Skate Chicks

**the photos on this post will appear normal on a phone or mobile ap. For some reason I cannot correct the distortion viewed from web browser.


Amira turned 11 this past week. It's been an adventurous year starting a new school and making new friends. Lately I've even seen some new hairstyles. My favorite ones are where she pulls her hair out of her eyes so we can see her beautiful face. Today she asked me to braid her hair. I'm no "braidin' maiden" like Aunt Lydia. Even with her book on braiding I have some struggles. So I faked it like this.



Amira invited friends old and new out to the skate rink to celebrate. Below she is flanked by old friend, Ruby, to the right of her, and new friend, Emily, on the left. They were gearing up for a game of Red Light/Green Light on wheels.



Here's Amira pulling a red light stop.



I like that the skate rink provides a hostess and pizza and drinks. In lieu of cake Amira opted for donuts. Going round the table left to right are George, Amira, Ruby, Genesis, Marissa, Jude, Emily and Jason. This was sure taking a lot of stress off me.



At 11 she's not too old to wear a crown and play games.



Now, the boys weren't the best at skating but were total troopers. In fact, all the kids were delightful. I'd say the party was a huge success until the last 30 mins. I was helping Genesis with her skate laces when Jude & George asked me to come with them. As I was walking someone came up to me to tell me that Jason was hurt. I followed the person over to a carpeted area of The arcade where he lays sprawled out on the ground.

A very kind woman, a grandmother who was there for another party, stood behind him supporting his lower back with her leg and asked the manager to get some ice. Jason had gone from standing to sprawled on the ground flailing and screaming in no time flat. No one knew for sure quite what had happened.

The poor kid. To make a long story short, paramedics took him out on a backboard with an arm splint. I checked with his mom later. I hear he has a broken arm and a painful back (that will be okay). Poor kid. Tough note to end a party. I felt so bad the rest of the night.

But my kids all found ways to decompress around the living room.


Now one thing that makes everything better is baby chicks. Here's Valerie with a few days old chick on her lap. She and Madelyn had spent all day making a presentation for 4-H down at the community college. I understand they received a blue ribbon.



And Madelyn hypnotized her chick ...



And Amira opted for a kindle ... Less poopy, but not as relaxing in my opinion.



More Valerie chick time ... A little poop doesn't scare her.



And Rex cleans his paintball gun for a little R & R after a tough day sniping.



What a weekend. I can wait for Monday. I'll go pat a bunny.

Winter - California Style

While most of our country is buried by ice and snow, we are enjoying our taste of spring. We are surrounded by fields of almond, nectarine and plumb blossoms. Amira's friend, Bella, from down the street has a couple of cool grandmas. Grandma Betty picked up girls and dogs for a trip to the park to go skating. They traveled in style in the 1975 Cadillac El Dorado. Grandma Betty says it's all original except the stereo. She relinquished the 8 Track player.








Loaded and ready to go!








Sunglasses? Check!







The next day I left with Valerie's 8th grade class for a trip to Ano Nuevo to see the elephant seals and tidal pools. Don't they look like logs?





Even the parking lot at the state park provided entertainment.





Here's Valerie with her class on the hike down to the elephant seals and back. Lots of fresh ocean air and education on marine mammals and native plants.





It was hard to share the full effect of the elephant seals. The video below lets you hear the assortment of sounds from theses critters as they bask on the beach.

After our hike at Ano Nuevo we checked into the youth hostel at the Pigeon Point light house. This was operational and on some fantastic cliffs overlooking the Pacific. At night owls flew overhead and I could hear the pounding surf from my surprisingly comfortable bunk. There were ocean views from the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen. There were Adirondack chairs and picnic tables outside also with incredible views and beach access.






The students helped prepare dinner and clean up. Here you see Valerie with her hair up doing dishes and Jake in the background assisting. This field trip was the last hurrah for parents. The last field trip they will go on as a class will be to the back country of Yosemite for a week this spring. No parents allowed on that one!




Here's a harbor seal in the water. They were so close and curious!





