Fair and Pioneer Fun

making log cabins
brotherly and sisterly love

refer to caption above - the jury is still out on weather she is a friendly or hostile Indian

Does this beard make me look older ?
Ty and Ty

Isn't she ladylike?

Tian and Sam

Ty and Ty -pretty evenly matched

Trace learning to use the sling shot
Trace again

Tian at the fishing booth

Chinese Daniel Boone - no, no cowboy boots yet....

Tian loved the sheep until one nibbled on her shirt and then she was done with them

A VERY kind man allowed Tian to sit on his horse. He offered Trace a chance as well, but he wanted NOTHING to do with it.

Oh TJ we missed you! It is fair time and it just wasn't the same without your commentary :o)

It was just the local fair, but it was sad to not have you there. Tian and Trace had a great time wanted to eat everything, and of course, Tian was dying to get her face painted.(Closest thing to her dream tattoo I guess) The line was HUGE, so she missed out on that. We enjoyed the rodeo and Tian wants a horse in the worst way. Trace is totally committed to being a cowboy...ever see an Asian man in cowboy garb...

Ty and Trev nervously await the "scrambler"
Trace didn't like this at first either, but by the last time down he decided it was great

Tian loved everything

Tian's first carnival ride. We usually don't do rides ( sorry TJ), but got some tickets on sale...and figured we would go for it. ON this ride, the kids went up about 20 feet and at irregular intervals it would stop and start or "hop". We thought Tian would be scared, but she LOVED it laughing and talking the entire time

Trace enjoying the train ride...not sure why he hated it

When Tom first put him in it seemed like he was excited. We toured all the rides ( It's the Madison County Fair and there are probably only 12 rides :o) and he definitively chose this one. In fact, he was the first to ride a ride...obviously we are not going to Disneyland anytime soon...

Tianisms of the week : "Mom, if you comb your hair and put on sparklies and let Sister Barber hold you, then you will be pretty like me." I am flattered she thought I only needed that much help.

"I am prettier than, Jasmine, Mulan , Ariel and Sleeping Beauty."

"Dad, you need to pay attention to the directions more carefully." Anyone need any additional bosses at their house?!

"Mom, I am talking to you, please look at me when I am talking." I guess she has heard that more than once..

"We are going to the fair? That's funnest place on earth!!!" I think I see a commercial in her future

Fourth of July and a sandbox....

Those are the pieces to the tube slide - $20 on craigslist...wahoo!!!

Daisey loves the deck too...how did we live without it?!?

Ty and Ty

Ty and his good friend Ty agree to not knock each other over..at the end our Ty makes an amazing leap over the finish line...it just happened to be right in front of his friend Ty

Trev and Ty compete in the 3 legged race




We had fun at an old fashioned Fourth party complete with pie eating...gunny sack races, 3 legged races. Ty had way too much fun. Yes, that is me next to Ty in the black shirt

We also finished the sandbox...I thought it was for Tian and Trace though

WE survived the week....

I left for Girls camp June 24 - the hottest, most humid week of the year. Don't worry Tom arranged a unique way to prepare me for the heat...no a/c at home since the Thursday prior! By Tuesday even the basement was getting miserable due tot he humidity, then Tuesday evening there was a nasty storm, but with it came a cool wind. Albeit 40-60 mph, but that didn't stop us from opening every door and window in the house!! I had a great night's sleep and headed off for camp bright and early the next morning.
WE thought the week with no a/c was horrible, but the kids had a great time camping out int he basement. We would run up for food and then we ate downstairs and watched old movies. WE had been so busy and somehow when it is that hot it seemed hard to think, let alone to be motivated enough to get anything done.
Thank goodness for the cool off Tuesday night or I may not have gotten up the energy to pack for camp. I wasn't as prepared as I would have liked, but we all survived.
Tom and the kids had to endure one more day of heat and then we had a new a/c unit installed (yeah!!) Of course when I got home Saturday afternoon, the weather had cooled so I haven't even gotten to enjoy our new toy. I am sure I will - this is Iowa after all!

Trace timidly trying to be Spiderman at Trev's baseball game ...of course Tian has no fear and can climb like she really is Spiderwoman
Tian berry picking in the back yard

The little raccoon that the kids found....They got it in the cage and after a discussion with Trev ( he ( the raccoon) was acting odd- staggering, out during the day) I decided that Tom had to put him down....poor Tom I don't think he will ever stay home while I am at camp again . H lived, but a note of advice, when you have to kill a relatively large animal don't put it in the garbage can...

Proof that the deck is going

Tom had to endure a cereal stand off with Trace...Yes he is REALLY become quite opinionated and almost as strong willed as his sis ....I know I liked my easy going , compliant 2 year old better too, but it is so great to see him coming into his own