Conversations in the Car

T.S. and I seem to have our best conversations in the car. On the way to town today he was "reading a magazine" (Oriental Trading Catalog). It just happened to have oodles of stuff for Easter.

"Mom, I guess you have to be nice for the Easter bunny to come."

"Yes, you have to be nice and do what your parents tell you."

"Do you think he and Santa are workin' together?"

Budding Photographer

"Icy Tree Branches"

"The Windmill in the Snow at Sunset"

Sadie bought a new camera with her Christmas money. She chose a teal blue Kodak Easy Share C813. She ventured out for a little bit this afternoon and took some pictures. We thought these were pretty good and wanted to share them with everyone. Sadie titled all of them as well.

"Pawprint on the Porch"

Dog-gone COLD

As I am writing this it is a crisp 11 degrees outside. Petunia decided to venture out of her house. You can see by the ice crystals on her back that she decided to stay outside most of yesterday despite the cold. I was glad to see she did go in her house last night and that she was still with us this morning.

We have a little bit of snow/ice. It is really dry snow, but at this point we will take whatever we can get. The trees are pretty. If I can manage it, I'll try to take more pictures when I brave the cold to water the zoo animals. One other thing--the TV station changed our high today from 26 to 23--gotta love it!

It tastes like...dead skunk!

Sadie needed to take some cough medicine tonight at supper. She doesn't like the way it tastes. Here's the conversation we had while I was getting her medicine for her:
Sadie: "Eww, I hate the way that tastes. It tastes like dead skunk."
Me: "I wonder what dead skunk tastes like?"
T.S.: "Broccoli."

After she FINALLY took the medicine, T.S. proclaimed, "Now she'll smell like a skunk!"

Craziness!!

This is the extended forecast for this week. Notice the high for today and tomorrow. We are having fabulous weather here. I'm sure if you don't live in the Panhandle you are wishing that you did. Yes, I know it is winter and it is supposed to be cold, but remember we were in the mid-70s last week.

To celebrate the weather we made butterflies this morning (the boys refused the photo op). I'd like to curl up on the couch and sleep but the kids have different ideas and the zoo animals think they should have unfrozen water to drink.

Back to Normal, sort of

T.S. got a really good report at the doctor yesterday. We are down to 3 breathing treatments a day and have started our preventative inhaler twice a day. He is still resisting the breathing treatments and doesn't like the way the inhaler smells (who knew??). So I'm trying to find ways to encourage him to do the treatments and take his medicine. We're trying a sticker chart. If you have any fabulous ideas, please let me know.

Things today are back to normal--if that is possible in this house. The boys are having a ball upstairs and I'm about to have to break the news to them that it is nap time. Thanks to everyone for all of their concern for us this week. Hopefully we are on the road to being well and preventing future asthma attacks.

A Picture of Our Week, so far

T.S. has developed asthma. It seems to be stock-show-dust-induced. We have spent every day but today at the doctor. We've been doing breathing treatments every 2 hours and we're taking oral steroids. A four year old on steroids and albuterol is an interesting thing. He has literally bounced off the walls. The good news is the steroid is clearing up his eczema and we seem to have turned the corner today. His oxygen levels are better. We'll go back to the doctor tomorrow and see where we stand.

We did find out yesterday that he does better taking the treatment if he is occupied, so today he decided to paint during a treatment.

County Stock Show Pictures

Sadie with Leonard after she showed.

Sadie doing an interview on KNNK radio.

T.S. playing in the dirt. Sadie showing Wilbur.

Sadie showing Harry. Why the shot of her back? Please notice her "poop" rag in the pocket. She had to use the rag to wipe "stuff" off of the pig; then she had to keep it with her. She's definitely a serious showman since she put the rag back in her pocket.

Thanks to Connie for taking such great pictures of the pig show after I left. Sadie had a great day and was so appreciative of everyone who helped her. Pictures of Otis to follow, I'll have to get them from my father-in-law because I accidentally deleted them.

