The kids are officially on summer break

The kids are officially on summer break, which is a relief since we have a lot to tackle around here. Jaxsen and Kaine are diving into summer football, with practices lined up throughout the week and a jamboree scheduled for Friday, keeping them busy and active. Meanwhile, Kade and Toni are gearing up for the Simmental Regionals in just a week and a half, so they’re busy organizing travel documents, checking tires, and getting oil changes done to ensure everything runs smoothly. Kade has also been busy relocating the round pen from its winter spot, where we were halter breaking, to a more stable area, and he’s started working with the two-year-olds. Anna has taken on the task of replacing the old fiberglass posts with sturdy metal T posts, enhancing the durability of our fencing. Additionally, she and Kaine have been out using the skid steer to cut down Russian Olive trees, tackling the overgrowth and making the property look much better.

This week has been sweltering we are reaching triple digits. Kade and I have found ourselves in a bit of a disagreement over Gucci, a three-year-old horse sired by Tank and out of Blue, which Kade has been training. He has claiming Remi, I’ve claimed SJ as “mine,” but it seems we’ve come to a consensus that Gucci might actually suit me better. However, Kade also thinks she will be a good rope horse, however, maybe too lazy. Kade has been lending a hand to Anna with her own three-year-old, Gunny. She worked with Gunny last year, but now it’s time for her to start riding Gunny out, so Kade has been stepping in during the day to help her out. On top of that, Anna is juggling a part-time job with Toni this summer, where she’s been tackling legal work. She’s managed to get Toni all caught up on filing, which means she can now shift her focus to more engaging tasks. Meanwhile, I’m not quite sure what Jaxsen occupies his time with, but I keep reminding him that his steers won’t halter break themselves, and they’re only going to get more challenging as they grow. To add to the chaos, our HVAC system flooded the office, so Anna and Kaine have been busy cleaning up the mess and tearing out the carpet. Thankfully, our friend Hector has a carpet guy lined up, and he’s scheduled to come on Friday to replace the flooring.

On Wednesday July the donkey colt assisted in moving water The sweltering heat of the week had made him somewhat lazy, causing him to neglect his usual responsibilities. However, on this particular day, he seemed to regain his enthusiasm and decided it was time to pitch in once more. He also decided it was great fun to chase Toni’s dog Abby. Ben chased water all week and fixed circles.

On Thursday, our friends Steve and Louis came over to visit and check out all the adorable foals. They hadn’t had the chance to meet MC yet, and it had been ages since they last saw Tank, who was just a colt back then. We spent a delightful afternoon reminiscing and catching up on each other’s lives. After we wrapped up our visit, Toni took care of the chores while I headed over to spend some quality time with Grandma.

On Friday, Dad and Toni made the trip to Spokane to pick up Gina, our last mare at Allies. While they were there, they also met up with Denise, they took Kenna and Blondie. Kenna and Blondie went with Denise to their new home in Montana. We’re thrilled to share that Gina is confirmed in foal to Brother Jackson, which has us all buzzing with excitement. Later that afternoon, we headed to Royal City for the football jamboree, while Anna and Kade stayed back to handle the chores at home. I have to say, the boys played exceptionally well! They faced off against Moses Lake, a much larger school, Ephrata, which is just one classification above us, and Okanagan, who competes in a different division altogether. It was a special day for Jaxsen, as it marked his first game as a high school player, while for Kaine, it was bittersweet since it was his last chance to play spring ball before he becomes a senior next year.

On Saturday, Ben took the three older kids to Hermiston for the UCCA Desert Classic, and they all performed exceptionally well. Each of their four heifers advanced to the championship round, with Short Bread, Penelope, and Baby Jewel winning their respective classes, while Hazel secured a commendable second place. In the championship round, Baby Jewel was crowned the overall heifer champion, and Penelope finished in third place overall. Kade also had a strong showing, finishing third in his class with his steer, while Kaine earned the title of reserve champion. Our Juju who was named grand champion. All three kids made it to the championship round in showmanship, showcasing their hard work and dedication. Back at home, Toni and I were busy as well; we shipped out a cow and her calf, carefully sorting through the herd to reunite a mother who had gotten separated from her young one. We also managed to get Gunner’s pen in, pulling him out and transporting a few of his mares to the house while letting the rest out into the desert. Toni took the time to chop down a thistle, and then we wrapped up the day with our usual chores, feeling accomplished after a busy but rewarding day.

Happy Father’s Day! We gathered in Washtucna at Sonny’s for a delightful lunch with Sherri, Berry, and Jeanie. The atmosphere was lively, and we all enjoyed each other’s company, sharing stories and laughter. After our meal, we returned home where Toni and Kade snapped some pictures of North to send out. Meanwhile, Jaxsen and I got busy putting out grass bales, ensuring the animals had plenty to munch on. Kaine and Anna dove right into their cattle chores, working diligently to keep everything running smoothly. It was a fulfilling day filled with family, fun, and a bit of hard work.