Baby Photo Contest

Our church's summer social is in a couple weekends, and new this year is a Baby Photo Contest.  One of the gals in charge, called and asked if I would be willing to submit a photo of our little one.  She actually called a few weeks ago, I just kept forgetting about it.  Well, she sent me a text this morning as a final reminder, so I dressed Sugar and headed out hoping to get a good picture to submit.  These were the ones I liked the best...

After asking a handful of people for their opinion on which one to submit, it came down to the last two.  I finally decided on the last one.  I thought it was her most "natural" smile.

Until next time...

Kentucky State Fair

We spent this weekend in Louisville at the Kentucky State Fair.  Doug, the kiddos and I headed over after school on Friday afternoon.  We met up with Pa-paw, Ma-maw, Aunt Lisa and Kylie for supper.  We then headed back to the hotel to get a good nights rest before the show early Saturday morning.  Overall, Doug and I were very pleased with how our lambs did.  Thanks once again to Ma-maw for taking pictures and sharing them with me - so I can share them with you!

Friday afternoon, a few different individuals came to give Pa-paw some pointers on what to do with Crackerjack (how to fit him for show).  See we had not cut off much of his fleece because we were under the impression the longer, the better.  Apparently, that is not the case...so those individuals, helped trim him down and get him ready.

Pa-paw even tried hand-clipping, but I think he quickly remembered why he doesn't do it (or someone took the shears away)

I also finally added to our farm sign this year (you know the one I did in 2013)!

OK...Saturday morning, the kiddos were once again willing to help get the lambs ready

The Natural Color show and the Polled Dorset show both started at 8 a.m.  Crackerjack's class came up first, and he won it!  We kept waiting for the ram champion drive, hoping that it would come before our Dorset rams started showing, but it did.  Doug and I were in the ring when our class was called for Ice Cube and Clark.

Thankfully, Pa-paw and Aunt Lisa's ram was in a different class, so they were able to take the boys in the ring for us.  Kylie met us at the edge of the ring to take Crackerjack (whom did not win), and we then jetted to the Dorset ring.  I started out helping Dallas with Ice Cube, and Pa-paw and Doug had Clark.  Only Clark was not being very cooperative, so I thought I would try and switch places with Doug.

Clark actually made it into the premium (front line) in his class!  I think if he would not have been so onry, he would have placed a bit higher.

It was then quite a wait before the ewes showed.  Reba and Julianne passed the time by watching Daniel Tiger on YouTube!

Finally, Aunt Lisa and Kylie entered the ring with their fall ewe, and they placed 3rd in the class!

Ma-maw came in for some close ups before our spring ewe class.

This is the lovely smile Julianne gives when Ma-maw points the camera at her!

Reba then had to go to the bathroom right before they called our class, so Sugar stepped in to help!  This was her first time going into the ring, and I'm proud to report she did great.

She held onto the end of the halter the entire time, and kept up with me as we walked around the ring.

Dallas (and Daddy) showed Elizabeth, and he did great once again.  Doug and I are so proud of the confidence Dallas gained in the show ring this summer.  I hope that he continues to enjoy showing sheep, and that he continues to be fearless in the ring.

A great family photo at the end of the show

Today, we returned to the fair for the overall grand drive.  We didn't have anything in the drive, but Aunt Lisa was asked to be a judge for the grand drive.  She said, no; so apparently, they wanted me to judge.  I wasn't confident in doing it, so that left Pa-paw.  He didn't want to do it either, so he pleaded with a friend of ours, Will, do take his place.  Since Aunt Lisa and I both said no to being a judge for the grand drive, we were then asked to judge the Wool on Parade class.  It is a class where individuals wear clothing made of American wool as they lead a lamb (wearing a coordinating piece).   They are judged on the construction of their garment, the presentation of their garment (modeling in the ring), control of their lamb, as well as the appearance of their lamb.  It was a fun time, and I'm glad I was able to help with it.

Until next time...

Fun Friday Foto - Selfie Time

I found this little gem on my phone from tonight...

Until next time...

Cicada

This afternoon while playing outside, Dallas noticed quite a few cicada "shells" on the tree close to the swing set.  He was able to pull a few off himself, and then he enlisted my help to gather a "few" more.

He proceeded to display them on the picnic bench on the swing set.  I think he ended up with 15 or more shells when it was all said and done.

Until next time...

Week 34

I'm really trying to be better at capturing this pregnancy, so here I am at week 34!  Can you believe only 6 more weeks until Number 4's due date?!?!

Once again, everything is progressing as it should, and this little one is very, very active!  It will wake me multiple times at night with its acrobatic moves.  I guess I should look at this as preparing me for those night time feedings.  I am also continuing to experience heart burn when I lay down at night.  I don't remember having much when I was pregnant with Dallas, I had some at the end of my pregnancy with Reba, I had quite a bit from the end of the 1st trimester on with Julianne, and I have had it from the get go with this one!

Dallas and Reba love to cuddle up beside me and place their hands on my belly waiting for the baby to move.  They also love telling the baby good night and that they love it.  Julianne will point to my belly on occasion and say, "Baby".  We'll see how she adjusts once the little one is here.

Until next time...

Arm Full

I haven't blogged much about the kittens lately, but they are doing quite well.  They haven't gotten as much attention as one would think they would living with 3 small children.  To be honest, they are actually pretty skittish.  Dallas was able to catch 3 out of the 5 this afternoon.

Four of the five finally have names:
The all orange one is Dan-Dan (after Daniel Tiger - Julianne picked that one)
The mostly white and pale yellow one is Candy (picked by Reba)
The white and darker yellow one is Otis (picked by Dallas)
The gray one is Margaret (picked by Reba)
and the Black one is yet to be named (and to be picked by Dallas)

Until next time...

