{Liv.Life}

Sewing--

2012-01-28T13:32:00.000-08:00

It's been ages since I pulled out the sewing machine and created something halfway decent. But as I mentioned in the last post, I had a one year old that was in great need of an awesome present. I wanted to give her something that she would potentially adore and love and drag around until it fell apart. I think I hit the nail on the proverbial head with this one, she's a big fan of it.

I bought a pack of pre-cut hexagons, definitely wouldn't have been worth it to cut all those out. Laid out my design, sewed them all together, and wa-la--instant baby quilt.

I wanted it to be super soft and snugly, so I used flannel for my backing. I stitched in the ditch around the edge between my quilt front and border. Then, I went around one of the hexagon flowers on the front to create a design on the back, also keeping it together. Hard to see, but one of the flowers actually was right in the middle of the back, unplanned perfection.

A New Era--The Start of my 20th Year

2012-01-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

You know what's really awesome? When you're friends throw you a surprise party. Here's how it all went down. I planned my own birthday celebration--out to dinner with friends at The Cheesecake Factory. We were going the night after my birthday because one friend had to go to PA for a dress fitting for her sisters wedding. Logical story [and that's actually what she's doing this weekend]. Friends of ours had a little sister born the day after my 19th birthday and since we were going on to dinner on her 1st birthday, they were having a party for her the day before, on my birthday. I spent all day long working on a quilt to make sure I had it finished in time for the party. Confusing, I know, just keep following. So the place the birthday party is going to be at 'requires tennis shoes to be worn' according to my mom. So I put on a sweatshirt and tennis shoes--fairly low key--since I thought we were going to a 1st birthday party at a place called Jumpy's. Mom asks me if I am wearing what I have on to the party and why I straighten my hair, she thought I would curl it. This is the point I should have started to get suspicious. But I just thought she was being strange. So we get to the place called Jumpy's--it's a bunch of inflatables for kiddos-- and we head back to one of their 'party rooms' and I walk in and 15 or so people are screaming surprise at me. I was completely shocked and definitely confused. It left me speechless, out of breath, and weak in the knees. We actually played laser tag [which it is required that you wear tennis shoes] and came back to our house for the rest of the evening. I had asked the friend that I thought was in PA to throw me a surprise party....and actually told my mom and sister for the past 2 years or so....but I also always told them there was no way they could ever pull it off without me finding out--I always know stuff prematurely. But boy did they pull it off! We still went to Cheesecake factory the next night, extending the birthday celebration throughout the weekend. I spent most of Saturday and Sunday night awake trying to figure out if the weekend had really just happened or if it was all just a dream. Without a doubt, it was my best birthday, so far. A perfect way to ring in my 20's

I've thrown the gals on the end surprise parties here & here--so it was only fair that they got to be a part of mine!

apple cake per my request--made by my momma.

Future brother-in-law

sisters forever

The gal with the plan for the whole shindig. A fabulous friend and godly example--I love her to pieces--and she even made the cake. Oh, and I've thrown her a surprise party too.

Christmas Eve was a gorgeous, freezing cold day, so Morgan & I took advantage of the late afternoon sunshine and did a photoshoot--for the fun of it....we took pictures of each other, but she has yet to edit hers. She got mine done and posted them on facebook and declared it my 20th birthday shoot. It works. haha. We were freezing but it was a great time, nonetheless.

New Years Eve--

2012-01-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

For New Years Eve day, Morgan & Caleb headed to Chicago for the day [which was also his birthday]. They walked the Magnificent Mile and went to Hancock Tower for dinner--where he had a surprise photographer set in place for their ENGAGEMENT!!!! Come September, I will be a sister-in-law! To see the pictures check out the Kathleen Noelle Photography page.

Joyeux Noël!

2011-12-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

"And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

--Luke 2:10-14

Petite Gingerbread

2011-12-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

L-R: Mine, Dad's, Jared's--we get [extremely] competitive.

December Happenings

2011-12-15T12:26:00.000-08:00

Basketball season is officially upon us!

Gramps & Gram at a game.

Morgan got baptized...

...and bought me Fruit Stripes gum--blast from the past.

One of my favorite cuties...that says the most hilarious stuff!

Me & baby

<3 her

Cheering on Jared

Nice N' Sweet is so true....she was cheering 'Go white!'

Last week as a piano teacher...Mia & Meg

Kol!

2011-12-05T21:29:00.000-08:00

Miss Nell

Crazy girls

Mr. Finn

Meg & I

Mia--my first ever piano student--who has moved from her primer books to Level 1 just a few weeks ago.


Nell says, "Oh no! My gingerbread man ran away....oh no! he ran away again." So we got rid of his legs so he wouldn't run away. =)

I had a super fun time getting to hang out with these girlies + Finn tonight. super fun & silly.

Naples-Florida-II

2011-12-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

Getting fashionable in Bass Pro.

Naples Zoo--porcupine.

Rare species we found at the zoo.

Horseshoe crabs all lined up.

Gal pals.

The poor boys were sorely outnumbered.

Amazing--Dad & Jae drooled their way through.

My 'almost 47 year old' mother...who really doesn't look days away from 47.

1928 Gypsy Wagon--Lynni & I decided we should invest & travel the west.

Caption Morgan with the regular Morgan. haha.

Not sure why, but Caleb wanted his picture with Caption Morgan too.

I told Jae when we got there that if he wanted his picture by anything-I would take it for him. He said he was fine. A couple of hours later he decided that whatever this car was, he probably wouldn't see another one so he did need his picture with it. He was seriously tickled pink.


Final sunset of the vacation from the Naples Pier.

Homeward bound tomorrow!!!

Naples-Florida

2011-11-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Along the course of time that I was sitting on the beach looking out as far as my eye could see, I thought about how crazy it was that if you just kept going, you would bump into the shores of Africa. The next afternoon, it donned on me, I wouldn't bump into Africa...we are in the Gulf of Mexico...I'd bump into Mexico. Duh. The sun does things to my brain.

Mom n' Pop

The beach scene

The bro & I

*Sorry so many sunset photos...it was so gorgeous and I was trying to capture it at every phase of it's going down.

