School programs

Both Analee and Rebekah got to participate in their grades' musical programs at the school. First we had Analee's Earth Day program with her second grade class. It was held during the day, so Seth took a late lunch to attend. Grandpa Scott and Aunt Jessica were able to come too.

Analee reciting her part about photographing polar bears in the Arctic.

Laughing and clicking away.

Ms. Weber's 2nd grade class in their costumes.

And the next week, both 4th grade classes participated in the annual Idaho history program. They held an evening performance, so Grandma Susan, Grandma Scott, Grandpa Scott and Aunt Jessica were all able to come with our family.

 

Rebekah singing with her classmates.

Reciting her lines about women in Idaho history.

Square dancing with a reluctant partner. He wouldn't look any of the girls in the eye.

First kill

Rebekah is her daddy's girl through and through. She loves going fishing and hunting with him, and she's elated that the hunting age has been lowered so she can look for a deer this year.

She decided to get an early jump on hunting when she spotted a squirrel in the yard a couple of weeks ago. She made Analee keep an eye on it while she ran inside for her BB gun.

(Sidenote: Our yard is lousy with squirrels, and they've proved to be quite the pests. They chewed apart the awning on our swing and the net on our trampoline, among other things.)

After hitting it a few times (she's a dead eye, that one), she finished it off with the shovel and put it in the wheelbarrow for safe keeping until Seth could come home and take care of it for her.

Rebekah exhibited a bombardment of conflicting emotions after getting her first kill. She came inside smiling--but with tears running down her cheeks--to report that she had been successful in her first hunt. Later she asked me if I thought Heavenly Father was mad at her for killing a squirrel.

I asked her, "Why did you kill it?"

She answered, "For its pelt and to eat it."

"Then I don't think He's angry with you."

(I also would have accepted, "Because they're pests.")

She also said, "Now I'm a hunter. Will Dad be proud?"

As soon as he arrived home from work, Seth took the girls out in the shop and talked about hunting while skinning and butchering the squirrel. He made sure to tell them that we don't kill things for fun; we have to be responsible with our hunting.

And then he cooked us up some squirrel.

That, folks, is the smallest frying pan we own. Squirrels don't supply a whole lot of meat.

Rebekah with the cooked squirrel.

Rebekah, Seth and I all ate squirrel that night. (The other girls respectfully declined.) We can all report that it doesn't taste like chicken.

And after the pelt had been sitting in salt for a while, Seth cleaned it and mounted it for Rebekah. After all, if Seth can have an antelope head in the family room, Rebekah ought to be able to have a squirrel pelt in her bedroom.

Rebekah, her BB gun, her dad and Shelly the squirrel (as Rebekah named her).

It's a major award!

Analee came home from school one day proclaiming, "I won! I won!" I had to get the whole story from her since I hadn't know she was in the running for anything.

Her second grade teacher Ms. Weber had asked her students to design a poster as part of the city's Earth Day poster contest. Analee and a classmate had each won in separate categories, so they got to attend the award ceremony at Tautphaus Park in April.

Miriam and Gwendolen making grass angels while waiting for the awards to be handed out.

Analee and Ms. Weber with their awards. Analee received $25 and a certificate for her poster. Ms. Weber also received $25 since Ana is in her class.

Seth hugging Analee after getting her award.

Analee received her award for having such a neat poster. Her classmate, Whitni, received an award for making a creative poster.

Analee's poster.

Petting zoo

We have a little pasture in the back of our property where we planned to raise a calf a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, the price of cows has dramatically increased. Fortunately, our farm neighbors have animals that can stay in our pasture and keep the grass down.

This year, we've been able to house goats and lambs thus far. Our girls have been loving our little petting zoo.

Winnie (and her gorgeous eyelashes) playing in the sandbox before visiting the goats.

Crawling under the gate to get in the pasture.

Miriam, Gwendolen and Rebekah petting the goats. Rebekah had names for all of them.

Analee and a goat.

A few days later, the neighbors shared some slow-roasted goat with us and told us not to let the girls know what kind of meat it was since they had shown such an affinity for the four-legged critters. (I don't think the one they roasted had been one from our pasture. Regardless, it was delicious.)

Piano recital

Analee participated in her first year of piano lessons this year and Rebekah in her second. We had the pleasure of attending their piano recital a while ago (back in April, in fact), but I'm slow to trim down and upload their videos.

First Miriam entertained the audience with a little pre-show show.

Analee performed two songs: "Wild Colt" and "Miniature Sonatina."

Rebekah performed two songs as well: "The Gypsies" and "Entrance of the Gladiators."

We're proud of all our girls and love the music they bring into our home.

Miri-ism #34

When we hold family scripture reading before bedtime, the older girls always read a few verses. Since Miriam is too young to do so, either Seth or I will read a phrase aloud and have her repeat it until the end of the verse.

Seth: (Reading the last part of Luke 24:13) ... which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
Miri: ... which was from Jerusalem about three squirrels long.