A Round-Up For.....1....

Due to a recent series of events...(the birth of Violet the Longhorn...) It came to our attention that we had not done the proper "cattle" thing...and "fixed" Chencho, our Bull calf that was born over a year ago.  What started as a couple of pets...has turned into a herd, and there are just certain things you must do when you have a herd of Longhorns.  The Farmer comes from a ranching family, he spent a good part of his life on one or another of his father's ranches...participating in round-ups...fixing fences...and everything else that goes along with the care and keeping of a ranch. He has said many times...that he wasn't cut out to be a Rancher...he feels too bad when it is time to "fix" and brand the calves, and then ship them off for slaughter.   So, surprise...surprise...when he decided that it would be fun to own a couple of Longhorns.  I think he didn't really plan on them re-producing;)

I have been asking The Farmer...for awhile...what we were supposed to do with Chencho the Longhorn Bull...he is growing up, and like one of the men who work for us so profoundly said...

"Chencho is ready to do his work as a bull...."

"Oh dear..." I said, and made a quick call Uncle Penguin...who is also a Rancher.

He said he would send his best Cowboy to take care of the issue of Chencho.

Saturday would be the day...

I must admit, it made me a little sad to think of Chencho becoming a steer.

Actually, our whole office began to mourn for Chencho.

The Farmer had church meetings on Saturday...and so did The Darlings....that left me

and around 10 men....to make sure Chencho was taken care of.  My part was just to make sure

everything was photo documented;)  The Cowboy's thought that was pretty funny, until I told

them the pictures were for The Missionary Boy...and then they were quite pleased.

The Cowboys decided that they would use The Muneca...The Missionary Boys beloved horse, to rope

Chencho.  I don't think she was too happy about that....in fact...I am sure she wasn't too happy about

that.  The cowboys took The Muneca from her pasture....away from the other horses, including her colt...Reina...and they began to saddle her.  She wasn't happy.  Reina wasn't happy.  Reina began

to call to her mother...run in circles...cry some more...run around and around....and the

more she ran and yelled...the more The Muneca got upset too!

The Muneca decided she should just cooperate...and off she went to work.

It was great to see her being ridden...she is a pretty horse!

It made me miss The Missionary Boy.

So, now the horses are ready...next the Cowboy's built a little fire....the branding iron was

carefully placed in the center of the wood, so that as the fire burned the branding iron would heat

up.  Just a side note...we don't require the workers to wear matching shirts;)...They are brothers,

and I guess they thought it would be fun to match for the round-up!  Ha!

About now the special "team"of seasoned Cowboy's show up...the ones that Uncle Penguin sent...

and after everyone greeted each other...the plan was made.  The fire was lit...Reina is all the while

crying and crying...The Muneca is calling back to her...and now Chencho the Longhorn Bull...(who

is about to become a steer)...gets the idea that something terrible is about to happen...and he begins

to cry.  I think the word is actually beller...but it was a sad a worried cry. 

 The men all laughed...they thought it added to the entertainment...

and it was then that the real fun was about to begin....

The Rooster's Court Of Honor....

On his very birthday...The Rooster officially became an Eagle Scout!

He has worked on it for a long time with alot of help from many people....

The Rooster's great motivation was to beat his older brother.

He wanted to earn the Eagle before the brother did...with more merit badges than

the brother had.  Even it was only 1 more;)

It worked well for me....not alot of  "encouragement" was needed along the way!

The Rooster has enjoyed Scouts, so it wasn't too hard to keep him moving.

He is lucky to have a Dad and a brother who led the way in scouting, as well

as several uncles and cousins.

I am personally very happy it is done!

I love how The Farmer is looking at his Rooster....

It was the perfect ending to a very fun day....

celebrating the birth of our Rooster!

After the Court of Honor...we enjoyed a celebration/Birthday dinner...

The Rooster chose...

Cafe Rio Salads and Pina Colada Cake

Way to go Rooster!!

It Never Gets Old.....