Climb like a...

Girl!

Yep, Reba has mastered climbing the rope!  In this video, it was actually her second time doing it so she didn't quite make it to the top, but you get the "picture"

Until next time...

Ice Cube

It won't be much longer and Ice Cube will be going back to Pa-paw's house.  I'm thinking Julianne is going to miss her friend...

Until next time...

Nothing Much...

Part of Dallas' spelling homework this year is to complete a "menu" board each week.  There are 9 different activities for him to chose from to help practice his words.  Each week the "menu" options will change; this week the activities ranged from writing a story with his words to writing them with finger paint to typing them on the computer and changing up the size and fonts to putting them in ABC order to using sidewalk chalk.  

Julianne was pretty proud of herself for getting the sunglasses to stay on top of her head.  She has yet to really put them on her eyes!

Until next time...

Fun Friday Foto

I thought it was pretty cute when I spotted MJ helping Julianne on the swing this morning.  I think they are going to get along quite well.

Until next time...

Day 2 of School

Dallas didn't have homework the first day of school, but he did have homework tonight...

He had to practice writing his name in cursive!

I'm very proud to report that he is mastering it quite quickly.

Until next time...

Playing

Something new I'm doing this year is babysitting!  I am watching two kiddos, a brother and sister, a little each day.  Calvin is in Reba's class (and her best bud), and I will have him everyday after school for an hour or so.  I have his little sister, Maddie Jo, all day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  She is in preschool on Tuesday and Thursday, so she is only here for the hour or so after I pick them all up from school.

Maddie Jo's preschool class was split, and her first day isn't until Tuesday, so she is getting some extra play time around here until then!  Julianne is loving having someone here to play with as well.  We spent a majority of today playing outside, and the kittens decided to make their way up to the house to play on the clem trellis. 

After school, Dallas was trying his best to help his baby sister maneuver her pedal tractor.  It didn't work out too well beings that Sugar has no clue when or how to turn the steering wheel...

I think she'll keep to pushing the pedals in circles...

Until next time...

Week 32

It's been two weeks since my last baby/belly update.  Although not much has changed since my last update.  I did end up being extremely tired after the week of sheep shows and putting up garden produce.  I have since recouped, and I am back to "normal" for the time being.

Until next time...

First Day of School - 2015

How can it be that the kiddos are starting a new school year?!?!  Enjoy the traditional "back to school" pictures that every Mom and Dad is obligated to take...

Reba Elizabeth - Kindergarten

Reba's teacher split the class in half - she was in the group that went today; the other half will go tomorrow and she will stay home.  Reba has 19 students in her class (6 girls, 13 boys).  Most of her class returned from Pre-K, plus they have two new faces.  It should be an exciting year! 

Dallas Matthew - 2nd Grade

Dallas' class is down one from student from last year; making 10 in his class now (4 boys, 6 girls).  He also has one of the three new teachers in the building!  The former 2nd grade teacher had her first baby at the end of last school year, and she decided over the summer to take time away from school to be a Mom :)  Dallas is most looking forward to taking his 1st Communion in the spring!

Do you have any idea how difficult it was to get all 3 looking and standing still at the same time?

Have I mentioned that I love our school and staff?!?!  The principal stands outside every morning to welcome the students with a smile and high five.  Today, she had balloons and snapped pictures to add to the school's Facebook page.

Here's to another great year!

Until next time...

Rushville Tractor Show - Day 2

We headed back to the tractor show today, and we weren't there long when we ran into our friend Michael and his son.  Declan asked to go for a ride on the lawn mower, and Doug just couldn't deny his request.  Of course, my littles wanted to go along too.

In the afternoon, there were old fashioned games including a tug of war, and (Reba's favorite) the coin search.  That's where they toss in hand fulls of coins into a pile of straw and the let the kiddos search.  What they find, they keep.

Reba ended up finding 4 quarters this year.  Not quite as many as last year, but she still had fun.

Julianne started out in the stroller to watch, but after a few minutes, that wasn't good enough for her...

Sugar didn't find any coins, but she sure had fun tossing the straw around!

Until next time...

Rushville Antique Show - Day 1

Earlier in the week, Doug and I were trying to decide if we wanted to attend the Rushville Steam Show or the Greensburg Power of the Past Show this summer.  We have been so busy lately, that we weren't sure if we wanted to be on the road this weekend again, but the weather was to be awesome to be out at the tractor show.  Plus, we could enjoy an extra day at Rushville since the kiddos aren't in school yet.  With Greensburg still 2 weeks away, we don't know what the weather will be like, plus it would be somewhat the same situation with traveling multiple weekends in a row - the Kentucky State Fair will be the following week.  In the end, we decided to head up north and attend the Rushville Show.  We got up early this morning, and made our way to there.

Doug and I convinced the kiddos to partake in the pedal pull today (as there wouldn't be as many kiddos today compared to tomorrow).  They break the classes by age - boys and girls together.

Reba ended up placing 3rd in the 5 year old group

And Dallas placed 2nd in the 7 year old group!

This year, instead of medals, the winners were able to chose a prize in the gift shop.  First place got a hat and a t-shirt, second place had a choice of a hat or a t-shirt (Dallas picked a t-shirt), and third received a show souvenir button.

After the pedal pull, we visited Uncle Junior at his tent.  While the adults chatted, the kiddos climbed on the tractor (which Junior recently finished restoring; it had been his dad's/Doug's grandpa's)

We stayed busy all day between riding lawn mowers, walking the flea market, eating ice cream, and watching the tractors drive by.  We stayed late and enjoyed watching the spark show.

Until next time...