Oh the joys of summer!

Monday Toni had court in Ritzville, some of the attorneys there had not been to court in person since COVID. They were all happy to see humans.  They had four sheriff’s deputies guarding the door to get into the courthouse, when they were going through Toni’s bag, one asked her if she was carrying any weapons of mass destruction. They may be hard-up for entertainment at that courthouse. Baseball was done, so all 4 kids went to work on steers and heifers after school. We are on the homestretch of school, count down of days. I told Riggs, one of the dogs, by the end of the week the kids will be home with you again. After chores Ben went out and mowed Russian Olive Trees until dark.

Tuesday more calls on meat, kids are still counting down the days until school gets out. Toni had people out to look at the grey grade gelding Sammy. We are looking for a second gooseneck stock trailer, 16-20 feet. I found one on CL, by the time Toni clicked on it, it was gone. I found a second, it is a little more then we want to spend. We want a middle age, slightly used unicorn of a trailer. Anna went up and helped Ruby with her steers on Tuesday, Kaine fed grain around the barn, Ben worked on circles, and Kade and Jaxsen fed the show animals. Toni came down and got Kade and Jax, and Anna and I finished up cleaning the barn. Kaine came over when we got done feeding grain.

Wednesday Toni had a meeting in the morning with our NRCS rep. The mosquito control people were out spraying, and Jackpot ended up getting out, into the alfalfa field. But, with all their driving around it was kind of a cluster. She did finally get Jackpot back in, but was late for the meeting with Angela. Kade graduated from 6^th grade, I guess he is now technically a 7^th grader. They did a drive-through “promotion” ceremony then the kids got to go home early for the day. Kaine’s ag class did the best in some competition, so they got to have a pizza party. Leslie and Traci brought the kids over with their steers and heifers so they could go someplace new before the show. Most of them did pretty well. Anna and Kade stayed at my house to do cattle chores when they got done, since it was getting late, and Jaxsen and Kaine came down with Toni to do horse chores. I was already down there so Kaine went back up to the house to help and Toni, Jaxsen and I did chores.

Thursday was our kids last day of school. They are all happy it is summer. After chores Toni and I went down and looked at King, he was acting a little off all week, but was slowly getting worse. We think he might have gotten kicked in the ribs by one of the mares, so we turned all of them out except of the outside mare. It is getting late so hopefully they are bred. Toni and Dad also turned out all of the yearling fillies, except the two we still have for sale, into the pasture with the rest of the horses. The fillies are not happy. Then they moved the old horse pen over so they have more grass.  Spunky did not like the move, but she is adjusting. Rocky got left in the old mare pen so he can’t destroy fence.

Friday Toni had a lake party with the kids. Terry and Erina came down with their granddaughter Josie. Anna’s friend Brandi came out and Kaine’s friend Camas (Camas is a girl). Terry brought the kids an old boat that he had taught his kids to boat on and gave it to them. The boys were really excited. Kaine looks really styling with the blazer, two kayaks strapped to the top and the boat hooked to it. Mom, Dad, cousin Whitney and cousin Kendel  also showed up at the lake for awhile. The weather was overcast, but no one let that limit their fun until the wind started blowing pretty hard.  After that Toni, Erina, and Terry went and looked at horses while the kids warmed up and watched tv. When Toni, Erina, and Terry went out to look at the mares, they saw that Strawberry had a huge colt out of Gunner. He was big and ready to run, so they got some pictures, but didn’t need to do much else. After I got home, Toni, Jaxsen and I went down and fixed fence in circle 5. The cows decided that Gunner had more grass than him and his mares deserved so they went through the fence. Marlo was there for chores and dinner, she brought us some cherries, they were awesome. She went and helped the kids finish up their chores and feed. Then Ben, Kicker, Marlo, Anna, Kaine and Kade went back down to the lake for a while.

Saturday I ran into Othello first thing to get cupcakes for mom’s birthday from Cowpath Bakery. I ran into the Leprechaun and got some pork roasts for Ben to smoke for us at the upcoming show. Mr Yutzy brought his mare out to breed to Gunner, Toni met him at mom and dads and they took the mare out. I went down since some cows had gotten in there, and Toni, Kade and I fixed fence. Anna and Kaine washed their steers and heifers. When Kade and I got up there we finished catching everything. Then the three kids and Ben fixed the wash rack fence. We had a lunch break, and Kaine and Kade took the new boat up to Hunter Steve to have a tarp put on it. Anna, Ben and I worked on the wood fence across from the wash rack that one of red heifers dented over the winter, I am saying dented because it was not all the way down but needed fixed. Then we went down and did chores early, Anna and her friend Kelten went to their friend Bella’s quinceanera. The rest of went up to Grace’s graduation party. Kelten and Anna met us there.

Sunday Ben ran Larry’s bull over the hill. Then, Chico and Cindy came to get a bull, Katie showed up to get meat after we were finished loading the bull. Anna and Kaine washed their steers, Anna dyed hers. I turned Lottie Dino and Kickers cow back out in the pasture, then I saw the appaloosa was out. I checked on her and she was fine. Toni loaded out Abril’s mare, hopefully she is bred. Then we went up to Toni and Kicker’s for lunch, they had been making us shrimp all morning for mom’s birthday and an early father’s day. Ben also made shredded beef for the non shrimp eaters. Cousin Diann and her husband Steve came out and celebrated with us. It was great to see them since we had not seen them since before COVID. After lunch Kaine dyed his steer and heifer and Anna and I went down to fix fence and get the appaloosa in. I high centered on a rock chasing her, so we had to wait for Toni to get there since we were literally stuck in action. Screwed up my pickup, so we all crammed into Toni’s so Ben could come down and look at it. NOT impressed with the appaloosa’s foal that continues to go through the fence. We took Toni, Kade and Jaxsen and dropped them off at the bottom of the swamp to walk home, since John was bring Abs home for us. Anna and I went back to fix the fence then went down to do chores. We talked with John for a bit and had more cupcakes as well.

Oh the joys of summer! The weather has been so weird this year so far, and so dry, that it makes it hard to believe we are already into June. The kids are super excited to go to the Angus Jr. Show in Nebraska (well not Jaxsen but he isn’t going), and have been working really hard on their show cattle. They also have steers that they are getting ready for the fall shows. Hopefully we can find some time to enjoy the lake and go swimming at our aunt and uncle’s a few times. No matter how busy we are, it is important to give the kids some fun this summer and spend time with family.