Thursday's Thoughts... Spring Has Sprung!

We fed the goats, the ducks, went to two parks and Cash got to see a real firetruck! Doesn't get much better than that!

Perfect Spring day!!

Sing Your Way Home

Tim and I went to hear our niece and nephew perform in a concert Monday night. Elijah and Alyssa are members of the Utah Children's Choir. They had to audition and practice once a week.

The Concert Choir sings an advanced repertoire. The children are taught to sing in several different languages as they learn pieces from the master composers and multicultural folk songs. Twentieth century music also plays an important part in the repertoire along with international folk songs and spirituals. The choir is directed by Kay Asay. She is so charming and full of energy! 

We were so impressed to hear them sing in different languages and that they had memorized so many songs.

 Elijah is in the Concert Choir and Alyssa is in the Choristers. 

At one point the director invited all the siblings of the choir members to come on stage and they all sang, "Sing Your Way Home." 

Alyssa and Elijah love singing in the choir and we were so proud of them. It was a wonderful concert.

Bravo to you both!

Sing your way home at the close of the day.
Sing your way home; drive the shadows away.
Smile every mile, for wherever you roam
It will brighten your road, it will lighten your load
If you sing your way home.

Thursday's Thoughts... Big Boy Haircut

  So someone got a "big boy" haircut last week...

  And it may have made him look a bit older.

Cash looks so handsome, Mommy did a good job!

  "Two and a half" doesn't seem possible...

Springtime!

Kindness

I really wanted to go to Cheyenne last weekend to attend a Benefit for my nephew Theo. I checked the road conditions across I-80 and there were several rough spots with blowing and drifting snow. There was also a blizzard warning for the Cheyenne area. I was so bummed, but it wasn't worth the risk.

By the way my brother said it snowed pretty hard for about 15 minutes and then cleared up before the Benefit started.

My cousin Chad along with two other friends organized the event. All the proceeds will go to Theo and his family to help with medical expenses incurred from the injuries he received while steer wrestling last November. Theo had a severe, traumatic brain injury and was in the hospital for over two months.

So many people donated items for a silent auction... like a 3 day elk hunt, a pheasant hunt, a ranch broke mare, numerous western prints, and a custom made bit, just to mention a few.

My niece Mandy and her hubby donated this beautiful, registered paint mare named Claire. She fetched $2,600.00 at the Benefit.

My brother Kenny, who is a master-carpenter made this unique coffee table.

It's labor intensive to make, with layers of polyurethane that gives the table a beautiful sheen. Kenny was thrilled when it was purchased for $650.00!

I donated this afghan that I crocheted. If Grandma Federer were still alive, this is something she would have done. She was always making something that she would donate to be raffled off for a worthy cause. It sold for a respectable $110.00. 

My nephew Jimmy placed a bid but someone out-bid him. He talked to the man who got it and told him he was Theo's cousin and that I was his aunt. Jimmy offered to buy it back but the man wouldn't take the money and gave it to him. Jimmy wants to give it to his daughter Shaylynn when she is older. He told me the afghan is on his bed and that it is nice. Jimmy said he was not leaving without it! It warmed my heart to know a family member ended up getting the afghan.

There were many other generous acts of kindness that night. Someone bought a ton of hay, then gave it back to be auctioned off again, this happened a third time so the hay sold for almost $2000,00. The event was a huge success, over $23,000.00 was raised. This will go along way to help Theo and his family.

I know Theo was overwhelmed and so grateful to everyone who helped.  

 

Milestones...

It's always a thrill to watch our grandbabies reach another milestone, those first are so much fun to witness. 

Guess who can sit up and will be crawling any day now?! 

 Oh, we love you Colby!

Digger

We never know from year to year how the snow pack in our beautiful mountains will effect the run-off in the stream by our home. 

We have had a few years when the culverts under our charming covered bridge can't handle the Spring run-off. We worry about flooding, especially on our street. 

So it was determined a larger concrete culvert had to be placed under the bridge. Construction crews tore down the bridge and have been excavating with heavy equipment or as Cash calls them, "Diggers." The new, larger culvert will allow water to flow under the road, without spilling over the banks. Hopefully no more worries about flooding. 

Cash loves watching the digger at work! The construction workers would come over and talk to us. They would tell Cash what they were doing and always commented on what a handsome boy he is. Then they would reluctantly say, "Well, I guess we have to get back to work!" The project is almost completed and the covered bridge will be rebuilt. 

A friend in need...

I've learned that "...cowboys stick together and never leave anybody behind. They always look out for their horses, their cows and most importantly they look out for each other."

 

"If there's anything I can do, just let me know." Surely you've said that to someone going through a rough time -- we all have. It's the sort of well-worn, well-meaning phrase that we utter reflexively before hanging up the phone, anxious to do our friendship or family duty.

But here's the thing -- most people in the midst of a crisis can't really get it together to tell you exactly what they need. Thanks to Mark, Tom, and Chad for organizing this benefit for my nephew Theo. They saw that he was in need and sprang into action. So many other people have offered to help and have made donations to ensure the success of this event.

I continue to be so grateful for Theo's miraculous recovery. He's on the road to a full recovery. 

N.A.P

Like most toddlers sometimes Cash does not want to take a nap. He is just too busy playing and having fun. So I will spell nap, I say "It's time for a N-A-P" and he will say, "I don't want to take a nap." He's also says, "Just a few more seconds." But after I explain why a nap is a good thing he says, OK Grams.

Sometimes he wants me to hold him, which I love and sometimes he just wants to get in his bed.

Sweet, angel boy!

Colby!

Colby is almost 6 months old, he is such a good baby. I love his chubby cheeks and cute little nose! He is scrumptious.

Spring Fever

Cash and I finally got to go for a walk outside. It was 40 degrees and the sun was shining. We definitely have Spring fever!

I asked him if he wanted to ride his bike, 4-wheeler, or his new scooter. He said, "I want to push my lawnmower."

 He loves his lawnmower!