May Madness!

May was yet another busy month for the Shadd family! My most creative Mother's Day present that I've received EVER was given to me by my son Hayden. He's 12 and his Papa Jere just taught him how to weld, and Hayden knows how much I love yard art (or junk as Mike would call it).... ANYWAY, Hayden managed to make me a little yard sign, which I promptly declared that it belonged by the fish/frog pond in the back yard. Didn't he do a great job? If you look very closely at the photo there is a huge frog at the left the base, with his head resting near a stick.

So something new that Hayden also tried this year was 4H. Hayden, Mike, Jeremy & Papa Jere got together and set up a pig pen behind the old barn area, where 30 years ago piggies roamed in excess. Grammie Norma didn't get much say about the stinky mess growing in her back yard... Hayden tried to keep it clean, but... well pigs tend to smell & collect flies... it's a fact! The Silver Dollar fair was this past weekend. Mike & Hayden faithfully went each morning & evening to feed and water the pig... and on Saturday... this little piggie went to the market... I managed to slip in at the exact time that Hayden went out by himself with the pig. I was scared to death that no one would bid, and poor Grammie Norma would have to keep this pig in her backyard forever, not to mention how much pork can one family eat really? It was over in a matter of seconds. Porkie sold for $4.00 a pound and we were all jubilant! Hayden got a check for just over $900 dollars and was elated. Now that Mike & Hayden have gotten their first fair under their belts, they want to do the Gridley fair next... I'm not sure what Grammie Norma will say about another stinky visitor in the barn.

This is Hay showing his pig for the first time... There were about 10 pigs all wandering around with their little owners. Something that doesn't really make sense to me is why they wear white clothes... but I'm sure there is a reason that I have not been privy to. Below, is Hayden who is supposed to be guiding his pig back to the pen... unfortunately, the pig usually ran a bit amuck...

With May coming to a close this next week, June promises to be a great month! First of all it is my birthday month... and Bailey's too... and that makes it a very important month! Next the kids get out of school & we are off to Lake Siskiyou to camp for a long weekend with Mike's family, and then up to Oregon for a long week where we will meet up with some more family & visit a cousin in Portland, do a bit of riding on the sand dunes... and basically have a fabulous time at the ocean!!!!

One last photo... of my pretty hollyhocks... I just love them! They make me happy!