Randall County Junior Livestock Show--2009

Yesterday was another great day for Sadie. Otis placed 3rd--he actually beat another lamb. Leonard placed 2nd and Sadie showed like she had been showing for years. Once again, the judge had fabulous things to say about Leonard but ended by saying he was just too small. Sadie did a nice job in showmanship. Leonard was tired and uncooperative, but Sadie never gave up. The judge had more nice comments about her and the lamb.

In the pig show, both Harry and Wilbur placed 4th. She was chosen to come back to junior showmanship and did a great job. We'll post pictures later.

T.S. had a pretty rough day. He and barn dust don't seem to agree. GeGe took him home after the lambs and came back for pigs, but I ended up having to bring him home.

Robby had a great day, too. All of his FFA kids made the sale. He's already left this morning to go to the Swisher County show.

We were so glad that so all the grandparents were there to watch and that so many of our family friends were there to help and share the day with us.

What exactly is keeping us busy?

So it's Thursday and I haven't posted since Monday--what's keeping us busy?

• Laundry--piles and piles from daily life and the stock show
• Sadie--homework, basketball practice 4 show animals
• Volunteering at school
• Grocery shopping--for some strange reason my family thinks they need to eat
• Stock show cleanup and prep for the county show this weekend
• Necklace orders--the dining room table has disappeared again
• T.S.--He had his weekly Bubble Fest yesterday. I wonder if they sell bubble stuff by the gallon

Tonight's agenda: supper with Cowboy 4-H Club as we gather all the animals that will head to the Randall County show this weekend.

Friday: We'll check our animals in at Canyon. The grandparents are arriving from Aledo for the big weekend.

Saturday: Show Day! Sadie is excited.

Overheard at Our House Today

Disney's "Movie Time Monday" movie today was, "Mickey, Donald and Goofy: The Three Musketeers." The kids watched part of it, but not all. I think they watched just enough to decide they needed to sword fight most of the day. This is what I overheard:
"All for one and two for three!!"

There was also much discussion about who was Mickey and who was Goofy. I guess no one wants to be Donald.

Happy International Livestock Show--2009

Sadie with judge Ronnie Dennis after receiving the First Year Exhibitor Award.

Sadie with Robby and Jim Mc after the show. Jim Mc helped me with my pigs way back when and he's still helping our 4-H and FFA kids now.

Yesterday was an exciting and busy day. It was Sadie's first "official" stockshow. She worked very hard helping Robby prep all of her animals. There were 20 lambs and close to 80 pigs in our "little" show. Sadie placed first with all of her animals except Otis, who got second. Leonard placed first in his class and was once again the smallest lamb in the class (and barn). The judge had very nice things to say about him and was excited we are planning to take him down the road later on. Otis, Harry and Wilbur all had reserve breed champion as well. Sadie's pig Harry was reserve breed behind the pig that won the show, so she even got to show in the grand drive for Reserve Grand Champion. Although she didn't get that honor, she had a great day and showed well. During the awards ceremony she was named Outstanding First Year Exhibitor.

Sadie showing Otis and then Leonard.

Sadie penned with Harry and showing Wilbur.

**Please note, my camera doesn't do well in barns with lots of dust--I've never been successful with stockshow pictures. The ones of the pigs are a little fuzzy and grainy.

Pee Wee Show

One of the things that makes the Happy show really cool is that we let kids that aren't old enough to show take a turn showing a lamb and pig. T.S. was all ready to go in with Leonard but saw all of the people and ended up here:

C.W. was thrilled to show Leonard. He took him in the ring and promptly attempted to tie him to the fence. He has really caught on when helping Sadie. (That's what we do as soon as we halter the lambs at home.)

Needless to say, T.S. wasn't interested in showing a pig, either.

Rock Stars!!

Not everyone is as fortunate as I am. I was treated to a real, live concert today. The boys practiced upstairs and then came down to perform. Tryce was the lead singer and C.W. sang backup. Tryce and T.S. alternated between drums and guitar. One song was something about "a bull in the arena." Very catchy. I'm sure they'll be the next big thing.

An interesting note: that drum set that Santa brought sat unplayed in T.S.'s room. He was content with his old drum, a plastic tub and two unsharpened pencils.

