sub.  If I had, Buttercup would have died, I'm pretty sure.  I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and being able to be guided and directed by the hand of the Lord.

On Tuesday night, I had a Soccer Board Meeting.  At the end something came up that involved a close friend of ours, and I found myself in the tough position of defending actions that were thought to be indefensible by the rest of the board.  I had to do it, because I had to look my friend in the eye and tell her that I did my best to be loyal to her.  It caused me much reflection, because I was divided between my loyalty on the one hand to our Soccer Club, and on the other hand to a friend.  I feel satisfied that I handled it the best way I could, but it was a tough spot to be in.

On Wednesday, we had Young Women in Excellence.  The YW leaders in our ward are amazing, and I appreciate so much all they do for Jesse and Mary.  For her display, Jesse showed her Hymn book with the list of Hymns she is playing on the organ, and Mary showed the material and the skirt she is making for one of her projects.  I am very proud of the girls and how hard they work on Personal Progress!


On Friday night my friend Tauna texted and said that she was grateful that we had Wade & Holli at our house, and that she was bringing over a Lasagna dinner for us!  Wow!  So we had dinner with them and later played Ticket to Ride with Wade & Holli.  That was fun!  Bruce beat us all by a long ways.  It's a good thing I'm not too competitive when playing with Bruce because he almost always wins.  I need to play him in ping-pong and serve up some humble pie.

On Saturday morning, I told Bruce that we should go over to Rexburg and watch Josh's game.  He agreed to go, but only after naming off all the "projects" that he wanted to get done in this "work" Saturday, as he called it.  This was a big sacrifice for him.  There's almost nothing he loves more than to get a lot of things done on a Saturday.  But thankfully, he loves his children more than his projects, so we all loaded up in the van and went off to Rexburg.  We showed up on the very minute that the game started!  My Mom and Dad and Aunt Angie were there with Ethan and Alyssa.  Angie knew we were coming, but not Mom & Dad.  My Mom's reaction was just what every daughter wants to hear, "Lorena!", and then she wraps me in a big hug.  Dad grabbed my arms and with a big smile said, "What are YOU doing here?"  Ha ha  I told him it was my son that was playing and I wanted to see him play!

Josh was on the "Hurricanes", and his team made it to the championship.  They played a great game - very skilled players - and won 1-0.  It was fun to watch!  After the game, we went over to Josh's apartment for a bit and he played us some songs on his guitar.  We then took off to to another town to watch our high school football team play in State game.  They lost, but it was fun to be there with all the other people from out community.

We drove home after the game, each taking an hour to drive.  We got home at 1:20 am, but luckily we got to set our clocks back, so that helped us get up this morning.  I loved testimony meeting this morning.  How wonderful to hear each individual share the feelings of their heart and express their love for the gospel, for the Lord, and for their families and our ward members.

I just got done reading The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  You'll have to see my review on Goodreads (see the link on this blog.).  Wow - it was a good book.

Conference Weekend!

Varsity soccer is a dangerous activity, as our family can attest.  We pulled out the crutches (Joshua's old ones from when he broke his leg two years ago) for the second time this fall season, but this time for Jesse.  At her game on Wednesday, she stuck out her foot to block a shot on goal, and the full force of the opponents kick came onto her right ankle.  She went down and had to be carried off the field by her coach.  The frustrating thing was that this was the one time in the last six months that I haven't had Deep Relief in my purse.  I ran home and got the oils that she needed and brought them back to her.  She was in a lot of pain and could not put any weight on it.  It turned out to only be a deep muscle bruise.  I was frankly relieved that it was only that - not a broken bone or torn ligaments!  She went to school the next day on crutches, hating every minute of it.  She hated the attention, but most of all she did NOT like that people had to help her.  It was a learning experience for her!  The next day she only needed one crutch, and Sat and Sunday she's been walking without even a limp.  I'm hoping she'll be back playing by Wednesday.  That was what her team was saying also.  Her teammate Sydney told me, smacking her hands together, "We just have to have Jesse.  We have to!"  Have I ever said how grateful I am to Heavenly Father for blessing us with essential oils?