Introducing...

2011-11-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I figured it's high time I introduce my sister's lovely boyfriend...of 5 months tomorrow. Meet Caleb.

He loves Jesus & Morgan.

He's an amazing pianist, guitarist, & vocalist.

He's a worship pastor intern at he & Morg's church {which is where they met}

Cedarville University senior.

He's from New Hampshire.

He loves brownies & ice cream & chocolate

He likes adventures

Maybe one day I'll get Morgan to write out their whole story so I can post it. =)

Harvest Time

2011-11-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

*It's harvest time in this little town
Time to bring it on in, pay the loans down

Fill our disel tank up, make another round
There's a big red moon comin' up in the sky

Combine's cuttin' in a staggered line
The only time of year we miss the church bells chime
It's harvest time

There's a thermos and a water jug rollin' around in the cab
A set of socket wrenches wrapped up in a greasy red rag*

Grandpa watching the going on's.


The guys ran our beans today. Jared planted him & then his boss brought up his combine and ran them for us.

*Lyrics excerpts from Harvest Time by Luke Bryant

GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Are you excited yet?

You should be...but I am sorry to inform you that the giveaway is not here.

It's on one of my all-time {favorite} blogs.

Let me introduce the adorable, hilarious, & brilliant

Nicole {Chmelar} Neesby

Run over and check out her blog and enter to win the awesome scarf she is bringing home from CHINA!

Way Cool.

Apple Cider Caramels

2011-10-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

Due to the fact that candy making is semi-dangerous to be taking pictures of while making, the recipe & finished product pictures will have to suffice. Very easy to make & no adjustments to the recipe are needed, in my awesome, humble opinion. =] On a side note: I found it easiest to have all of your ingredients measured out and ready to go, since some of the steps need to be executed swiftly to insure the caramels turn out right. It would also be considered wise to actually read through all the instructions before beginning--unlike someone who had to redo step #4 because she put the butter in too early.

2 cup high-quality apple cider
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, divided
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup real butter, cubed

- Pour cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/3 c. Keep an eye on it...it might try to run away. Set aside to cool.

- Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave about 1" hanging over the edges for easy removal. Coat with a bit of vegetable oil and set aside.

- In a small bowl, combine 2/3 c. cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and reduced apple cider. Set aside.

- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 c. whipping cream + enough water to reach the 1/2 c. line on the measuring cup, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Insert the candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 degrees.

- Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Add the cubed butter and stir until the cream and butter are fully incorporated. Return the pan to heat and re-insert the candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.

- Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator. I covered the top of the pan loosely with saran wrap and left it out overnight. You could cut the caramels into 1/2" squares and wrap each caramel in wax paper, but I'm lazy so I cut the caramel into 1/2" logs, which meant that I had exponentially fewer pieces to individually wrap. Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I got about 110 caramels out of one batch!

Source

::Friday {fall} Files::

2011-10-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

This, my friends, is the most delicious variety of apple ever invented. A Michigan Honey Crisp. Best when dipped in peanut butter or smothered in caramel & chocolate like I'm going to show you below. Use either a stick from the woods and whittle the end to make a slight point or just use a Popsicle stick, whichever method suits your fancy, go with it.

Unwrap an approximate 12-15 caramel squares and place them in a microwave safe bowl & add a dash of milk {which would be way less than you see in this bowl...I added too much and ended up dumping most of it out}. Heat up for 15 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring them after each 15 sec. Do this until they are completely melted.

Quickly swirl your apple in your melted caramel and hold it up to dry for a few seconds--mine was on the verge of falling off the stick, so I had to hold it upside down.

Put it on wax paper and stick it in the fridge until it's cooled--this gives you time to melt your chocolate.

Melt 1/2 cup of both semi-sweet/milk chocolate chips & white chocolate chunks/chips. Melt in the microwave for about 10 seconds at a time and stir. Do this until it's melted. Then place your melted white and semi-sweet/milk chocolate in zip lock bags and snip the edges to use like a pastry bag.

It's best to hold over the sink when doing this...unless you want a good reason to have to lick the counter tops. =) Generously douse the caramel apple with your semi-sweet/milk chocolate, hold it to dry for a few seconds, stick it back on your wax paper, and stick it back in the fridge.

After a few minutes in the fridge it should be cool enough to add the white chocolate, in the same manner as the first chocolate layer.

Stick the apple on a plate, wrap in cellophane {found at Walmart}, add ribbon...and you have a gorgeous gift that nobody will be able to resist.

In other news, we have had an awesome October. The leaves have been gorgeous this year.

Soybeans are dry and waiting to be ran.

{Holy,Holy.Worthy is the Lamb}

2011-10-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

I ca 

I can not get enough of this kid {such a sweetie} & this song. Gives me goosebumps. Don't just listen--watch it!

Swimming Pool Cake

2011-10-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and raspberry filling.

Crumb coat

Ta-da! The bride & groom met at a pool that looked like this one, so as a surprise for the groom, the bride had me make this.

Family Photos

2011-10-10T13:38:00.000-07:00


Typical us. =)

A few weekends ago we had a budding photographer friend do family pictures for us...since they were like 5+ years overdo. This is just a sampling of her awesome work.

Hello.

2011-10-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

To my dearly neglected blog-

I do still love you...but you see, there is this new dude on the block.

His name is Pinterest and he steals my time from you.

Plus, I never take pictures and clever words do not come to me as often as I'd like.

Sometime, in the near-ish future, I will come back to you and actually post something.

Until then come follow me on Pinterest where I find

brilliant craft ideas, delicious recipes, and witty words.

Love.Liv

Farm Science Review--2011

2011-09-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Me & the boy

I <3 this gal.

Jared with his "I am delicious" sticker that was stuck there unbeknownst to him. =)

Amazing/disgusting Australian stick bug.

Brave girl--I can do reptiles over bugs.

Cockroaches. lovely.

CAT's {sweet} pulling truck.

Somehow, over the past year, I have become a fan of *some* Fords. The King Ranch is a gorgeous truck and has made my fan list.

FSR--The only place you'll find a line to the men's bathroom & where it's cool to carry a bag on the shoulder...because they are from a seed company.

