What we're doing

We've been very busy the last 4-5 days with farming, school, and preparing talks for Stake Conference. We had to speak at the session Saturday and I think we both did fairly well. At least we feel good about it. Joseph had so many people tell him how much he reminded them of his dad in mannerisms, voice, and eloquence in speaking. One older gentleman, who worked for Joseph's grandfather, said Joseph had very similar mannerisms to his grandfather, F.E. Wadsworth also. They actually look quite similar to each other. I'll have to post pictures of Joseph and his grandfather somtime so you can see the resemblences.

We had about 20 people over to eat after stake conference on Sunday. The Farr family (those in Fallon know them) and others from their branch came to eat up and rest before driving the two hours back to their valley. It was a beautiful sunny day so many were able to eat out on the deck. We feasted on BBQ Beef Sandwiches, pasta salad, orange jello salad, a green salad, and funeral potatoes and for dessert banana splits with vanilla, mint chocolate and butter pecan ice cream and homemade hot fudge sauce. YUM!

We've been working in the yard trying to spray the dandelions that are growing in abundance. We had a visit from a snake on Friday and a campfire cookout Friday night (but not with the snake).

Here's a list of what else is occupying our time:

Family Read Aloud: Magical Melons, by Carol Ryrie Brink. It's another book about Caddie Woodlawn.

Schoolwork: Eve and Marie are almost done with their Explorers of North America unit. They'll finish up by Friday. I'll have to take pictures of their lapbooks to post when they're all done.

Sara and Abby have been learning about butterflies. It has been really fun doing various projects and experiments with them. They can remember so many details from the lessons! They want to start collecting butterflies and run themselves ragged chasing butterflies all over the yard.

For a break and breather we are going to do a unit on The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe with all the girls after Sara and Abby get done with their butterfly unit next week.

Movies we're into right now: Pride & Prejudice (A&E Version and the newer one), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

My personal readings: Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng . This is a great autobiography that has opened my eyes up to a different world - Communist China.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

Sewing: Eve and Marie are designing quilt blocks to sew for a contest at the library. Sara just misses the cut-off age. :( I'm working on sewing matching skirts for all the girls with the 12 yards of pink eyelet material by grandmother, Guelita, sent to me.

Farming: Four new pivots are being put in this year so the boys (Joseph and his brothers) are preparing for those. One pivot is going were there was a pond so they've had to push dirt and move dirt with bulldozers, loaders, and then level it all with scrapers, etc. We didn't think about taking before and after pictures until it was to late. We'll still try to post some for our farmer friends back in Fallon.