A different sort of tag going on here lol



Here are the rules for passing it on.

1. Only 5 people allowed.
2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. one has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. you must link back to whoever gave you the award. quite simple really - it is a way of saying thank you to those who take time out for wonderful comments to boost your day.

I tag
Alison
Erica
Nik
Vicky
Cindy

Tagged By Aleks

Tagged by my internet buddy Aleks Im rakking my brain to decide if there is anything interestingly random about me ;)

It’s a random tag and here are the rules!
1. Link to the person who ‘tagged’ you!
2. Post the rules on your blog!
3. List 6 random facts about yourself!
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post!
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog!
6. Let the tagger know the entry is posted on your blog!


1. I crave apples WAY more than I crave chocolate or salt. But they have to be specific sort of apples, very hard and sour and crunchy.
2. I really need for things to be "even" on my feet. My socks have to be just right. and if Scott rubs one foot, he has to rub the other. If I stretch one foot, I have to stretch the other. and if I bump one foot, I tend to bump the other. Odd.
3. Im going to get an apple now.
4. I cannot stand used tape of any sort. Dont let it touch me, dont stick it to me, dont ball it up into a ball and throw it on me, and for gods sake kids stop sticking stickers on me! Im particularly grossed out if the sticky is stuck to a sock and it has gone through the washer and dryer and come out permanent and when I pull it off (gross) it leaves behind a "sticker stain".
5. I love my job but I dread going back to it.
6. I love weird and wild weather and actually hope that storms come here and hit us.

I tag:


1. Allison
2. Alison
3. Erica
4. Rebecca
5. I got no one else lol

Another Beach Day

While Scott's cousin was home from out west with her little fellow we had a chance to go to the beach with them; they were staying at a cottage and it was a perfect time to get to the beach and see family :)
We headed out bright and early with the boys and Aleah (and various parent figures in tow) and when we got to the beach it was fairly cloudy and a little chilly :) the kids started out by wandering up the beach with buckets. They were searching for treasures and beach pets. Tide was in and right up to the rocks at the beach :)
There was a great place for the kids to sit for a photo and although I wanted all 7 of them to sit for a photo, CT and Aleah didnt really want to :)

So the girls and the boys sat for a cute photo
Then just the girls sat for me :) I totally put this in a frame in my living room :)

The girls and Aleah checking out the water. IT was not cold, just the air was chilly. There was so much to see in those rocks and seaweed!

A moment they didnt think I was looking :)

Totally put this in a frame as well ;) for my living room :)

view from the cottage while the tide was still fairly in.
After a lunch the kids had some time to relax at the cottage and they played on the swing and hammock.

Holly was working on her boogie board, trying to land on it and keep it moving...
And then trying to jump on it, staying standing up and moving forward. It was fun.
With the water so shallow it was pretty warm, a great place to play!
It left behind some pools that got as warm as bath water and were nice and sandy/muddy to play in :)Annika and Aleah shared some time together :)
We stayed until the end of the afternoon, only leaving to get to soccer on time :)

The tide was pretty far out and on its way back in when we left (reluctantly) for home :)

Time Spent at the Beach :)

we got to go to the beach two times last week! It was hot and so nice to be there!

I decided I like high tide WAY better than low. When we went on Canada Day it was cooler and the little Brine Shrimp were very busy. Tide coming in was SO nice! Even tho you dont get as much nice sand to play in, the water was SO warm, and as it comes in over the sand bars you can walk for ever and not be in too deep water.

Taylor and Holly used this sand bar to make Holly into a mermaid before the tide covered it up!

The view from our blanket, which doesnt even compare to last time we were here at low tide. The water was much closer.

Hanging out by the shore, it was this depth for a long long ways and it was very warm, like bath water.

Floating in the warm, shallow water.

Grins

The Mature one!

Scott was there...

Getting along nicely for my photos :)

Silly Girl
Oh look, I was there too!

More floating in the low, warm water :)
They were so sandy and full of sea weed by the time we went home ;)

Kiddie Golf

The kids are again taking some golf lessons from Uncle Steve this summer. Well they have only made it to one but I am hoping before end of golf season they will get to many more :)The season does go well into fall...

Annika is taking some lessons this year as well as Taylor and Holly. they start with putting lessons first, Im not sure where they move next :)







The kids have their own golf clubs (too big for Annika so far) and they like to come out while Scott and I golf and just hit the balls around with us. They can usually keep up and they tend to take breaks and look for frogs in the ponds and in the woods. I kinda hope at least one of them takes up the hobby!

Swimming Lessons

We try very hard to make sure the kids get swimming lessons. While they are sometimes hard to fit into our schedules, I do think that is one life skill they really need to learn.
So this summer they had lessons in the outside pool at Victoria Park.
Annika was in Swim Kids 1 (hehe) and she did extremely well. She has been in the preschool lessons for quite some time and was happy to be in the Big Kid lessons.

Annika did end up in Private lessons which was very good for her :) She loved the individual attention and really advanced well.


At the end of 3 lessons she passed level 1.

They love to get to go down the slide when lessons are over, as a bit of a reward.

Holly was in Swim Kids 3 with Emily. As they were the only 2 in their class, it was almost as good as private lessons lol.


Holly was very tickled to get her badge at the end of lessons. Next time she will be in level 4.

