Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Let the Summer Begin!

Hello everyone!  It has been a while since my last blog post, but it has been a little busy around here.  The kids and lambs are growing like weeds!  I continue to give them bottles three times a day.  They are a little angry with me because I am giving them water bottles in the afternoon!  I am sure that they will forgive me, I hope.

I am very excited because last weekend, I had my evaluation for homeschooling!  My evaluator was very impressed with all that was accomplished this year.  After she came for the evaluation, which two of my friends were also evaluated and did well too, we went for testing two days later.  I took the test and really was not sure how I did.  Once Maddy, Logan (Maddy's brother), and I took the test, we went out for lunch and then to Sweet Frog for desert!  I had a great day.  When I received my results about a week later, it said that I tested at an average of 11th, almost 12th grade!  I was very happy with that since I had no idea how I did!  

The day after the testing, my mom and sister, Ashley, loaded up the car and left for the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival.  I would have gone with them, but Angora Nationals was being held the same weekend.  My dad took me to Ohio for the rabbit show that Friday.  The day that my dad and I were about to leave, one of my French Angora rabbits started kindling and my eggs in the incubator started to hatch... of course!  I really didn't try to have so many things happen while I wasn't going to be home, but sometimes things work out that way.  So, I had to instruct my Nana, who is not the most fond of animals, to watch everything until Tyler (my brother) came home from school.  That was fun trying to explain everything, but she figured everything out though.

  While I was on my way to Ohio, six chicks hatched and two kits were born!  They were all healthy and I am very glad that they were!  Nana was great by keeping the bottles going for the lambs and kids as well as keeping watch on the incubator and nest box.  I received a number of text messages from her giving me every detail of what was happening at home.  I really enjoyed getting her messages and secretly, I think she enjoyed giving the bottles and seeing the chicks hatch!    

That Saturday in Ohio, I showed five Angoras and I had a great time doing it!  I didn't win any Best of Breeds but I am glad that I went!  As soon as the show was over, my dad and I left to start our tract to Maryland Sheep and Wool as I was entered in a sheep and goat skill-a-thon the next day.  

On Sunday, I was ready for the competition!  Dad went home with all of the rabbits and I stayed in Maryland with mom and Ashley.  I wasn't really sure what the event was going to be like.  There were a lot of kids in my category that looked like they have been a part of this for years.  I had no idea how I was going to do and neither did my other friends who were participating in this as well.  

When the contest was over, we all had pizza that was provided by the people who ran the event.  They then announced the awards.  They started with juniors and worked their way up to seniors.  I was an intermediate.  There were 27 kids in the intermediate category and they placed the top ten.  I really did not expect to win anything since it was only my first year.  Little did I know, they announced my name for third place!  There were two stations about wool and they haven't done that before so they had a award for just the wool and I tied for first place!  I was so happy with how I did for my first year!

I had a great weekend in Ohio and Maryland, but I was very happy to be home that Sunday night!  Oh! I forgot to mention that this weekend, we opened up our pool and Maddy and I made jelly!  It truly is time to let the summer begin! 

One of my rabbits that went on the trip to Ohio! 


Nana and Papa in the class "How to Give Bottles to Madi's Goats 101"

I think Nana had fun giving bottles 











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