This is SO COOL!

Masochist

Look at these ridiculous goats - are they not adorable? I love the head tilts, they look so perplexed. They have settled in nicely and are eating their way through the blackberries and evil, evil scotch-broom in our pasture. Now that we've fenced it, our next door neighbors bring their horses over for a snack of grass sometimes and the goats don't mind them at all. Unless they move suddenly - that causes a mini stampede of goats running for their lives. Very very funny to watch them running from a horse who is just shaking his head to get the flies off.

I made it through the first round of cuts for grad school and interviewed with two faculty members last Saturday. Now all I have to do is pull my hair out while I wait to hear if I've been accepted. Hopefully it will be soon because I'd look pretty funny with bald patches all over my head.

Because I seem to get a kick out of torturing myself with too much to do, I've started a mini-war with a certain member of our local school board. So far I've spoken, ahem, VEHEMENTLY at two board meetings and written several letters to the editor - two of which got published. What I'd really like to do is lobotomize her with a rusty spork but judging from her lack of mental ability, it looks like someone has already beat me to it. I'll rant more about that in the future I'm sure, it is NOT OVER!

The end of the year insanity has begun at the kids schools. Schools plural. As in three. I cannot express what a relief it will be to have then all in the same damn place next year. Even if I do have to bribe the dean of students weekly so the Things don't get suspended for beating on each other in between classes. Daughter has already informed them that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are they to speak to her, look at her, touch her, or let anyone know that they are related to her at all. I'm planning on putting fluorescent signs on their backs that say I AM [Daughter's Name] BROTHER! She will love it. The poor girl doesn't stand a chance. Between our impossible, weird, foreign and memorable last name, the Things *cough* reputation as "the super smart and slightly odd identical twins who beat the shit out of each other at school", and my over-involvement as a volunteer she will never be able to blend into the woodwork at school.

I have so much I want to write about - the recent legislation in Arizona, an amazing NGO working in Africa, awesome (and slightly scary) teaching blogs I've recently discovered - but it all has to wait until after June 13th when I will officially be a college graduate.

Someday I'll have enough time to do everything!

Great Galloping Goats

Because I don't have enough to do already, we've adopted five goats. They are freaking hysterical! The people kids have named the ruminant kids Goofy, Galoshes, Gypsy (all girls), Gizmo and Grizzle (boys with no balls). Obviously my people kids are weirdos.

Here are the goats nervously checking out the neighbors squawking chickens.

And here they are playing follow the leader with Daughter. Who I might add got up at SEVEN AM ON A SUNDAY to take care of them! Will wonders never cease?

We're hoping that the goats will help keep the blackberry bushes at bay. They have tons of personality and are extremely funny to watch. They've been a herd for almost four years and are so attached it's like they are tied together with an invisible rope. Where one goes - they all go. And when the people kids go into the pasture to play with them the goats all follow them around like puppy dogs. Our dog is disappointed they don't have opposable thumbs so they can throw the tennis ball for her, and the cats sit on the fence posts watching and wondering what they hell they are.

Now to keep husband from turning them into kabob... *snirk*

Most Marvelous Mother's Day

I had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day! First Daughter got up cheerfully at 7am to take care of our new additions (five goats, I'll introduce them in a few days), then husband and the Things brought me breakfast in bed. They cleaned up the kitchen and then headed outside to do yardwork! Daughter and I did some shopping and then came home, I read for school, and visited with BFF Cousin for awhile.

THEN My Mom, Stepdan, Awesome Sister-in-law and the two most adorable nieces ever came over for dinner! Here is Thing 1 playing on the trampoline with them. Little niece has two dimples, Big niece is missing her two front teeth and they both charm the socks off their big cousins!

Thing 2 even let them play with his most awesome pirate Legos and didn't freak out when they broke apart some of the components. Now THAT is love!

Here are all five of the grandkids with Awesome Sister in Law.

And the proud Grandparents enjoying their grandkids. Smore's are a regular thing around here.

And here is Thing 1, Little niece and I swinging away.

It was the most perfect day, full of sunshine, laughing, kisses, cuddles and family. I couldn't have asked for a better time.

The Speech

Here is Thing 2's election speech. I think it's pretty clever but then I'm biased.

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers were having a pretty great time dancing to jazz music and sitting on flagpoles. This is because fourscore and seven years ago it was 1923, and back then flagpole-sitting and jitterbugs were cool. But do you know what's cool right now? M High School! Yes, MHS, conceived here in M and dedicated to the proposition that all teenagers deserve a better education.

Now we are engaged in a great senatorial election, testing who will be a Freshman Senator at the high school next year. Now, who am I addressing? You. Yes you, the 8th graders! YOU will all be freshmen up at MHS next school year. If elected, I will be your class senator, representing all of you. I will be representing what YOU think! I will be representing YOUR thoughts, YOUR opinions, YOUR ideas and YOUR NEEDS! I will have the power to help change MHS to fit those needs! But, this can only happen if you vote for me. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here. It is rather for us to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that we shall elect a Senator whose devotion for the students is shown in the great lengths he goes to in order to improve the lives of the students - that we here highly resolve to have an intelligent, passionate Class Senate - that this school district, of M, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the students, by the students, and for the students shall not perish from M High School.

Our Budding Politician

Yesterday was pretty exciting here at Casa Whatever - Thing 2 was elected to be a Freshman Senator at the high school next year! He made posters, campaigned, wrote a speech and delivered it to the ENTIRE student body of 500 kids plus all the teachers, staff, and visitors. Husband went to watch his speech yesterday morning and was blown away by the response Thing 2 got from the kids. They jumped up yelling and screaming, yelled "We Love You [Thing 2]" and just went nuts in general. I got to see it on husbands iPhone video and it was AWESOME.

Here he is with his co-Senator...

This is quite possibly the best parenting moment of my life. Middle school has been a tumultuous time for Thing 2 with several transitions as we tried to find the best place for him. The decision to enroll him not only into a different school than Thing 1 but into this particular school is easily the best decision we've ever made. Every single staff member from the Principal to the paraeducators to the custodians care about the students and will do whatever it takes to help them be successful and happy at school. I cannot say enough about how incredibly lucky we are to live in such a wonderful school district full of people who love and care about the students.

Two years ago Thing 2 never wanted to set foot in a school again. It was a miserable place for him and that unhappiness affected every facet of his life. Today he is eager to go to school, has lots of friends, and is excited and enthusiastic about what he is learning.

We are so lucky to have such a wonderful village to help us raise healthy, happy kids and are so very proud of him.