I had a FANTASTIC time at Safety Harbor! It was beautiful and warm! I left 80 degree weather for 40s here at home! Too bad I couldn't pack some in my suitcase!
The Retreat was Thursday through Sunday, then Trainer Certifications were Sunday through Wednesday. First of all, the ride down was a HOOT with my two "adopted" sisters! We had a great time!
I am amazed to have gotten through FIFTEEN workouts over the course of the week! I have not had the stamina until very recently to do more than 3-4 workouts a week and I did 15 all in less than a week's time! It was really neat Monday, when Teresa did the straight through review workout for the trainers who had not been at the Retreat, that afterward I didn't feel sore at all. In fact, I felt very limber!
I didn't lose oodles of inches (yet!), but some things definitely reshaped, my stamina obviously improved, and best of all, a lump under my arm (which had reduced by half when I started T-Tapp) reduced another 1/3. Then I got a light massage, and it is now smaller than it has been in TEN years! THAT is worth losing 40 inches to me!
It was fun eating at the local restaurants and having the waitresses ask about a "fitness retreat where everyone gets together"! T-Tapp is so much more than just inch loss and looking good. It's about total health and balance. Teresa's heart is more about health, and the "inch loss" is often the open door that many have found leads to MUCH more. So many of the testimonies on Thursday night included health improvements, hormonal improvements, getting off meds......isn't feeling better more important, after all?
Even one of the guys on the camera crew commented about how nice all the ladies were! I think meeting so many of the ladies, putting faces with forum names--that was so neat! There was such a camaraderie and everyone was supportive of everyone. No one's there to show off or toot their own horn but we're all there to encourage and cheer each other on!
A little sadness during my time there--I found out our beloved shih-tsu, Pooh, passed away on Monday. Teresa has two furbabies, Buddy and Mitzi (Bichons). Now Mitzi is more sociable as Buddy is "Teresa's"! I went downstairs after talking to my daughter and asked if I could hold Mitzi for awhile. Everyone was so sweet and sympathetic--if I had to be away from home when this happened, I couldn't have been in a better place!
Here's a picture with Teresa and Mitzi.
There is just NO program out there like this where everyone truly cares about you. Where you gain not only a better figure (however long it might take! ) but better health and better body balance. Where the inventor of the program remembers your name from a year and a half ago, is down to earth and really cares about you as a person. I'm not saying there's not nice people out there in the fitness world, but I truly believe Tappers are the bestest!
Where else would I have met my "triplet" sisters, who are crazy enough with me to do Hoedowns at a gas station somewhere in Kentucky?
At 2:30 a.m.?!
If you haven't checked T-Tapp out, I encourage you to. You get lifetime support from the office when you purchase from them, the forums offer loads of encouragement and information, and you are doing something wonderful for yourself that far outweighs inch loss.
I loved the Retreat, and my last morning there I was blessed to see a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l sunrise over the harbor. I'll close with a few pictures (I only have 318 total from my trip! HaHa!)
I hope you have enjoyed a glimpse into my trip---I'm sure I'll have more to share in the days to come!
Yesterday we went to our state fair--it was our first time!
We got up around 6 a.m. to get chores and everything ready to leave. Our goal was 8, which means we could be on our way by 8:30!
We got going a bit later (around 8:40) due to trying to find the stroller! We were very glad later that we took the extra time to find it! (And Dallas blowing it off with his air compressor--it had collected quite a bit of cobwebs!)
On our way! I slept the first leg! Actually, I think most of us slept a lot on the way down! Just a little north of the state capital, my husband asks if we got the crackers--oops! We were supposed to get them in our little town before taking off! No problem--there's a Marsh, so in we go! They were even on sale!
The directions worked out pretty well--except we weren't sure what "gate" to go into! We turned into a lane that we thought was it, and a police officer told us it was the next light! I guess that one was only for those bringing in their animals. Okay, next light, turn right....and we go and go and around and then we can give the tickets to them!
The blue ones are free thanks to the three girls that had state fair projects! The little guys were free because they were cute! No, really, because they were under 5!
So we drive and drive and drive (how can you go so long just going in circles?!) and under a bridge to the horse track--where the parked us on the infield. That is, with about 5000 other cars!
