Keeping busy!

The week between the Fair and the first of school we managed to keep busy!!  I took off Thursday and Friday that week to take the girls school shopping in Norfolk then went on to spend the night with my Mom.  She is now living in town in the basement of Dusty & Erin's house.  The farm house is going through some remodeling and as soon at the house at the farm is move in ready, Dusty & Erin will be moving there & Mom will have the house in town. 

It was nice to get all our school shopping done and get a chance to see Mom all at the same time. On Friday we went over to Albion to see my Grandma.  The kids kept busy entertaining her.  One thing Aubree like to at my Grandma's house is to go and gather up music boxes and dance like a ballerina for Grandma.  Grandma gets such a kick out of Aubree's dancing!

Saturday and Sunday we spent in the house doing some cooking, cleaning and organizing.  I made some salsa while Jenae baked some cookies.  Kyle didn't get home until Monday morning. 
It was a good "catch up" weekend to feel like we were organized for the all the business that comes with the first of school :-)

Grandma took us out for ice cream :-)  The kid and adults were all happy about that :-)

Whitney loves to help Papa mow the pastures.

Whitney and Chip in the tractor.

Jenae decided she wanted to make cookies on her own.  As you can see by the mess she did do them on her own & they were very good!!  She did all the measuring, mixing.  I helped her with the over part as I was canning had had hot boiling water on the stove top and felt like it was dangerous to have her around the water.    I was very proud of her baking and I give credit to Grammy Marilyn for teaching so much about baking this summer!

Bon Fire

We had our end of summer/ Chase's birthday party bonfire on Tuesday night.  It was a prefect night for a bonfire!  It was in the mid 70's with no wind.   There is something so relaxing and peaceful about sitting around a fire! 


The girls had to do it, they just had to....
They were all already in the water before I got down there.  The damage was done!!!  They were already soaked!!!

Kyle, Whitney, Jenae & Chip enjoying the nice evening.

When Whitney spots a chair, she makes sure to sit her little biscuits in it!

Not sure what these two are up to, but they were having fun!!

Trey & Aubree roasting marshmallows.

Aubree enjoying her smore!

Whitney getting a chocolate bar from Grammy.  She loves her chocolate!!

The horses came for a visit.

Grammy was the lady of the hour.  I love how all 5 kids were gathered around her making s'mores!

Jr. Rodeo Weekend

Here I am almost 2 weeks behind on my blogging!!!  We went right from the fair week into to a Jr. Rodeo Weekend!  Taylor was on Saturday and Burwell was on Sunday.  Chip & Marilyn took the girls down to both rodeo and I came down on my own with Whitney.  I knew it was going to be along day with Whitney so I thought coming right at rodeo time would be best for her!

It was a fun weekend!!  Since I am so behind on my blogging I am going to just post the pictures and try to get caught up on blogging!!

Aubree running back with her ribbon from the goat tail untie.

 

Grandpa Chip giving Aubree last minute instructions before she runs the barrels.

Here she is...making her debut barrel run on good ol' Speedster!  He did an awesome job and just took such good care of her on the run.

Love how she is up in her stirrups as she rounds the end pole.

Jenae making a nice tie on her goat run.

I have to admit, I was not too crazy about taking Whitney along to the rodeos this weekend.  They are long days for adults & I knew it would be a really long day for Whitney.  When I was talking to Chip about it, he was certain Whitney would want to go, so we took her along.  We also took along her pony Cinnamon and used as our stroller!  All in all it went well & Whitney did enjoy her time at the rodeo :-)

 

Aubree used Cinnamon in the flag race.  It was pretty cute to watch her spur and whip him to get him a going!

At the Burwell Jr. Rodeo the kids had to be 6 to compete on horseback.  She did her final stick horse competition there! I think she was giving her stick horse  a pep talk!

Kyle's Aunt Amy was there at the rodeo with her Grand kids and let Whitney sit on her horse while watching the stick horse events.  Whitney grew very fond of Aunt Amy.  Later that day someone saw Whitney and said "Wow, you look a lot like Amy!" 

Domino also made his rodeo debut this weekend.  Jenae used him in the goat tying and in the flag race.  I was impressed with how he handled everything new at his first rodeo!!  I am sure it will be his first of many!

Jenae riding up to the goat.

Hands in the air!  Time stopped with her own personal best time at at rodeo!   Not bad for 1/2 the summer with her arm in a sling!!

Jenae warming up Speedster by ponying him. 