Varsity soccer is also a very exciting activity, as Joseph can attest.  For the first time this season, Joseph scored a goal!  And he did it two games in a row - on Monday and Wednesday!  On Monday, I was so excited when he scored a goal, that I did a cartwheel on the sideline.  Yes - it's true.  I did a cartwheel.  I think it was seeing Libby doing it all the time that made it come to mind, and I did it!  And guess what - it didn't even hurt or anything!  Ha ha (That was adrenaline).  I looked up from the cartwheel, and a parent (I think it was Tammy), was holding up their hands, so then I went down the line of parents giving high fives.  Yes, that is true also.

The next game was in a town an hour and a half away, and I was in charge of the referees for our local club's tournament, so  I couldn't go to Joseph's game.  After the game should have been over, I checked my phone, and there was a text from an unkown number that said, "You owe us another cartwheel."  "What?", I thought to myself.  "Is this for Libby?", and then it donned on me.  It was for me, and that meant that our boys had scored a goal!  I called the number, and it was my friend Bob, and he let me know that not only was it our team, but Joseph specifically that had scored the goal!  Wahoo!  I was so excited, I couldn't believe it!!  Two games in a row?!  Just for the record, we had been putting on an oil called Highest Potential for about a week before that on his ankle and leg, where hurt it last month. 

I had to laugh a few weeks ago when Cedric, my brother, told me that as a parent, I needed to stay detached from the high school games.  I laughed and laughed.  What a joke - who ever came up with that paradigm?  He understood why I was laughing - I wasn't laughing at him, but my word, what parent that has watched their child play soccer since they were five is detached when they see them play Varsity games?  Ha ha  Not me, that's for sure.

Mary and her friend Trent made a display in the library for the upcoming Book Fair that the librarian raved about.  I haven't seen it yet, but apparently is very creative.  It is really cool that Mary has such a neat circle of friends right now, both boys and girls.  That doesn't happen very often in 8th grade.  This is one of Mary's gifts, however, and she is using her gifts well!

Guess who came home this weekend?!  Josh came up to the door Friday night and Libby went to answer the door.  Josh said her jaw dropped and she just stared for a minute or two before giving him a hug.  I knew he was coming, but nobody else did.  We got Joseph so good Friday night.  He came home from his date (with one of the cutest girls in the school - and yes, that's two weekends in a row with a date) and I was rubbing oils on Jesse's foot.  I said, Joseph, "Please go get me the Lavender in the bathroom."  When he turned the corner, Josh was there with a hockey stick in his hand raised up.  They both yelled, and it scared Joseph so badly!  Oh, we were laughing so hard!

This is a picture of us right before Josh left to go back to BYU-I.  Notice that Jesse, Mary and I are nearly the same height?  With raised eyebrows, I'm examining that fact in this picture.  It had to have been uneven ground, or else Josh is standing on his toes, which is entirely possible, because he is not taller than Bruce.  Yet.

I love General Conference!  We were able to go over David and Elysia's and spend the day.  David and Elysia moved here a little over a year ago from another state, and now our families have become dear friends.  David cooked us breakfast, their family tradition, and we made BLT's for lunch.  Add peaches and cream to that, also, and it tells you that we were stuffed at the beginning of the fourth session!

Obedience, repentance, following the prophet, addiction, and the Holy Ghost were some of the salient points of the Conference for me.  I can't wait to take each talk individually and study every word.  I am so thankful that we have this privilege.  One speaker said something to the effect that humans usually take things for granted.  So I express my gratitude for apostles and prophets!

Soccer

We are smack in the middle of the Fall soccer season and all it's attendant hair-wringing, heart-pounding, and house-ignoring days.  But most of all, it's happy children days.  In the end, I told my friends the other day, that's what it comes down to.  When the kids get in the car after being at soccer, they are laughing, chatting away, telling me all about it.  They love it.  I think the outdoors, the exercise, the social aspect, plus the competition - it all works together to make it so they love it.

Except Libby.  She plays soccer and it's OK, but her new passion is GYMNASTICS!  She has learned to do a back walkover!  She takes classes with a local teacher, and it's low key but fun.