I <3 cows.

Agreed. Amen.

{The Great Darke Co. Fair}--2011

2011-09-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

Pee-Wee Showmanship

Mac keepin' an eye on the judge.

Miss Brooke...the champion of the 4 yr old division.

Mime statue dude that is dressed different each day.

hanging out and keeping an eye on our food drive. we filled the bed of Jared's long bed truck with food items for our local food pantry. & yes, if I was sitting down, my boots were off, even if my socks didn't match. =)

Big boys zonked out after a long day of shows.

Our amazing float! I talked more about it and the reason for our theme in this post.

Showmanship

I <3 these folks.

Jae's showmanship.

Rodney Adkins concert. Morgan & I each watched half of the concert. Two 13 year old friends had 3 tickets and needed an adult to go with them...they didn't want it to be one of their parents so they asked if Morgan or I would be interested. We switched half way through because neither of us were huge fans of his but it was fun!

a packed house

The mime statue dude again.

Junior Fair Day

This dumb pig, also known as Zeb, would sit down at every opportunity. It was RIDICULOUS. I had to just about beat him for 5 min. to get him to stand up in his pen...and in the show arena he would hardly walk.

Each year this guy wears a different funky wig...it's hilarious.

{my boys}

Otis & I

Jared & Cooter

They really bonded this year.

His last supper

Mere & I


Ike & Morgan. Ike is so funny-think a real life Tow-Mater from Cars.

My amazing 4-H adviser, Mrs. Leis, nearly squeezing me to death...I think it helped her to not cry. =) She has been an amazing supporter during my three years of showing. She bends over backwards for our club and I am extremely thankful for all of her hard work and dedication.

All sorts of interesting stuff can be found in the Sheep Barn...

Rach, me, and Taycie.

We came in 3rd place overall for our Junior Livestock Judging Team....we were very impressed with our skills. =) Rach actually got 3rd overall individual. I love these gals and I had a blast spending numerous days in a row with them at fair.

This is what happens after we sell the pigs, square dancing moves into the barn.


I think my fair withdraw symptoms are over now...except I've already started counting down for next year.

She's a Gypsy Soul...

2011-09-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

Sweet memories.

Warning: May cause a good cry & make you think of home.

Sweet morsels.

Drop us a line.

Decal for her vehicle...since my brother had leftovers from his truck and thought she might miss him enough to want to stick it on her car...


Wrapped with fun tags so it feels a little bit like Christmas.

For those of you who don't know Lynni, how sad for you. I love the girl to death. We met 4 years ago on our family blog {thecoyz.blogspot.com}. She was the first person to comment and we were super excited that someone beyond relatives actually read the blog. My sister, Morgan, emailed back and forth for a few months and then I started to also. A redhead from the cornfields of IN connected with the sisters from the cornfields of OH. Years of emailing, facebooking, blogging, and some phone calls. There were times when it would be a month or so since I had heard from her and I'd think, "man, I miss Lynni, it's been forever." Yet, I had never met her. We decided we needed to remedy that, and it HAD to be this summer because she was headed to Oklahoma for college. I dived out on a limb and asked her if she would want to come on our college Bible study group's camping trip. When I say camping, I mean camping. Three days with no shower, tents, bike riding, hiking, tents, pouring rain, supper over the open flame. Girl had never been camping like this before...and to be honest, neither had I. For some crazy reason, she said yes. So she loaded up all of her gear and set out on a 3hr. drive to OH to meet a family for the first time and then go on a three day camping excursion. Sounds absolutely nuts, right? I have friends that think we were nuts...'you met her on the internet, what if she had been some creepy old guy!' You can only keep up appearances as a little old guy pretending to be a country girl from IN so long...and 4 years would be long. As I was waiting for her to get into our small town and meet me at Ace Hardware so we could eat lunch in town, I was wondering what I had got myself into...what if she didn't end up being like the girl I had emailed for the past 3 1/2 years? She finally gets there and we get out of our cars. Squealing with excitement, we hug.Then we went to lunch and you would have thought we'd known each other for the past 15 years. It was exactly the Lynni I knew in writing...only more fun! Morg & I just clicked with her. We had so much fun camping...that we decided we had to meet up again before the summer's end. So two weeks later, 4th of July weekend, Morgan and I took our first road trip together and headed up to see her and meet her family. We spent the whole day getting a tour of Amish country. We then headed back to home, with her in tow for Sunday and Monday at our house, singing Miranda Lambert's 'Airstream' all the way. For the time being, she is an Okie...but I have high hopes that after school we can turn her into a Darke Co. girl if the west doesn't completely steal her heart. Since she's 14 hours from home, learning to live with 3 other girls, and starting school...we figured a care package would make her smile or cry...or both. If you don't know her, I would highly recommend her new blog about her western adventures:

She's A Gypsy Soul

Jr. Fair King & Queen Pagent

2011-08-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer I competed in out counties Jr. Fair royalty contest. I didn't make it on court, but I was one of the top 6 females our of 18. I was pretty pleased with the results.

The most interesting dress of the evening...she even had on camo boots!

Sisters

2011 Jr. Fair Court

La Familia

Bacon In The Makin'

2011-08-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

ZEB

Thinking about the butcher shop made him all sad.

Add caption

I dig the pig...do you?

You know the fair is almost here when...

2011-08-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

...half of my closet now resides off of the hangers and tossed around my room...& I do mean that quite literally. The Great Darke County Fair is just about as awesome as Christmas...and it'll start in just 2 1/2 days! My {pre-fair} to-do list is starting to shrink while my {must eat} list is growing.

Hello apple dumplings, apple fritters, & apple cider slushies.

Howdy cow barn milkshakes, Baumbach BBQ, and strawberry lemonade.

Fiske fries, homemade icecream, & kettle corn.

{Sigh}

Parade Float Committee

2011-08-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

Of course they had to put a John Deere & Case IH pig on there.

