A New Home for Mattie

 The Idaho Fish and Game officer called us yesterday and told us that he found a home for Matilda.

And that she would be leaving the next day (today).

I didn't want to let her go.  I wanted to still feed her bottles.  I wanted to see her grow up.

Hanging with Mattie last night in the field.

Today they came to get her.

She came running over to us.

(She spotted the bottle.)

We took her out of the pasture and what did she do?

She headed straight for Grandma's rose bush.  She loves to eat the leaves.

I had to basically push her out.  It was prickly under there.

Then she spotted the bottle again.

She really likes that thing.

Maizy wanted to say goodbye clean the milk off of Mattie's face.

Then it was time to load up.

And time to say goodbye.

The trailer had a cushy floor.  

And was nice and roomy.

What a sweet face.  And what a sweet little thing she is.

Bye, Mattie!

(sniff, sniff)

She had a 5 hour trip to Tacoma today.  She flew there.  She is headed to the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park there.  Or, I suppose, she is already there.  If you live near there go and say, "Hi, Mattie Girl!" for us.  She will be in a 10-15 acre yard/enclosure/whatever you call it.  That's nice and big.  I hope that we can go visit her this Fall.  Supposedly there is a bull moose calf her age there.  Maybe they can be special friends.   :)

Mattie came to us when she was about 5 days old.  Now she is about 12 weeks old.  She weighed about 25 pounds when she came and is now around 70-75.  We knew her time here was temporary, and we are glad that we got to raise her for as long as we did.  She is so sweet and gentle and we will really miss her.

(Thanks to my sister, Holly, for the pix)

Family Pictures Spring 2012

Lots happening.

Well, lots that happened last week that I would like to post about, but I can't upload pictures right now because I just had to buy more space.  (I am currently using 100% of my 1 GB quota for photos, and just had to buy 25 GB more for $2.49 per month.  Has this happened to anyone else?)

 It may take up to 24 hours before my account is updated and I can upload pictures.

I started this post last week, but ran out of time, so I will finish it now... 

:) :) :) :) :)

We had some family pictures taken.  

I'm in love with them.
I really am so happy with how they turned out.  I am trying to decide which ones to frame, and which one to make into a canvas to put over the fireplace.

My sister-in-law's sister-in-law, Megan took them for us.  (Yay for Megan!  Thank you!!)
Hopefully we weren't too hard to work with, what with a bunch of wild barefoot children, animals, bright sunlight, heat, eating-not-smiling people, and whatever else.

This was sort of a "redo" from Easter time when Weston's family was all together, and ours didn't really turn out (which I am actually very glad about since we were all sort of ragamuffins back then at Easter time, and we got to have this shoot all to ourselves (and after a few haircuts) - yay).  

Family picture time isn't really a jump-up-and-scream-"yay" time for my little ones, and I can't say I blame them.  I never liked having family pictures done when I was younger either.  This is how it would go when I was still living at home:

somebody in my family: "Carrie, go fix your hair."

me: "I just did."

somebody else: "Are you going to wear that?"

me: "Um...yeah."

I laugh about it now.  I love my family to infinity and back, and I like standing next to them, but I did not like getting myself dolled up, and I did not like posing.  I would much rather have being doing something vigorous and sporty.  Plus, I thought then, taking pictures was such a waste of time!

Now, ironically, I am a picture freak.  I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 14,000 pictures on my computer.   My children, like most (maybe), aren't crazy about getting dressed up and posing.  I wanted this shoot to be a fun time for them, and for us as a family.  I wanted it to be more candid and not so much posed.   I like posed, too, but I love real life pictures.

We picked a spot in a field down by the creek, and the kids and I got to work: we set up a little "table" out of a water trough and an old door; I had gotten all these old school chairs for $5 each at our library's book/yard/bake sale the day before; I finally painted a chandelier that I've had for like 2 years and hung it with baling twine on a branch above the table; hung (also with twine) an empty green frame and a framed painting that I got from a thrift store that looks like Stardust, the horse that Weston's family had since he was 5 that just died; hung some banner/pendant/bunting (what is the proper name for it anyway?) that I made for last year's carnival; and the kids found some nests that made for great centerpieces.

Spencer pre-shoot.  Kind of an idea of where we were, and the chandelier (which I didn't have candles that fit).

The "serious" shot.

We had a couple of extras with us: Henry the gosling, and Matilda the "mosling".
We tried to get a goat, but it jumped out of the window of the suburban before we even left the driveway, and we wanted Cookie our milk cow, but she was too stubborn and wouldn't budge (it wasn't milking time).

 Oh, and I brought food.  People eating during a photo shoot may not be the best idea, or make for the best pictures, but it sure keeps my family happy and in one spot long enough to take some pictures.

Rainbow fruit tray anyone?   It has become a family favorite.

And we brought a snack for Mattie, too, of course...

Cutes of the kiddies:

Umm, hi, Mattie, please don't lick my face.

Kate loved that I didn't fix her hair, and that she got to pick out her clothes.  That really does make for a happier Tater Tot.

This is Spensker in his fort, which is right next to where we were:

W + C = <3

(that's supposed to be a heart)

Weeeeee!

And this is pretty exciting.  Zoe learned a new trick the day or so before these pictures (at 11 1/2 months old).  See for yourself:

I love my little girlfriends...

...and all my boyfriends!

He's got it all under control, as always.

Matilda eats a lot (and is now about double her size in this picture)...

My Mama made this quilt for our wedding 10 1/2 years ago.  I absolutely love it.  I had a rug/carpet under it, so it wouldn't get (too) dirty.  It goes great with popcorn, and giggly kids (and 101 and Dalmatians).  Mmmmm.