Here are some pictures that a friend took of some of this season of the Boys High School Soccer Team.

Joseph snatches the ball...

And gets around his man!

Go Joseph!

Now here's the wind up...

And the release!

And it was a miss - wide and to the left.  But a great shot!

Josh reported that he tried out and made it on a competitive Intermural soccer team at BYU-I.  He was really excited about that!

We had Stake Conference this weekend.  On the Sat evening session, I led the music for the congregation, and also sang with a octet, singing Love One Another.  We sang the same arrangement years ago in 4th Ward.  We brought a lot of the same people back to sing - LeeAnn, Suzanne, Aaron, DaraDee and Justin, and then added Tyson and Clark, and we had a really nice group.  It was fun to sing with them!

This morning, I led the music again for the congregation, and I also directed the Youth Choir, who was the choir for the conference.  Jesse accompanied on the piano.  For prelude we sang "I Stand All Amazed", "The Lord is My Shepherd", "Abide With Me!", and "Nearer My God to Thee." On that one, I started them a cappella, and led them for about a measure, and then I just went and sat down.  It was the coolest thing.  They sang all three verses a cappella by themselves.  Afterwards, everyone that talked to me said that was their favorite part.  We also sang Sweet Hour of Prayer, a Hymnplicity arrangement, and O Holy Jesus, the same arrangement that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings on their "Consider the Lilies" album.  I loved it.  When I was walking out in the hall before the meeting, I heard a choir member, a 15 year old girl, humming that tune as she walked down the hall!  That's what I'm talking about!  Having that beautiful melody and the attendant reverence that it brings, going through your heard.  I loved that.  It was SO FUN to lead the music today, both for the choir and the congregation. Choir director - that would be my next job occupation after alternative health care.

Besides that, the speakers from the Stake Presidency were great.  Pres. _____ talked today and last night about covenants, and being bound to the Lord.  I am thankful for my covenants, and I'm grateful that they bring me unto Christ, because I want to talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ and prophesy of Christ.  I want to be like Him, and to be with Him.

Friday we went out to pull pipe.  We had some good teams going - we're getting better every time because the kids are getting older and better. We only got halfway done, though, before it got dark, so now we have to carve out another two hours sometime to go out and finish.  No easy task, with our schedules, I'll tell you.

Thank goodness Grandma stacks her freezer full of good food for us!

Tender Mercies

I volunteered to coach Mary's soccer game today because both coaches were going to be gone.  I was supposed to take the net and the flags as part of my coaching responsibility.  I forgot them.  I didn't remember until we were at the game, getting out of the car.  OH NO.  The game was away, and we were half hour from being able to get the net and flags, so that option was out.  My only hope was that the other coach would be close enough to pick up a net and flags, if possible.  As I walked morosely out toward the field, I noticed that each corner had a flag already, and the nets were already up.  This is a brand new field this year, and apparently they saw fit to outfit the field with flags and the nets.  A parent was there, and aware of my situation commented, "You must be living right."  Well, I don't know about that, but I'm so grateful that the Lord provided a tender mercy for me.

Besides that, I got to the field with "Drive to Empty" miles on our truck.  And I went a long ways on that.  (I know it's not good for the engine).

Two very tender mercies for me today.  I acknowledge the hand of the Lord in blessing my life.

Renewed Commitment

I'm going to blog. Even if it's only a few sentences at a time. I used to blog on Sunday afternoons. That time seems to have disappeared into thin air.

We dropped off Josh last weekend at college! He started classes on Thursday. He reported that none of his classes "were hard at all". Ha ha That made me grin. I hope that remains true! He went with three of his roommates to Grandma and Grandpa's. How fun is that? Is was weird for me to think that he was at my parent's house without me. That doesn't happen very often. I had to admit to myself that I was a little envious.

Joseph got a hairline fracture in his right fibula last Tuesday. It didn't even show up in the x-rays, but my friend Karen tested that the bone was compromised. We have been putting basil and marjoram (for muscle), wintergreen (for bone) and lemongrass (for ligaments) on the injury. He is able to put weight on it and walk without pain, but not for very long. It starts hurting soon. But it will heal up quickly, and he won't be out the entire season like we thought at first. Sadly, my nephew Chris did break his wrist and will be out for the rest of the season.