As Vice-President of our club, that makes me ahead of all committees...which I had forgot about when I voted for us to do the float. Today I gathered my committee members and worked on posters. Our theme is "Top Notch Club is Pulling for 4-H." December 29th, 2011 John Warner was killed in a farming accident. He was spreading manure from his swine barn on a local field. He leaned over the PTO shaft to fix something and was pulled in by his coat strings. This set his family on a mission to raise awareness of the danger in mixing coat strings and farm equipment. Since John's younger brother is a part of our club, we took on "Pulling Strings for John" as one of our community projects. For each string our club members bring in our club is donating $0.25 to our local chapter of Farm Safety for Kids. We are using John's truck to pull our float which consists of an AWESOME pulling truck, hence, the pulling theme. =)

2011-08-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

The pig barn before it's pressure washing

The empty barn, waiting for people & pigs. The fair countdown is on-9 days.

Mrs. Leis pressure washing.

Enough said.

After the pressure washing-hard to believe this is much better than it had been. =)

Jae & Tyler getting ready to show off their muscles and load the pressure washer.

My sweeping buddy, Wyatt--it's a good thing they've not figured out how to capture smell, because I was super sweaty and covered in dirt/pig manure particles.

Ah, summer.

Sweet Bella

Youth softball tournament.

My awesome friend, Lauran!

Swing batter-batter.

The only fellow I know that plays a good ballgame in boots & jeans...no matter how hot.

Close game but we ended up losing by 1 point. We'll get them next year!

Faith Day at the Cincinnatti Reds

2011-07-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

It was just a home run kind of day. The Red's had two and I actually saw them!

8-0!!!

Grandma & Shelbe Sue

Me-Mac-Mere

Jae & Alex

Mom & Pops

"Wiv, if you had to pick if a shark bit off your arm or your leg, which one would you pick?" -Mac

Mercy Me in concert after the game

Christmas in July

2011-07-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

The most recent of my cake creations. It was for a cake contest, and then I just realized that the contest has nothing to do with any decorations, just the frosting recipe....so I didn't even need to submit a photo. I guess that's what happens when you pair a gal who never reads directions all the way with a long list of contest instructions.

Summer Scenes

2011-07-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

'Puppy'

I <3 red barns...especially ours.

Grandpa & Jared

Sadly, this doesn't lead to a secret garden...

...but it does give way to gorgeous sunshine.

Blue skies.That's how summer rolls around here.

This is ingenuity meeting up with hard work to make some cash.

Hello my love---Otis.

Summer Surprises

2011-07-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sugar cookie cake smothered in chocolate frosting and chocolate shavings. This was a delicious experiment and I would strongly suggest you try it.

Jena and Morgan

Nicole and Katy

Lauran and I

Birthday Girl!

I threw a surprise party this past Sunday for our {awesome} friend Lauran. She is so sweet and such a godly example. We swam/floated around all afternoon, ate supper and cake, and then jumped back in the pool and swam till the moon came out. She was completely shocked...which really surprised me. She's been ~~hinting around~~ telling me she wanted someone to throw her a surprise party for the past two months.

My New Button --->

2011-07-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

If you wouldn't mind, take a look to the right. See that new button? I would love for you to click it, daily.

What you are doing is helping Gracehaven Home Inc. in Columbus, OH have a chance to win $1.25 million dollars to help them open their home for girls rescued from the sex slave trade.

Here is what Gracehaven is all about:

"Gracehaven seeks through Christian love to provide shelter and rehabilitation to girls under the age of 18 who have been victims of commercial sexual exploitation, and to raise awareness among young women about the issue of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) in order to educate and equip them so that they can avoid becoming victims themselves. We are in the process of completing the renovation of a house outside Columbus Ohio where we desire to establish a comprehensive integrated long term rehabilitation program for girls in Ohio who have been victimized by domestic minor sex trafficking. We are seeking this award in order to be able to hire and train the staff necessary to open our house."

Totally worth the {whopping} 10 seconds it'll take you to vote. We've moved up several places since this started. We can do it. =)

www.gracehavenhouse.org

Ruffled Skirt

2011-06-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Front


Back

This was my first attempt to make a ruffled skirt. I had thought about it before, since I thought it would be just like adding a back layer onto one of my ruffled aprons...but it was definitely more of a challenge. Many brain cells and visits with the seam ripper, I finally finished it for one adorable 2 year old. =)

Summer So Far

2011-06-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

Sadly, planting season ran into June. Jae planted our fields this year.

So I made an apron as a graduation gift for the amazing....

...LYNNI DIEHM! Whom we finally met face-to-face after 4 years worth of blogging, emailing, and phone calls. We spent 3 days on our college Bible study camping trip...no better way to bond than sleeping in tents with no showers. =)

Cake I made last week for a 70th birthday.

Between teaching piano lessons, decorating the cake above, and finishing packing for the camping trip I help mom wrangle these cuties for a day.

Sisters. <3

Miss Mere & I watching tractor pulls.

Jena & Celia

Rach & I

"Friends are born, not made."

Henry B. Adams

Rach & I taught Meredith to braid...she used my head to practice on.

Modified tractors...or something along those lines. =)

Riley + Mere + Izzy

Celia & I

Mac sometimes take awhile to warm up to me, but eventually he sat on my lap with his blanky in hand and sucking on a candy stick trying to see how pointy he could make it. He's a cutie.

South Carolina Part II

2011-06-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

Boonehall Plantation

Slave cabins

Sweet grass baskets

Polo horses! We saw a girl out riding practicing.

The famous oak trees lining the driveway. This plantation has been used in several movies and Ryan Seacrest once opened up a season of American Idol from this driveway.

Running

2011-06-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

One of my goals for the month of June is to build up my running endurance...& learn to *like* running. Currently, I hate to run...it is my least favorite activity. So I am wondering...

-Do you like to run?

 -Do you do it regularly?

-What keeps you motivated? 

-Favorite running shoes? 

I am considering buying the new Rebok Reflexs running shoes. Are they awesome or WHAT? I tried a pair on and they are super comfortable. Very lightweight and flexible. You can actually roll them up. I think I need to treat myself. My shoes are rather worn and have put in quite a few miles.

South Carolina Part I

2011-05-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

Mr. Farmer & I

Amen Street, Charleston, SC

Old South Carriage Co. We took a whirl around the city with them.

Hitching up the horses.