Taylor was in level 6 with lots of other kids in other levels. LOL it was a hard level. She will be taking it again.



I dont think they are taking more until fall.

Funny Things Kids Say

While driving in the car and discussing babies and who was borned first, Annika says to me "Mommy I wasnt alive when Holly was getting borned because I was still getting Built!!

Achievement Day Clifton 4H

Today was the completion of Taylor's first year of 4H. During the year the members
work on their projects and on Achievement Day they have these projects judged and their projects are completed. They may go on to Exhibition, and some go to ProShow, but after Achievement Day the project is complete.

Taylor took Photography as a non-livestock project. She didnt do a great job of remembering to get photos and keeping track of when and where she had taken them all year, but she did take amazing photos and we managed to pull them together into a complete project. She had to prepare an album with certain photo requirements, as well as 2 other exhibits of her choice off a list, and she chose a framed enlargement of any topic, and a special effects photo.




I dont have photos yet of her completed project, but we will get them back tonight and I can take photos... but this was her framed enlargement :) She's got a knack! There's a tonne of work to the Photography project, the least of which is to go on road trips with the other members and the leader and learn something about taking photos. lol She loved these but didnt actually get to them all which made her sad.

Taylor also took a livestock project, a Dairy calf. It has to be Dairy hehehehe! Scott wont have it any other way :)

There is a lot of work to the calf, from the training to the cleaning and clipping. And learning about them. For judging and other stuff.
The night before the show we can't resist one more walk around the yard. the plan was to wash her but they never did do that.

Taylor giving Scott a lot of attitude. We were ready to quit at this time. Hahahah she's just soooooo rude!

Getting some tips and hints from Daddy. He doesnt always come across as "kind" LOL but he gets the tips to her.

Annika walking her sister's calf. She and Holly cannot wait to be in 4H :)


The day comes all too soon! The calf was washed before dawn and cousin Nathan helped with the topline and took her to the farm for the show :)
We all went to the show and after checking to see that "Best" the calf arrived safe and clean, we went to see the rest of the animals. The girls were just thrilled with these little miniature horses :)
This little fellow's wild hairdo was great to see and play with :):)

We watched the goat showmanship and conformation, then the beef animals went. After them the dogs were judged. And then the dairy class went in.

Taylor was all ready to go and getting a little nervous! She went to get Best ready :)


Relaxing a little bit while Nathan was touching up the topline.

Shined up and ready to go :)


Waiting is hard to do. Its a good time for the calves to settle down :)


Finally the class begins. Junior Showmanship is a class of 2. There are not nearly as many dairy members as there used to be :)

Bring judged. The calf walked a little bit fast, but she set her feet up fast and stopped quickly and Taylor watched the judge well and was always paying attention to his cues.
Pulled up in First PLACE YAY for Junior Showperson! Way to Go Taylor!!! Now you have to hold onto it...dont make mistakes....

And she did!!! Here, hearing the reasons why they were placed as they were, Taylor and Best in first and the other member in second for only a few little things.

The kids in the barn, playing with Kittens. note Annika and Angeline (who's family came to see Achievement Day) in the middle :):)

In the Conformation class, the calf is judged more than the showperson, who only has to make sure the calf looks and stands and walks as well as possible. Taylor's calf was the only March calf so she showed with the December calves.

She was pulled up into third place, and then moved up to second place. She was months younger than the other 2 calves but not so much smaller :)


In second place.

Champion Calf class...the judge picked the 2 coloured breeds and Champion and Reserve, and Taylor's calf was fourth. She looks so stinking SMALL in there lol!


So because Taylor won Junior Showmanship she went in the Champion Showmanship class. This was a riot, she has never shown any of these animals before! lol She had to show a goat. lol

She had to show a Rabbit. No idea how and she didnt want to pull it's ears!!

She had to show a duck as the Waterfowl contribution!


After Taylor let the sheep go and 3 people chased it down and brought it back, she had to show it. Someone helpd the rope while she did. lol

She got to show a dog. Never done that before for sure LOL!


And last, she had to show beef. She was so scared of the beef but ended up with a very calm, albeit large animal. it was hilarious because she could not see the judge, nor could he see her.


Annika and Angeline before dinner time. They were having so much fun!

Holly enjoyed the show a lot. I didnt see a lot of her, she was running with the kids and playing in the barn most of the day :):)



Fast forward to the awards ceremony and potluck dinner. Lots of fun. The dinner was great. Awards better.

Taylor got her completion certificate, gold for Photography and Dairy, Club Contribution, Communications (public speaking) and Judging.



The shock of the night, was when they awarded Top Dairy Group Member. This is the top member of all the dairy projects, junior and senior. Never in a million years expected Taylor to be called for it. They pulled out this big trophy and we had a giggle over it, it was SO huge....and then they said third.... second.... and first place Taylor Masters! Could have knocked us over with a feather. Its an accumulation of scores for showing, records, meetings, judging, etc. and in her first year, Taylor took home the trophy! She has a long reputation to live up to, with many many of her family members taking that trophy before including her father and grandmother.
Accepting the plaque for Junior Showmanship. not a surprise, we knew she won this afternoon.

The shock and joy still show on her face, so pleased she was to have taken home the prize!!

An amazing day for all!