Lunch at school...with the cousins....and friends. It was The Roosters turn for his 15th birthday and he chose his favorite...Broccoli Casserole... Cesar Salad...Garlic Toast and Cheesecake for dessert!

I am pretty sure he chose that last year too!;)
We love that Rooster!

15......

Where has it gone?...15 years???...

The Rooster celebrates his 15th birthday today...and for me the birthday's of my kids are a time of looking back... and looking a little into the future, not too far...but a little. Interestingly, The Rooster had to write a report about himself this past week...in order to do that we opened the scrapbooks of his early childhood and did alot of "remembering." That was alot of fun! The day The Rooster was born, was a very happy day. I had been in bed for the first part of my pregnancy with him because of some complications. While I layed in bed...The Farmer did his best to help out with PreShie and The Boy. One day he brought me the sweetest...smallest...Hummingbird nest he had found in the orchard. I still have it in a pretty bottle, sitting on my dresser.  Rooster's grandparents were present when he was born, which was extra special....and he quickly became the "pet" of his older siblings.

He has brought so much joy to our family...and has been a great comfort when we have had some hard experiences. Today we celebrate The Rooster with a cousin lunch...and an Eagle Court of Honor tonight! We are blessed to have The Rooster as part of our family! We love you Rooster!!

Missionary Monday....

A Glimpse.....

Just a few days ago, I was riding along with The Farmer. We passed through a town that is near where we live. As we were driving down a very muddy side street we came upon this glimpse into the past. I ALWAYS carry my camera with me..but of course....this particular day it had been left behind. The Farmer snapped a quick photo with his phone, and I mourned not having my camera with me! It would have been a wonderful thing to photograph. A few years ago, it wasn't unusual to see a cart like this one, coming down the street. It isn't something we see around here anymore. It was a treat for me...it made my day! There is great simplicity in this country...Mexico. I love that!

The Gobbler....

Last Friday and Saturday was our Anual Father's and Son's outing. This time it was in the nearby mountains. It is also Turkey season, and The Rooster saw it as an opportunity to do a little hunting. The story went like this...The Farmer called it in....and The Rooster shot it. That was how they both told the story. I guess I was hoping for a few more details. But that summed it all up! The Farmer did say that The Rooster was really excited when he knew he had gotten the turkey...

he jumped up and down.

The Missionary Boy has asked for a copy of the picture to carry with him...I thought that was really sweet!;) The turkey was cleaned. The Rooster shared the meat with some very happy men. And the remaing meat will be made into Mole' by The Farmer's Mother. It was a great day for The Rooster!

Missionary And Mum's Monday....

It was a wonderful Mother's Day weekend....

It was filled with sweet gifts from The Rooster...made in wood shop at school...

(This was last year's gift...I am getting a bit of a collection!)

I LOVED the beautiful handmade card from PreShie....so pretty and thoughtful;)

And one of the greatest gifts of the day was the phone call/Skpye we had with The Missionary Boy!! Oh my goodness it was incredible to see him and hear him!!! The cousins all arrived to each take a few moments with him. The Farmer's Mother also stopped by to say hello. He was able to Skype from the home of some wonderful members in his ward. We were thrilled to "meet" them and see the people who are caring and loving The Boy while he is away. They were great!!! I hope we get to meet in person one day. We also got to "meet" The Missionary Boy's companion...from Switzerland...he is so great! They have become very dear friends. And I might add that the cousins thought he was one handsome companion;)

We talked about everything! He shared some very special experiences with us...and The Farmer in turn shared some great things with his missionary son. We laughed...we shed some tears together... we were emotionally exhausted when it was all over;) It was the most incredible Mother's Day yet!! Oh...and one last very special gift...The Farmer had a BIG choice to make...and he chose his family...he is a very dutiful man...and so the choice was a hard one...but it is one of the most special gifts that he has given to me...I do love that Farmer of mine;) The Missionary Boy may be headed for another move....I guess we will find out on Wednesday!!

A Simple Pleasure...

