Top Ten Reasons I Love My Dog!

10. She never complains about what I feed her (even though she eats the same thing every single day)!
9. She never talks back or sasses me. Better yet, she can't talk!
8. She doesn't whine about what kind of socks she has to wear. She likes chewing on all socks equally.
7. She doesn't gripe at me when I'm brushing her hair and tell me I'm doing it wrong.
6. She runs to me whenever I call her name, instead of screaming "WHAT?!!!"
5. If I don't give her water in her favorite dish, she'll drink it anyway.
4. Picking things up off the floor is a game, not a chore.
3. Even when she's having a bad day she loves me and kisses me.
2. If I give her a treat, she doesn't beg for something more, or something bigger.
1. She makes me feel missed when I get home from work.

Here's to all of you with loyal dogs and grouchy kids/spouses/mailmen...give your dog a hug today! (I guarantee they won't complain that you're messing up their hair!)

Margaritas and Mysterio!

Friday night I celebrated with our cousin Stephanie in Overland Park for her last day of working at Dillards! After eleven years, she's taking a job in Lawrence with LMH! So it was a night of chips and salsa, and those frozen drinks that we dare not speak of. My drug of choice. Tequila makes me crazy. But you all knew that didn't you?

And the Mysterio part? Well, Travis is currently obsessed with wresting. The dress up fake kind. His fave star is Rey Mysterio of Mexico. So my brother Dusty fixed the kids up with their very own Mysterio masks straight from the market in Mexico. But I first must tell you that Brett, who wouldn't take his mask off for the first 48 hours, ran outside one morning, completely naked, except for the mask of course, to pee by the tree. You can only imagine what our neighbors think of us. Oh well, makes for good small town gossip! Enjoy the pics.

Do margaritas and masks go together? 8 ball says: Sometimes! GRrrrrrrrrr

County Fair Results

I promised pics from the fair, and by golly, I will deliver! This string of photos doesn't come close to giving justice to the week we endured in 100-plus degree weather. We spent most days at the fairgrounds from about 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., going home just long enough to crash in the AC and take a short snooze. We had to keep the cattle watered, the rabbit cooled off and the pigs from croaking. Ironic, considering we sold the pigs at auction. But we all know they went to the big pig farm in the sky! The entire family took part in the week's events. Jim stopped farming for 5 days (a feat that deserves a medal in itself!), I took the week off of work, and the kids scooped poo and judged livestock. All in all it was a very tiring, but rewarding time. Brett isn't quite old enough to join 4H yet, but he raised a calf all the same, and entered acrylic painting in open class and ended up getting a red ribbon! Not bad for a five year old going up against adults in the same category! I've given birth to the next Michelangelo!!!!!!!!

Travis's results:

Reserve Champion-
Swine showmanship

Purple Ribbon-
Swine showmanship

Blue Ribbons-
*Bucket Calf
*Market hog/crossbred
*arts/crafts
Acrylic painting of a bull
Mexican metal art hanging piece
Arrowhead necklace
*Woodworking/footstool
*Rocketry
*Crops/soybeans

Red Ribbon-
*Crops/corn

Plus special awards in Round Robin Showmanship, where he had to show a pig, steer, dairy cow, sheep. And a 3rd place award in swine carcass. Plus participation awards in livestock judging.


Tracy's Results:

Champion-
Rabbit/Californian breed class

Reserve Champion-
Cooking for fun/tea party basket

Purple Ribbons-
*Cooking for fun
* Cooking/Chocolate White Chocolate cookies

Blue Ribbons-
*Rabbit/white fur class
*Bucket Calf
*Cooking/fudge button candy
*Arts/crafts
Magnets
Handpainted letters to hang on the wall
*Sewing
Pillowcase
Nightgown

Red Ribbons-
*Arts/crafts
Decorated flip flops
*Cooking
Snickerdoodles
Strawberry Jam
Blueberry jam
*Sewing/skirt
*Crops
corn
soybeans
*Swine showmanship
*Swine hampshire class

Plus special memorial award for encouragement in sewing, participation in livestock and consumer judging.

Million dollar question:
Will I start projects with the kids for next year's fair BEFORE July?
8 ball says:
ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!

GREAT SUCCESS!

Okay, I'm back! I have so much to catch you up on. I have to tell you that my summer has been beyond hectic and pretty maniacal. I literally felt like one of the crash test dummies by mid-August. And I pretty much looked like one too. I finally feel like the pressure has deflated and I have time to commit to the blog. Whew.

So, let's start with the beginning of school. Ahhh, new school supplies, groomed hair, shiny sneakers, and happy children. Well, NOT SO MUCH! Two of my 3 kids were happy to start school this year. But STITCH...aka BRETT decided that school was not in the stars for him. He started kindergarten under the sign of Hades. The first few days were pure evil. I've attached pics to prove it. Day one. There were tears, there was screaming, there was kicking....and that was just me! No, seriously, it's no fun for a mom to try prying her child off the floorboard of the car in front of other happy, smiling, stupid parents walking by while your kid is screaming "I don't CARE if it's against the law, I'm NOT going to school!!!!!!" I'll admit to you now that I am no longer opposed to expensive bribes to save face in front of those parents. Especially in the form of Excellion, a red transformer. Good guy, fights Megatron. Day 2. Rides the bus to school under the oath that I will pick him up myself after school lets out, but declares school is "worser than ever" when I pick him up and that he has no intention of going back. Day 3. Hides behind a tree in the yard and does not get on the bus. I have to drag him to school where he says there is "nothing on earth that will make him want to go to school", "school is evil", "the big kid that sits at my table picks his nose and eats it and it makes me sick to my stomach". Though I can't argue with that last one, I'm running out of ideas to make him go to school. Day 4. By some act of God that can only be declared as a miracle (or the fact that the babysitter promised a trip to McDonalds) Brett boards the bus, holding his sister's hand and waves at me from the window. Do I cry? Do I run to the neighbor's and shout for joy? Do I collapse and praise all that is holy? Or do I just call my husband and say, "Great Success, Shake and Bake baby, Shake and Bake!!!!!!" Little does he realize that on Thursday he starts ALL DAY kindergarten. I think I'll just let that one be a surprise!

Question for the day:
Will I have to resort to yet another bribe before the end of the week?
8-Ball says:
MOST DEFINITELY!