Washing Cows

Emma and I finally attempted to wash Tina, our tamest heifer, without Chris being home with us. We went last night to pick up some much needed equipment (check out my Sullivan's aluminum cadillac show chute, Kim and Scott) from my friend, Janet Schoebein. Her daughter isn't showing this summer so they let us borrow whatever we needed! I also found out that commercial heifers do not have to be groomed at our county fair. Yea for me!!!! And yea for Chris because he doesn't have to spend money on grooming supplies! Here are some pictures of Emma washing and blowing out Tina. Enjoy and thanks for checking in!

The James Gang

Baseball and Cows

So far our summer has not been filled with swimming, but with baseball games and getting cows ready for the 4-H Fair. There haven't been very many days where it has been warm enough to swim, so we've filled our time with other activities. You can't help but laugh at Ella with her baseball helmet on. She asked me the first time she had to wear it, " Does this look silly on me?" and I commented, "Yes, now go play ball!" She has fun playing t-ball, but is more into the social aspect of it than anything else. Enjoy the pictures and thanks for checking in!

Chris, Karen and the girls

No Longer Amish!

Many of the teachers at school refer to me as the "Amish One". I have now been declared no longer Amish by my colleagues since I have gotten high-speed internet, dish tv, and now a digital camera! We're moving up in the world! I'll try to post more often - it doesn't take much when my average is once a year now! We appreciate any feedback you feel like dishing out to us - but please BE NICE! Thanks for taking the time to check!

The James Gang

EASTER, BRIDAL SHOWER & NASHVILLE by rc

Easter was a fun day this year with all the babies to be held!!! Uncle Ben said he had never held Colby so that is my first picture. He couldn't believe how light she was!!!

Great-Aunt Gail (GAG) holding Amelia (Christy's mom/Devin's mother-in-law, Debbie, is in the background holding a sleeping Sophia.) Amelia was not in a particularly good mood because of teething, but we did feel two bottom teeth that had come through!!

Colby asleep on Grandpa Cooper's lap before they left for home.

This was at Rachel's bridal shower in Mahomet (at the "moosedom" at Fran's -- her house is full of "mooses" and one room is the "blue bird room")!!!!! (Okay, Karen told me there is no such word as "mooses" but I think there should be!) Great-Aunt Stacy (GAS) holding Colby and Grandma Gail (aka GAG) holding Henry.

The many faces (mostly smiling) of Colby!!!

Mark and I went to Nashville right before Easter and went on a bus tour of the country music singers' homes.
This is Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's home.

Ronnie Dunn's home

Alan Jackson's home

The lane to Amy Grant's former home.

A fuzzy picture of Amy Grant's former home. I'm sure this is where she and Gary Chapman raised their Red Poll cattle!!!

Kix Brooks' home

Trace Adkins' truck

Trace Adkins' home

The rest of Trace Adkins' home!



Dolly Parton's home

Martina McBride's home

Martina McBride's home

TIME WITH THE GRANDDAUGHTERS by rc

Emma, Anna and Ella spent this past weekend with us while their parents spent Valentine's weekend away. The girls played school, we baked cookies, we watched movies and they spent time on the computer, learning how to go from one blog to another. Anna found these stickers and came upstairs to show us what she did with them!!!!


They also dressed up, well, Ella did, and we had to take a picture of her. This is her High School Musical dress that she got for her birthday, along with some jewelry that Grandpa picked up at a garage sale (I cleaned and disinfected it before letting the girls play with it, which will probably surprise my girls!). They love to try on the clip-on earrings and Ella is modeling hers. (She wanted the earrings off as soon as I was done taking her pictures -- I wonder if the ones they sell now feel any better on the ears than the old ones do?) Sorry Emma, no picture of you, I think you were on the computer!!!!



Last week, Great-Grandma Budke, Great-Aunt Dana and I headed south to visit Colby and Kelly. Colby didn't think much of the picture-taking, as you can see from the next picture! (She obviously doesn't take after her dad in that aspect, thinking back to the pictures of him wearing his college-day clothes that Kelly was trying to pitch!!!! Will never forget those pictures!)
She did wave "Hi" to me, though!!!
We got this reaction from her while we were talking about the election results!!!
She got a little crabby, so Aunt Dana laid her across her leg and Colby promptly fell asleep. No harm was done to her, "G-A-G" (that stands for Great-Aunt Gail)!!!


A couple weeks ago, Grandpa and I ventured up to Kori and Ben's to spend the weekend. We got to see Amelia, or "A.K." as Grandpa likes to call her, play in her new exersaucer (is that what they are really called?). She loves it and especially loves the yellow flower, but it's really hard to get a good picture of her with all the playthings attached. And she wants you to position her so she can still watch her Veggie Tales and Baby Einstein movies!! Notice that she was wearing her very favorite sleeper for her pictures!! What a happy little girl she is!





This next picture I find hysterical!!! Look at this little girl's eyebrows!! How can a person do that, I wonder?!?!?!? Kind of scary, I think!

Hope you people way up Nort' enjoy!!!! Can't wait to see you in a couple weeks!!!
Grandma Cooper