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.

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!

"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!!!

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.

A little family time

Wheat harvest was early this year which left some free time in June.  In our 15 years of marriage this has NEVER happened.  We decided to take advantage of the time and took the kids to KC for a Royals game.  Sam is totally focused on baseball most of the time so we thought he might enjoy it.  When we told him we were going to a Royals game he was NOT happy.  He wanted to go to a Cardinals game.  He agreed to come anyway but was not too proud to sport his Cardinals gear.  We all had a fantastic time and the Royals won in an exciting finish in the bottom of the 9th inning.  Here they celebrate with their dad.

This was taken on Father's Day.  I think we were out checking the corn crop.  Since this post is late I can tell you the corn crop that looks so hopeful in this picture turned out to be less than impressive due to the HOT DRY summer we are having.  They have been cutting corn this past week.  Some of it is OK but not what we hoped for.

Animals and Camp

Garrett and his buddy Taylor going to 4-H camp at Rock Springs 4-H Ranch.  This was his 2nd year going to camp.  Last year he only stayed 1 night for "rookie camp" this year it was 3 nights.  He was super excited.  I attended the same camp when I was a kid and loved it.  Next year it will be Anna's turn for rookie camp.  I hope she loves it as much as her brother and I.

Anna spent much of her summer taking care of Midnight, her bucket calf.  Anna & Garrett each had a bucket calf for 4-H but they also had 3 extra calves that they took care of for Dad.  Bottle feeding 5 bucket calves can be a bit of a circus at times.

Here is another addition to the farm, Remi.  

Summer Catch up

Today, my last day of summer break before I must return to school I am making up for lost time.  We had a busy summer filled with lots of fun.  Today's post will include just a few of the things we did to start the summer off.

Our usual Dorrance tradition of Memorial Day.  On Memorial Day a rather large crowd gathers in Dorrance to remember those who have served our country.  It begins with a parade from the American Legion to the City Cemetery.  There is a rather impressive service held in the cemetery and then community members return to the Legion for a potluck meal and kids games.

Harvest was super early this year.  I don't think we were cutting on Memorial Day but it might have been the day after.  Here the kids enjoy a meal in the harvest field.

Some more fun in the harvest field.  I'm not sure what these silly kids were up to.  Hallie, Sam & Anna.

In the first few weeks of summer vacation my mom and my sister-in-law, Lori, joined us on a trip down to the Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands Education Center.  McKenzie, Brooklyn, Anna, Sam, Hallie & Garrett.

Come back to my blog tomorrow to see what other fun things we did this summer?