Then we walked (and walked and walked) to find a walk tunnel under the track. We headed for the north side of the fairgrounds first, where there was a pioneer village, a DNR building, a FFA building with lots of activities for the kids (including a miniature golf course!) and the exhibit buildings.
This was one of the 4-H exhibit buildings. The first two floors had exhibits. There is another building to the left of this one, longer, and it had three floors of exhibits!
After seeing the girls' projects (you'll have to visit their blog to see how they did! ), we decided to go back the way we came and check out the DNR building. We got to see what happens during a flood to low-lying areas with a model of a reservoir, dam, and then an area without a dam. Little cars and houses floated away! They even sprinkled us with water from the back wall where the workers were!
Next we headed over to Pioneer Village. I think we could have spent all day just there! There were many facets of life "back then" and people dressed in period costume. They were actually building another frame building, just like in the old days--no nailguns! Some men were actually sawing and making their own boards with an old fashioned planer. There was a "kitchen" which was open so you could see into it. No one was working there when we went through. It was interesting, though, to see how many more cupboards we need for all the paraphenelia we think we need these days!
Next we went into a Pioneer Building that had many old farm implements, a beeswax candle booth, men making wooden bowls and chairs, ladies quilting and tatting, even making brooms! There was also a replica of the cabin that once stood on the land where the state fairgrounds are now located. Talk about small!
To give you an idea--there wasn't much space on either side of this fireplace!
The bed below was across from the "living area". There was a loft over the bed area--the bed is a small double bed and the head of it was on the other wall--now that's family togetherness! Can you imagine weathering a long winter in a cabin that small? Do you understand the term "cabin fever" a bit better?!
We were walking around looking for The Dazzling Mills Family, who were the main reason we decided to go to the state fair! They were supposed to be roving the fairgrounds---with a place bigger than our small town, just how in the world were we supposed to find them?! We just kept wandering around hoping to see them!
Instead, we found out about a "pig race". We found out where it was going to take place, but had a little time, so we checked out The Stars of Peking acrobats.....or contortionists! It was quite amazing how flexible they are, and how well they could balance. We couldn't watch for very long--it kind of made our necks hurt!!!
So, on to the pig races! These guys were a hoot! Here is the "pig wrangler", who put on quite a pre-show all by himself!
The announcer (not pictured) would tell jokes and "ham it up", giving the pigs celebrity names like Arnold Schwarzennhogger, Brittany Squeals, Sarah Jessica Porker....you get the idea! I honestly don't know all the celebrities he was spoofing on, but I've heard their names at least to be able to get the joke!
Oh, the pre-show guy would go around and get four ladies' names, give them pom-poms, then they had to stand in the center and "root" their pig on! (You are just getting a small taste of the piggie humor!)
So here is one set--racing to the finish for the oreo!
Pretty cute, huh!
After the racing, Dallas wanted to talk to someone about windmills, so the girls and I went back to the Pioneer Building to hang out in the shade. Isaiah was already asleep, and Noah fell asleep, too! We let them get a bit of a nap, then we headed back down the street. We decided to go eat at the van. We have a double stroller, but it doesn't fold up easily. So we took the one I mentioned earlier, and did what we always did in the days before double strollers!
On our way, we often had to get over for the "trams" carrying people--I think they must have gone through every 3 minutes or so! Probably not quite that bad, but they came fairly often!
The parking lot was quite warm, but our van was hotter! Some of us sat in the shade of the van (what little there was!) and a few of us sat in the van, with the windows open for a bit of a cross-breeze!
After lunch, we went back the way we came and decided to make our way around to the other side of the fairgrounds, where the animals were. We went over a covered bridge (well, we went beside it as the trams came through the bridge!). This was the bridge we went under to park when we got to the fairgrounds.
Over the bridge, then you're going by the midway. No, we didn't do any rides!
We found the cattle barn--I don't think we got a picture of it, but it was HUGE! It was as big as our property, which sits on 2 1/4 acres!!!
After going through the cattle building, we saw the sheep building. It also held the goats. Yes, I said building! As in, air conditioned!
It was just as big on either side as the middle shown above!
Here's the inside.
There was a sheep show in progress.
