County Fair Time

For the last five years, Sam has been entering artwork in the county fair. Dellen joined in on the fun the last few years also. Previously, we'd always entered items in about every division there was. This year's experience was a bit different and we found it all we could do to finish the below pictured paper mache Viking helmets (started earlier in the summer), round up artwork from the school year, and add a few pieces that were made the week of the fair.



I really want to encourage a love of art and self expression in my boys. Unfortunately, as I get older it is getting more difficult for me to enjoy the process of doing that with them. One on one, not to bad; both together, I'm sure I make the process not very fun for them. And all the while, I think of my beloved friend Sheryl, as she teaches art classes with 35 students to all the K - 6th grades! You are amazing Sheryl!

Never the less, once we have things at the fair, we realize how worth it the process was. Sam has long loved to draw, and now this year Dellen is showing a keen interest. If we wouldn't have sat down to work on the specified objects, I don't think we would have seen Dellen's abilities.

Below, are all the entries the boys had. They each earned several ribbons and prize money. Sam entered some photography from our camping trip and won two blue ribbons, which he was ecstatic about. I'm trying to remind him now that we do it for the love of art, not the prizes. Dellen was excited with any color ribbon, and so his 3rd, 5th and 6ths were fine for him.




We always attend the opening night of the fair when the carnival has family priced tickets. It has been a tradition to go with Papa and Mema. We're all eating funnel cakes in this picture. Unbelievably, Mema had never had one before. She's hooked now.It was a very fun evening once again. We were so fortunate as well, to experience a cooler evening in the week!

Papa Can Drive!

Yeah - Papa can drive again! We celebrated this major victory a week ago, by surprising Papa with a decorated cake in his honor. Poor Papa had spent the last eleven weeks in a cast, and now a huge foot boot after having bones in his ankle fused together at the end of May. I must say that I have been so impressed with how he and Mema have handled this inconvenience. We are so very happy that you are healing and resuming your life.

Summer Travels - A Baby Shower

Here are some pictures taken the day of the baby shower. Here are two of my sisters, Whitney and Alicia.
Grandma

Grandma

Aunt Lori

Corwin's four generations picture - maternal side.

Corwin's four generations picture - paternal side.

Summer Travels - Our Nephew

My youngest sister, Whitney, had her first baby in June. His name is Corwin Wyatt and what a precious joy to meet him in July. Corwin with his daddy Daniel.

We barbecued at their house one night and my boys were smitten with their newest cousin. Corwin marks the sixth grandchild on this side...and they are all boys!

Summer Travels - Grandpa and Grandma's House

We kicked off our trip to Colorado with a visit to Grandpa and Grandma's house. Within minutes of our arrival, a little garden snake was found! Let the excitement begin already. Boy were we glad to be there - finally!

The boys couldn't wait to play on the jungle gym out back. When Sam was littlier, he would call this grandma and grandpa the ones with the park in the back. He was so excited to finally be able to go across the bars! He couldn't do that even the week before (he'd only been home less than a week since his grandma and grandpa week out there).

Dellen was quite the monkey too!

Playing with cousins a couple of days later.

Sam put in a lot of basketball time outside with their hoop. I think I may have a star on my hands. I tried to play a few times...I'm definitely not a basketball star. Grandma and Grandpa took their turns too! They looked a lot - and I mean a lot better than this mom here; they must have been basketball stars.

Feeding Pepper and Nickers on the last night there. Dellen was even petting Pepper by the time we left.

Their yard is beautiful. And the weather was gorgeous as well. What fun to have escaped the Oklahoma summer heat for a while! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma! We enjoyed our time with you guys immensely and miss you even more!

Pride and Prejudice

It will come as no surprise that I am a romantic idealist! I love to read and immerse myself into 18th and 19th century literature, and would love to transport myself into the architectural framework of that period. Was I born in the wrong century and on the wrong continent...probably not. (Okay, I know not, as I firmly believe that God created me for this time and purpose, but go with me anyway.) The reason for the "probably not" is my family roots would not go back to the aristocracy of that period. I would instead be a servant to them. And as a result, I don't think the experience would be quite the same for me. I also enjoy many more freedoms than the women of those days do. And so, I will remain and indulge my fancy through novels and the like.

I've watched Pride and Prejudice so many times that I literally had to put it away on a shelf last year and not allow myself to watch it one more time. I promised myself that I could get it back out this Fall - in October to be exact. And by that time, it will have been about a year since I indulged.

There are crisp autumn days that mimic the proposal scene weather in the BBC's mini series version of P & P. That day, when it feels like it is exactly the type of weather that they filmed the scene in (it was an actual October day), and what Jane Austen most likely envisioned as she wrote about Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet, and the moment where their feelings for one another were on the same level at the same time. Aah, I'll know that day.

