Farm and Fair

The Journey concert was a lot of fun last night. Our tickets were for open seating on the lawn. This was a fun spot until the skies opened up and poured. 

The concert finally restarted at ten o'clock last night after we waited patiently in our car for severe weather to move through the Cincinnati area. When Journey finally took the stage, heat, cold, wind and rain could not diminish the pleasure on the face of our rock and roll loving nine year old son. 

See?

After a very late night last night, we got a late start today but headed to the farm today to get a little work done. 

Topping the list was canning enough beans today to bring the total for the year to eighty pints. 

While I worked in the kitchen, the rest of the gang dug potatoes. We got about two five gallon buckets full. Not as many as we hoped, but a good crop considering our lack of timely care for an attention loving plant. 

And this is what you get when you tell type A kids to spread the potatoes out on a piece of cardboard. 

Potatoes in perfectly straight rows. 

Then it was time for birthday cakes. But alas no one wanted cake this year. Instead we enjoyed birthday pies....pecan for john and chocolate for Emily. 

Then off for another night of fun at the county fair. 

And even though we had already enjoyed pie, what would a fair be without a funnel cake?

Whew!  After so much fun and a lot of junk food, I'm ready for a nap!!

A Birthday Journey

I remember the day you were born. What a special feeling when the nurse placed you in my OPEN ARMS for the first time. 

I remember LOVIN', TOUCHIN', SQUEEZIN' your sweet baby faces. 

We spent the past seventeen years FAITHFULLY preparing you to be independent successful individuals. 

We have taught you some valuable lessons along the way. Things like DONT STOP BELIEVING in yourself and to always BE GOOD TO YOURSELF. 

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS you will soon head off in SEPARATE WAYS. 

On your special day, I want to say we llove you today JUST THE SAME WAY as when we first saw you. Your MOTHER (and) FATHER are proud of you. 

Today is your birthday. You could celebrate it ANY WAY YOU WANT IT.  But you  spent today with your family on an amazing JOURNEY. 

I hope you enjoy the concert!

Ummm, yeah. I'm that cheesy. We are in Cincinnati waiting on Journey to perform tonight. 

We brought the whole family. 

Grace and Grant sought refuge in the shade. 

Can't say that I blame them. 

Happy birthday guys!  Love you!!

Rutledge Falls

While camping in Tennessee, we made a trip to see Rutledge Falls.

After winding our way a few miles outside of Manchester

we proceeded past this barn

and through some very gracious landowners' private property

before arriving at our destination

The trail was well worn though somewhat primitive.

It's a very pretty fall located on private property.  The owners are gracious enough to open their treasure for public use.  And it does get used. 

 

Many people visit the falls to explore and wade

 

For those that don't mind the chilly water temperatures, it is a great place to swim with a new friend.

 

Some like to climb the smaller water falls

A few brave souls climb the bigger falls.

And what does one do when they have climbed the water fall?

  

Jump, of course.

 

  

 SPLASH!!!

  

And a good time was had by all.

That's all folks!!

Fun Stuff - Farm Stuff - Stinky Stuff

Stuff I stole from David's camera....

proof of that little saying about boys and their toys

One of the pastures he recently mowed.  I love this time of year when fields are mowed!

Still waiting on doors to be finished on machine shed

 

 And someone made a new friend at the farm!!

The little guy looks pretty unhappy.

Not sure I would have gotten close enough to take this picture.

Summer Trip

This past Thursday we left town and headed to Manchester, Tennessee, for a few days of fun.

We kamped in a KOA kampground that we visited two years ago.

It is a fun place with lots of things for the kids to do.

Here's a view of a few things we enjoyed over the weekend.

 

Ummm, I know I need to lose weight....but that is NOT ME in the yellow shirt.  

Just sayin'.

 One of the highlights for the kids was eating at a 'real' 50s burger joint in Manchester.  

The food was great.  The prices were low.  The restaurant was more toy museum than dining room.

 It was a lot of fun.

In addition to feeding our kids, we fed some wildlife while camping.

 This little guy was well fed and knew his way around the campground pretty well.

He knew the routine.

Act cute.  Don't get too close.  People will throw him food.

Speaking of wildlife and food...

Upon our return home Sunday afternoon, I headed to the farm with John and Emily to check on the garden.  We picked a gallon of blackberries and almost four gallons of green beans.

 

How does that relate to feeding wildlife?

We are in a raging battle with the coons for our corn this year.  We have lost more times than we've won the past few years.  I'm hoping this year we can outsmart the little pests and enjoy some home grown corn!!

I'm headed back to the farm tomorrow to can them.  I'm guessing there will be even more to pick.

Fun.

Well, sort of fun.

What Were We Thinking?!

Grace's hamster died last week. I secretly marveled that he made it more than two years. My next thought (though not very nice) was a wish that Grant's hamster would cross over to hamster heaven soon. His hamster is in rough shape....no teeth, can't see, no hair and wrinkled like a Shar-Pei puppy. I would have put all my money on Squeak dying before Shirley. (That's why I'm not a betting person.)  Squeak is still hanging in there. And so after a few days grieving, Grace decided she wanted a new hamster. 

We didn't buy her a new hamster. We bought Grace and Grant two new hamsters. We now have three of the little rodents. This will guarantee Grant's first hamster, Squeak, a long and healthy life. Seeing as how I'm betting on his poor health. 

So the zoo lost one member and gained two. 

Meet Jeff and Jessie.  Our cage climbing hamsters. 

I forgot just how crazy baby hamsters can be. 

And the names?  

Grace and Grant love a physical fitness contest called America Ninja Warrior. So they've named their hamsters after their two favorite contestants on the show. 

And speaking of what were we thinking...

Our new drummer is enjoying his new drum set. 

He's preparing his awesome moves for his future as a famous drummer. 

Yeah. Whatever.