The last couple of mornings have been cold. We have had some much needed rain...along with some very damaging hail in a nearby community. There is a "dicho" or saying, in Spanish that goes like this... "when there is rain in May...there is no corn for the horse." And I must admit that anytime that rain comes in May...there is usually some damage that comes with it. I guess those "old timers" who made up the "dichos" knew what they were talking about.

Anyway...yesterday in the cool morning I did a little gardening...checked on the chickens...and decided that they would really enjoy some fresh alfalfa

.

I headed to the Solecito....and picked a basket full of green alfalfa...then checked in on our little Violet the Longhorn. She is doing well....growing a little everyday. And then I returned home and presented the chickens with the fresh alfalfa. They are well fed chickens...but when the "greens" arrive you would think they were starving, by their excitement. It was fun to watch them enjoy themselves...it was fun to spend a few minutes...before my busy day took over....picking a little alfalfa at the Sol.

The Rooster Is an Eagle!!.....

Congratulations to The Rooster who is now and Eagle Scout!! And The Mom...breathes a big sigh of relief! He will be awarded one week before his 15th birthday...which is fun too;) The Rooster has completed enough merit badges to qualify for a Gold and Silver Palm...after he waits his time requirement. His only goal in scouting....to beat his brother...The Missionary Boy!

And it did help keep him motivated;)



The Rooster does NOT like to have his picture taken...unlike the other two Darlings who live in our house... when you mention "photo shoot" he quickly disappears. Last night, PreShie was kind enough to take a few pictures...all the while, The Rooster was complaining and squirming.

.

After all was said and done...she took some really cute pictures of The Rooster!

Way to go Rooster...we are proud of you!!!

Ordinary Days....

 

I love days like today. Lots of clouds in the sky....it is just beautiful!

Our life right now....

*Saturday or Sunday we will get to talk to Elder Jones!!  His mission gets to Skype, we are sooo excited!

*Violet the little Longhorn, is skinny!!  Her Mom...Carne is having a hard time feeding her. the Vet. has been by...shots have been given...extra hay is being consumed...all in the effort to

help her feed little Violet.  In the meantime...she enjoys a bottle both morning and night.  We still have  hope that Carne is going to come through....she is mothering in all other ways...

just a little short on the "comida."

*The Rooster and The Farmer both have birthday's coming up...

that should be fun....The Farmer is going to have a "BIG" one;)

*The Rooster's passion at the moment is fishing...that is where he can be found every evening...

*PreShie and Rooster just returned from a weekend with the Thatcher Cousins...they had such a fun time!

They are a great group of cousins!!

*PreShie was accepted to a program at BYU that she will attend for a week this Summer, we have been waiting a LONG time to hear if she was accepted....she is very excited about that!

*The Farmer is struggling with his annual back problems...he is hunched over a little and isn't having too much fun with that.  By the end of the day he is in pretty bad shape!

That's what stress and back problems will do for you!

*We are enjoying Artichokes from our garden....YUM!!  The other plants in the garden are coming along beautifully...and before long we will be enjoying tomato's and lots of squash.

Missionary Monday....

Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England

Home....Again....

What A Moible Pool Looks Like....

It began as a little innocent cousin fun! It was a warm day...and the cousin "energy" was running high! One cousin spent the afternoon filling water balloons, and preparing the "mobile" pool, while the other cousins finished their afternoon at school.

It was a great idea...it was a creative idea...it was the perfect idea....

And then it happened...car problems...and it seemed the party was over before it began...until...

The Farmer got involved...he thought The Cousins had gone to so much work not to be able to enjoy themselves. He tried to fix the car...and was unsuccessful...and then he came up with the best idea of
of all.....


Why not pull them through town...
And so he hooked up a tow rope to the 4-wheeler and pulled that load of cousins,
and the mobile pool, all through town!  He got soaked...hit by several
water balloons...he was a great sport!  It was one of those Summer afternoons that won't
soon be forgotten...it will be one of those stories they will share...over and over again.
It was some good fun!
Those cousins know how to have a good time!!