Anyhow, lest you think I am rambling, I'll get to the point of this blog entry. I was in the car nine hours yesterday going to and from a meeting I had in Newton, KS. I do a lot of thinking during those times...and a lot of singing, in which you may find me typing some lyrics of my favorite Indigo Girls' songs. I started dreaming about my October P & P marathon day. I secretly am planning on watching all five hours in one sitting while Sam is at school and Dellen and Daddy are out doing who knows what. Not sure if that will happen but I'll be working on it.

In the meantime, I thought about my favorite paragraph in the book and wanted to post it here. Found in Chapter 60 of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is writing to her beloved Aunt, Mrs. Gardiner.

"I would have thanked you before, my dear aunt, as I ought to have done, for your long, kind, satisfactory, detail of particulars; but to say the truth, I was too cross to write. You supposed more than really existed. But now suppose as much as you choose; give a loose rein to your fancy, indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford, and unless you believe me actually married, you cannot greatly err. You must write again very soon, and praise him a great deal more than you did in your last. I thank you, again and again, for not going to the Lakes. How could I be so silly as to wish it! Your idea of the ponies is delightful. We will go round the Park every day. I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh. Mr. Darcy sends you all the love in the world that he can spare from me. You are all to come to Pemberley at Christmas. Yours, etc."

First Grade Begins

Sam started first grade today. While it was easier than starting Kindergarten, it was still a process to go through. And I realize, that small twinge in my stomach will probably be present the morning he drives off to start his senior year in high school. For me, the twinge represents the realization of how fast it is all going. Too fast.

It was a great day though. I was expecting Sam to burst into the front door demanding a snack and being tired and exhausted. Quite the opposite. He came in joyfully and with a smile on his face. He mentioned several kids he was playing with today (all older than his class, so I assume that recess is combined now that he is in the elementary building). His only concern was that he had already forgotten to bring home his memory homework. I drove back up to the school, and this evening, we're not enjoying learning a sweet little poem about a munching butterfly. He says he'll get up early in the morning and memorize it before school. ...okay...Russ...those are your genes talking!

We love his teacher, Mrs. Flaming, and have long anticipated having her for first grade. So, let the year begin!

Meanwhile, Dellen will be a little out of sorts this year. All his best buddies/morning play date friends (well, two friends, Karson and Miriam) started preschool this morning. They make the September 1 birthday cutoff. I am so thankful for my November birthday boys, but these are the hard moments for them. Dellen enjoyed some time with Daddy at work today though and spent several hours visiting and having lunch with Mema and Papa at the nursing home. He hung out there without his parents and played in the sand. There was a beach/picnic theme for the residents today, and Mema thought Dellen would enjoy it. He certainly did and I believe the residents enjoyed him as well.

A Layout of the Land

Sit back and enjoy the scenery without the hours in the car. Twelve hours to get to Denver on day one. Then about nine from Colorado Springs to Kansas City later on in the trip. It was about eight hours coming home from Kansas City. I thank God for safe travels and cooler weather.

Western Oklahoma just north of Taloga. I like the curves in the road over these hills. I birth this brilliant idea to stop and take pictures of my drive's scenery. ...By Western Kansas, I am taking pictures from inside the car.

Western Oklahoma windfarm north of Woodward.

I've always loved this half of a red rock canyon west of Ashland, KS. It was rainy here, and I about caused a major accident to stop and take this picture. Praising God for our safety and ready to stop in an hour and have lunch with my sister Heather in Dodge City.

Western Kansas.

Western Kansas nearing I-70. The sights of these clouds gave me clue to turn off my CD and start finding a radio station to listen to in Western Kansas.

Western Kansas nearing I-70. I was particularly thankful to be on Hwy 23 and not over west a little ways on 83 as the storms were pretty intense near Oakley. I was blessed in my travels this day. The boys and I stopped and hung out in Colby at a McDonalds for 40 minutes after hearing on the radio to get off I-70 between Colby and Goodland. That was exactly where we were, and I zipped off at that exit even though both boys were sleeping in the back. Mom Boger and I were on the phone a lot during the afternoon and she was following on the internet the storm systems. I had another one to wait on. I missed everything, but saw hail piled up in the ditches that looked like snow drifts. Near Burlington, CO, there were multiple vehicles on either side of the interstate with their windshields busted out!
I forgot to crop this photo, but it is a welded cut out of a Native American chief on his war horse on Hwy 86 in Colorado. I am an hour away at this point. It is a beautiful evening and we are ready to arrive at Grandpa and Grandma Boger's.
Coming into Elbert and Douglas Counties on the Front Range of Colorado. I particularly love this part of the drive.

Front Range Colorado Rockies; view from Denver.

Views from Pike National Forest near wear we camped.
Pikes Peak. I could live with this view in an instant! This picture was taken in Woodland Park. Growing up in Colorado Springs, earned Pikes Peak a special place in my heart .

I also love the cotton candy clouds found in Colorado. And that gorgeous blue sky!

Eastern Colorado.

The Flint Hills of Central to Eastern Kansas.


Kansas City skyline.