The front of the city market.

Mom & Pop

Me & the bro

We saw 3 dolphins in the bay...and I actually got a picture of their fins.

Pineapple fountain....with a "Wade at your own risk"....since when did wading become dangerous?

http://bakednyc.com/


Another cute bakery that we walked about a million blocks to get to. =)

Confectionary Delights

2011-05-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

After I made THIS cake, a friend of the birthday girl decided that she was having me make her graduation cakes. She asked me and I told her I needed to think about it for a good two days. I've never made more than one cake, let alone 5...especially not for something as important as this. So I did some math, checked my calender, cake up with some design ideas and told her I'd do them. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. 14 boxes of cake mix, 20 lbs. of butter cream frosting, 2 days of baking, and 2 days of decorating. Morgan did the writing on the sheet cake, since I'm really not good at that. The graduate loves pink...and so a was chatting with a friend trying to decide what colors to do...and she came up with the idea to start off with a very soft pink and go brighter.

Introducing Some of The Things I Love

2011-05-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

Say hello to the newest piglets on the block. L-R: Cooter my brother's cross-hampshire {watch THIS to understand the meaning behind the name}, Zeb {after Zebulen Walton...from The Waltons}, & Otis {after Otis Spunkmeyer cookies...never ate them but my sister says their are delicious and the name was cute...so it stuck}.

You may pick up on a trend if you hang around this blog for long. I have come to {adore} pigs...and so I created these pig silhouettes. Darling, huh?

Something else I adore...these two children eating ice cream on my porch swing...

...and dipping their toes in the water on the pool cover...

Even though they do like to splash. =)

These gals are also pretty darn cute. I teach their older sister piano and the one on the right will start lessons in June!

Proper Blog Etiquette?

2011-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Edit: I'm going to go with answer from a commenter, Lydia, who said, "

"...I think responding to the person on their blog, is more "proper"... some people may leave a comment and not look again to see if the person has responded, so by commenting back on their blog it is probably more likely that they will see it. I used to comment back to people on my blog, but have changed over the years to responding on theirs..."

After receiving a {handful} of comments on my last post about the royal wedding

I started thinking about all things proper....

like blog etiquette.

My question is this: If someone leaves a comment on your blog, especially if they ask a question, do you

{a} Respond back to them on their blog?

{b} Respond on the post they commented on your blog?

What do you think?

{& yes, the Royal wedding was as spectacular as I thought it would be

& it was very much worth it to get up at 4am.}

Will {you} be watching?

2011-04-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a rather royal poll...{a}will you be getting up bright and early to watch the royal wedding...{b}or will you be catching it on the internet at a later day...{c}or maybe you don't even care? Cast you votes now blog followers & maybe I'll pick randomly pick a commenter & send them some cinnamon scones...or maybe I won't...but there is only one way to find out. I for one wouldn't miss the Royal Wedding! I am spending the night with friends and we will watch the live broadcasting starting at 4am. I'm even letting my brother & his friend, Caleb, pick out my pigs for my final year of 4-H...that's big. =)

Things of Spring in O-H-I-O

2011-04-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

New chicks for grandma & grandpa

TONS of rain...and the occasional breaks of sunshine.

Very green grass that needs mowed...we just sold our mower about a week and a half ago and the new one will finally come into the John Deere dealership tomorrow...but the yard's going to have to dry a bit before it can be mowed.

Water is standing all over the yard.

Sprouts in the garden!

The stream in the garden...that has washed the mulch down hill into a pile at the end of the raised beds.

Crafting-

2011-04-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

If you'll remember from {a way long time ago}, I sewed this bag out of darling polka dotted Amy Butler fabric. I used it to carry my piano books in for the past 2 years and recently got a new bag for that purpose. I stuck the bag in with my fabric scraps with hopes to use it in the near future. As I was sweeping my room tonight, I ran across these funky shaped wooden letters that I got as part of a graduation present. So with my fabric scraps, funky letters, and a hot glue gun...I got fabric covered letters....

Before

After.

Death In His Grave {John Mark McMillan}

2011-04-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

C is for cookie and 4 is for 4-H....

2011-04-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

Thursday I made cookie dough...Friday I rolled the dough out, cut it, and baked it...Saturday I spent 3 hrs. icing 74 cookies for our 4-H meeting...these are the results...

And this, is my new bucket that I am way more excited about than I probably should be...since it is just a bucket. But it was free & it is lime green & in my book that makes it awesome. Side note: I am not promoting Sunglo Feeds since I have never used their products and probably won't...we had a speaker from this company talk to our 4-H group and she brought all of these buckets.

Cake & Cake Baker...

2011-04-14T16:23:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I was checking my blog feed & I noticed I had gained a new follower. While I really appreciate all of my followers {even though only like 5 out of 37 ever comment =)} I was honored to see that the author of i am baker now follows my blog. If you've not seen her baking blog, you NEED to check it out. She's always posting stuff and giving me brilliant baking ideas that are currently out of my skill level. My most recent attempt from her blog is this rose cake I made for a friends surprise 21st birthday.{Note: It is not ideal to keep sticking your cake and frosting in & out of the fridge...you should just leave it all out so it can dry completely. I was devastated as we got to the party and some of my giant side flowers fell off. Now I know for future reference.}

Here is i am baker's rose cake.

Spring Happenings

2011-04-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

Treated some of my favorite gals toHOP {& Morgan tagged along} as their Christmas present...we had to wait for a good movie to come out.

I found these lovelies at a Cracker Barrel the other weekend...and so if you would like to buy them and send them to me, that would be awesome. =)

On our way to Family Fun Night for basketball with some of my favorite little people. It was way fun having three extra little ones along.

The boys hanging out in the back.