Burwell was Jenae's final rodeo on Speedster.  She is needing to move on to a younger faster horse.  He has been such a blessing for her to begin her rodeo career on.  He has taught he so much! 

Jenae's final Barrel run on Speedster.  I know of all horses Jenae will ride in her lifetime, Speedster will always hold a special place in her heart for all he has done for her.   I am really disappointed that I did not get better photos of her last runs on him, but I did not have a good angle to shoot from.

 

Jenae using Comanche to warm up Speedster.

 

Aubree was quick to make "friends"  even though she did not get to compete horseback, she did get to ride around on Domino when Jenae was finished with him.  I was  a little nervous to just turn her loose on him, but the 2 of them did great!

Kyle & Aubree at the Daddy of 'em all..... Cheyenne

Rodeo/4-H Horse Show/ Birthday Rodeo

It has been a crazy busy week! It is probably obvious by the title!  Last Sunday morning, Kyle was up in slack in Bartlett.  He was coming from a rodeo in Iowa and we met him there that morning.  He had been on the rodeo trail since Tuesday so the girls were so excited to get to see him. 

 

Monday was a busy day getting ready for the county fair & 4-H horse show. After work Mom and I helped Jenae with 1 last practice and groomed and bathed 2 horses.  Not sure how I would have got it all done if my Mom had not been there!  I had forgot how much work it is to get horses show ready!!!

 

The first part of the horse show was Tuesday.  It was a learning experience all the way around!!!  Jenae's broken arm this summer really put us behind on getting horses ready for fair.  Hopefully next year Jenae is able to ride all summer and now knowing what we need to improve on we can start working much earlier and will be ready next year.

After the show Tuesday night we went over to Marilyn's to finish up the rest of the 4H projects.   Marilyn know so much more about those projects that she was a huge asset for Jenae.  I am so thankful for Marilyn's knowledge and her willingness to spend so much time helping the girls. I did learn a few things we will do different next year on these projects also.  The biggest thing is to do less projects that require last minute preparation. 

Wednesday morning Jenae and Aubree did their interview judging for their projects.  Aubree is just in clover kids so she got a rainbow colored ribbon for each thing she did. She did really good interviewing!  Jenae did well on her interviews also.  She ended up with her peppers and flowers qualifying for the state fair!  She was pretty excited!!!!

That afternoon she ran poles and barrels.  She got a purple in poles and was Grand Champion in the barrels.  She and good ol' Speedster!

Wednesday afternoon we had a quick summer birthday party with my sisters and all the kids. It was fun!  Sometimes the last minute things work out the best!  

Thursday night Kyle was in the  rodeo in Chambers.   He did really good!  He won the steer wrestling,  split the calf roping and 2nd in the bronc riding!   Jenae ran Speedster on an exhibition barrel run. It was a big evening!

That is a very brief overview on the crazy week!  

Kyle getting ready to haze a steer on Sizzler at Bartlett.  We sold his good hazing/ back up bull dogging horse Spud to our friends the Morton's.  It was a tough decision to make, but Kyle needs to get some other horses going and that was not happening as long as we kept Spud.  Sizzler was next in line to take over as the main hazing horse & is going great!

Oh my silly Jenae Grace!  Not sure what this look was about!

Whitney loves cheering for everyone in the rodeo.  If they catch she is cheering "Yea..." if they miss she says "Uh-oh!!"

Jenae did not let the pressure of showing interfere with her silly personality.  I saw her putting her hat on Domino before she did her showmanship.  Crazy kid!!

 

Aubree working with Domino on his showmanship.

 

Jenae & Domino got a blue in Showmanship.  They both did pretty good for both their first time in a showmanship class

Jenae riding Comanche in pleasure.  It was a learning experience for her and we know what we need to do different for next year :-)

Jenae having a quick lunch with her cousins. She has so much family show up to support her first horse show.  It was very thoughtful of everyone to come watch her. 

In Jenae's class at school, there are 11 kids total.  3 of them show horses in 4H.  That is pretty cool!  Here she is with Cole & Taryn.

Aubree and Whitney eating some chips.
 

The Summer Birthday Party for the 4E cousins!

 

Kyle & Aubree at the Chambers Rodeo.

Whitney loves to watch rodeo.  Love this little cowgirl!!!

 Whitney chatting it up with Kyle before the rodeo.

 

Kyle roping his calf.  He was 9.5 and was winning the round after the first performance.

Aubree all decked out for the rodeo.  I found her carrying a little plastic crown out of the house.  She thought she could just put in on her hat and be a self proclaimed queen!  I thought we better leave the crown at home :-)