A sad thing happened at our high school this past week. A 15 year old classmate of Jesse's - a sophomore - was hit by a car driven by an 89-year old man in a cross-walk by the school, and died. He was not a friend of Jesse's but she had classes with him last year. Today Jesse told me that she had learned he was an only child. Oh, I just can't imagine something like that. Unfathomable.

Jesse is working so hard in soccer and piano. We got to go to a Faculty Recital last Friday night of a renowned local professor of piano performance. He did a concert in honor of the 100 year anniversary of Chopin. Two of the dozen or so pieces he played were pieces that Jesse has learned to play in the last six months. It was awesome to hear them in the concert! She is also starting as a stopper on the Varsity soccer team, and doing a great job.

Mary, Jesse and Joseph are singing in a Stake Youth Choir for Stake Conference next Sunday. I'm the director. It's so fun to direct this choir. They have a great sound, and certainly bring the Spirit when they sing. Mary is also a staple of defense on her soccer team.

Peter got invited by the U12 team to play up as a guest player on their team when he can. He was strutting around like he'd received an invitation to play in the World Cup, he was so proud and excited about that. He really enjoys his U11 team too. Last game he played forward, mid, defense, and he practices as keeper a lot too.

Libby made up a board game tonight. We played for awhile and had fun doing it. This is the second game she's made up, and they are quite creative! She is in 3rd grad and Peter in 4th now. Their classrooms are just opposite each other in the school.

Bruce is coaching the High School JV boys soccer team. They have been doing well. He is a good coach - all the Moms say their sons appreciate Bruce as their coach. He is also still irrigating on his parent's farm, although that should be ending soon.

I had a hard day today. I have so much on my plate right now. There's simply a lot to do, a lot of irons in the fire. Trying to balance everything is challenging in the extreme. Speaking of which, I need to go to bed!

So, I'll try to get in more blogging. It's another thing I'm trying to balance.

Four Months Worth

Oh, that's a scary title. Judging from how long my posts were when I was only reporting on a week, this could be book length! :)

Highlights of the last four months:

Jesse goes to Blanding, UT with her best friend Kalli.
Bruce & Trevor win the Horseshoe Tournament at our Ward Campout,
and the rest of us have a great time.

Josh, Joseph and Bruce go an a High Adventure trip in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (yes, that's really what it's called), with the Teachers and Priests.

Summer fun for Libby and friends:Canyon County Fair:
Peter gets first place in the Market show for his class, and earns a blue ribbon in Showmanship.
Mary tells about her fair experience on her blog - mjblogger.blogspot.com.

Josh, Joseph and Jesse go on a roadtrip with soccer buddies to watch a Salt Lake REAL game. Josh gets to go down on the field at half time to participate in activities.

On the way home from our Trek in Wyoming, we went through Jackson Hole. This has to be one of the most beautiful spots on the earth.(A little tired Josh??)

Our friends Greg and Rachelle were kind enough to treat our WHOLE FAMILY to dinner at Bar J Chuckwagon. It was fabulous! We loved the dinner and the entertainment. Libby was completely taken with the cowboy music and had to buy a CD afterward with her own money. We listened to cowboys crooning all the way home.
We stayed overnight at Mom & Dad's after the long trip from the Trek. This is all of our shoes drying out,and visiting Dad at the Care Center.We were so surprised when Dad got up and walked us out to the front of the care center. He came home shortly after this. Thanks for your hospitality, Mom!

In August, Bruce's brother Gary, Heidi, Kaylee, Kaleb and cousin Daniel came to visit.
Daniel, Kaleb and Peter had a ton of fun together. Peter went back with them to Oregon, and spent a few days.Have to get in the picture of the cousins playing a serious game of Risk! Josh insisted that I remark on how he dominated everyone else, especially Joseph...Soon after this, Jesse, Joseph, and Josh had Two-a-day tryouts for the High School soccer team. Bruce was the Boys JV Coach, so he was involved as well. They were successful, because Jesse made the Girls Varsity team, and Joshua and Joseph made the Boys Varsity team! Holy cow!
We knew Josh would be on Varsity for sure, but Joseph making Varsity was awesome, and Jesse making Varsity as a freshman - WOW! Joseph did have a bit of a scare for about two weeks when they moved him and two other guys down to JV. But he handled it extremely well, and kept working hard. When Josh got sick for a few days, they asked Joseph to take his spot, and Joseph played well enough that they kept him on Varsity for the rest of the season, even when Josh came back.

