Scots, Llamas, and Legos, oh my!

This was a busy end of the week and weekend.  Izabel joined a  bowling league with a couple of her friends.  I was invited to attend a fundraiser for the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition (website click here).  It was an interesting evening with a terrific key note speaker; plus I got to get some miniature golf in.  They produce a book for prisoners with resources to help when they are released.  This is a good thing.

Izabel attended a few online clubs to sample what ones she likes.  They are part of the K12 national/international program that powers her school.  This week she had the Virtual Field Trip Club, they visited the ocean, and the Lego Club.

On Saturday we visited a Celtic harvest festival in Edgewater.  They had a group called The Renaissance Scots, Irish music, wolf hounds (weighing in at 150#), and puppet shows.  Seamus tried on a few wool Irish caps and looked very handsome in them, and we found a little calligraphy thing with his name on it, spelled correctly.  Talking with the artist she has a grandson names Seamus.  The kids really enjoyed the festival.
On Sunday Izabel's choir had their first performance of the year.  Next month they have a regular performance and a performance at a benefit for Children's Hospital.  Then we joined her potential new 4-H club the Llofty Llamas for a hike.  Izabel does not need a llama to join the group but many of the members do have a llama or two.  We were down in Monument which is a little north of Colorado Springs.  It was a short hike for us but we had fun hiking on llama time.  It is not everyday you get to hike with a pack of llamas. 
Oh, and what was the first thing our new llama friends asked us?  Do we really own a ferret and can we bring him to a meeting and do a presentation about caring for our ferret friends.  This, of course, sparked Izabel to talk about ferrets for about 30 minutes non-stop.

That little white dot is Izabel reenacting Picket's charge at Gettysburg.  (Mom used to have my brothers do that to run off energy when they toured Gettysburg - I did not fall for the trick).

Izabel attending the Virtual Field Trip Club Meeting

Izabel attending the Lego Club.

Seamus has fun at the park by his school.

Seamus enjoying a puppet show.

Izabel enjoys the puppet show, Matt not so much.

Irish dancers

It is a harvest festival after all.

Scots discussing strategies for loading their trailers; no joke that is what they were talking about.

Seamus practices his fencing.

I couldn't help myself. 

The sheep and I came to an understanding.

Izabel's choir performs for the first time this season.

The hike begins.  This is Monument Rock in Monument, CO.

Trying to get the llama to sample the water.

Izabel has the orange pack on.

Okay this llama didn't mind the water.

Apparently, this used to be a nursery for the National Park Service.  Here we are walking through the windbreaks for the old nursery.

Beautiful day for a hike.

Llamas taking a food break before being loaded back up.

Art projects, fencing and running

 Izabel did some art projects at church; inspired by beauty she painted her ferret Totem.  Seamus did some art projects at school; inspired by Mimi and Dollie he painted 2 elephants.

Seamus' project was really cute they did gray hand prints with googly eyes and a popsicle-stick tree.

As we continue to study the muscular-skeletal systems Izabel learned that running in a circle for 5 minutes to the ever popular "Move it, Move it" song from Madagascar 2 would raise her heart rate.

We took our fall photos at part of the Museum of Outdoor Art this weekend.  I still need to edit the photos but we have some good ones in there.  We ran into a jar of pygmy nuthatches.  Look it up they don't have flocks they have jars and they are a bird that is about the size of a chicken egg and can go down a tree face first (a highly unusual and very distinctive characteristic among birds).  

Izabel continued with her fencing lessons.  It is a huge hit and she did pretty good for her first time facing an opponent armed with a foil.  Next week she will learn what to do if she is attacked by someone armed with the passion fruit (pointed sticks are in the intermediate level).  It is really interesting, she learns a lot of sportsmanship and honesty (they self report when there is a touch and have a salute regime they do when they spar), and they learn how to proctor a bout between other classmates.  I need to read some more to get the terminology correct.  There are videos so scroll all the way down - Izabel is on the right. 

While we waited Seamus enjoyed singing the Barbie song "Get your Sparkle on" and waiving his magic wand (Mom's old paintbrush) at the girls passing on their way to gymnastics.  Anytime one of them would go into the woman's locker he would say, "OOOOOOOO!" and run toward the open door.  He also watched some racket ball and tap dancing classes.

This week has been especially busy since I have had a few meetings and am invited to attend a fundraiser that works for prison reform.  I am to bring my experience as a prosecutor and see what perspective I can lend to the occasion.  Lets all cross our fingers I can keep my filter working the entire evening but we all know that is as likely as the Bengals winning the Superbowl this year.

Izabel painting Totem.

Seamus showing off his painting.

2 elephants sweeping majestically over the Savannah.

Izabel running to get her heart rate up.

Izabel hanging on to the end of the 5 minutes. 

 While Seamus waited for Izabel's lesson he enjoyed a granola bar.

Izabel going in with the lunge.

Izabel is on the right of the picture about to fence.

Highland Ranch Days with a ferret.

 We volunteered with 4-H for the Highlands Ranch Days and since they asked if anyone could bring their animals with them we brought Izabel's project - pocket pet.  So Totem made his debut appearance at Highlands Ranch Days.  He did absolutely wonderfully!  The weather was perfect for a ferret -not too hot and no scary snow. 
I am afraid we may have caused some trouble, though.  So many kids were there on school trips who were declaring this to be the 'cutest animal in the whole fair' and how much they wanted one - or even Totem himself.  I am sure parents all over Highlands Ranch are having to explain how they cannot get a ferret.  Except for one kid who thought that ferrets were evil (let's just say he is not on our Christmas card list) Totem was very patient with all the activities.  The horses hitched for the hay ride flared their nostrils when we got out of the car with the cage. 
The 4-H agent was telling the parents how Izabel was only 8 and to see how impressive her presentation skills are, and how she would like to think 4-H has something to do with that.  She was very impressed with Izabel and by the time we left she was shown the 1st position of fencing, forward and backward movement, and lunge. 
While the presentations were going on Seamus: 1. examined the corral fencing, 2. re-engineered the corral fencing, 3. tried to disassemble the corral fencing, 4. pet two chickens named George and Loretta and 5. climbed the corral fencing.  He also visited the bee keeping booth and tried on that hat.  You may or may not know but the beekeeping lady at the National Western Stock Show was very impressed with Seamus declaring him a beekeeping prodigy.  Other kids are prodigies in music and art, or science and math, my kids - beekeeping. 
Totem got along with everyone there except George and Lorita.  They clucked at him, he backed up and puffed his tail at them - don't think we will be on their Christmas card list either).

Izabel helping Seamus make a 4-H pinwheel.

Mile-Hi Pow-wow association getting ready to preform.

Seamus checking out the general projects coming back from the state fair.

Seamus checking out George.

Izabel doing her thing.

One tired ferret.

The view from the 4-H corral.

The ride home.

Izabel swatting a fly trying to hitch a ride back to our apartment. 

 Izabel and Seamus went to Lowe's for their free kids workshop.  This week they made police cars.  They get the kit, goggles and a badge.  They also get to have fun with dad.  The little blue light on top actually lights up too.

Izabel traded in her hat for a bandanna today.