Baking a Cake

T.S. and I made a cake yesterday. The recipe for my great-grandmother's buttermilk cake can be found here. T.S. loved the whole cake-making process. The pictures speak for themselves.

Sadie was very appreciative of her brother's efforts.

Bow Gallery--Grand Opening

Here are the pictures T.S. painted today. You are welcome to browse through our gallery at anytime, dress code is casual sleepwear. This week's featured artist is a 4-year old who likes to run around in his underwear and blow bubbles.

Please note that all pieces of art are copyrighted and are available for purchase. Feel free to contact us and we'll negotiate a fair price. Works of art from our gallery can be seen on refrigerators in relatives' homes far and wide. Enjoy!

Bubbles in the House

12:30 update: Bubbles have lasted for over an hour now. Here is what I overheard during "Bubble Fest": I can go to the bathroom and blow bubbles. I can walk and blow bubbles, and pop them. He blew bubbles all the way to town and back and stopped long enough to paint. We'll post the artwork when it is dry. I want to 1. show what a great artist he is and 2. prove we did more today than sit in our PJs and blow bubbles.
I'm not sure where I ended up in the running for 2008 Mother of the Year. I'm pretty sure it was in the Top 10. I decided this year to start my campaign for the coveted award off with a bang. So, I'm allowing T.S. to do some things he has never done, like blow bubbles in the house. The 2009 me is soooo laid back...

Seriously, it is Wednesday. T.S. and I are hanging out. There is probably lots to be done, like get dressed, go get the mail, do some laundry, learn some letters, the list goes on and on and on...

Instead, T.S. found his bubbles with the handy-dandy "spill proof" lid that his awesome Sunday school teacher gave him and said, "Mom, let's do bubbles." In a moment of weakness (I think it has something to do with still wearing PJs at 11am, I said, "Sure, just don't spill them."

He has been entertaining himself and me. He's blown bubbles, caught bubbles, popped bubbles.
Wish you were here to join in the bubble fest.

Bath and a Shave

Saturday is the Happy International Livestock Show. We are in full preparation mode. Sadie and Robby washed and clipped her pigs yesterday afternoon. We will probably not see Robby before bedtime anytime this week as he has to oversee all of his students. This week will be a blur of washing, clipping and shearing. The pictures are of Robby clipping Harry and Sadie washing Wilbur.

Hunting at the Farm

My nephew got a BB gun for Christmas and could hardly wait to "shoot stuff." Here are some pictures of the boys and my brother-in-law hunting. Good job, Robby, for thinking of taking some pictures. I have never taken so few pictures at Christmas before. I'm hoping my sister got some good ones to share.

Christmas at GeGe's (Gamma's)

All of my nieces and nephews call my mom Gamma. Sadie started out calling her that and then suddenly started calling her GeGe. So my two call her GeGe. Here are some pictures of all of the cousins when we celebrated at GeGe/Gamma's on the 26th.

Happy New Year!

You've probably been wondering how we filled our days between Christmas and today. Let's just say cousins, cousins and more cousins with some aunts and uncles thrown in. We celebrated Christmas day with lunch at mom's with my brother and his family. My sister and her family arrived the 26th. Robby's brother's family and some friends stopped for Saturday evening on their way to Colorado. Sunday, my sister's family moved out to the farm to make room at mom's for my Aunt and her family from Abbott. We went to my aunt's for Tirey Christmas on Sunday as well. I'm afraid with all of the comopany, I didn't get many pictures taken. My sister's family left yesterday. We celebrated the New Year here with family.
Sadie and T.S. took full advantage of Ashly and Brant being here--they played board games until Brant and Ashly could play no more. Sadie was excited to be back in her bed last night--but not for long. The relatives are stopping by tonight on their way home from Colorado. We are thinking of opening a bed and breakfast.
Seriously, it has been so fun to have everyone up to visit for the holidays. We are blessed to have spent time with so much of our family.
Happy New Year!! May 2009 find you surrounded by family and friends!
Also, Happy Bonza Bottler Day!! We are hosting out here this evening.