TGIF

Here's wishing everyone a great Labor Day weekend.

We hope you all enjoy the extended weekend. Doug, Dallas and I, along with Aunt Katie, are leaving this afternoon for a whirl-wind weekend trip to Indiana, so it will be a few days before I post again.

Until next time...

I can fly!

First, you have to have a clean baby...


Then, a good take off...


And finally, you have to go high!


Until next time...

Pyros

We finally burnt the brush pile from the fallen tree. It was a perfect evening for it. The wind was fairly calm and out of the south (no need to worry about the garden being scorched). Also, it had not rained for over a week, and the pile was really dry. I took a few pictures...so, here you go!

Doug starting the fire...


Within a couple minutes, the fire was roaring...


After just 20 minutes, the size of the pile was considerably smaller...


Dallas enjoying the bon-fire...


Cheese!


Until next time...

Crawling?

I'm afraid to say that crawling may be in the near future! As I mentioned before, Dallas has really been on the move lately (rolling). Last night, I had him on the blanket while I started on supper. When I turned to check on him...well...here:


I think he was making his way to the kitchen to check on me!



Until next time...

Happy Anniversary...

Today is my 1 year Blogger Anniversary! Holy cow...I can't believe I have been doing this for a year already. I just want to thank all of you that visit! Many have expressed how much they enjoy it, and that makes me happy (and helps me keep wanting to post).

Now...as far as our weekend goes. It was a busy one. (It seems to be a reoccurring theme around here) Doug got home from Chicago Thursday night ~ around 9 p.m. so Dallas was still awake to see his Daddy. On Friday, Doug went to work and I did my usual things around the house: vacuum, pay bills, take care of the dogs, play with Dallas, etc. I harvested a lot of veggies from the garden. I pick the last of the carrots and onions. The second round of radishes are ready. I got 2 good size zucchinis, so I made my very first loaf of zucchini bread...and it turned out great! I also got tons of bell peppers, banana peppers, and jalapenos ~ all of which I froze until my tomatoes are ready...then I'm going to try to make some salsa!

Saturday morning, Doug rented a chainsaw and we got to work on the tree that fell during the July 21st wind storm. Remember the tree that almost hit Lily!?! We worked on it all day, and we still didn't get finished. Well, we cut up and saved what we wanted for campfires, and we also cut some more of the trunk. Luckily, one of our neighbors inquired about the wood and is going to take the rest. His family has a wood burner in their house...perfect! This is what is left:

Sunday morning was church, followed by breakfast and returning the chainsaw. Doug, Dallas and I went and picked 6 more dozen ears of sweet corn and froze them. It was so much faster having Doug's help! I also cooked up the last of the carrots to make baby food, and I cooked a zucchini and made baby food out of it as well. We ended the night watching the closing ceremony for the Olympics, while enjoying a bowl of ice cream.

In other news:

Dallas is starting to be able to sit up (somewhat) on his own. The poor guy still has a bad case of round-bottom syndrome though!

Dallas took better to eating when Doug returned home, and when we added some banana to the cereal. He liked it best when he could shove the spoon in his mouth.

Oh well, it just takes time.

My pumpkin plants are growing like crazy! Doug and I replanted some about a month ago because the silly deer ate the first group. Hopefully, I'll be getting some pumpkin off these and I won't have to buy them from the farmer's market.

Dallas is doing so much better with his neck and turning his head to the left! Yesterday, I found him sleeping like this

He has never done that before!

Dallas is also becoming quite the roller. He has learned how to go from his back to his tummy, as well as, from back to tummy to back! It's amazing how fast he can roll off the blanket. Of course, this means that I will definitely have to be doing some rearranging in my house. It is not baby proofed by any means!

I don't remember if I have mentioned, but Dallas's front bottom two teeth have popped through. I was actually able to get a picture!

For those of you wondering...yes, he was a biter at first, but knock on wood, he has gotten much better...so I'm still able to nurse him.

I got a new cell phone! Don't worry, the number is the same, just a new look. The battery on my other phone would go completely dead after using it for no more than 5 minutes. When I took it to the US Cellular store to see what I could do about it, my choices were: 1) Buy a new battery (~$40); 2) Send a claim to insurance and get another phone just like it (~$50); or 3) Buy a new and different phone (~$35). Like I said, I went with a new phone.

And, finally...Dallas just loves the dogs. He wants to touch them all the time.

Thankfully, the dogs love him just as much!