Jena & I in Forever XXI

Rach & I...it was my first time to this huge outdoor mall about an hour from us called The Greene...it was amazing...minus the part when we got kicked out of the whole place. Who knew their was a curfew for people under 16 if they aren't with adults over 21? Two out of our group of about 8 were 15. We were in the Apple store {and yes, we were behaving ourselves} when three security officers hop off their segways and come in and ask us all for our ID's. Apparently the Apple store people were tired of us being there, thought we all looked too young for the hour of evening {9pm on a Saturday}, and called the security dudes in. At least the security people are on top of everything and closing keeping an eye out. Then we headed to a Wendy's/Tim Horton combo & would you believe it, it was also on Greene property and the curfew still applied. I went to the Tim Horton's side for a hot drink while the rest of the crew ordered, er, tried to order Frosty's. Guess after 9pm you have to be over 16 to order....so it was a really fun, memorable evening.

Finally finished my "topic of interest" paper for my 2011 Market Hog Project Book...for 4-H. I figure since it's my last year I would go above and beyond. You may be able to read it if you click the pictures. I wrote about Pork Products. You wouldn't believe all of the things pig parts make. =)

19 Kids = An Orchestra of Violins + One Cello

2011-04-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Midwest Homeschool Convention 2011 {Part II}

2011-04-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Duggar spoke during an afternoon session & her kiddos were walking around before it started handing out papers and willingly posing for pictures and signing autographs. They were so sweet. This is me with Jill Duggar & my friend Lauren {whom allowed my to use these photo's from her camera}.

Joseph & Jinger Duggar, Lauren, and Me.

Anna Duggar {married to Josh and due with baby #2 in June} with us girls.


We had to wait in line 2hrs. for the "grand finale of the convention" with the Duggars.

Posing with our Duggar tickets because we were so excited. =)

If you don't know who the Duggars are then check out this: 19 Kids & Counting! -The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family. If I can get it to upload I have video too. =)

Midwest Homeschool Convention 2011

2011-04-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

Look close and you'll catch a glimpse of Joseph & Josiah Duggar {more Duggar pictures soon}.

Sweet Friends {hanging out & trying not to appear 'homeschooled' =)}

The HUGE exhibit hall with all of the booths.


Learning to be patient as we waited in line for over an hour.

Jena talking to Shawn McDowell {son of Josh McDowell who wrote 'Don't check your brain at the door'}.

They try to act all macho...

...but we know better. =]

The gorgeous Grand Ballroom in the Duke Energy Center in Cincy {which is where the convention was located}.

Miss Channing and all her adorableness.

Me & the chubby cheeked munchkin.

The packed ballroom...it supposedly held 4,500.

TIM HAWKINS! It was epic {& totally worth standing in line for an hour}.

This was the first time I've ever been to a homeschool convention {hard to believe since I was homeschooled K-12th} & it was AWESOME. I loved it. Hopefully we'll go back next year.

More pictures to come...eventually. =)

2011-03-28T18:51:00.000-07:00


For my sister, Morgan's 21 birthday we headed to this amazing restaurant to celebrate with friends. Pork & sweet tea. Can't beat it.

Morg & Katy

A little lamb that shares a barn with...

This little guy...


And his momma....they reside in an old barn on a historical farm.

30,295 days on Earth {so far}

2011-03-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

356 days x 83 years = 30,295 days old...and that is precisely how old my Grandpa is today. So, in honor of his birthday here are some old pictures & some things I've wrote throughout the past few years about him.

Jared & Grandpa

Grandpa & I as he ushered me in to the annual Valentines dinner Grandma put together.


A summer evening on grandpa's porch. He still wears the same exact thing and still uses that mug. It's like his trademark or something. =)

My paternal grandpa, Herman Hayworth Coy, is a man of spunk. It could be 85 degrees out and he would tell me I’d better get my coat out because it looked like snow clouds were rolling in. Other times grandpa would stand on the edge of his porch and ask me if I could remember my way home. I would giggled and tell him yes. This always prompted him to call out,“Walk right in front of the barn and then your house will be down the lane on the right.” He stands at a mere 5 foot 6 inches, with piercing blue eyes, and white hair that is neatly parted and combed on Sundays. His red or navy suspenders help hold his pants up on his 150lbs.frame. At 82 years of age, his pace has slowed some, but he is determined not to be held back.

Grandpa Herman grew up during a difficult time in our country’s history. He’s lived through the Great Depression, World War Two, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and now the current war we are in. When he was fifteen years of age, his father died; he was the youngest of eight children. At age sixteen he quit school and started working full time at the Dayton Daily News to support his mother and himself. When he was twenty-four he went into the Marines and served during The Korean War. He was a Morse-Code operator stationed out in California. When he returned back to Ohio, he resumed his former employment at the Dayton Daily News. He continued to work there for 46 years.

Whenever I see or smell fresh picked green beans, my brain is automatically transferred to the mornings of summer. Grandpa normally picked his green beans in the cool, early hours of the day and we would often wander over to his house before lunch for a "visit." We would end up sitting on the porch, snapping a huge clothes basket full of beans. The going rate in those days was around $0.05...$1 on rare occasions. Now, I will still find myself on their porch, snapping beans after just wandering over for a visit.

Fun side note- Harry Houdini, the great escape artist was also born on March 24th in 1874

Finished Product: Ella's Apron

2011-03-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

First I wrote on the apron with a colored pencil and then using embroidery floss I sewed tiny stitches to create her name.

The best part of sewing is finishing the product and seeing the fabric come to life.

I put my label on the band towards the back so it's visible, yet not the main focal point.

Preview: An Apron for Ella Jane

2011-03-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Fabric for the ruffles.

my ella just turned 10...and I am having a hard time she's that old already. I made an apron for one of her older sisters & her younger sisters, so she was really excited for her birthday knowing that I'd make her an apron to call her own.

She's 'oh so ornery', has adorable freckles, & she thinks I am the bees knees. I think she's pretty much {awesome} & she is a great substitute for the little sister I never had. <3

The Scorpian & The Camel

2011-03-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

Here is the video of my doing my expressive exam for my American Sign Language class. Normally this fable is "The Scorpion and the Frog" but I found a lady doing ASL and she did a camel so I went with that too. =)

Here is the gist of the story:

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the

scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The
frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion
says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream,
the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of
paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown,
but has just enough time to gasp "Why?"


  Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature..."

SURPRISE parties are kinda my thing...

