BACKYARD BEAVER

We are in love with our backyard. Our property line ends right at a beautiful field that borders the Teton River. We spend a lot of time back there playing in the trees and the water. It's really fun how much wildlife we see in our mini wilderness. We've seen turtles, snakes, quail, ducks, Canadian geese, herons, bald eagles, coyotes, red foxes, and signs of or reports of moose, deer, bobcats, and even mountain lions.

The most conspicuous animal however, has been the beaver. The. dam. beaver. 

We actually lived here over a year before we ever saw the thing. But we knew it was there. It's home is huge...like, bigger than our bed, huge. Bigger than our bathroom, huge. If it just swam happily in the pretty river, I wouldn't complain. But instead, it spends its spare time cutting down half the trees in our private forest. 

I'm not exaggerating. We've counted 40+ trees downed! This spoils our back window views and makes me steaming mad.

The day we formally met for the first time, was a special day in June. Special because my little sister was visiting us all by her big-self from 2 states away. And special because it was as if the beaver's emergence was preserved specifically for her.

Throwing sticks in the river for Moose to retrieve, we heard what sounded like large rocks getting thrown into the water from the opposite bank. When there was no sign of anyone, we figured some boys were trying to be funny by hiding in the reeds. We ignored them. 

But it kept happening. And it was LOUD. 

Finally I spotted this guy! That beaver was slapping his tail against the water in an attempt to be threatening and scare us away! 

Fat Chance. We weren't going anywhere.  

At the time, all I had was a cell phone, but I caught this sweet action shot. 

And a video.

Soon, Andrew joined us with my camera, so I could get some real shots. By this time, all that tail thumping must have made the beaver hungry, because he was got out to munch on a bush...keeping one cautious eye on us at all times. 

This gave us an opportunity to see how big he really was. 

And he was fat. Fat from eating 40+ of my trees! 

I tried to get Moose to eat him, but our playful pup was only interested in the stick my sister was holding.

Like a big rat.

And then he was back in the water. Eventually, our excited family hiked home while I pondered the fashion forwardness of a beaver pelt hat. 

BOISE STATE GRADUATION 2013

My baby sister--who is not so much a baby anymore--graduated from Boise State last weekend with a master's degree.

I am so proud.

Rebecca Jolley is a master of English, rhetoric, and composition. 

The graduation ceremony was a miserable, three-hour affair. BYU-I ingeniously divides up the majors into different buildings to makes the ceremonies go faster. 

But not Boise State. After the 2,000th student's name was announced, I was ready to sell my LIVER on the black market to make. it. stop.

In my defense, I was sick. And I had forgotten my phone back at Becca's apartment, so I had nothing to do but wallow in misery. But then, as if to make up for what they just put us through, glitter rained down from the ceiling for the last 10 minutes. 

Apparently, falling glitter makes me happy. 

Becca was blessed with some awesome friends during her Boise State experience.

Her best friend Kevin, graduated with the same master's degree.

A Hawaiian friend in their major, had the matching leis made for her and the other 4 master of English, rhetoric, and composition graduates.

We continued to take many, many pictures, but I'll only share the few successes. It's not that Becca isn't pretty to look at. 

She just seems to have an inability to be photographed with her eyes open. 

Lovely lady.

This is my new favorite picture of my family.We had such a wonderfully happy weekend and this picture just seems to illustrate that. 

With the Big D.

I think our parents did alright by us, don't you?

In exchange for the cost of her master's program, Becca accepted an assistanceship and taught 100 level writing classes. Here she is in her classroom. 

And here she is by her desk...looking all professor-like.

Then Becca showed us around Boise. We picnicked, window shopped, admired local art and mocuments, and watched giraffes fight at the local zoo. 

Seriously people, if you have never seen giraffes fighting, you're missing out. Go YouTube it. 

We also oohed and awed over countless geese and their new hatchlings. 

Don't mess with the mamas. They mean business.

Goslings in a row. 

I took more pictures of these guys than I did of Becca. It's embarrassing, really. For your sake, I'll only share 5% of them.

Last one.

I suddenly have the urge to snuggle something. 

And finally, Becca's happy dance. It had to be shared. 

Next time you see her, ask Becca to demonstrate this happy Snoopy dance. It is hilariously accurate.

