All Camoed Out

I believe that this started on Saturday when the boys went to an "Army" birthday party. The invitation said to wear camo. In the entirety of their wardrobe they have just one piece of camo clothing each. Both boys have a pair of camo shorts. Between Saturday and yesterday (Tuesday), K must have developed a fondness for camo, and realized that it is really a staple of many local wardrobes.

We were at the Grange Co-op (local feed/agricultural supply store) yesterday afternoon and we happened to pass the clothing department (think Carharts and camo). K was impressed. Then, looking for trash bags K spotted the shoe section. There was an ample selection of camo work boots. To which K remarked, while searching around, "Oh, Mama, if I could find some kid size camo boots I could get all camoed out." This he meant and said nonchalantly, almost as if it had been the purpose of our visit to grow our camo wardrobe. And, this he said while wearing shorts with navy blue rain boots. So the comment and his already very Klamath Fallsish outfit made me laugh. And C, not at all sure what was so funny but not wanting to miss the joke joined in. K was embarrassed and mildly offended as he had not intended to be funny.

So, yes the boys were looking a little rough. We were going to the site for clean-up immediately following the Grange, so we had to wear "work" clothes. Before we left the house I had suggested to the boys that they wear regular shoes to the Grange and then put on their rain boots when we got to the site. They staunchly defended their outfit saying, "We see lot's of people wearing these around town." Tough to argue with that...

Sheepdog Nationals!!!

The National Championship Sheepdog Finals were held in Klamath Falls last week. It seemed like a major event for our small town, so the boys and I did not want to miss it. Friday afternoon we headed out on what should have been a 15 minute drive to a ranch near lower Klamath Lake. Unfortunately, for the first time our GPS failed us in a major way. It took us way out to Merrill then had us on unknown dirt roads, at least one time through (possibly) private property, and finally into a cattle ranch. At this point, nearly an hour into an unwanted tour of rural Klamath Country, I decided it was time to take the bull by the horns, throwing caution to the wind I handed the GPS to C and we were navigating blind.

The GPS remained on, and we listened while she (female voice) announced repeatedly in a most perturbed voice that she was "recalculating." On another road trip somebody (Jill?) named her "Hillary" because of her spicy demeanor. On this day "Hillary" seemed too nice as a nickname.

At last our trek through the county was completed and we arrived at the National Championships. Unfortunately our car was covered in a measurable layer of dust. We saw the last three competitors of the day. It was A-MAZE-ING! Perhaps my astonishment can be attributed to the fact that our own dog only listens to us begrudgingly and then only some of the time. These dogs were working, at times over a quarter mile from their handlers, responding to whistle commands and moving the sheep quite effectively through a series of fences and into a corral!

Here are a couple of shots of the boys in front of the competition field. In the distance, and to right of K you can see a couple of the gates that the dogs had to move the sheep through.




I'm not sure why K quickly moved away from a visibly amused C.



I'm posting a short video of the dog at work, but it really doesn't do justice to the incredible ability of the dogs and their handlers. The boys really enjoyed watching the dogs work, mostly I think because of the large timer counting down the minutes for the handler and her dog to complete their tasks. Each handler started with 13 minutes. At that point the 4 sheep were about a quarter mile across the field. The boys couldn't stay in their seats, always leaning up to get a better view of the clock and to relay that information to me as the seconds ticked away.



On our way out we stopped to see the agility demonstration. As the handler was setting up she sort of tauntingly asked the boys if they thought they were faster than her dog. C got sort of shy, and hung back, but K was quite confident that he could beat her dog. The handler then asked if K would like a head start. K was unwilling to accept any unfair advantage...he should have. On the first try that little dog got out fast and never looked back. But on the second try, when he was offered another opportunity for a head start K accepted. This time he won, but not by much. Here is a video of K's second race. In the end you'll hear my voice saying, "Aw, she got yah." But positioned behind the lens, I didn't have the vantage of the handler who pronounced K the winner.

Bowling

To celebrate the completion of our first full week of homeschooling we took the boys bowling. If there is a correlation between the amount of dancing that occurs at the end of the lane and the number of pins knocked down, I think we proved it to be a negative one.

This first video is of C. I believe he is cheering for his ball as it makes it way down the lane.



Not to be outdone, K attentively watches his ball approach the pins. It is hard to spot in this video, but true to form, K's tongue is out and pointing to the left corner of his mouth. We get to see his tongue out in just about every athletic/physical event which requires any amount of concentration, soccer, basketball, etc.



Unfortunately this last video is not the original fist take. After I called out, "You were ROBBED!" K walked by me (with his tongue out) after one of his turns, then stopped and turned to explain to me what his pin had done.



Take one was so cute that I had to have him repeat the performance for the camera.

Bug Wars

Bugs are a very big deal in our house--both C and K love them. About two weeks ago we found a scorpion and promptly placed him in a jar for observation. At breakfast the following morning we found a spider. Some young mind thought it would be great to put the spider in with the scorpion for "SPIDER VS. SCORPION." It made for excellent breakfast mealtime entertainment, so we had repeat performances for a few days. Finding an unwilling participant to join the reigning champion scorpion was part of the fun.

Last week a friend from the neighborhood was over playing with the boys. The three of them decided to venture up the hill behind our house for some bugs. I gave them each a plastic container. When they returned they had collected, 1 praying mantis, 1 grasshopper, and 1 potato bug (potato bugs are absolutely hideous looking bugs). At another house the bugs may have stayed in their own respective containers, but at our house bug watching is a sport to be thoroughly enjoyed. The boys decided to have "PRAYING MANTIS VS. GRASSHOPPER." This proved entertaining for a short time, but even better is "PRAYING MANTIS VS. GRASSHOPPER AND POTATO BUG." Here is a shot of the boys enjoying the bug battle.