2011-02-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

If you've not noticed, I LOVE throwing surprise parties. Previous surprise party for Cassidy & Haley have been blogged about. =) And since both of them had surprise parties, one I hosted + made the cake and the other I just made the cake, Celia was convinced that she was having a surprise party for her 16th and I was going to make the cake. Due to the fact that she still had to hit 15 I thought it would be a better time for her to have a surprise party because she wouldn't suspect a thing. Come on, who has a surprise party for their 15th birthday.

The Cake...2 1/2 bottles of blue food coloring and 1/2 a bottle of green, you end up with this color and people's lips, teeth, and tongues stay stained for quite awhile. I was smart and didn't eat the cake. =)

Cake innards. I was going to do this for the insides but I didn't have to time to make new cakes if it failed to work...so I kept it simple.

The birthday gal and I. Yeah, she's 4 years younger & a head taller.

These candles are just wicked sweet so I thought you might want to see them too.

The {PARTY} Gang

mr. mac {birthay gal's little bro}

Sweet Ella & I {birthday gal's little sister}

Mac & Ashley

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

Celia & Ashley

Cassidy + Celia

.THE END.

Around Here...

2011-02-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

Apron...

2011-01-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Morgan & I decided I should make our cousin, Shelbe, an apron. I wasn't that interested in sewing but when I saw the fabric with bird cages on it...I knew it was meant to be. Shelbe adores anything with birdcages and she flipped when she saw this...we got video of her but no pictures of her wearing it. =)

2010-12-24T21:26:00.000-08:00

"Glory to {God} in the highest,
& on earth peace to men on whom
*HIS* favor rests."
-Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas ya'll...we get a white one for the first time in years!!!

South Bound....

2010-12-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

On our merry way to FL...

we decided to stop and visit some relatives in Hyden, KY...
including our two great, great aunts that were currently both in the hospital...

then we trekked along the edge of Morgan Mountain {my paternal grandma's maiden name is Morgan}...

Alyssa & Morgan

Maddie & I

and then we stopped at 5 Guys Burger & Fries in TN to eat supper with the Scott Family...

.More to come.

2010-11-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

My new glasses! After three years with my other pair it was time for an updated pair that I don't mind wearing in public and can give my contact {and eyes} a rest sometimes. =)

Come Friday, this gal is Florida bound to revive her fading summer tan....=)

C is for cookie...

2010-11-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

...& that's good enough for me. I made these this week for some kiddos I've been babysitting since March while their momma's were in a Beth Moore Bible study. It was our final week and so I thought I'd do something special. A few cookies made it home and my family was quite happy.

Lost Photos From Summer...

2010-11-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

The last photos from summer before my camera broke. I am considering getting a new one. Anyone have suggestions of a camera that they have and really like within the 'no more than $125' range???Eva & I hanging out in the AC while her momma and siblings enjoy the pool.

Cainan and his crazy hair.

Me & my favorite pork chop after I cleaned his pen. He was eating a marshmallow and didn't want to smile for the camera with food in his mouth. =)

Shish kabobs and corn-cooked over an open fire.

Last evening of the Fair Part III-

2010-10-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

I love this picture...

...& this one too...

The plan is brewing...they are preparing a soaking in the wash racks in the pig barn.

I don't think dad helped, he was just caught in the crossfire.

The soaking wet Jena...who as a fabulous sport about it and managed to soak a few of the boys too.

She clawed, kicked, & squirmed all the way to the wash racks yet she still smiled at the end of it all...because when it came down to it, it was the last night of the fair & who cares if you have to go home soaking wet...it made for some good pictures & hilarious memories.

I think this is the official end to the pictures of Fair 2010...almost like saying good-bye to the fair once more. =)

Last evening of the Fair Part II-

2010-10-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

DEMO DERBY=AWESOMENESS

This year's derby started off with lawn mowers. It was pretty entertaining.

Hardcore derby cheerleader's Jared & Chase.

The funnest thing to do at the beginning of each heat is to pick a car and root for it. If it looks like it's not doing so great then you quickly switch cars and hope nobody notices you are no longer rooting for your original pick.

"What a feature!" was said by the announcer dude about every 10-20 seconds. It was hilarious the first 5 times, but after about 20+ more times it got old.

Morgan, me, & Jena

Seriousness.

Celia & Morgan

Celia, me, & Brooke

CrAzY pEoPlE

One of the cutest couples at the derby...

'The After Party...er...Soaking' coming up next {there are some seriously awesome photos}....it'll come even faster if I get at least 5 comments from my 34 followers. =)

How To Occupy a 3 Year Old...

2010-10-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

...let the boy 'cook'...

Last evening of the Fair Part I-

2010-10-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

...And so, before we knew it, the last evening of the Great Darke Co. Fair was upon us...

On the road.

Slowly, we walked, savoring every bit of our final time entering the fairgrounds for 2010.

Oh, yes. Hello delicious Strawberry-Lemon shake-ups that cost me a fortune. At $3.50 each they're a killer on the wallet but worth every sip.

What good is a Demo Derby without snacks? We loaded up on licorice, water, & pop.

L-R: Rachael, Celia, Jena, Me

Typical Justin and Tyler.

My father thinks he is hysterical...and he is...sometimes. =)

'The Derby' & 'The After Party...er...Soaking' coming soon.

Apron!

2010-09-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

My most recent sewing project. The first ruffled apron took about 7hrs. start to finish, the 2nd took about 5hrs., the 3rd...a mere 4hrs. I am getting faster! I did try to take pictures as I went so I could explain each step so you can recreate it yourself.

Start with 1 yard of fabric for you back and cut out a basic apron shape. All the way around, fold the edges around twice, iron, pin, and sew around making a nice edge.

For the ruffles, you will need 3 or 4 different fabrics, 1/4 yard of each.

Fold over the edges twice of your ruffle fabric, iron down, pin, and sew around.

Make pleats and sew on, starting with your top fabric and moving down.

I match the edge of my back fabric and my ruffle fabric and then pleat them. Pin each pleat as you go. Sew along the top of it, approx. 3/4" from the top. Trial and error assisted me in coming up with this method.

After I sew on all of my ruffles, I pin down the edges of them to the back fabric and then sew approx. 1/4" {from the edge} seam down so they stay in place. Pin the bottom ruffle down first and work your way up.