And then the kids started back to school! Libby is in 2rd grade, Peter in 3rd (both at a local Charter School), Mary in 7th at the Middle School (all by her lonesome), and Jesse in 9th, Joseph in 10th and Josh in 12th at the High School. They are having fun being there together.

At the end of August, we had the great privilege of going down to Utah for our nephew Josh's wedding to Rachel in the Salt Lake Temple. That was wonderful! They were married in the same room that Bruce and I were, so there were wonderful memories. We had a great time being with Bruce's side of the family. A few weeks later, Josh and Rachel came up here for their Open House, and we had the honor of having them stay at our house. I got to talk to Josh and Rachel 'til one the morning. It was so fun! I was the DJ at their Open House and got a few people to get out and boogie. :)

Josh went to Homecoming with a friend named Genny. They look great together, don't you think? This is a great group of kids. I'm so thankful Josh has good friends.

The next few months were filled with soccer games! Monday through Thursday night we had Varsity games, and then on Saturday Mary, Peter and Libby had games. It was fun, but very, very busy.

Josh, then Bruce, then Joseph all had a bout with the swine flu. It was miserable for them, but they came out OK, without any complications. This was a miracle for Bruce especially, because he had influenza about five years ago and developed pneumonia as a complication. Once you get pneumonia, you are more susceptible the next time to get it, so we are so thankful that he was OK this time.

We enjoyed General Conference, as always. Pres. Holland's talk was a classic on the Book of Mormon, and there were many others I enjoyed thoroughly.

In the District Tournament for the Boys JV Soccer team, which Bruce coached, his team took first place, which our HS has never done before. Congratulations Bruce!

In the District Tournament for the girls, Jesse's team played hard and won their first game. Unfortunately, they lost their next two games to finish the season. Jesse really had a great season! She came out and started almost every game and the coaches played her on defense most of every game. Way to go Jesse!

In the District Tournament for the Varsity boys (Josh and Joseph), the boys came back and took 2nd in the District! This was a total surprise, because they were in 7th place out of 8 teams during the season. They were able to go to State, which is always so fun for the team. They lost both of their games in state, but they were SO CLOSE. In the first game, they lost only by a PK, and in the second game it went all the way through two ten-minute overtimes, and through a 5-on-5 shootout with the score still tied. Then it was down to a one-on-one shootout, and our guy missed and the other guy scored. Josh and Joseph were both in the line-up to shoot next if it came to it, but it didn't. It was a heartbreaker, but they came back from so far down, that there was nothing to feel bad about! Congratulations Josh and Joseph on a great season!

Mary's team struggled throughout the season because they didn't have a true goalie on their team, but she played well and worked hard. I got to ref a lot of her games, which was fun for me. Yesterday she got in a tangle and went down hard, and then got up and went at it again as fast as she could. It was one moment when I wanted to be Mom and cheer for her as hard as I could. On the other hand, if I hadn't been the ref, I wouldn't have been out there to see it up close like I did. Good job, Mary!Peter was really a star on his team. One time he even scored on the kick-off. He made a goal recently to be a really good keeper, so we'll see what comes of that!

Libby, well, let's just say that Libby has not QUITE caught on to what the soccer thing is all about. One game I told her I'd give her a quarter for every time she kicked the ball. This is about the first time that she actually went for the ball instead of running around on the edge of the crowd!

Oh well, none of our kids have gotten what soccer was all about until the second half of U8, so she still has another half of a season to get there. :) If she doesn't, hmm, I don't know quite what we'll do. A child not playing soccer?!? Now, don't get all worked up over this - we'll survive if she doesn't. Ha ha

To be continued next week with a report on the Cider Festival!