Bursting with Love and Pride,

Rachel

TELLESTRATIONS {favorite family game}

Every year on New Year's Eve, we unwrap a new family game to play together. This year's game was so fun, I wanted to share. Pass on the love.

You know that telephone game where you whisper something from person to person to see how far the original message is distorted by the end? This is the same thing, but with pictures. 

Telephone + Pictionary = Telestrations.

To begin, the timer is set and we draw the word from our individual cards. Then we pass our notebooks, and the next person has to write the word they think was illustrated. Then it is passed again and the next person draws a picture from the new word. After everyone has had a turn with each notebook, we share. 

This is where the real fun starts. Sometimes, the original word gets reeeally far off track. And then we laugh and laugh until we're in pain. 

It's great fun.

Here's an example. 

My assigned word was "dust bunny." So I drew a french maid's skirt and a hand holding a feather duster + a cute bunny. Easy enough, right? 

Well. My supposed art skills were no match for Becca's unique way of thinking.

Apparently, my feather duster looked more like a flaming torch...really throwing off my little sis. 

So then my sweet mother drew a picture of a demonic man with a poor flaming rabbit. 

At least Andrew made an intelligent guess (as opposed to flaming rabbit???). 

When my notebook made full circle, the word was so different from my original word that it didn't even occur to me that it was mine. So I continued the chain. A Roman + a candle. Again, easy enough, right?

But no. My poor sister saw my picture and saw a warrior flame. It almost makes sense. 

Except for not at all.

My mom, in turn, drew Becca's "warrior flame." 

Please note the handlebar mustache.

And then poor, confused Andrew did the best he could with what he was given. 

So there you have it. My "dust bunny" traveled through all the rounds eventually transforming into a "candle ninja." My stomach muscles hurt the next day. 

Check it out if you're in the market for great game. Though I have to say, a ditsy player or two can make all the difference on this game's entertainment value. 

MY BOYS

So apparently, it is difficult determine the gender of young kittens. They all look the same until suddenly...they start to develop. Change. Blossom. And then you're left feeling foolish and holding a boy cat named CC. 

It was about a month ago that the area under CC's tail began to appear suspiciously...manly. Andrew and I researched online, comparing poor CC's private parts to awkward photographs on websites until we finally, conclusively, and shamefacedly proclaimed CC to be a boy. 

One website said that breeders even get it wrong sometimes. So don't judge us. 

In the meantime, our family is working to make a difficult paradigm shift. Despite this revelation, our minds seem determined to keep CC as the familiar pretty kitty we have always know her to be. Half the time, I address the cat using feminine pronouns. The other half, I consciously try to land on the masculine ones but usually only get as far as...it.  

Where's the cat?

It's napping under the boat. It is tired from hunting grasshoppers all day and its fur is making it hot. 

*sigh*

We have kicked around the idea of renaming it...I mean him...with something less embarrassing. Caesar seems to be the front runner. It sounds similar and isn't so sissy. The only problem now, is that CC knows the name CC. He responds to it. His ears perk up and he comes running when I call him. Not to mention Moose knows that CC is his little furry friend. Who the heck is Caesar?

So now, everyone is confused. 

Severely Mistaken and Outnumbered,

Rachel

BUDS

Look at Andrew, working so hard to finish the many little details left on the house!

Oh wait. 

Our lovely little distraction is growing fast. I swear, she's already twice as big as when we got her. And her grasshopper prey are getting bigger everyday too...and more disgusting to watch her eat.

In case you were wondering about how CC and the pup are getting along...they're best buds. In the beginning, we'd force Moose to lay on his back while she was around. This way, we could make the introductions without violence.

It took  a few days to convince Moose that our kitty is not something to eat. And about that long to get the kitty to stop hissing and spitting. Now they follow each other everywhere.

See the two rascals roughhousing in the field? They love to chase and pounce and wrestle each other in the weeds. She'll catch a grasshopper and Moose'll steal it away and eat it. She'll walk under him affectionately, and he'll obliviously sit on her...pinning her mewing to the ground. Then she'll sit calmly looking in on him in his kennel, and Moose will get in trouble for whining. 

They're quite a pair. 





P.S. I'm sorry about all the pet posts. This is the last one for awhile, I promise.

P.P.S Until the next time they do something cute, that is.