Until next time...

Another Couple Crazy Days

It has still been crazy around here! Doug left early Tuesday morning for meetings in Chicago, but on Monday night, he helped me pick and husk about 9 or 10 dozen ears of sweet corn. Yep...you guessed it...that left me to cook and freeze it on Tuesday. It wasn't all that bad. Dallas did great while I was busy with the project. He sat in his walker/exerciser and played and watched me. I ended up getting about 17 (quart size bags) in the freezer. When Dallas fell asleep for his late afternoon nap, I mowed the yard! I tried to give Dallas some more baby food for supper, but he did not want anything to do with it. I even tried mixing the cereal with breast milk thinking it would be a familiar taste for him. Oh well...if he is anything like his father...he will catch on soon enough!

On Wednesday, I spent a good part of the morning in the garden ~ pulling some weeds and harvesting some bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and tomatoes! Of course, I then had to wash it all and store it some way or another. I also took things into town to share with Laura (who is helping with the garden). I ended up staying at her house for an hour chit-chatting! I tried giving Dallas some cereal again, and still no luck. Tonight I even mashed up a banana with it! He didn't even want to open his mouth for the spoon (which he was doing great with the first couple nights). I then got to thinking...and it was Doug that was having the luck feeding him before...maybe he just likes his Daddy to feed him the big people food! Anywho...I topped my evening off with watching the Olympics...now I need to get to bed.

Until next time...

Baby Food!

We finally did it. We introduced Dallas to baby food. We started with the good old rice cereal. He did fairly well. Here's the pictures...


Daddy giving Dallas his very first bite


The reaction


Mommy gave it a try


Well, not all of it stayed in the mouth


One more bite

Until next time...

Iowa State Fair ~ Day 2

Since we spent all day Wednesday in the sheep barn, we all went back to the fair on Thursday to walk around. Plus, I had to see the Butter Cow...as it had been my third year of going to the Iowa State Fair, and I had yet to see it.

Because pictures are far better than my words...here you go!


Katie and I getting ready to enjoy the fair!


The Butter Cow! Yes, that is made of real butter. (In case you didn't know - the Iowa State Fair is famous for the Butter Cow)


This year they also did a Butter Shawn Johnson (the Olympic gymnast from Iowa)


And, four influential Iowa agriculturist made of butter (sorry, I don't remember who they were)


The wind mill on the fair grounds.


My three favorite guys!


The Budweiser Clydesdales were at the fair. We were able to see them hitch up the team and drive away.


My little farmer...he's finally big enough to fit into some bib overalls!

The next four pictures are of restored tractors that were done by FFA members.









Mom, Dad, Granny, and Lisa brought the sheep back to our house on Thursday evening. They then headed back to Indiana on Friday. Grandma had to get one more picture before she left...


Until next time...

p.s. make sure you continue scrolling down to see more pictures and updates on what has happened since we went to Indiana...this was my third post today!

Iowa State Fair

Sunday evening, Doug and I packed up so we could head back to Iowa on Monday. Mom and Dad were also packing so they could follow us back to Iowa with a trailer load of sheep to show at the Iowa State Fair! We didn't get the start time we were hoping for on Monday, and we found ourselves leaving early afternoon on Monday. We finally made it to our house around 10 o'clock. Tuesday morning we were up and working on the sheep. We spent the day walking the lambs around the yard and trimming the ones that hadn't been shown yet this summer. Dad, Mom, Granny, and Lisa left here around 5:30 to head to Des Moines to meet Katie and check the sheep in at the fair. Wednesday was the show...enjoy the pictures!


Grandma entertained Dallas while I helped fit the sheep.


How many people does it take to fit one ewe?


You're next!


Mom repainted the sheep sign...doesn't it look great!?!


After winning the ram class...I think Dad might have been in shock.


Katie and I taking a better look at things.


Doug and Dad were working hard.


Dallas enjoying the show...and in case you can't
tell...that is a "Triple R Dorset" shirt that he has on!


Family picture


Granny and Mom had the best seats in the barn


Here we are all in the same class
(L-R: Dad, Lisa, Katie, Doug, Rajean, and Laura)


Dallas had too much fun for one day!
(Plus, a better look at his "show shirt")


After the show. In the end, we were all very pleased with how we did. We ended up placing 3rd for premier breeder (meaning: we were the 3rd best flock/group there)


Grandpa and Dallas

Until next time...