Jim and Lee Out For the Day!

Full Moon! (This would be Anna's pig's famous trip - laying down)

Ella's hand (literally) at photography.

Maddie always wants to be included. So far: no fights!

No, Anna, you cannot just stand there and watch your pig.

Now you got it!

We finally got the courage to let the pigs out of their pen, into the yard, to walk them. I have to say that I do much better with animals that are on leashes and you can pull them around! The girls named them Jim and Lee after Chris's bosses at Haycock's . I'm not sure how the bosses feel about this, but the pigs are adjusting to their new names quite well! Anna's pig has the disposition of Anna: it likes to walk around, gets very tired, and then lays down and is DONE! Where Emma's is just like her - on the GO! Here are some pics of us walking the pigs tonight. And doesn't Chris make a nice pig farmer although he keeps telling me he is NOT a pig farmer, but a cattleman!

Frances

In case you haven't heard, calving season has not been a breeze at the James Farm this year! First we pulled the calf, Guenther, who was very stupid and wouldn't eat and ended up dying after we put a bunch of work into him. Then there was Hazel, whose mother's udder was too big for her to milk off of. So she was forced unto Guenther's mother and is now doing great! Needless to say, her mother will be hauled to the sale barn in a few weeks. Lastly, Frances tried to calve on March 18 and we ended up pulling her dead calf which left her with her nerve damage and unable to stand for a week. We have been doing physical therapy with this cow for the past 10 days and she finally stood on her own tonight!!!

I know it has been August since I last blogged, but to be honest, I have been so busy with the new job at Midwest Central (which I'm really enjoying) and all 3 girls in school! I also have had trouble getting motivated since we lost Mom and I find that things that were so important to get done, are sometimes put off to the side because I don't have the emotional energy that I use to. I'm sure it will turn around someday! Blogging should be a priority because my sisters depend on this to watch my girls grow up so with the new year coming, I'm going to try to do more blogging! If it's like any of the diets that I try each year, don't count on more blogs:)

I'm going to start with some pics from Chris and my trip to Jamaica. We went before Christmas for a much needed rest and for time alone! Love the girls, but sometimes it is good to miss them:) Then, of course, the Christmas pictures - gotta love those!

Karen

Kitchen is Moving Right Along!

Randy's "homemade" cookies I made for them - right off the oven!

The bar area

this gives the true color of the cabinets and it has the crown molding on top

Needless to say, a kitchen remodel is the most trying on a family. Thank goodness for family who lives hours away and offers to take your kids when your pulling out cabinets and are without counters and a sink! The girls have spent the majority of the week with Aunt Kori in Indiana and during that time we've had our wood floors put in and the cabinets put in. Counters get measured tomorrow and hopefully will be fuctioning by the time we go back to school. So much for getting to enjoy it over the summer! I really couldn't be happier with how smooth everything has gone and I haven't hurt Chris yet, come close, but haven't done actual harm to him and probably won't since he says we can go and buy a new stove tonight!!!! For those of you who don't know, I've been using a Rankin original. My stove came from the farm house when dad moved. We figured it to be about 17-18 years old. I think I'm due for a new model! Happy shopping tonight!

Fair Time!!!!

Chris with Houdini who took reserve x-bred steer! Kelly, that's Neil Parr behind the steer. I'm behind Chris talking to him.

Emma very proud of her lavender ribbon!!! Mom and Dad were proud too!

Ella and the queen with Ella's princesses.

Waiting for the junior showmanship class

Natalia gave it a try!

The tongue sticking out must mean something!!!!

Anna was very determined!

Ella pulling hard!!! Her steering was a little off - she almost hit a post!

Finding his spot to lay down after placing 3rd

Gibby running in the show ring!

Flower Arrangement - 4-H A rating

Market Basket - 3rd

We spent the last week at the Mason County Fair in Havana. Emma took 2 steers, 1 barrow, vegetables, and flowers. The girls had a great time and met more people again this year. Chris and I were exhausted at the end of each day but got up and went at it again the next day. All in all, the girls had a great week. Emma did very well and gained more confidence in the show ring with her steers. She really seems to enjoy it and is becoming quite the showman. We still have some improvement in the swine dept. as her barrow, Gibby, ran around the ring the whole time and then laid down in the corner and wouldn't get up when his class was over. Ella made herself known to everybody. She was rarely at our spot in the barn, she was always somewhere else! She played with her princess figurines and made a ton of friends (mostly high school girls). Anna watched the pig scramble with intense fascination. She was studying up the techniques for catching a pig next year. She is determined to catch a pig next year! The girls and Chris are already talking about what they are going to do next year. As tiring as it is, I love it that they are excited about it and want to do it!