Weekend?

Each year, when I see summer winding down, I am at first sad, and then I start to think 'well, it will be nice to get back on a schedule.' Then school starts and I am smacked into the reality of the activities that go along with school starting, early mornings, trying to get kids into bed when it is still daylight outside, and the fact that no matter how much school shopping you do before hand, when they get to school, the teachers are going to send them out for more supplies (this is a thorn in my hind end right now!)

Friday night, Colin's 8th grade team had the season kick off with a scrimmage game against the 7th graders. The 8th grade kicked some rear, and Colin had a ton of great plays. It was fun to watch, and I am happy that foot ball season means it will soon be cooler weather and maybe a break from my electric bill! (Colin is #60).
Today, Cameron's beekeeper group had a bee-bee-que. He had to bring a side dish to share that contained honey. He made some soft pretzels and they were absolutely fabulous, although I think we both could use a little practice with making pretzel shapes! Jim said that they had amazing food, and both Jim and Cam enjoyed visiting with the fellow beekeepers!

Our week is packed. I can't even look at the whole week or I will have a breakdown....for now I am borrowing that old 'one day at a time' idea! It will all be fine, and we will have a great time I am sure of it! Now if I could just figure out where the weekend went?

K, 1, 6, 8, 10, 10

Today is the first day of school here for the 2011-12 school year. This morning, amongst the groans of geez mom, and why oh whys, and the threats made by mom on following the kids to school and taking photos there, they all did finally relent and stand still so I could get my annual back to school photo! There are just some traditions that I refuse to give up on!
Cam did have to start his first day of 6th grade looking like this. I did take him to the doctor yesterday and he is on a lot of steroids, and allergy pills, and believe it or not, I do think that he is a little better. I think it is just going to take a little time. The doctor did give me an epi pen to keep with us in case he is ever stung multiple times, or ever quits breathing from a sting, considering what his face looks like, I think we are for sure looking at an allergy to bees!

Preston and Quincy were willing participants with mom on her photographic school journey this morning! Quincy was soooo excited about starting kindergarten! Preston was equally as excited, but a little less giddy!

They even let me and Harper have breakfast with them!
Quincy is going to have to go a bit earlier if she wants to finish her breakfast though....she truly knows everyone at the school, and thinks she has to talk to ALL of them!

She did not shed a single tear, or even act like she cared that I was leaving! She was totally thrilled to finally be one of the 'big kids!' I was a little sad, she has been my entertainment for the past 5 years! I can't wait to hear her stories from school!

Preston said - ok mom- you had breakfast with me - now go to work cause I am off to see my teacher! Nice to feel so loved!

I can't wait until they get home so I can hear all about it!

a "bee-utiful" end to summer break

Today, we decided it is getting close to honey harvest on Cam's beehive, and he wanted to take a peek to see how much honey the bees have been putting in the newest super (box). He very gently lifted the lid. A couple of the bees bumped into him - this is a warning sign, and he forgot to take it as such. After a few bumps, the hive sent a couple of guards after him! He got 3 stings! One on the wrist, which wasn't too bad or painful, one on the neck, which was pretty bothersome, and one right beside his nose! He was upset that this meant the death of 3 of his bees! As the afternoon went on, he got more and more swollen, to the point of his eye being about halfway closed. I called the doctor and they said if he can breathe, and his tongue isn't swelling, and he can swallow, just to give him benedryl and watch him.

Of course, as luck would have it, today was meet your teacher day at school! So I had to drag Cam to Carbondale to meet his new teacher for 6th grade looking like we spent the summer beating him! Luckily, his teacher is our neighbor, and she didn't immediately think the worst of us!

While we were at the school, Cam's friend's mom suggested that I run him over to Doc Sanders and get him a shot of cortisone. Doc Sanders is the town vet! She was totally serious - thought it would save me a trip to Topeka as well as being much cheaper! I am pretty sure that I won't be taking my kid to the town vet - or that it is even legal for a vet to give a kid a shot? I am not all that up on Kansas law, but this seemed like a no to me! I did the next worst thing, and gave him some prednisone that was leftover from when he had poison ivy earlier this summer! At least it was people medication! You know you live in a small town when....??? I figure between the steroids and the benedryl he will hopefully feel better in a day or two! At least I hope so.....he does not look too good for the first day of school like this!

I am also pleased that this experience has not deterred Cam from wanting to continue with his bee project. He seemed fine, and understood that he did a couple of things wrong - missing the warning signals from the bees as well as not smoking the hive, or wearing a protective suit when looking in the hive. He would still like to add another hive to his collection next spring!

Out of the pot and into the fire

With the fair over, I thought we could enjoy a little bit of down time before school starts, but as usual, I was reminded I don't get paid to think!

Here are the fair poster photos that I decided should be added to the blog so that someday when these kids are long out of 4-H but the little ones are still in, I could perhaps recycle some ideas!

Madison's Leadership Poster:

Cameron's Sport Fishing poster:
Cam's champion bee display:

Mallory's Citizenship and Leadership posters:

And Colin's champion sport fishing poster:

Cameron helped show some goats, he really loves goats!