The students got some free time to run and play on the beach. Here's Valerie taking some driftwood to help build a structure.





Here's the gang building on the beach.





Here's the view from the Pigeon Point Light House Hostel. This pod of dolphins came prancing by just for us!

In other news at home, Buster is really settling in. She's behaving more like a bunny. Her energy is definitely up and she's chewing on everything. When she hears people walk by Rex's room, she runs to the edge of the carpet in hopes of a good head scratching.

Rex took the video below of Buster playing on his bed. She's so much fun!

Divas, Rambo, Cuddle Bunnies

It was a nice four day weekend for the kids. Amira spent Saturday with her friend Bella. She lives down the street and has horses, dogs and scooters. It was a gorgeous day and the girls spent all day together.






There was some sleeping in for Rex. Buster hopped up to cuddle with him. Rex says this is the best rabbit ever. She's even learning to use a litter box.





All day Saturday was St. Ballentines at the local paint ball place. Rex appears in the foreground here. I heard his team won.











While Valerie was out lambing at Chaffin, Michael and Rex hauled in a new bale of orchard grass hay for the sheep. They were pretty stoked.

Michael only just got home from a frigid trip to Chicago to magnolias and almond blossoms, sunshine and temps in the 70's. As Hugh used to say, "I LOOOOOOVE California!"

Another Week in February

Soon after the bunny-mobile left for Phoenix (and what a long ride that was!) we resumed our week. Michael was off to Chicago, kids were off to school ... and I was off to work and to get Buster a "well bunny" check up at the vet.

Turns out Buster's a chick! She'll keep her name though. I mean, as Hugh says, if there can be a boy called Sue ...

For some extra credit in French class, Rex put together a recipe that he learned on his trip to Paris. But now he has the complete chef's outfit. What a pro! Here is making the caramel sauce to go over the apple tart that he put together himself.

Eh, voila! Magnifique!

In other news, Valerie left us for a barn full of sheep again. It's lambing season out at Chaffin. Here Valerie has donned the gloves and assists the barn manager with a birth. This ewe was in labor when we arrived and started pushing soon after. I couldn't get in to close for a good picture. But Valerie helped the little ram out of it's mom and dried it off while Lynda sucked the fluid from its nose and mouth. 

Valerie actually hasn't been home for a couple of days. She is literally sleeping in the barn with the sheep and helping out. 

But, how worth it?! Looks at this mamma sleeping with her new babe!

I have had more mundane tasks ... work, laundry, cooking, cleaning, feeding the critters at home. But I did take time out this week to get the spring colors put back in my hair. Here I am with Amazing Grace, my colorist. She's goofy! 

That's all from Rancho Wilhelm this week ... next week are volleyball tryouts for Rex and a field trip to the coast to see elephant seals/tidal pools for Valerie and more horse riding lessons and guitar for Miss Amira.

Bunny Trippin'

Uncle Scott found a bunny in his yard and texted some very cute photos to us. Funny that Rex was in the market for a bunny ...



Aunt Dawn called Saturday morning and said she was putting that bunny in her car with a couple of teenagers and headed to my house.

She braved a brutally long ride, fog and Rain. Bunny-mobile pulled in around noon on Sunday.

Rex & Joel rode skateboards & played hoops in the driveway and rain.




Dawn & Amira ready for a drizzly neighborhood tour.








Valerie & Hannah lead the neighborhood walk with the sheep.






Amira showed Dawn & Hannah where she takes her horse riding lessons.






Dawn took the electric car for a spin.







Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Rex & Joel made homemade rockets.

Cuddle time with the bunny who is now named Buster B. Wilhelm (the "B" stands for Buddy).







There was an afternoon game of Balderdash. I love having people over to play games.






And then we had our last yard bird turkey for dinner. Susan and John and Alan also came for dinner. Even with all of us, this bird was too big! Lots of leftovers.






The five o'clock wine and cheese.



And the next day Michael headed off to Chicago. The kids went back to school. Dawn, Joel and Hannah began their long drive back to Phoenix.

What an awesome weekend!