From the classical to country - and everything in between

We had a busy, busy June. And it hasn't stopped!
The High School boys' soccer team put on a soccer camp for the younger kids. This is Peter and Libby all geared up and ready to go!

I got bucked off my horse, May, on Wednesday, June 17th. We were riding along the side of the street in the neighborhood behind ours when she got spooked by Cookie, the 3-month old filly, and started to shy onto the street. Then she started to buck, and off I went onto the asphalt, of all things. Bruce later commented that he thought there was a belt on her saddle that was too tight underneath. Anyway, I got the wind knocked out of me, but I got up and started to walk. My first thought was, I need to go to Karen's house! She lives right by there, and she is an essential oils guru. Just a few weeks prior to that I had seen her do a world of good on Jesse, who had a really sore tailbone from falling in the garage.

I walked to her house, about a block away, in pretty bad shape. Well, I could walk, but it was all I could do to concentrate on that and get to her house. Unfortunately, she wasn't home, but some other members of our ward were home across the street, so they took me home. I had Bruce put some PanAway on me (a Young Living Essential Oil), and I could feel the ache drain away from that spot. I was very grateful. I was able to sleep that night, and the next day Karen came and did the Raindrop Technique on me. It made it so I was totally functional the next day when I needed to be. Once again, I was so grateful.

Thursday night Peter and Libby had Showmanship Practice for 4-H.
Our wonderful project leader, Kevin, and his daughter Kelsey, helped them get ready for showmanship at the fair.
Friday and Saturday was the annual Idaho Youth Games. I coached two soccer teams - Mary's and Peter's, and we had a fun time. Here are some highlights in photos from the Friday night Fun Night.Here is the long process of trying to get these three to smile all at once for a picture. Nearly impossible.
Jora and Bailey were on Mary's team,
and Jay and Jaren were on Peter's team.
Jesse's team won 2nd place in their division! Veronica, Maddy, Sarah and Allie are her soccer buddies.This is my friend Karla, who Libby has nicknamed "The Master of Soccer". Our children play soccer together, and we have become good friends sitting on the sidelines together the last few years. She just finished a round of radiation for the cancer she was diagnosed with, so I was really glad to see her and get this picture with her.
Here is Libby on the rock climbing wall. The guide said, "Has she taken a rock-climbing class somewhere?"

She must have climbed this wall at least a dozen times.

This is Josh and Joseph racing up the wall. Josh wants you to know that "Joseph started before me." :)


And here is Mary climibing the wall too.


Bruce went fishing with Dave, the fishing guru, on Friday night and Saturday. Dave told me later that he was done about four hours earlier than Bruce, but Bruce would not stop fishing. On the way home, late at night, Bruce was driving, and Dave said, "Are you tired?" Bruce replied, "No, I'm all right." So Dave said, "Then why are you listening to head-banging rock, hugging the steering wheel and going 45 mph? Let me drive!" We had a good laugh about that. But NO SALMON. That stunk.

On Monday we packed up and went camping with friends to Sage Hen Reservoir. We've been going there every year (except for last year when we thought we were moving) since 2002. This year we had Fred & Amy, Calvin & Elizabeth, Todd & Kristie, Greg & Rachelle, Gary & Tami, and Jesse and Britani up there with us. It was SO FUN. We love this trip.

The Saturday after we got home from camping, we went downtown to a nice restaurant and Josh, Joseph and Jesse were part of the Youth Pianist Showcase for the day. They got to play on the piano for the restaurant guests, and received a free lunch and about $8 in tips (each) to boot! Grandma and Grandpa (Bruce's parents) happened to be in town, so they came with us. It was just a delightful experience. But one sad thing - I forgot to get a picture of Josh while he was playing. Can you see a big capital L on my forehead for LAME!! Sorry Josh...

I also had one of my other students play at the restaurant, so that was fun too.

That night, I took Mary and Peter over to our project leader's house for another showmanship practice. The next day I wondered at the variety in my life. In the morning to be going to a fancy restaurant and then in the evening going to a farm and working with sheep. I'm glad to have that kind of diversity, and glad my kids have it.