Then on to the swine building. Only we were on the back side, so we went to what we thought was an entrance. Instead, it was the basement of that building! No piggies, there, but we went down and around and back up and finally to the front of the building! Whew! We just went in, around a little bit, then back out so as not to be in the way.
Remember I said the main reason we went to the state fair was to see the Dazzling Mills Family?
We came out of the swine building, and Susannah and Dallas both saw four people dressed alike sitting across the street.....could it be?
Yes!!! It was the Mills Family!!!
Now, the funny thing is.....another guy was about to do his show--Slackwire Sam (who juggled while on a unicycle while on a...slack wire!). I guess he and the Mills' were going to do a little pre-show together, and he spots us (remember, we're all dressed alike!). He asks Mr. Mills who we are! I guess he thought we were another act! (Oh, if only he knew! HaHa!) Mr. Mills comes over and talks to us--I guess he saw us on the other side of the grounds! How we missed him I don't know!
He said he told Sam we had an act! I said, well, we do sing and play together, but no juggling! We were talking and told him how we had wanted to see them perform but just weren't in the right place all day! They actually weren't doing another performance then, but he said they'd do a little bit after Sam's act for us. So the Lord blessed us with both performances! Sam's was quite amazing!!!
Here's a video of him--remember, the guy is crazy! But good!
And the second one---you'll have to turn your head towards the end! Jessica forgot that when you turn our camera, it doesn't adjust for the fact that you are still right-side-up! And of course if we rotate it, then the first part would be sideways! It's not long, so you shouldn't get a crick in your neck!
As I was eating my breakfast (or, more like it, brunch!) this morning, I looked out over the backyard and saw the "corn fence" behind us. It was just such a serene view, with the sunlight highlighting the corn tops, creating just a bit of haze.
I love this time of year! The craziness of the fair is done
(although we generally enjoy that craziness!),
and the garden isn't bombarding us yet.
Just a quiet moment on a quiet morning.
Then I look out a different window (our sunroom has ten!),
and see this sweet picture!
After few more minutes, I see that the little cutie patootie
has sweet-talked his sister into a "big one" push!
Ah!
This is why I have lots of children!
This is why I homeschool!
This is why I love life on a mini-farm!
I love these quiet, sweet blessings from the Lord!
This morning our milkshake total was 63. I had doubts that in two days we could reach our goal of 100. It's been cooler this week (the coolest fair we ever remember!), we even took jackets yesterday!
So that does make it a bit hard to think of eating lots of ice cream!
The joke has been, "You can't eat real food until you've had your second milkshake today!" Who ever thought a mother would be telling her children that?!!!
Would you believe that as of tonight, we have eaten......
EIGHTY-NINE MILKSHAKES!!!!!
If you do the math, that means we had 26 milkshakes today! We did only half that many yesterday!
But it was warmer today!
Tomorrow is auction day, when we sell goat wethers, chickens and one daughter is selling a milk basket. And it's supposed to be in the upper 80s.
So what do you think?
Think we can finish up tomorrow? We only need 11 more!
It's been a l-o-n-g day at the fair, getting there by 7:45 and leaving around 10 p.m.! Goat show actually got over before midnight!
Thankfully it's not as hot as it has been in past years---at least not yet!
But I am full of fairground dust and sawdust from the goat barn! Tomorrow is llama show. (And the poultry show, but we don't really do anything for that!)
We'll be making two trips, but that's okay as the "llama girls" have to be at the fairgrounds by 7 a.m.! Dallas now thinks it may be the head gasket that is the problem on our big van, which is obviously a more serious issue! We can't even get it in to be checked until next week---so we'll be playing ferry with the mini van until then!
Kathy tagged me to list 25 things about myself. Hmm.....
1. I didn't want to get married or have children at 18.
2. I'm glad that I ended up doing both anyway!
3. I was an only child for 11 years before I got a brother.
4. My husband and I were set up on a blind date--he was 24, I was 19-almost-20. We joke it was my first blind date and his last! (Well, my first AND last, I guess! )
5. We will be married 26 years on February 27.
6. It was 70 degrees the day we married (in northern IN!)
7. The church we got married in has been replaced by a Marathon Station! (We joked that we could renew our vows by gas pump no. 3!)
