Friday, August 24, 2012

Council Grove Lake

My kids don't think summer is complete without a trip to meet some friends at Council Grove Lake.  
We try to meet up with 2 of my college roommates and kids for a few days of swimming and staying at Steph's Lake House.


 This year they added a paddle boat.  It held almost ALL the kids.  The baby stayed on shore with the adults while the rest of the kids paddled around.


Anna & Blake


Garrett


Sam is up to no good!


Baby Rebecca


Sam & Rachael



Steph & Blake taking the big boys out for a tube ride.


We usually celebrate Rachael's birthday at the lake.  She turned 3!


This year we did tye-dye shirts.  Jill was the organized Mom who got all the stuff and headed up the activity.


Another new addition at the lake was the Kayak.  Garrett is taking his little sister for a ride.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

20 Years...already

So this year marked 20 years since high school.  I have some fond memories of my years at Washburn Rural High School.  Sometimes I wonder how I survived....not because I was crazy but because it is a vastly different educational setting that what my children are now in.
I graduated with 233 students in my class - my kids have 13 and 12 kids in their class.

So here are some of my pals and what our high school looks like now.

 My 2 best friends from high school Steph & Ami.
I know they are a big reason I enjoyed school.
They were (and still are) great friends.


 Here are some of the WRHS class of 92 graduates.


 This is the 1 year old gym at my alma matter.  Wow!


 Here is the football field.  What! I didn't know high schools had turf.


 Here is part of the new addition that is still under construction.
I think enrollment is now at 1800 students.


Steph & I ready for the Saturday night festivities.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Back to School


 Garrett starts 4th Grade.
This year he has his Grandma for a teacher.


 Anna started 1st grade.  This is the biggest smile I could work out of her.  She was a bit nervous for her 1st day.


 Sam the Pre-Schooler was all smiles on his first day.  He will have Pre-School 4 mornings a week.


The kids and I ready for our first day back at school.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Fair Time

As you may recall last year was Garrett's first year in 4-H.  The forward thinker that I am decided we should start with something easier than livestock.  So, with Garrett's input we selected Entomology which turned out to be tons of tedious work.  So this year we turned to what we know and did bucket calves.  


Anna loves all kinds of animals and her calf, Midnight, was no exception.  Fortunately Midnight is a heifer and hopefully will join her Dad & uncle's herd when she is older.

 Dad and Garrett give Bumpy a hair cut before heading out to the fair.

 Anna's calf Midnight also gets a trim.


Dad, Bumpy and Garrett waiting their turn in the show ring.


 Dad, Anna & Midnight waiting their turn.

 Garrett & Bumpy in the show ring.

 Anna & Midnight in the show ring.

 Anna, lover of all animals, is in the sheep pin at the fair.

 Although Sam is not quite old enough to be a Tag-a-long 4-Her he did his share of poop scooping.  Just a guess it was more about moving the manure cart around and not so much about scooping the poop.

Anna with some of our favorite 4-H girls, Emily and Justine.  Unfortunately they have both graduated and moved on to KSU but we know we will see them around.  Thanks girls for your fantastic leadership and your time and patience with our kids.

Monday, August 20, 2012

We're headed to VEGAS BABY!!!!

June 7th marked 15 years of marriage for Joey & I.  I'm not sure how we ever managed to get married that time of year.  It seems to be so busy at the farm so we are never able to do much to celebrate on the actual anniversary.  So in July we spent 3 nights in Vegas with my sister and her husband.  She was going for some work and Gary was going for some fun.  So, what do good little sisters to?  Invite themselves to go along.

 Traveling to Vegas with my sister has some perks.  Since she is an event planner and does a big convention in Vegas every year I found out she can work some pretty good deals.  We went to see the Jersey Boys...for FREE!!!!

 Here we are some where on the strip.  My brother-in-law is fun to travel with.  The guy does not know a stranger and he loves to stop and take pictures for people.  He made one guy really nervous at the pool when he jumped in the water with his camera so he could get a closer shot.

 This is what 15 years of marriage looks like.  Happy Couple!!!  I would not change a thing.  It truly has been a fantastic 15 years.

 This was my idea.  I'm lucky that Gary was along.  He is up for anything.  Gary & I were all about trying to get on the Price is Right.  Kate and Joey rolled their eyes and appeased us by going along.  We didn't make it to contestants row but we were in the front row.

 Gary & Kate
The fun brother in law and my favorite sister (OK, my only sister but she is pretty fantastic).

 Enjoying the city that never sleeps.

 We stayed at the Paris.


While we were gone Anna got to spend a little extra time at Mimma & Papa's with her cousin McKenzie.  Here she is feeding Ozzy in her night gown.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Lake with the family

It has become a tradition that my parents rent cabins at Lake Wilson during harvest.  They take the kids while I help with harvest.  My sister and brother-in-law have joined them the last two years.  The reservations have to be made months in advance.  Most years we are still harvesting around the last week of June so that is when they reserve the cabins.  This year harvest was long over so we were able to play at the lake with them.

 If you have never been to Lake Wilson you are missing out.  I'm not a connoisseur of lakes but some of my friends who are rave about how pretty it is and how clear the water is.  It is still a Kansas lake but apparently it is clear as far as Kansas standards.
I do think the sunsets are rather amazing!

 My kids with their cousin McKenzie.

Papa and Mimma after 2 nights at the cabins.  I'm not big into camping and laking so each night I leave my kids with my parents and sister while I go home to my cozy bed.  I feel guilty and relieved at the same time.

More to come tomorrow!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

"Camp Mimma & Papa"

A lot of time was spent at Mimma & Papa's in Topeka this summer.  During the month of June I felt like the kids were there more than they were home.  I know as they get older their summers will become more busy.  So, we took advantage of the time and went as often as we could.

One of their favorite places in Topeka is the Discovery Center located in Gage Park.  The next several pictures are from the Discovery Center.

 Garrett is operating some of the grain handling display.  This is their favorite spot....they really could spend hours moving the grain around.  

 This is the building center where kids can use real tools, wood, nails and screws to build things.  A bit exhausting for me.  My kids always want to use a hand saw to cut all the way through a block of wood.

 New this year is an outdoor area that the kids also loved.  Sam is working his way across a log using ropes that are suspended from above.  There were also tire swings.  The kids LOVED this addition.

 There was also a paved path and several little bikes and wagons for the kids to ride.  It is hard to tell but the small bikes that Anna & Sam are riding do not have any pedals.  The kids use their legs to push them along.  They were really fun.


Mimma & Papa bought a horse for their farm also, Ozzy.  If you remember the horse, Remi, from an earlier post came from the same place as Ozzy.  They are good quiet horses, perfect for the kids.  Here Sam is showing his cowboy skills.  Papa & Remi always got lots of exercise when the kids were visiting.

Come back tomorrow!!!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Bob Chipman Basketball Camp

Anna & Garrett attended Bob Chipman basketball camp at Washburn University in Topeka.  This is another camp I attended as a kid.  I know these pictures don't look like a Washburn camp but they usually have K-State and KU players make special appearances.  So here they are with a few of our favorites from KSU.
 Garrett with Rodney McGruuuuuder!

 Anna & Sam with Rodney McGruder.


Garrett, Sam & Anna with Jordan Henriquez.