I'm a little concerned about starting this blog and am not really sure what I'm doing so I hope you will be patient with me while I work it out. I'm really excited about it, thought. And thank you everyone that has given me suggestions and help.
As of late I have had some camera problems. In fact, at present my camera is at the repair shop (not that I'm grumpy about it or anything. I had a cute picture I wanted to take today:))- But since I brought up the carera issue, What do you think? Should I pay $120 to fix the camera or buy a new one for $220? Because I am cameraless, I'm going to write about my labor day weekend, even though it was two weeks ago. I hope that's allowable.
Over Labor Day weekend we went to the Tri-Cities, where both my husband and I grew up. We also have both sets of grandparents and brothers/sisters/cousins..etc..that are living there. We had decided it would be much easier for everyone if we had our little daughter, Madelyn, given a name and blessing there instead of having everyone come here. It was a hard decision, because we love our ward, (the church we attend), and feel like they are our family, too. In the end it was just easier, and I actually quite love the Tri-Cities, (which are Kennewick, Richland and Pasco) so I was okay with it. Stuart doesn't share my love, which is why we live in Vancouver.
One of my favorite things about going home is taking my girls to visit "the farm". My parents live just outside of Kennewick on a little farm. It's not a full blown farm, and actually my dad is downsizing since he recently retired and my parents are thinking about going on a mission, but he still raises cows and chickens. I love it because that's where we get our beef each year and we always come home with fresh eggs. I also like that my girls get the "farm" experience. Taylor likes helping grandpa with the "farm chores". She followed after Grandpa gathering eggs, feeding the cat, things like that.
Alyson helped me gather yummy grapes--That's more her style.
(I'm sorry the pictures are sideways--I was just happy to get them on the post. I'll figure it out soon:)) My parents neighbors have llamas, and they love baby carrots, so we usually feed them at least once a visit. So far we haven't been spit on. My brother wasn't so fortunate.
On Sunday Madelyn was given her name, Madelyn Jane Robertson, by her father and a blessing. I know it's no shock, but I always cry when my babies are blessed. She cried, too:) Maddy wore the same dress her sisters were blessed in and was wrapped in the shawl I was blessed in. Stuart makes fun of the shawl because it's old and a little yellow (he calls it the holy grail), but I love it. And I loved having family involved and around us all day. It was a great day. Stuart's mom made this amazing dinner.
Monday we had a BBQ picnic at my parents. My parents had invited a bunch of neighbors and it was fun to see families I grew up with. Because there were a fair amount of people, by father decided it would be a good time to "move cows". This is a phrase from my childhood. I'd be lying in bed on Saturday morning enjoying that I didn't have to get up early for school and my dad would come in at the crack of dawn (at least it felt like the crack of dawn) and announce we were going to "move cows". Moving cows involves moving them from one pasture to another. This is all good and fine, but the pastures are usually not connected. In fact, sometimes they are a good ways off. To get the cows where he wanted them to go Dad would station us kids along the way to show them, so to speak, where to go. Basically, when the cows came towards you, you waved your arms and yelled. It works well if there are lots of people, not so well with limited numbers. I've been involved in many "not so well" cow moves. However, sign of relief, this one when without a hitch. And it isn't really a trip to the farm without some cow experience. (In December I was home alone with my girls when I noticed all the cows were out--gotta love it).
I tell Stuart he's lucky he married a "farm girl". His trips would be so boring if all he did was play golf.