8. My favorite color is lavender/purple.
9. My favorite flowers are lilacs.
10. I play flute, piano and recorder.
11. I sing soprano/mezzo-soprano (and can pitch hit alto if necessary!)
12. I like to write and would like to write some books someday.
13. I have raspberry dark hot chocolate almost every evening!
14. In spite of # 13, I have lost 99 inches and 7 sizes through exercising with T-Tapp over the past two years!
15. I struggle with being consistent with anything! I think I'm implementally impaired!!!
16. I love feminine things--teacups, ruffles, lace!
17. I still have some Christmas presents to finish!
18. I like to knit and sew and would like to learn tatting from my daughters!
19. I like to wear wild things sometimes, like watermelon fabric, sunflower fabric, chicken fabric......
20. My computer desk is almost always a mess!
21. My home is decorated in a cottage/country look.
22. I love to hear my children practice their instruments (and am partial right now to Leah and Cassia's piano duet, and Susannah and Cassia's Vivaldi Double for cello).
23. I spent my second year in college in Strasbourg, France, and got to travel some of Europe while over there.
24. I also went to Mexico the summer of my senior year in high school. (And used to be fluent in Spanish....)
25. I'm hoping the Lord blesses us with more children--I feel better in my 40s than I did in my 20s!!!
I will try my best to get back on track with my Frugal Friday meme of feeding my family for $15 or less next week! Pray we don't get mumps or measles next!!!
What happens when a Sunday School class of young married couples decides they want to do something to help their young children keep their focus on the true meaning of Christmas?
What if they decided to do a "Holy Walk", recreating the night Jesus was born in Bethlehem?
And 400+ people show up?!
They decide to do it again! Maybe move it across the road to another, larger farm. Add more props. And 800 show up?
And in a few more years, ask area churches to help as it is GROWING!
That's what happened at the Grace United Methodist Church in 1980.
And now the whole community of Bremen, IN, gets into the act. You go to the Bremen High School gym to wait to be bused to the farm now. There are 250-300 costumed people to help recreate the night Jesus was born.
They used to do it 3 nights on a weekend in December (either the first or second, usually, as it depends on home basketball games! ), and in the mid-'90s they had around 9000 people! Several years ago they cut it back to Friday and Saturday, as people were up so late tearing down on Sunday, making it hard to get to work the next day!
The guide I asked wasn't sure, but thought maybe around 4000 come a year now.
When you get off the bus, you are now in Bethlehem. A Roman soldier is there to "usher" you off and to your family (a bit brusquely, mind you! And don't you DARE snicker at the brooms on their helmets!!!). There you meet up with your guide, who is the family head, leading you back to the city of your forefather's birth, Bethlehem. You better pay attention to your family name, where you're from, what you do for a living and how long it took you to travel, because you can be sure a Roman guard is going to ask you!!! And if you don't answer right away...well! He might just put you in the stockade or a jail cell!!!!
(Oh! And DON'T lose your scroll nor the "seal" on it!!)
Along the way you stop and warm yourself by the fire with a young couple who are resting on their journey to Bethlehem. They are Joseph and Mary, and Mary is great with child. You might discuss the hope that there is still a room for everyone at the inns in Bethelehem. Then you move along.
Next, some shepherds invite you to warm yourself at their fire (this IS Indiana, and on this particular December night, it was in the teens!!!!). While visiting with them, behold! An angel blows a trumpet and announces that this night, in the City of David, a Savior is born, which is Christ, the Lord!!!! An angelic host accompanies this angel in singing praises to God! As soon as they appear, they are gone, leaving you and the shepherds to wonder at this amazing proclamation!
You hurry into Bethlehem, but alas! You need to sign in with the Romans! They herd your family into the tent and look you over, and you better not laugh!!! They might stick someone in the jail cell there if they are insolent, or if they're looking for a dish washer! Someone from the family signs you in, then they herd you back out! (And don't worry! If someone is in the cell, they'll join you!)
Ah, the inn is ahead! You send the young ones to knock (hoping the innkeeper will have mercy on the children!), but to no avail! When the innkeeper opens the door, he informs you that he has NO room! In fact, he says he had to send a young couple, with the woman great with child, over to the stable on the other side of town. Joshua, your family head, is livid! Can you imagine? Sending a woman great with child to a STABLE?! Your "brother", Gideon, calms him down. It does seem a shame, that the innkeeper couldn't find just a little room somewhere, though....
