4-H Fair, with the emphasis on the "4-H"

To start off this post, I will explain the title and try to keep my "rant" short!  Our fair is all about the 4-H...it isn't about commercialism, making profits, the carnival or even really pleasing the typical fair-goer.  It is about the 4-H program and more importantly the 4-Hers.  Our fair is small, it is definitely a country fair and you aren't going to be impressed like you would be in the surrounding, bigger county fairs.  And...that's the way we like it.  It is intentionally kept small and about the 4-H program.  I wouldn't have my kids in any other fair around because of this fact.  I'm proud of it and always have been.  It may not be for you and you may not even appreciate visiting it thinking that it is too small and "hick-ish" but it isn't about you anyway...it's about the 4-Hers participating within it.  There is no admission fee to get in (other than parking if you park on the fair grounds...and that money goes to the 4-H clubs that man the parking stand...not the overall fair).  Of course the carnival isn't huge...our fair does not make huge profits because of admission fees, hence they cannot afford to bring in huge carnivals and top name entertainment.  So, if you don't like the small town fair...don't come.  It is affordable for the family, the food is great, the 4-H program is strong and it's about the kids participating.  As I observed my kids this year making new friends, exploring the projects and helping one another...I reflected on my own time growing up at this fair.  Wouldn't trade those memories for the world and again was reminded of how proud I am of our small town fair and 4-H program, where it honestly is about the kids, not all of the other "stuff". 

Okay...rant is done.  Now for a few pictures.  The day of the sheep show, we had a horrid storm blow through...in face it hit hard and fast as Brock and I were washing a lamb.  Brock is very fearful of storms and I was so worried that this would set him off and the rest of the day would be shot. But he handled it so incredibly well and I couldn't have been prouder of him!

 Here's Brock ready to show his lambs!

Kiara enjoyed watching Brock show at the gates to the arena.  This is also the gate that he would exit with the lamb after his class, so she would wait for him and then help open the gate.

Here he is showing "Hampy" our favorite lamb.

At the end of a very hot show day.  91 was what the temps said and it definitely felt it.  He was exhausted, but still smiling as he came out of the ring the last time.

Kiara liked to put herself in the sheep stand...silly girl.  Here she is with cousin, Cailey and Grandma watching behind her.

Love this picture of her...she is such a farmgirl and LOVED being at the fair!

Battle of the Townships.  On Thursday evening, they had a fun and games time where the clubs competed against each other.  Our township...well, we didn't fair so well in the contest, but they had a lot of fun.  Here's Brock eating from the "goodie bag".

Grant racing the frisbee back in his part of the relay.

Kiara made some new friends this year.  There was a family of girls with goats right by us for the week and Kiara fell in love with those girls AND the goats.  Here she is walking a goat with her new friend Lilly.

End of the fair clean up is never fun, but necessary.  Sad to see the fair end, yet happy to get back to a routine and not be dirty all day long!

LOVE this picture of my and the kiddos!  Definitely going to be in a frame on my desk.  Couldn't be prouder of all three of them after a great fair week together!

So long for another year, 4-H fair!

Lead Up to the Marshall County 4-H Fair

Hard to believe, but another year of 4-H has come and gone for us.  We spend hours and hours preparing for it and then it seems to be over in a flash! Here are some pics of the boys projects and preparation for show day for sheep.  This is Grant's 2nd year in Mini 4-H and he can't wait to be in the real thing next year.  His first project was collections and he entered a coin collection.

His next entry was in crafts, in which he did a seed pictures.  He made a barn out of some seed, some of which were dyed with food coloring for the red.

Brock took Shooting Sports: Air Rifel specialty this year.  He had a lot of fun learning how to load, shoot and all of the firing positions for it, as well as safety tips.  He then did this poster of what he learned for display at the fair. (Blue ribbon, honor group)

Brock also did his 3rd year of Farm Toy Scenery.  He did a great job with this project.  There are very specific guidelines they must follow and he did this pretty much on his own this year and was so happy to finally be able to have hay baling in it this year! (his favorite farm activity) (blue ribbon)

The week before the fair the boys were in the front yard and found a bunch of 4 leaf cloves...we thought it was a appropriate since that is the symbol for 4-H!

Dad and Grant setting up the pens down at the fair for the sheep.  Hanging up a fan to blow on them so they wouldn't overheat.

Show Day:  Grant blow drying one of the lambs after we washed it. 

Brock, shearing a lamb after we washed and used the blow dryer on it.

Got out of order a bit...but this is how we spent a lot of our mornings and evenings...walking the lambs for exercise for the fair.  It also helps them learn how to walk with a halter at the beginning of the process instead of pulling on them ourselves!  By the end, they walk right out to it and step up waiting to be tied on!  They seem to enjoy it!

Air rifle practice.  It was hard to get good pictures because the kids all stood in a row, but here he is in the standing position, shooting at the target.

More to come of fair week...this is just the preview.  We are so proud of the kiddos and how well they did on their projects and how they grew as individuals in their work ethic and responsibility.  Proud 4-H Mama here!

Life in a Bubble

Creator Camp (our form of VBS at our church)...sounds like a great time, right?  Well it was, don't get me wrong.  Lives were changed, God's love was proclaimed and kids learned about their Creator and all He created for us and in us...but there was some added excitement to the week as well.  It was a 3 day camp.  On the second day of the camp there was a bit of left-over time in one of the sessions Grant was in and they were playing Simon Says.  Grant fell off of a chair backwards and landed on his arm (pulled behind him, not catching himself).  They gave him ice, gave me a text to let me know but thought it was no big deal.  When I got there to do the music portion with the little ones, one look at Grant and my instincts told me this might be a big deal.  He is not one to complain or baby himself and he was pretty white-faced.  We came home and he just lay down on the couch with ice and didn't move for over an hour. I decided we were going to urgent care.  He just wasn't right.  Well, after some x-rays and bravery of them pulling and pushing on it...yep...broken wrist!  Here he is after the initial wrap job that night.  We had to see an orthopedic surgeon to see if we would get surgery or a cast, but this is how he spent the next 18 hours or so.

Thankfully after seeing the surgeon, he just needed a cast.  Of course he picked the color orange and it is bright!  He wears it for 4 weeks (9 more days if you are counting down with us) and then they will re-do the xrays to see if it is better or if they need to re-cast it.  We are praying for no cast after the 22nd so we can swim all day every day for the rest of the summer! HA!

After getting the cast, Grant became Mr. Popular back at Creator Camp and later that night at his baseball game (where he currently serves as bat boy).  Everyone wanted to see it, hear the story and of course sign the cast.  Big brother was the first to sign it though!

It was pretty cool to have all of the attention at first, but now it is getting itchy, smelly and inconveniencing his life and he's not quite as fond of it!  He was really careful at first to not get it dirty...now, not so much.  He is all boy and just wants to do everything as normal...we are using a tad bit of colgne on it!

Oh...and the reason for the title?  My cousin, after hearing about Grant's arm, along with 2 or 3 other cousins with 9 year olds that had teeth broken or other injuries all within a week of Grant's...he told me he was keeping HIS 9 year old in a bubble for the weekend to potect him from the 9 year old family curse of injury.  I told him that you couldn't get much more of a bubble than attending your church's Bible School and it still happened...so....living in a bubble?  Nah...won't help anyway!