Updates

Carus cut her hair! Like 6 weeks ago, but I'm lazy on this updating the blog thing lately. It's been shared on Facebook and Instagram though so if you follow me there this is old news.  It is stinking adorable. It's also weird cause it hasn't been anywhere near this short since she was a baby. But she loves it and that's what matters.

We colored it this evening.  And for a change my blog will get the news the same day as my Facebook did. Ha!  Better photos to come later when we have sunlight (and hopefully those will make their way here too). It's a deep purple-ish red and how it colored based on where her natural hair was at the roots and the previously colored hair, it has a nice graduation of color from red to purple to a deep wine color. 

In other Carus news:  Scout and Carus attended their first show of the year - Shaggy Days.  It was rainy and muddy because it has been raining for 5 years straight up here. No, that was not an exaggeration. We're soggy.  Fields have flooded and the roads are littered with POT HOLES so much so that trying to avoid them when driving will make you look like a drunk driver. The show - it was good. A long day, of course, because now that she has a taste for showing she wants to do as many classes as possible and that means we're there until the end of the day. She's no longer a Novice; she has advanced to Intermediate level in 4H, which means a bit more difficulty and a bit more competition.  The Showmanship pattern threw her (and others in the same competition group) for a loop by asking them to show their horse on the off-side (show from the right side of the horse when usually they show from the left). Several kids, including Carus, expressed their panic over it, but in the end they all stepped up and did their best. Carus placed 7th in Showmanship which was a little disappointing for her, but she felt she did her best and was happy with it.  In her other classes, all riding classes, she didn't place and got really frustrated by the end of the day. It's hard for us watching too because we will think she did better than some of those placing. We're a bit biased I'm sure, but also, we're not the judge who is looking for certain things and at certain times in the class. Some of it is what is going on when the judge is looking or not looking. Either way, there is stuff for Carus to practice on before their next show near the end of March. After the show it seemed that Scout developed an abscess in his hoof, and I got another lesson in horses. Man, that was some fun stuff. *sarcasm*

Lastly on Carus, her new 4H group is doing a fundraiser.  Since they are a new group this year, there are no funds from last year carrying over. We're starting fresh.  If you're local, we're collecting soda cans and I'll come pick them up. If you're not local and would still like to donate, please let me know. We have a banner to pay for that we bought (using credit of one of the parents) for a Holiday Light Parade in December that we will also use as part of our decorations for Horse Fair in June.  The kids would also like matching team shirts and sweatshirts, and we'll need more decorations besides the banner for Fair too.

Adam performed in a play at the high school. It was their annual Shakespeare play; this year they did Midsummer's Night Dream. And they were AMAZING! Adam played the Duke of Athens.  He makes a great king. I didn't get any photos of him in the play, unfortunately. So enjoy a photo of Adam and Robert in light up glasses that Adam got from one of the basketball games. He enjoys the heck out of band and playing at school sporting events. He's also started a D&D club at the school and is having fun playing that after school once a week and online every weekend.

First semester grades have come out. Carus has As, meet expectations, and exceeds expectations (As are for her high school classes, the other weird grades are for her middle school classes).   Adam has mostly As, a B, and an F. He has a problem with not turning in his work. He does it, just doesn't turn it in. Weirdo.

We have been lecturing him and grounding him for a couple years, and he still occasionally "forgets" to turn in work so this time we didn't lecture him. He was not expecting to get an F at all. He usually can just skate through his classes with very minimal effort so I think he was a bit surprised to find out otherwise.  He was also so disappointed in himself. He knew he messed up and he asked what his punishment would be. We asked in return what we should do since we didn't feel what we have done has worked. He didn't know what it should be, but for about 2 weeks now he has not gotten on his computer, nor asked to get on his computer.

My teenager grounded himself from his computer. This cracks me up to no end. I think Robert and I will just see how long he feels he needs to be grounded. I'll take bets if you want to guess when he'll give out.

As for Robert and I - work is still work, his back issues are still there, and we're doing what we do. Nothing exciting here.