Around the bend, you come along to some fishermen. They are trying to sell you some fish, but you have to think about those taxes you will pay! It's hard to know how much you'll be charged, so you can't just buy all your supplies! But you ARE hungry.....about the time you think you might bargain with them, along comes those Romans again, herding you like sheep, not letting anyone loiter around! My, but they seem a bit cross tonight! (Unless you have a small child in your arms, one of them might whisper "He okay?" )
Over a bridge and you come to the shepherds' tent! Their wives are anxiously awaiting their return, and invite you in to warm yourself. Some children are playing with a dreidel, others pounding grain, and one of the wives is stirring up a wonderful stew for the men when they return. You discuss with them the wondrous vision you saw of angels! They at first are incredulous, then plying you with questions. Before you can answer them all...you guessed it!!! AGAIN! You are herded out into the cold.
Now you enter into Bethlehem proper, and oh! What sights meet your eyes! Many shops with their keepers hawking their wares. Boys drawing a wooden cart (right down to the wheels!) hollering, "Wheat for sale! Finest in all of Bethlehem!" And of course, Roman soldiers patrolling the streets!
We were rushed by the first "shop"--selling "fine jewelry"! "Joshua", our family head, said, "Women don't even look! Don't even look! We have our taxes yet to pay!"
Then we went to a shop passing out samples of warm bread! Mmmm! Something to help us on our "journey"! We barter work for some loaves tomorrow, after we pay our taxes, so we can have bread for our return trip to Capernaum (where we're from--it's a two week journey, you know!).
Across the street to the pottery shop. Apparently "Rachel", a young girl in our group, has broken one of our water pots. So they were sizing her up for a new pot and arranging for some of us to help dig clay for new pots (bartering again!). The soldiers come along and "herd" us out of there (again!).
Next door they are making pancakes and giving out samples (nice, hot samples!). However, before we can even work anything out to grind wheat for pancakes, the soldiers usher us out yet again.
Thankfully, then there's a shop selling roasted apples! So we get a sample, and work out a deal to pick apples and go next door to the basket place to barter for baskets to pick the apples with! Of course, we again barter to pick reeds so we don't have to pay TWO denarii for a basket!!!! (Remember, a denarius is a day's wage!)
We barely get the deal done when (yes, again!) we are herded off!
Our next stop is a sandal maker with quite a personality!!! He fits a "sandal" to one of the young children in the group. Problem is, it's big enough for BOTH feet! After a jolly time of bantering, we need to move on to the rug shop. There we're trying to barter to build a loom in return for some sleeping rugs, and while we're working out the details, we're ushered out of there and on to the next stop!
Next we get samples of raisins and grapes, and make arrangements to come pick fruit in return for more food for our return trip. Looming ahead is the tent where we go before we pay our taxes. Before we're ready, we're ushered in, no talking! Our youngest daughter is "chosen" to take the basket and receives the "seals" off our scrolls. Then we move across the tent to make room for the next group while we await our fate! Of course, there are the comments about the "furs" on our coats, the gold dangling from ears and how this must be a good year for us!!!!
Next we go into the magistrate's tent. You can tell he is quite rich--look at all the candles burning! The rich robes he wears! He is NOT in good humor, though, (these officials don't want to be in some small non-descript town collecting taxes), and threatens to put someone in the stockade (which is right there, for convenience!). Thankfully, we get through there, getting our "scrolls" stamped (although I almost took incident with a soldier calling telling me to "help the little one, old woman!" The sight of the stockade helped me keep my mouth shut!!!)
Whew! We made it through! Next is the Synagogue of the Lion of Judah. Normally women and children are not allowed in, but since it's a cold night, and Roman soldiers are out and about, they allow us in to warm up and be safe. There some boys are learning to write in Hebrew, another is reading from a scroll. We praise God together and go on our way. As we come along, ahead is a star!!!! Right above a stable. And there......
There is the young couple we saw at the beginning of our journey. Joseph and Mary. Mary has had her child, and we realize that this is the Savior foretold by the angels. We watch on in silent awe, hushed by the wonder of the moment.