For the straps and band. I never measure for this, just guess. For the bottom ties I normally use about 4" wide of fabric. That way after you iron in your edges and fold in half it's still wide. I normally do the top ties 3". The band for the middle I make the same as the bottom ties.

The band is a trick to sew on but if you have it all lined up and pinned that will help. Line the top of the band with the top of your first ruffle. Sew that on first about 1/4" from the top and then do the same on the bottom. Sew the straps on very last. I've had an experience where I didn't and one fell down the back of it and was sew to the back and a ruffle.

The finished apron. If you have further questions or need something explained in a better way before you try making one yourself, just leave me a comment. =)

Of Summer and Such...

2010-09-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

I *finally* was able to get the pictures off of my chipped memory card. Staples told me I could send it away for $100 and get the pictures off. I decided that would be my last resort. The guys in HH Greg had no clue what to do and the Radio Shack fellow said try the Walmart photo machine. Doubting the fact that it would actually work in the Walmart machine I really disappointed the techies couldn't help me out. Nevertheless, I tried the Walmart machine...all my pictures and video from most of the summer are now on a disc and it cost me $3. I was a very happy camper.

Faith Day at the Red's Baseball Game meant a concert from Mercy Me!

Jae and I

Kelly, Morgan, & Holly

This year the Red's did really good and so we were happy to be there during a winning game, despite the 90+ high humidity weather.

We went boating again at the very end of July, & I got to take one of my besties along.

Jared sporting his lifejacket that looks like he borrowed it from 80's Barbie. =)

It was a cloudy, chilly day and we didn't want to get wet so we decided to float around in the tube....

...we had some issues since were in a round tube and had only one ore, but we did make it to shore without having to get off the tube.

More to come...eventually.

.Favorite.

2010-09-19T12:58:00.001-07:00

Here is my new favorite blog to stalk..er..follow:

The Diary of a Craftaholic.

Definitely a place to go for creative inspirations.

Fair 2010 {Pee-Wee Showmanship 8.21.10}

2010-08-30T08:52:00.001-07:00

.Nan helping Brooke show.

Mr. Mac stealing the arena with his ultra adorableness. He got 3rd. Watching the judge.

Before this gal went out I had a little pep talk with her. I probably should have said something like “Just do the best you can and remember to have fun, it’s not all about winning.” Instead, I told her, “Go out there and win. You can get first place. Do you think you can get first? I know you can, win your class.” Girl rocked the 6 year old division and got 1st.

Cass & I watching the little peeps.

A very excited Meredith with cousin Libby.

Fair 2010 {Showmanship 8.22.10}

2010-08-29T19:52:00.001-07:00

Showmanship: –noun: the skill or ability of a showman.

You ALWAYS want to make sure you turn around and get your pen latched.

Showmanship is, for sure, not my favorite day of show. It’s done by age level and so I am showing with those who’ve been doing it for 8yrs. or so. You have to keep your eye on the judge, watch your pig, & present your project.

Miss Shelby Anderson came in 2nd for showmanship…very surprised she didn’t get 1st {it was close}. She’s one gal that knows what she is doing.

The judge.

Jared told me that I needed to squat down in the pen, not sure what the purpose of it is but all the good showman do it.

Another really good showman from our club, Tyler King. His family also got 3rd place for most helpful family in the barn. The Kings are always there to lend a hand with whatever. This judge asked the older age divisions questions about the meat. I got asked where the hams were located, the number of hams, where the loin was, how many loins there were, and where the bacon comes from. I ended up with 7th place out of 16 people. I was pretty happy.

Pork question….without looking it up, where does the bacon come from?

More pictures tomorrow.

The Start of Fair…

2010-08-20T06:30:00.001-07:00

Pictures from Wednesday evening of our 4-H club setting up in the barn.

Listening intently during the meeting.

Boards are placed at the base of each pen to help keep the shavings from getting knocked into the isle ways.

First year 4-Her…Ella.

Shelby & Celia hanging up our signs with our names on them .

.Savannah, Rick, & Chloe.

Isabelle, Mom, & I cutting wires.

Izzy & Sidney

Bow fluffers…

…and balcony sweepers extraordinaire.

The End.

The Great Darke County Fair!

2010-08-10T07:58:00.001-07:00

What would my blog be without my annual post pre-fair?

It’s only 10 days away till the official opening…but we get to hit the fairgrounds next Wednesday for my 4-H meeting and barn set up!

Here are the foods that I pretty much always get at least once during the fair:

-Strawberry lemon shake-ups.
-Apple dumplin's from the stand across from the hog barn.
-Kettle corn.
-BBQ pulled pork sandwiches...w/ extra BBQ sauce.
-Sweet tea slushies.
-Melon bowls...something refreshingly healthy after all of the junk.
-Cider slushies.
-$1 hot dogs from the church stand.
-Fiske fries...best when covered in salt (and for some, vinegar).

-And I do have to add Apple Fritters from the same stand that we get apple dumpin’s from. They were such troopers being open by 6:30am so we could grab breakfast early.

Does your county have a fair? Is it big or little? Do you go?

*I was going to update this with pictures from the last couple of weeks but when I went to pop my memory card from my camera in the laptop, there is a chipped off piece of plastic that will not let the memory card work…so I am working on finding someone/place that can safely put all of my pictures and videos on a disc. My camera had pictures from June on it and I don’t want to lose nearly 2 mo. worth of pictures. =/ *

SuMmEr SuNdAy

2010-07-12T09:29:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we took the boat out to Brookeville Lake in Indiana!

Dad, our official Captain.

Mom tubing and actually enjoying it!

This winter we were always using the knee board in the snow {pulling it behind the 4-wheeler} so Jared decided actually to try it in the water. After a few unsuccessful runs he finally got the hang of it.

We rushed home, cleaned up, and headed back out the door for my 4-H meeting.

Two of our adorable future 4-Her’s

Mr. Ty Stikeleather speaking on showmanship. At our county fair alone he was grand champion 7 years out of 10. I took lots of notes.

Celia & Sydney

Recreation in the form of flicker football after the meeting.