the rest of the week . . .

Well, it will take too long to tell you day by day, so here is the rest of the week.


On Wednesday the girls and 19 of their cousins went white water rafting. It was an all day thing and they came home exhausted yet pleased.



On Thursday, much to the pleasure of the girls, we spent in town shopping. Yes, you will see many bags in their hands, none in mine.....such a mom. After dinner we had a "happy birthday to everyone" which included a cake. Then in the evening we had a very long talent show which even included my dad telling a dumb blonde joke....no offence to all of the blondes in our family.


On Friday the entire extended family got into our cars and drove the long ride to the top of the mountain, had lunch, then returned. The girls were exhausted and fell asleep on each other in the back of the car and being the mother always looking for future blackmail items....aren't they so very cute...I had to take a photo, of course Jeff took the photo since I was doing the downgear shifting dance heading down the mountain.


The afternoon the family went to a presentation on bird banding. They had feeders in the woods and as the birds flew away, they were caught in the pockets of the very fine nets. They were immideately removed. They identified the species, usually a humming bird, measured it, weighed it, then put the band on its leg. Did you know that a bird's leg does not get any larger around after it hatches....thus they will not outgrow the bank and injure themselves. After the humming birds were removed from their restraint, they placed them in a volunteer's hand, and it just layed there he said because the bird did not know that it was free until he gently bumped the hand and the bird flew off.


That evening we had a kickball game-Sara was the "pitcher", followed by volleyball. After dinner was dancing---square, line, chicken dance, what ever.






On Saturday it was laundry, the first to the craft shop, where Ruth finished her dog, Sara made 5 pairs of earrings...for her future pierced ears, and I made a mosaic picture frame for one of our 500 photos that I have taken. In the afternoon the girls did archery again. In the evening the extended family gathered in the cabin in front of the fireplace and told what we made, bought, or what was our favorite thing that week.