As we reluctantly go, we come across three wise men from the East, bearing gifts for the King. They are following the star, as well.
Then we come to a cross. Our guide steps out of character and delivers a beautiful, impassioned plea to consider the true meaning of Christmas.
Before we head up to the barn to await our ride back to the school, there is one more stop. Here, in another tent where we can warm up a bit and rest, area pastors ask the children what things they saw, and again relay to us the true meaning of Christmas. How this is just a very small, incomplete glimpse of how things might have happened on that night long ago.
Up to the barn, to get two cookies and some hot chocolate (volunteers bake 1200 dozen cookies for this event!). We look at pictures of past Holy Walks, discuss how this was the best one yet (this is our 9th year going--we first went in 1996, but had to miss a few years here and there). Our guide was really into his character!
All too soon, it's time for the bus ride back to the twenty-first century. The lady guide on our bus is the one that told us all these statistics I've mentioned.
And the most amazing of all, is that in 29 years of having this, they have only cancelled ONCE because of the weather! This community is very committed to this event. They have been there in snow, rain, and extreme cold, late into the night (once we went on Saturday night, got there later, and we didn't board the bus until 12:30 a.m., and didn't get out of there until 1:30 a.m., and there were still more people coming!!!).
I am very grateful that the Bremen community does this year after year. It is the highlight of my Christmas season.
I'm sure those families 29 years ago could never have imagined how far-reaching, how lasting their idea would be!
When our desire is to focus on Him, there is no telling where He might take it!!!!
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of the Holy Walk! And if you're in northern Indiana next year in December, check to see which weekend it is, and please make every effort to get there!
I was tagged a LONG time ago by fruitbuns! I'm sure she's thought I forgot or am avoiding it!!!
But here I am, finally!
If I remember rightly, I am to link to her--here! And in case you didn't know, she's in England, so it's lots of fun reading her blog!
I am to list 6 unspectacular things about myself! And then tag 6 people (who I will list at the end!).
1. I am the only one in my family with green eyes.
2. I play flute.
3. I was an only child for 11 years before my brother was born.
4. I was born on Father's Day.
5. This is my 23rd pregnancy. (Yes, you read that right! I've had 12 miscarriages and 1 stillbirth. We're going to have quite a Homecoming Party in Heaven someday!)
6. When this baby is done in 4-H, we will have put in 30 years as 4-H parents!!!
I've always been impressed with the two movies Sherwood Baptist put out, how they were so above board and full of integrity. No kissing between actors that weren't really married, for example. I was glad to find out before I saw this movie, that when Kirk Cameron kisses his wife in the movie--he kisses his REAL wife!
Jacque has some more interviews on her website, Walking Therein.
I think it is absolutely amazing the volunteers, the prayer, the city support.....as Erin Bethea said, it's something they believe in, which brings a whole different element to the movie. It is powerful!
Again, I hope you can see it! My children can't wait for the dvd to come out!
My husband and I were able to go see it yesterday--I just can't say enough good about it! I started crying within the first half hour due to a few scenes that hit memories (not the fighting, but the accident scene made me think of Dallas' serious accident 4 years ago, and a scene with Katherine and her mother made me think of my dad).
Right from the beginning you see the correlations drawn between a fireman's duties and a marriage. Dallas and I have always had a good marriage, but this was a good reminder to not take each other for granted and to not stop "courting" each other even when married!
I'll post my Simple Woman's Daybook either later today or tomorrow--I felt the movie was more important today!
This was on my webpage (which has been SORELY neglected for a few years!) and I thought of the current campaigns. Wouldn't it be QUITE the revolution in media and campaigning if they abided by this?
"If we dwell on another's faults,
we forget to notice his or her good qualities....
As we gallop through our days, life goes too fast to waste time criticizing.
Let's concentrate on noticing the improvements and strengths in everyone."
--From "The Quilt of Life" by Mary Tatem
At least let us, as Christians, make sure we abide by it, whatever our differences!
