What's Up Buttercup?!

It's getting to be that time of year again when parents in our county send their little 'chillin's' out to find the first buttercup of the season.  The lucky child to bring in proof of the first buttercup sighting gets their picture in the local paper.  Winston hasn't found one yet.  I may have to crack the whip!

 

Okay, not really.  But this is our first harbinger of spring around here - the search for the elusive buttercup.  It's either that or the kamakaze robins... or the plethura of magpies outside my window.  Or maybe it's that rogue moose that's been hanging around.  I saw him just down the road on my way to work today.  He was still there when I got home - eating the sweet green winter wheat.

 

So here's what's up with us...

Tom and Trenton worked on the chicken run a couple of weekends ago.

They did a great job!

 

Trenton has started track.  Although he found that he had dislocated a tendon in his foot, so he can't sprint for another week.  It's a good thing he's planning on doing the shotput and discus!  We're closing in on the end of the year and graduation for him.  We are taking him on a roadtrip to Arizona for spring break.  We're all looking foward to the get-away.

 

Winston...

I'm not sure that kid should be allowed to run around with a mallet.

 

Keaton...

This was his 'Ring of Protection' on St. Patrick's Day.

Yep!  He made it all by himself!

And it worked - he didn't get pinched!

 

Preston...

...and Rachael...

...are on a spring break get-away in Oregon. They stayed a couple of days on her Aunt's Ranch near John Day.  Then they headed west to Uncle Paul's house to stay.  They are going to spend a day on the coast and a day in Portland exploring the area.  It sounds like it's been a fun trip for them so far.

 

Me...

...just the same old.  I did get to serve two days of jury duty - woo-hoo - and then came down with a sinus infection after that doozy of a cold I had.  Other than that, it's been work as usual.  I am actually learning to metaphorically 'crack the whip' at school.  I am sooooo looking forward to spring break!

 

In other news...

Here's our new babies!

Only one has a name yet.

Winston named her 'Blackie'.

Bet ya can't guess which one she is.

 

Have a great week ya'all!

We're just a bunch of nerds

I was looking through the pictures on my camera and discovered I hadn't downloaded these beauties to my laptop.  So I guess it's as good a time as any to post them...

 

These are from 'Uncle Nels'' birthday extravaganza!  Mom and Dad Chick came up from Low Idaho to be a part of the festivities.  It was great having them here.  We played lots of games, some of the usual and some nerdy ones like liars poker and a funky little game Nels and the boys have been involved in.

Playing something - maybe 'O Tish'.

Nels's birthday party!

Rachel made a chocolate cake and a toffee-laden pumpkin cheesecake.

They were heaven!

 

I love the look on Nels's face as we lit the candles.  At the Moore house you're lucky to get your own age number in candles.  We get creative around here.  We happened to have a big '4' candle and three little stick candles - which made up the ripe ole' age of 34 for Uncle Nels.  Hey, it works!

Blowing out the candles!

 

Nels got some nice gifts.  His baby book and an envelope of pictures of him from Mom and Dad.  A Superman mug from us and a Soda Stream machine from Rachel and the girls.  We had fun helping him try out his Soda Stream!

The birthday boy and his beautiful Rachel

 

Now, on to that little game I was mentioning...

 

It's called Mordheim (sorry if I spelled it wrong Nels).  Rachel calls it 'Nerd-heim'.  But it's made up of these little figurines and it has a lot of rules. 

Some of Nels's little guys.

Keaton - not sure if he's plotting his attack or what.  I really don't know how this game is played, I just know it looks like it's pretty involved with dice, rulers and whatever structures they can come up with.

These are Preston's new little fellers.

He assembled and painted them.  He hasn't told me their names yet.

Getting the troops ready for battle.

Game in progress.

I didn't get many photos of the other kids.  They were busy off playing in the barn.  Here's a Sunday Morning Pic.

Cousins!

And as usual, as I was perusing my photos I found this little gem...

Now that Winston knows how to use the camera I never know what I'm going to find on it.

 

As for the rest of our weekend?

Well...

 

 

We're just going to hang around in our stretchy-pants.

 

Have a great week!