We had exactly one day off of activities and then Cameron had football camp for his youth team, and Colin started Jr. High practices.

My calendar was looking unfamiliarly blank, but never fear, it is now full of practice schedules, game schedules, marching band schedules, and multiple fundraisers for the girls CWF trip! I knew that a blank calendar around here never lasts long!

Mallory and Madison also were invited to go to dinner at our priest's house this week to talk about a post-confirmation youth group. They did not want to go. I made them. They ended up having a nice time, and although they would NEVER admit it, I think they are interested in what Fr. Anthony is planning for a youth group! How could it possibly be a bad thing to be involved in this? Anyhow we will have to see what the future holds! I had promised them that they did not have to go to RE anymore once they made their confirmation, but to me this is different! This could actually be fun! I would sure hate for them to have any kind of fun!

Colin spent the weekend with a friend at a lake in KC. He just returned home, and said he is exhausted but had a great time. He is actually excited about starting school this coming week. I never thought I would see the day when he wanted to go back to school!

With just a couple days left of summer break, I guess we will be going back to school shopping, and trying to give Mallory one more chance to pass her driving exam! It is looking like it will be a fun week ahead!

I hate to see summer break end, but we have had a fun summer, made a lot of memories, and spent exactly enough time bonding as a family! Time to get back on a schedule!

2011 Fair - success!

This week, we had the 2011 Overbrook Osage County fair. I think it was a success, or at least we survived, and got hogs through the auction, so I am counting it as a success!

Mallory and Madison's high school marching band took first place in the 'battle of the bands' at the parade, and won $1200! They really did sound awesome!
We were blessed that the 112 degree days were a thing of the past, and with highs in the 80's and a day of rainy weather, it was very pleasant sitting outside! The kids had a great time with their pigs! They did not have any big award winning hogs this time, but they had fun showing them, hanging out with their 4-H friends and selling them!

Our kids did not have any champions, but they most certainly did all of their own work! All I had to do was sit around and watch this year - and I must say it was enjoyable! I am very proud of their abilities in handling their hogs, and how very far they have come from a few short years ago when they were terrified of their hogs to now when they can move them, wash them, and show them all with very little help from me!

Colin had a champion on his fishing poster. I will take some pictures of him with the poster, he is excited because it gets to go to the state fair!

Cam got a purple ribbon on some cookies that Madison baked.....she gave them to him when she broke the bundt cake that he made! It was very nice of her to replace his project, but she wants the world to know she can bake champion cookies!!!!

Cam also got a champion on his bee display. He was a little bit disappointed that it won't go to the state fair because it was a self-determined project, and there is no self-determined category at the state fair. I am proud of the work he did on it anyhow - and again I failed to get a photo, so I will have to take care of that!

And again this year, Quincy cried when we told her the pigs were getting sold. Poor little girl, gets so attached! I can't help but think that we did the perfect job in picking out her Godmother, Grace, who is also a pig lover!

Fairs are fun, but exhausting. I love watching my kids, I love that they can do their own work, and I am proud of the work that they put into this year. I am not sad that the fair is over though, because sitting in my house rather than a pig barn was very nice today!

More photos to come - I seem to have failed to take photos of much except for some pigs! Oh well, the pigs are sold, the posters will be sitting around the house forever! And nobody wants to see a photo of cookies I don't think!

Carlos and VBS

Tuesday night, Colin spent the night with his friend in Carbondale. I picked him up after work yesterday. About halfway home, Colin says to me "mom, how much do you love me?" Alarm bells -- I said - well that depends - what did you break? At this point he reaches into his backpack and pulls out this:

A tiny little black ball of fur! COLIN! I screamed - what on earth made you put a cat in your backpack? We have to take him back! Colin says NO mom please - his name is Carlos - can't I keep him? Please?
So in my infinite wisdom, I say to him - tell you what - you take him home and show your dad (who would be home for lunch) and if daddy says yes then I don't care. (Knowing full well that Jim was never going to allow him to keep the cat - smart parenting - let daddy be the bad guy!!)

Jim took one look at him and said he guessed he didn't care if Colin kept the cat....and then followed it with a lecture on the proper way to ask for something!

It hasn't taken long for this little ball of fur to invade our house and our hearts! He is probably too tiny to take from his mom. He can't eat solid food, which means that Colin has suckered his sisters into getting up a few times a night to feed the cat warm milk! Harper spent the past 24 hours being a little wigged out by him - she isn't sure if she likes him or not. If she pets him it is ok, but if he follows her around, or mews at her at all - well that is just NOT fine! She spends a lot of her time saying "No No cat!"
And the friend's mom called me - to apologize! She then added that Colin wasn't supposed to bring home a cat, he was supposed to smuggle a goat! I am pretty sure I would have noticed that?!?

Preston and Quincy have been attending Vacation Bible School at the Methodist Church this week. Madison has been volunteering there, and they all three have been having a great time! The theme is "Shake it up Cafe - following God's recipe for your life." They have been doing tons of cooking, and food experiments, and talking about bible stories where there were feasts or meals served. It has been a lot of fun and pretty interesting!
And they were very proud of the chef hats and aprons that they made!