"He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him." Proverbs 11:27
It has been a busy week--make that TWO weeks! The 4-H fair is a two week affair for us. The first week is general project judging (that's everything but animals!) and shaving goats, trimming hooves and getting things around for checking in the animals on the Saturday before the fair actually starts. Our fair is the week following 4th of July, so the 4th found us checking in goats, meeting to watch an outdoor concert ending with Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever (I'm a flautist, and played piccolo in high school, so I have a GREAT fondness for this piece! ) and then on to watch fireworks. The next morning, dear, dear, dear dh took the girls involved and their rabbits and chickens to check them in, as well as do "goat chores" at the fairgrounds. This was the first year since doing animals (since 1998) that I haven't been there doing the paperwork and making sure sale auction cards get in on time, etc. My 16 yr. old daughter took care of most of it! I've been told that means I've done my job well! I felt lazy, though! I came Saturday night for milk out--where they milk their does out that are going to be in the milk production contest. Sunday the actual contest starts with the kids milking in a certain order at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The llamas unloaded Sunday morning, too, so the three girls involved in that stayed around after morning "fairground chores" (not to be confused with the "home chores"!) to help out. We leased the llamas--my husband said it was cheaper than being on our feed bill! I'd love to have a llama--they are as interesting as goats and have quite a personality! By the way, some people from South America came by during the fair and talked to my 16 yr. old daughter and informed us that it is pronounced "YAH-muh", not "LAH-muh" as we gringoes say it! The lady from Argentina even told us how they pronounce it with a zh sound--"ZHAH-muh". Now you've had your Spanish pronunciation and cultural lesson for the day! I have to admit--it was pretty neat--who would have thought of people from Chile and Argentina coming to a county fair in the midwest?! God orchestrates some neat learning opportunitites!
Sunday afternoon we also went to a concert (we are privileged to have a wonderful summer music festival put on by students from all over the country coming to Masterworks, a Christian organization teaching the performing arts). I have to admit, I just don't "get" interpretive ballet. The choreography they did for Bach's Concerto for 2 Violins in d minor (commonly known as the Bach Double) was the most elegant. I guess I'm not into it enough to understand the other! But I do know they all work hard and we sure appreciate the fruits of it!
Monday started the absolute insanity--getting to the fairgrounds by 8 or so to do the "fairground chores" and get ready for the rabbit show. They had less rabbits than they have had in the past and we were done by 2 p.m.!!! There have been times when the goat show started and the rabbit show was still going! YES, I have children in BOTH! My oldest daughter's last year, she went from being in the very last group in the rabbit show to changing into her white outfit (no, I don't know WHY they have goat show-ers wear white! ) run into the goat arena (next to the rabbit barn--whew!) and take over from a sister showing her goat which was already in the arena!!! Talk about close! Makes a good memory, but sure glad we didn't have any of that this time!
My oldest two are done with 4-H now, so they are a tremendous help! So many times in the past I was juggling the baby of the time on my hip, trying to take a good picture and keep an eye on the toddler who was usually either a) trying to eat sawdust from the ground, b) throwing said sawdust up where the fans would catch it and blow it around in people's eyes, c) running out into the show arena thinking they were a baby goat or something or d) running off to play in a puddle or do something else in the rabbit barn without me knowing where they were!
Ah, those were the days!
Tuesday was the poultry show, which isn't too exciting--you don't actually get your chicken/duck/turkey/whatever out to show it. The llama show was moved up to start just after the poultry show, so we were one tent away in the llama tent. Oh, and did I mention that my 16 yr. old daughter informs me Monday night (we got home around 11 and then had to do "home chores") that we were supposed to be there at 7:30 Tuesday morning?! Say WHAT?! We decided I would take the 4-H-ers to the fairgrounds, and my oldest two daughters would come later so the boys could sleep a little longer. I never did get my nap that day, either!
It's just not the fair without a storm sometime, and it decided to come during the llama show--one of the parts that are outside the tent! We took a long lunch, where it just poured--and the sand inside the tent was getting rivers running through it! But the rain stopped, the sand soaked it up fairly well, and the show continued. My youngest son decided the wet sand was really fun to play in...my boys were absolutely FILTHY when we came home that night! (Confessions of a not-fastidious-mom here--they just got the major parts washed up--no baths!)
