This last week...

We had the opportunity to go to the County Fair this week.  Everything seems to shut down around town when the fair is going on.  Almost all the friend's kids are in 4-H and have some part in the fair, so we decided to go see what it was all about.  I remember going to the Tulsa State Fair once.  It was HUGE to me and a lot of fun.  I will always remember funnel cakes and rides.  Well, this was no different because there were funnel cakes and rides.  We were told that the best day to go was Thursday because the ticket bands for the rides were cheaper and we knew that the kids' friends were going to be there with their livestock and so we decided to go on Thursday.  It was fun because I think 1/2 the people there were from our ward and it was a lot of fun.  Every ride spun and Calvin was done after 1 hour, but Dallen and Ashton were determined to go all 3 hours it was open.  Scott and I walked around the fair.  It was fun because we actually knew people who had entered their stuff.  We were looking at people who had entered their vegetables and I was talking about our friend who had grown this gorgeous white pumpkin that I had never seen before and I looked over and said, "like this one!".  Scott looked at the tag, and it was our friend's pumpkin!  We were so excited for him because it won 1st place and best of show ribbons.  He had other vegetables (onions and cabbage) that also won 1st place in their categories.  They had an ugliest cake contest and lots of different art.  Heck, it made be want to enter something!  It was fun to look at.  Scott and I got a funnel cake and it was a really good night.

We left the fair and headed home, about a 1/2 hour drive.  Dallen's friend came with us and we were almost to Calvin's work to pick up his car when..."bluck..."  Dallen threw up in the car!  He gave us no warning!  Luckily we were just pulling into Calvin's work, so I had him open the door to the restaurant so we could get paper towels and water to clean it up enough to get home (we still had 10 minutes in the car!)  As we were cleaning up, Ashton starts throwing up in the parking lot.  Luckily I didn't have to clean that up, too!  Scott and I decided we got our money's worth out of that night because they rode rides for 3 hours and then threw up which meant they used every ounce of fun for the night that they could and they will probably never want to do that again.

Dallen took Shauna out for a couple rides this week.  He really loves having the availability to ride her.  Cody Hancock came over and is going to help us get the fence up.  He said, "oh yah, this is no big deal.  We'll have it up in 2 days"...I think it would take us more like 2 weeks without his help!  Anyway, here are a couple pictures of him with Shauna...

Dallen with Shauna (and Shep) getting her ready to ride

Going on a trot around the yard (second time out for a ride)

This was a couple days after he had gotten her.  She did awesome on her first ride out.  Dallen's friend, Calvin, riding his horse, Flash.  Flash and Shauna have been "speaking" to each other across the road and they did awesome riding together.  Shauna did give Flash a little kick to warn her not to get too close, but other than that, they did great.  Dallen is so happy he can ride with his friends.  They like to go often.

The rest of us are doing good.  Ashton and Calvin have taken up drawing.  They are really good and it's exciting to see.  I will post pictures of Calvin's drawings (Ashton's too embarrassed right now).  He has to bring them home from school.    

Our Collection of Animals!

This post is mostly for our records and for Jenette and Craig ;)  I was talking with Jenette about all our animals that we seem to have and that I couldn't believe we are getting a horse.  But, knowing me, I am not surprised and actually, it all makes me SO happy.  Scott just smiles at me because I dance around when I talk about my animals (ok, not really, but close!).  Jenette mentioned, too, that she and Craig thought I needed to do a post about all our animals and take pictures all in one post.  I love, especially, that I have a couple sons that love them just as much as I do.  Dallen, though, has taken it one step further and any money he might get goes toward an animal.  So, all but Shep, the cats, and the chickens (although Dallen claims the cats and chickens are his, too, but knows Shep is mine and Alec's baby), Dallen owns all the rest of the animals at our house!

Our un-named rabbit

Angel

Shep

Copper and Hooch

The chickens...now currently laying eggs!!!!!

