And that's a wrap for winter shooting sports.  If you missed out shotgun (clay pigeons) and skeet start in June.  Elizabeth had a personal best in BB Gun this weekend and had the best BB Gun State Weekend to date.  Her .22 Rifle and .22 Pistol Score can use some work but she moved to senior level this year and is shooting pistol one-handed which is quite a bit harder and takes more muscle.  She will try to qualify in archery next year and will continue to work throughout the year. 

We had a Grand Champion Senior Special Foods Contestant this week.  Elizabeth had a big win making "Better Than a 50s Burger".   If you are gettting ready for this contest this year in South Dakota the book has changed and MyPlate is gone.  Please take time o revise to handbook prior to the contest.

Do we like it or not?  Well it has been a time sucker this spring and a lot of extra trips to town.  I think next year Lydia will just come home and run a mile.  She loves to run but not competitively and is using it to stay in shape for her true loves, backetball and softball.

Elizabeth headed to Pueblo, CO to attend the National Mini Lop Show.  She was able to travel with her Mini Lop family (Reada, Randy, and Taylor). She competed in her first royalty contest which was a big step for her.  She had to relearn showmanship and take a written test.  We had no idea what was on the test.  Apparently we studying the wrong thing entirely.  So she hopes to enter again next year so a year to practice.  She did have rabbit that placed 4th in class and was excited for that high of a finish. 

Elizabeth started the year in public school for her 10th year and is was a struggle.  So she made the decision to come home and finish school.  This was the best decision that she could have made.  She is thriving in her classes.  She is done with her regular classes on April 1!  She will continue classes throughout the spring and we hope to finish a couple more by June 1.  She is able to go to school for band and choir and will take an Ag class next year so she can be active in FFA.  

This group has been coming to youth group all school year.  We had some fun today decorating the front sidewalk of the church.  

Elizabeth loves her Rhinelander rabbits.  She bought some good ones.  She has one several shows with this rabbbit.  She will be having babies soon.  We are so excited.  This is her last show for the year. 

Elziabeth's Shooting Club had a Stop the Bleed workshop for the .22 rifle and .22 pistol kids.  This was a great workshop put on by Zane Hamiel.  The kids learned a lot and had time to practice with mannequins and on each other. 

These mornings consist of getting Lydia on the school bus and getting Liz up and moving.  We try to get some schoolwork done prior to heading to the barn.  If she can get 30-60 minutes in before the sun is up that is a great day. Elizabeth will head out first and get the cows in and tie up and feed her beef heifers while I start laundry, reload the dishwasher, and hand wash and put away the rest of the dishes. I will then head out to hook up the milk machine, most of the time the cows are already cleaned and I start milking milking while Elizbeth feeds her two barns of  rabbits.  When she gets back she takes over watching cows while I head to feed Lydia's poultry.  I will gather milk jars and dump the unused milk into the pig buckets and take the jars to the house to wash.  It is always a process!  Then Liz will bring the milk in to get sorted and put away.  Hank feeds all the pigs, donkeys, general population chickens, and large cattle herd before he leaves for work at 6:30PM.  We will need to wean the Jersey/Angus calves next week and then we will be back to milking twice a day and getting up earlier in the mornings.   

These girls stay super busy and had a very busy day with Festival Choir all day, a concert, followed by their last day of gymnastics.  This could be their final gymnastics class together as they are all heading into high school and the competitive cheer girls will continue while the girls who chose not to continue to a competitive team will most likely be done. 

Can you believe it?  Lydia wanted a basketball birthday party.  Everyone had a great time. 

While I was in Watertown with Elizabeth, Hank was in Yankton coaching Lydia's basketball team.  It was a tough weekend but the girls learned a lot.

This was a special show not because of the win but because Wendall has been part of our family for two generations,   He judged my husbands poultry as child in the Gregory County 4-H program and now has been a mentor for Elizabeth while showing rabbits.  He always has a great attitude and is always there for hug as soon as he arrives and when its been a hard day.  And usually finds us before he leaves.  He has given the girls cages and has many stories to learn from.  Thank so much Wendall for all you have done for our family.