The rest of the week was more relaxing as our animal showing was done. We had a goal of beating our last year's total of "milkshakes" from the Lion's Stand. I mean the organization Lions, not the animals! These milkshakes are too thick to "drink"! Last year our total was 68. We hit 76 this year! We might go for 100 next year--the boys probably won't want to share next year, so we'll probably make it!
Wednesday was picture day--we don't even buy a paper anymore, so many people send us the girls' pictures! I told the girls we should at least buy one to support them! The photographer knows us more each year and teases us--the girls always wear their "4th of July" jumpers! People say, "It must be picture day!" The photographer said some year he was going to fool us and put in last year's picture to see if we notice! My two oldest daughters and my 9 yr. old won grand champion in their divisions of clothing and preserved foods in the Open Class (open to everyone, not just 4-H-ers), so they got their pictures taken, too!
Thursday is "free ride" day for 4-H kids--they get an hour free before the midway opens to the public. Sometimes I go, sometimes I just watch the littles while they go. This year, I decided to try their favorite, Pharoah's Fury! It is a lot like going off our loft on the barn swing--only a lot more! I did that twice and the Tilt-A-Whirl twice, which is my favorite! My mom taught me years ago the "trick" to make it spin--if you don't get stuck! We had a blast! I also went once on the Ferris Wheel--that's enough for me!
Friday is Auction day, also called "Hurry Up And Wait Day"! You hurry and get there, then wait until your species sells. We waited a l-o-n-g time for the piggies to sell! Must have been over 2 hours!!! Then the girls went through with their goats, then hurry back to get their chickens, then wait...in the hot sun! When they realized the beef was taking longer than they thought to sell, they moved them to the hog barn to be in the shade! I teased the girls that they and their chickens would be pre-roasted to sell!
Once it was all over, it just seemed like it went by TOO fast! I think it gets faster each year!
Then we added to the insanity of it all by trying to get ready to go camping for a family reunion this weekend! Suffice it to say that we made it (thanks to the help of "many hands make light the work"!), even if we did all get to the campsite at 11:00 p.m. Friday night! Yesterday was fun with sleeping in, eating, napping , canoeing for the girls, and more eating! I went for a hike this morning while it was cool, got lost a few times (only briefly--got on some side trails which were still neat!) and then nearly got bit by a BIG dog! So grateful for the Lord's protection!
We added some games and prizes to our family reunion--seems it's hard to get people to come. We're all soooo busy, and yet, we need these times of reconnecting with more distant relatives. My oldest is the secretary (I think it is a lifetime position!) and we came up with a few games, but we already have ideas for more for next year! We even typed in family reunion+games and came up with some good ones! Here's a few:
If you're going to do a reunion--you should have some great starts from these sites!
We actually stayed longer than usual (this reunion has disbanded by 3 p.m. before) with just the three-legged race and water ballons! The little kids got bubbles to play with, too, which was a good hit! We brought prizes for the youngest, oldest and who travelled the farthest! I hope more come next year--we even have some things up our sleeves for those who want to camp with us or at least come join us Saturday night as well for some games and singing around the campfire.
After all, if we make them memorable for the young generation coming up, they'll want to pass on those memories to their children, and their grandchildren, and on and on. Just like I want to pass them onto my children. My girls already said this made it way more fun! And it helped them get out there with their distant cousins, too! Of course there was the volleyball net and a game of kickball, too!
By the way, I think the Family Tree game will be a hoot next year! We have an eighty year old uncle who is really into genealogy, so this will be a great one for us to do! I'll let you know how it goes--maybe even post the pictures!
A glimpse into daily life that isn't so mundane in a relaxed homeschooling family of 11 (plus the dog, the goats, the rabbits, the chickens, the cats...)
I've lost 7 sizes
Too bad I couldn't pack some in my suitcase!
) but better health and better body balance. Where the inventor of the program remembers your name from a year and a half ago, is down to earth and really cares about you as a person. I'm not saying there's not nice people out there in the fitness world, but I truly believe Tappers are the bestest! 
No, really, because they were under 5!
Dallas now thinks it may be the head gasket that is the problem on our big van, which is obviously a more serious issue! We can't even get it in to be checked until next week---so we'll be playing ferry with the mini van until then! 
The sight of the stockade helped me keep my mouth shut!!!)