The Turtle in his new home

Dallen's fish (Blue Gill he caught at the lake and a sucker fish)

the hamster

Swannee, the Gerbil

Shauna, Dallen's latest purchase (with her fly mask on)

Last night he was able to finally purchase Shauna, his horse.  She is actually in the next door neighbor's corral because we have a friend that is taking down his old fencing and putting up new and wanted to know if we wanted it (tithing really works!!!) and so we are patiently waiting until all that happens.  It is the County Fair this week and so it won't be happening for at least a week.  Our neighbor, Marcie, is a friend who I met because I visit teach her.  I also have helped her out with her kids (Carson - 8 and Dylan - 2).  Dallen had noticed that Marcie had a corral and fenced area for horses or cattle and so he was brave and asked Carson what the deal was with that and it used to be his dad's and now that they are divorced, it doesn't get used. So, then I asked Marcie (Dallen was too scared) if we could possible house her there until our fence got done and she was happy to do it.  So, last night we brought her over in between rain storms and she was CRYING!!!  It was so sad and she was wailing so loud.  My heart was breaking and Toni, whom we bought her from, had to leave quickly because it was tearing her heart out.  She is as tender about her animals as Dallen is.  He purchased her for $200.00.  She is 19 years old and perfect for a first time, recreational rider.  She has a fun personality (loves to dunk her head in water when she is getting a drink!) and make faces when she gets the mosquito spray put on her.  Toni bought her first horse at Dallen's age for $200.00 and thought it was fair.  She also had an extra saddle that is perfect for him and sold that to him for $80.00.  He worked and saved since last October and earned over $350.  He bought a horse, saddle (and all the tack), and boots.  It is SO cute to me!  Anyway, I will have to take a picture of him on her, but he wants to wait a week to ride her because Toni said it takes about that long until she stops crying and is doing good.  Shauna is doing really good today and Dallen has gone over to visit her three times today and fed her and talked with her.  She was "talking" to the horses across the street (Flash and Duke) and making friends already.  The fun thing is that those are Dallen's friend's horses and so she will most likely be riding along with them.  She has a sore eye right now (not shown, but has a patch on the other eye) because one of the colts she lived with in Toni's pasture accidentally kicked her in the eye as he was playing around.  So, she has to wear this patch for about 4-6 weeks and we have to check it weekly to make sure it's not getting any worse, but Toni thinks she should heal fine and so does the vet, so we'll just keep our eye (no pun intended) on her.  Anyway, those are our animals while we are here in Taylor Arizona.

Birthdays!

We have recently had a few birthdays and I need to mention them!!!

Scott and Alec had their birthdays (August 26th).  This is the first time in 19 years that Scott has had the day to himself.  We missed blowing out of two sets of candles (Scott's and Alec's), but we did it in spirit :).  All Scott wanted for his day was lasagna for dinner and homemade lemon-meringue pie (which I haven't made for years because I never feel I get the meringue just right).  I got a banana cream pie, too just because Ashton and I don't care for lemon-meringue.  Here is the pie(s) and Scott on his 42nd birthday

Alec, for his birthday, well...I'm not sure what he did all day.  He never said (typical Alec), but we had a Sister in his ward (the Bishop's wife) who was just called as Ward Missionary and assigned to make sure the Elders are fed each week for dinner appts and that day, no one had been able to sign up and so she took them to Subway because she had a crazy day and couldn't make them a meal with her family.  Then she found out that it was Alec's birthday and felt really bad and wished she had known.  I am grateful, though, that she was kind enough to send me pictures of him on his 19th birthday.  She'll never know how much I appreciate her doing that!  Here is Alec at Subway on his 19th birthday...

For Alec's birthday, I sent him a box filled with balloons that were filled with money and candy as well as brownies he could make for his "cake" and candles.  I assume he liked it.  He never said :).  Then 10 days later...Derrek had his 20th birthday!  We are one less teenager!  I made sure Derrek's box, like Alec's, was there on time and it came the day before his birthday.  His birthday was on transfer day and the mission home said they would try their best to make sure he got the box.  Then there is a Sister in Columbus Ohio area that delivers cakes, balloons and goodies to the Missionaries, if their mom lets them know it's their birthday.  So, I got brave and texted her and asked and she called me a little later to get details about Derrek.  It was really fun talking to her and I now have a new friend :).  She is retired, grown kids, and single and so she said it gives her great joy to be able to do this for moms.  She was the beneficiary of this act of kindness when her son was serving in the Oklahoma City Mission years ago.  After she delivered the goodies to Derrek, that night, she sent pictures and then she called me and was thanking ME for the opportunity to do that for Derrek and how much she benefited and was blessed by the experience.  What?!?  I couldn't believe she was thanking me!  Here are pictures she sent of Derrek...

This is Tina...the angel!

Later that day, Mike Wihl texted and said Derrek was standing there and to tell us that he had a great day and thanking us for all we do for him.  I was relieved that he had a good day.