Summer......

It's been a busy summer here so far this year.....I don't see it changing, and I think I've finally got my rhythm and I'm cool with how hectic it seems at times:)








Tyler marched in the Memorial Day parade with his boy scout troop:








Jessie has spent countless hours bonding and working with Tank:

I'm not sure how she will deal with selling him in September, but....we'll cross that bridge in September I guess....

And she spends almost every evening walking her State Fair pigs.

This one ("Chasin") will more than likely not make it to State Fair....he is a little large right now....but he will taste good in our freezer!

And if your pig won't walk at first.....you simply get behind him and PUSH!

The first night was rather interesting, but "Tyler Jr." is learning the ropes and starting to walk pretty well for the kids.

We've since graduated to both kids out in the yard with both pigs. I haven't had a chance to take a picture of both of them out there together, but hopefully one of these nights. It's pretty comical, which is keeping things light around here.....

I do have some knitting and quilting projects finished up - hopefully I'll be back in a couple of days with some photos (if I can convince my photographer to take some decent shots!)

Have a good one!
Kris

2011 calves......

This year's calf crop is probably our best calf crop so far......



Which, technically, is not much of an accomplishment seeing as how last year was the first year we really tried to pay attention to who was in heat and who was not in heat so we could A.I. as many cows as we possibly could.....




And this year, we have 3 kids who will be showing our feeder calves at the fair.




It's made it interesting as far as the picking out of calves. Obviously, Jessie gets 1st pick. And this year, we let her determine which calf she will show. Todd, Jason and I gave her our opinions (which we did only after she asked for them) but ultimately, we let her make the choice.


She picked the blue roan calf. Todd and I are a little leery of him - not sure he can walk as good as the red calf (who you can sort of see in the 1st picture) but....it's time she start figuring out which calves are good and which calves are bad.....


Tyler's heifer (the white one - lucky) is growing and looking pretty good. We have been informed that he (and he alone) will be showing her this winter as a shorthorn heifer. On a good day (when he is not fighting with his sister) - he agrees that Jessie can show Lucky at the fair as one of her heifers.....we won't mention the bad days.....



I just keep looking at all that white... yes, she is SOLID white....not grey....not tan but WHITE...I think this is payback time for me from all the years of showing a white horse that my parents (and I) spent keeping him clean and stain free.....

5th grade graduation

The kids' last day of school was last Friday. And it was a very busy 2 days.

The 5th graders put on a talent show last Thursday. Can I just say how much I love this group of girls? 5 of them were on the basketball team together, and all 6 of them are just all around good girls who are good friends.

Then on Friday, they had the 5th grade graduation ceremony. Times have really changed since I went from elementary school to middle school. Back then it was a here-you-go-see-you-later. Now? It's all about the ceremony and awards.


They do make the 5th graders dress up - dresses for girls and khaki's/dress pants with button down or collared shirts for boys. Jessie finally picked this dress pattern, after 3 unsuccessful shopping trips:



We found the batik fabric at JoAnn's, and with a 40% off coupon, I think I ended up paying $6 or $7 for the dress. We won't mention that I procrastinated on doing the hem until Thursday night when we got home from Tyler's boy scout awards ceremony at 10:30.....nope, not I:)


All in all, both kids have had great years at our elementary school, and I'm sad to see her move on to the middle schoool. But - she has a great class of kids so I know all will be good next year:)

Now if I could just figure out where the years have gone that she is 11 already and headed off to middle school....I would be all set!