Unfortunately, the praying mantis did not work with the speed of the scorpion. The boys lost interest with their Romanesque arena and moved on. In the end, the sun was the only winner.

The Flea!

Both boys are officially at an age now that they are superior eavesdroppers. They hear everything! Even when you think they don't. This summer we learned that spelling is no longer an option either. I was on the phone with Johan and I was spelling R-E-L-I-E-F. I spelled it a few times before he got it. When I hung up, C quickly asked, "Mama, what does R-E-L-I-E-F 'relief' mean?"

Further evidence of the boys' heightened awareness was delivered this Saturday. As we were finishing up K's soccer game, getting ready to move outside for C's game Vicki came up to let me know that the team we would be playing may be down a few players. She explained to me that one player had a broken collar bone, one moved, and one had the flu. I didn't realize how intently K had been listening, but he turned to C and explained matter of factly, "C the other team is going to be missing some players, one has a broken bone, one moved, and one has the FLEA." I regret that I didn't ask him what he thought "the flea" was. I was sort of suppressing a laugh as he inquired, "What?" So, perhaps eavesdropping isn't the most fruitful use of one's time...

O-grease-eus

Yesterday we were studying early Greek civilization. I read some from a children's version of Homer's The Odyssey to the boys. Occasionally I will ask the boys to "tell it back." In their own words, they will tell me about what I have just read to them. K was retelling The Odyssey to me. I did my best to suppress a laugh when in his telling, the main character, whose name is Odysseus, came out as "O-grease-eus." K's narration went on for nearly 15 minutes, with the name "O-grease-eus" coming out just about every sentence. It was fun to hear, but hard to nod and keep a serious, respectful face.

My Gooseness!!!

Every time we drove past the Klamath County fair this year, I denied the boys' longings on fairly solid grounds saying, "It is too dirty." But I promised that when the Thule Lake Fair happens, if we are in town, we will go. I secretly hoped that we would not be in town, but alas we were, and today we went... As county fairs go, I like the Thule Lake Fair. Although it can hardly be deemed "clean," the fair grounds and parking are all on grass, so it gives it a sort of "cleanish" feel. That is until you look around and notice the employees and patrons... Scary...

C will be in fourth grade next year, which makes him eligible to participate in 4-H next year. For some reason we have this notion that we are capable of all things "farm" simply because we have managed to keep some chickens alive for a few months. So we hit the farm animals first, scouting, which would C like to take on if he chooses 4-H. Upon exiting the goat section, we stumbled upon "Mother Goose," who in Thule Lake is apparently moonlighting as a cheesy magician. Both boys loved her, but C especially enjoyed Mother Goose's brand of humor. The climax of the show had Mother Goose (I'll abbreviate, MG) herself drawing in an audience member to help her bake a cake. C loved the costume that MG adorned this good sport with.



To bake this cake MG needed oil, when she pulled out a bottle of motor oil, C squealed with delight, and howled with laughter. MG also needed to dust the pan with flour, she promptly did just that with A Flower. MG knew that she needed baking powder to make her cake rise. Both boys were incredibly amused as MG dashed her pan with Baby powder, and they boisterously cried out, "That's BABY powder." MG couldn't believe her confusion, "My Gooseness," she dramatically announced as she cowered with a look of dramatic befuddlement. Here is a shot of C, loving MG.




MG needed another volunteer. Although they weren't chosen, both boys were very eager to lend a hand.





MG's cake came out of the oven with a flourish. MG amazed us all when she waved her arms, and puff, the motor oil/baby powder cake did not materialize...instead she did the improbable, nay the impossible, a real live rabbit landed in the cake pan. To her astounded audience MG pronounced this cake unfit for consumption, "We can't eat it, I am afraid there is a HARE in there."



MG had some great little entertainment outside her tent as well. The favorite was the lasso. The boys got to try their cowboy skills and attempt to lasso a plastic bull head that was mounted on a hay bale. C tried, but really wasn't as into it as K, C had spotted the midway... Here are some shots of K. I know I am a little biased, but look at that natural talent...

Okay no more putting it off, it was time for the midway. We purchased exorbitantly priced arm bands and we were off. C loves ALL the rides, no fear, he is all in. K is more cautious. He watched C do a few of the more daring rides, and slowly he warmed to the idea. C really wanted K with him, "I promise you K, you won't regret it..." C went on, but then backed down, "Well, I can't promise you, but I think you will like it..." C was right, this is a shot of the first "scary" ride K was willing to do. K was skeptical at first, but quickly decided he had made a good decision. By the second time around K had his arms up in the air and a giant smile on his face. He later told me that he just kept saying to himself, "Be cool, be cool, be cool..."

And of course, bumper cars. I believe that this was the first time K was able to ride and drive all by himself. Another great thing about small town fairs...no lines. The boys were able to go on the bumper cars again, and again, and again...

The fun house was another highlight, again, no lines, no waiting. Can you look at a fun house and not think of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John?

Overall it was fun day at a very small town fair. Clean? Hardly, C had to scrub down in the shower when we got home, K got a pass, he was sound asleep...

Ode to My Boys

The boys have been taking piano lessons for about 8 months now. We took most of the summer off, but I asked them to practice some the other day as we will be starting again this week. They usually practice for 10 or 15 minutes. Typically I ask them to practice and then I am off somewhere else doing laundry, etc. On this day I came upstairs to discover K not only playing piano, but also SINGING. WOW!!! I asked him for a repeat performance so that I could capture it on film. I've pasted a video clip below.



Not to be outdone, C wanted to play his specialty...



I love these boys!!!