Monday, August 27, 2012

Back to School!

I don't ever like my kids to be in school because I like them with me! BUT this year...with the new baby it actually is kinda exciting. My two kiddos started school Aug 16th.  MUCH too early in my opinion. BUT they looked so darn cute!  Nervous tummies were very evident in both kids and maybe mine as I took them to school to find their class.  Livvy has Mrs. Lee for 2nd grade.  Cohen has Mrs. Moulton for Kindergarten.  It is going to be a great year!



By the time Cohen and I got to school he was less nervous.  He was quite happy to be rid of me.  He got seated next to another cute red haired beauty!  To our surprise Camryn, my niece, was there in class helping out.  She went right to work reading Cohen a book.  I stood there for a few minutes watching them and then realized I was sadly out of place.  So I sneaked out.  Oh my Cohen is growing up.  When he came home he kept saying, "I wonder what I am going to learn tomorrow!?"  He will do great in school.


Camryn said Cohen was quite a funny guy in class but ALWAYS raises his had.  Apparently he just raises his hand A LOT! 
One thing that Cohen kept saying over and over was that he hoped Hayden would be in his class.  And she was!!!  These two are cute little buddies!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Mason Blessing

I LOOOOVE him!!!  We blessed Mason on Sunday, August 12, 2012.  What a specail day. His daddy blessed him.  Scott, Grandpa, Jaren, Jeremy R, Taylor and the bishopric stood in the circle. Mason was just over 3 months old. Grandma Bates gave me the knitted blanket that Mase is on.  My Aunt Bev made it for me.  Love it.  All my boys got to use it.


I was so happy that some of my sisters could come down for the weekend.  Benita, Lisa and Holly came.  It was soo good to see them, and of course, cheers to cousins!!!





And you KNOW that Jeremy made yummy food.

Jeremy is freaking handsome.  I love this picture.  When all my family left and the house was lonely, Jeremy scooped us up and we went on a ride up the mountain to see MANY animals, including deer, squirrels, and wild turkey's.  It was so much fun. 


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Junior Rodeo!


Go Cohen and Maxon!!  Thats what we were all shouting as Maxon and Cohen were about to go Mutton Bustin'.  But they weren't going to have it.  Both Cohen and Maxon opted to be safe on their feet rather than ride.  So they got lifted out of the shoot.  I really can't blame them one bit.
Olivia, on the other hand, was determined to ride the calf as she is too old to ride sheep anymore.  I was nervous about it, but Jeremy said it was up to her.  I was a wreck!  I decided to get up close to take a picture.  I don't know if that was a good thing, but I was pacing back and forth behind her shoot/cage whatever you call it and was getting sicker by the second.  Some cowboy was telling his son how to ride and I was intently listening, trying to repeat the same words to Olivia.  I kept trying to talk her out of it.  I literally was going to throw up.  First, I thought she could hold onto the calf.  Nope.  She had to hold a rope with one had and the other hand had to be in the air. Then she had to basically hold on with her thighs.  I frantically was looking for some special glove that Livvy was supposed to wear.  MAN I was UNAWARE of what this all entailed.  Before I knew it she was up.  She mentioned earlier in the afternoon that if Justin was one of the cowboys out there she knew she would be safe so - Justin of course went out for her.




I almost died, or at least felt like it as she came out of the shoot. She fell off fast and she was mad she couldn't stay on longer, but just look at her face.  All those cowboy dads came up to her and told her how brave she was to even do it.  They just kept telling her to smile -true cowgirl style.  She didn't disappoint.  And you know what I told her?  To cry.  And I picked her up and walked out.  I won't let her do that again! (but I think she agrees.)  Sometimes Livvy wants to be so tough, but she really is just a tender-hearted little girl.

She feel asleep almost instantly when we left.  I carried her inside, dirty and worn out. She is a special girl.  She worked very hard all summer and lived up to every responsibility.  I am beyond proud of her. 

Here is the video:


Monday, August 20, 2012

Anyone want a PIG??

 Lisa and some of her kids made it down on Saturday for the sale of the pigs.  It's so fun to play with cousins!

 Justin, Jeremy and Olivia washed the pig clean to get ready to sell.  I personally don't think Jeremy got dirty enough! 




 Livvy walked her pig in the arena and she looked so darn cute! She did such an awesome job!!  It sold for $5.25/lb to her Grandpa!!!  Market this year for pigs is $.65/lb.  She talked and talked about how her Grandpa bought it.  Thank you!! Olivia also had a donation on top of her pig for another $150 from an independent Aflac rep to support her in 4H.  It has been an amazing adventure for Olivia.
 Coy fell asleep in his blue chair for HOURS!  The fair tired him out but not Cohen!  Cohen is our engergizer bunny that keeps going.  Again, I missed pictures of his cute face because he was playing.  The only time I saw him was when he came to me asking for more money...or Grandpa for money...or Grandma...Kristi... anyone??

One of my YW, Megan Grover, Rodeo princess holding a grumpy Mason.  I sure do love all my Rodeo YW! 

The Fair - Day 1

 This is the poster Livvy made for the fair.   Ok, I might have helped.
 Pig judging is when the judges judge how "good" your pig is.  It is a mystery to me as to what, how or why they choose how they do.  Livvy's pig was the second to be eliminated and she was NOT happy. 

 McCoy and Mason were so awesome.  Livvy's biggest fans.  Cohen was showing his support at the bounce houses.


 Dillon and Camryn showing off their Steers.
Oh where, oh where could those little boys have gone?  Ah, at Grandmas house all playing Ipads.  Happy Birthday to Maxon!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

4H Pigs

What do you do when your daughter loves pigs and you don't quite feel the same way?  Well... you learn to love them too.  I do.  I love them for her and I love to spend this time with her.  

It is always nice when pig season comes to a close. This year has been especially difficult for me because of the new baby.  I was leaning on not doing a pig this year.  Aunt Kristi and Grandma came to the rescue.  Every morning they picked up Livvy at 6:30 or 7:30 in the morning to walk and feed pigs.  They were amazing and I can't thank them enough.  Livvy had so much fun walking them with the cousins.  It was not a chore to wake her up because she shot out of bed the moment she caught wind it was morning.  She waited patiently outside for them to pull up.  On the occasion where we forgot, she was pretty angry at us.  Livvy is a hard worker and knew what to do.


This year all the cousins named their pigs after soda pop.  Livvy's pig was a girl named Ruby Red Squirt.  She started weight at 136 and ending weight was 239.  These were a funny group of pigs, much more friendly than last year.  AND a bit more lazy according to Livvy.  We went out to take pictures for 4H so we could put them on her poster.  I got some of all the cute kids and with Cam and her Steer. Livvy did 4 hours of community service.  Painting fences and hauling hay.  She thought the hay one was the hardest thing she ever did.  She had to throw the hay up on a truck and run and jump on as it was slowly moving.  She was telling me about it and I kind of have a hard time imagining she picked up hay.  :)