Fair Photos (more importantly its over!)

 The 2012 Overbrook fair was a success.  I judge success by the fact that livestock auction buyers showed up and purchased these hogs!  The kids had a great time!  We are very proud of the work that they put in!

 My sister bought the boys new shirts to show pigs in.  It was really nice of her, but when she bought them, it was 110 degrees and I was a bit worried about the long sleeves!  Little did we know, we would luck into some cooler weather, and on the morning of the pig show, it was actually a GOOD thing to have long sleeves! 

 Mallory had the reserve champion Yorkshire!  We won't mention that there were only 3 in her breed class.  I know that her pig didn't fill out the way we would have liked, but as pigs go, he is toward the top of the list of my favorites.  He just had a great personality, worked well for her, and had some funny quirks that made me overlook his devil eyes!

 Since Madison showed in Osage City earlier in the summer, she was free to enjoy this fair.  Well, she didn't really enjoy it, since she was stuck helping me with the little girls, but I think the little girls enjoyed hanging out with her during the shows and auction!  Of course, true to her self, Madison could not take pictures of the kids showing pigs without having Harper want her to "taka picture of Harper!" 

 Preston did a pretty good job of trying to handle his pig....especially when you figure it was a pig who outweighed him by about 200 pounds.  He had fun trying!  I was proud of his effort.  I was also proud of the older kids for jumping in and helping him.  It was really cool to see them teaching him the stuff they have learned.

 Colin won reserve champion intermediate showman.  It was a pretty close class, and he worked really hard.  It was pretty cool to watch him do so well. 

 Big old pig, little bitty boy!

 Cam helped show his friend's goats again this year.  This is his PLEASE buy me a goat look.  I would love to get some goats, but since it is against the city ordinances, we are once again having the real estate discussion!  Maybe next year!  This particular goat did win grand champion Pygmy goat and Cam was showing it when it won.  Of course he can take none of the credit for the goat's feeding or training, but it didn't stop him from bragging about showing the grand champion!

 Cam also had fun throwing candy off of the 4-H's parade truck.  From the sounds of things, perhaps a little too much fun? 

 The SFT Marching Band did a great job!  I haven't heard how they did in the battle of the bands this year, there was a band down from Topeka whose drum line was absolutely amazing.  Our band was amazing too, but I didn't see anyone of them standing on their heads while they played (no joke here). 

 Mallory made this "mail basket" for her desk.  I really love the colors.  The judge thought the corners could be sharper.  We tried it out though, and it does hold mail!  :)

It was a grand old time.  This old momma is happy to be done for another year!  I hope that the kids made some great memories....I sure did!

Its Go time!

 Mallory was a candidate for Queen of 4-H last night.  She has put an extreme amount of time into preparing for last night, including having to write and essay, and having an interview.  They are judged on those things plus 4-H and non 4-H participation in community events etc.  I am very proud of her for all her hard work!  She was not crowned the queen, but to even be nominated is quite an honor,

 I included these photos not because of their high quality, but because in the middle of the ceremony, a huge storm blew up.  This is actually dust blowing like the dust bowl!  Right as they were starting, a friend of mine tells me her brother just called and that he was worried about her being out because 100 mile per hour winds blew semi trucks off the hi-way near Topeka.  It may be terrible of me, but all I could think was dear Lord please don't let Mallory hear that, she will be out of here - crown or not!  :)  All we got was some dust and much needed rain!

 We have officially entered all the fair projects, and some have been judged.  The pigs seem to be happier in the cooler temperatures!

 I think it is funny what a fair can do.  Preston has loathed this hog all summer long.  He kept telling me that the hog was hurting him on purpose....knocking him around and stepping on his feet!  Sorry to disappoint you Grace, but pigs just aren't that smart.  Somehow, after he arrived at the fair last night, he was Preston's "pet pig" and he loved him and was sad at the thought of having to sell him! 

 Mallory's hog is an albino.  I tried to get a photo of his red eyes.  He is a sweetheart really, and has a funny personality, but his eyes make him look like a devil pig!

Ready or not, fair is near

 We are ready to go I think!  We have spent an amazing amount of time in the kitchen....some of us cooking, others eating! 

 We have taken random photos for project posters. 

 We have not figured out yet how to make it 50 degrees cooler, or provoke rain, but I am sure we will survive!  Pigs are ready to be sold and we are all ready to see them go!  Well, maybe not all of us, but some of us are definitely ready!

 We also enrolled the kids back in school today.  I was actually sad about it.  Not for the reason that I saw the other moms crying over.....the huge check.  I am sad because we have only recently reclaimed summer break, and I am not ready to give it up yet!  We do have a couple more weeks before it I have to totally come out of denial though! 

Saige has started pulling up!  She usually ends up face planting into the floor, but it hasn't stopped her from trying it again the next time she can grab ahold of something!  She is growing up way too fast!  They school would not let me enroll her however!

A week of (almost) freedom

 There was once this woman (me) who had these random happy thoughts about how life was going to be so much easier now that we have freedom from the ballpark.  We were going to bask in the glory of evenings at home, be productive about getting projects done for the upcoming fair, clean the house and catch up on the laundry.  Yea, that woman is off her nut!  I do not honestly know what happened to this week.  No idea at all where the time went or why there is nothing to show from all the productivity!  We did get a little time at home, however the house is far from clean, the laundry is far from done, and the fair projects are merely ideas that have not been put together yet.  But that is ok because we enjoyed some much needed time at home together, including some better home cooked food than what we have been having for most of the summer!

 Harper was telling Colin that she is his baby.  He picked her up and was saying "oh look at the widdle baby" she though that was so awesome, but then all of the sudden she sits up and says "NO You are MY baby."  So Colin had to sit on her lap while she patted him!  :)  I am happy he indulged her, although it only lasted a minute before she was crying - Colin was squishing her!

 We made our annual trek to the Douglas county fair today to watch my nephews show their steers.  They both did amazing and I am so glad we went up.  I do love seeing old friends and their kids!

 After the beef show, we ventured to the DMV.  Mallory cried most of the morning (literally) because I was forcing her to get a driver's license and she was not ready.  I pointed out that if she let her learner's permit expire she would have to re-take the written exam, and I think we all remember how well that went last summer!  After a lot of tears, a forced drive around Lawrence with me as her guide, and some coaxing, she did drive with the DMV lady, and PASSED her test!  She is now free to drive any where she wants between the hours of 5 am and 9 pm.  She informed me she has no desire to drive anywhere....and that is fine - at least we know she can! 

 Colin also took his written test, and this time he passed!  He was trying to get his farm permit, but apparently the use of blinker lights escaped his memory, and he failed his driving exam.  He was still able to get a learner's permit, and will never have to take that NASTY written exam again!    He was upset that he failed....swore that he was sure he used his turn indicator, but got over it when I told him he could try again in a few weeks.  In the meantime, he can practice driving legally with Jim or I in the car, so this should help his skills.  He drove home from Lawrence, and honestly, aside from having a bit of a heavy foot, he is not a bad driver. 

 We do not have much going on this weekend, and I am glad.   We need to rest up for the Overbrook fair next week.  We also have a showing on the house tomorrow, and I am glad for that too, even if it doesn't sell, at least it will force us to do a super cleaning before the week starts!  This is never a bad thing!