Iowa State Fair Winners/ Empty Nester

The boys took their heifer down to the Iowa State Fair to show in the FFA Show.  I really  like doing the FFA show,  because you take your heifer down on Wednesday, the day before  the State Fair  starts, than you show on Thursday in the FFA Show.  It's pretty fun to be down at the State Fair and see alot of stuff getting ready for the first day of the fair.  I love sitting in the cattle barn and watching  all the people go by, it's a great  way to meet other people that show cattle.  The only bad thing it does make for a very long day. 

This is what we do in our down time.

Thursday was another long day at the State Fair. I got up at 4am to get a run in before I headed on down to the State Fair.  Had a great 4 miler with Rachelle.  Than headed home to get ready to head on down to the  State Fair again. 

Parker's girlfriend Mackenzie was showing her pigs at 8:30.  Mackenzie got 4th place with one of her pigs and 6th with the other.  It was a lot of fun watching the pig show.  Mackenzie did a great job.












The FFA Show started at  2:00.  Their was 42 different classes of cows to show. We just happen to be in the 41st class. We got Sami ready  as Parker has named his heifer.  I love watching the heifer getting fitted to show. It amazing to watch how they make this heifer beautiful.  This heifer is prettier than me when it is all cleaned up.HA HA 






Isn't she pretty



So Mike, Grandma and I headed on down to the ring to find a place to sit.  We don't know how this is all going to turn out, but no matter what it has been a great summer. 

Parker comes in  the ring and we can see the judge is looking his heifer over real good.   Now for me all the heifers look good. Hell they smell good to, as far at that goes.   Parker ended up  winning  his class for Commerical Breeding Heifer. Boy we were so excited.   Than after all the commerical heifer classes had  been shown, they bring all the 1st and 2nd winners of each class into the ring  to choose a Supreme and Supreme Reserve Heifer. That is a lot of heifers to look at.  The judge picked the Supreme Heifer and when the judge said that the heifer that won the Commercial  class is the Supreme Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer, we all started yelling and clapping.

We thought winning the Grand Champion Heifer at the County Fair was great, but winning Supreme Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer at the  Iowa State Fair was unbelievable.  It literally took us several days for it to all sink in.  All the boys hard work through out the summer had paid off BIG TIME. 



Supreme Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer



Normally you can  take your heifer home that night, but if you win Supreme or Supreme Reserve they want you to stay and walk in the FFA Parade of Champions on Saturday, so that meant we had to go back to the State Fair on Friday and Saturday. 
Saturday morning I was able to meet  up with Rachelle and Tree for a 10.50 mile run.  What a great way to start my Saturday, than it was time to get ready to head on down to the State Fair again, for the FFA Parade of Champion.  The Parade of Champion was pretty cool.  I'm  so darn  proud of our boys. 

On Sunday Mike, Grandma, the boys and I all went out for a late lunch.  We wanted to all go out together before the boys left for college.  We had a great time.  After lunch we stopped by to see Parker's apartment. Parker's  been home off and on because he's had to take care of his heifer.  So I really haven't had to deal with  both boys being gone yet.  The boys  were out cleaning the barn before they take off to college, as I'm sitting at the computer surfing the web I get this over whelming feeling, knowing that both of my boys will be off to college this year. I just start to cry, thinking about my boys leaving to go to college.   I  didn't think  it would be this hard. The whole time they are growing up you can't wait for them to leave for college and start their own lives. " That is what we say," but when it comes to  reality we want them to stay home for ever or in my case I do.  I love having my boy around. Now, if I could just stop crying all the time.  I know as  the days go by it will get alittle easier, but right now it hurt like hell. I want to pick up  my phone and just call them just to see how they are doing. I won't because,  I don't want to be a nagging mom.  I'm trying so hard  to refrain myself from doing that. 

             This is going to be one HELL of a long school year.


                                       ARE YOU AN EMPTY NESTER YET?

               HOW DID YOU HANDLE BEING A EMPTY NESTER?

July in Review

It has been a crazy month.  I've had so much going on, I haven't had time to do much blogging. 

July 4, Earlham Freedom Fest 5k. 

 Before this race got started my stomach was doing flip flops and  my heart was racing.  I kept trying to figure out why I was feeling this way, than it came to me.  I  was feeling under pressure to perform well. I was running a race where I new almost everyone and that was kind of stressing me out. I know that sounds weird.  I did a marathon in June and my stomach never did  do flip flops or my heart rate go up. It's crazy, that we put so much pressure  on ourselves sometimes.   I got through the race and had a great time running it. I wish I could of done better, but all in all a great race. 

Tree and Me before the race

Me and Nickle before the race

  Brook, Teia, Me and Nickle

July 14, Warrior Dash 4.3 Hellish Miles
 
I didn't know what to expect doing this race. I only new it sounded like a lot of fun.  This race wasn't a piece of cake like I thought it would be.  This race took place in  a pasture with a whole lot of hills.  The running was  tough with all the hills.  We were literally running in paths that the cows had made.  You really had to watch your step or you might be rolling down the hill. I loved all the obstacles.  Some of the obstacles were jumping over cars and running through tires, climbing a wall. crawling under a barbwire , running through a mud pit.  These are just a few of the obstacles that we got to do. We all had a great time.

At the starting line. Ready to run

Running to the finish line

Tree and Me 

WE ARE WARRIORS NOW

We had so much fun we've already signed up to do it next year. Same place and same time.


July 18- 23 was the Madison County Fair.

We finally got the TROHPY

Parker won Supreme Champion Breeding Heifer.

The boys have tried to win a trophy every since they've been going to the county Fair, but they  have always come up short.  The boys decided to  spend alittle more money on a heifer in hopes of bring home the BIG TROPHY.  All their hard work had  finally  paid off. YAHOO.  When they won,  it brought tears to my eyes.  This is our last year at the Madison County Fair. We started at the bottom and have worked our way to the top.  Adversity has made my boys stronger.  They know getting to the top is not always an easy road, but with some hard work and determination you can do anything.

Harrison and Parker pulled all their resource together to make this happen. I'm so proud of my boys.Harrison  does all the grooming of the heifer and steer and Parker is the one that shows the animal.  They work really well together.  LOVE MY BOYS

Parker won Champion Chi Steer.

Parker got 1st in the Senior Livestock Judging Contest.

Parker excepting his plaque

What a way to finish our last year at the County Fair.

July 14-29 VACATION

As soon as we got done at the County Fair, we were off to the Ozark for a vacation. We haven't had a summer vacation since the boys started showing at the County Fair.  MacKenzie's Dad and Mom rent a house down at the  Ozarks every year. They also have a boat that they take down .  We got a lot of sun and alot of boating.  We had an awesome time. Thanks to the Felt Family.

Going tubing 

Ya, for Hubby. He's up and water skiing. He hasn't done that in a long time



Parker water skiing.



Parker and Mackenzie ready to go out on the boat

Parker and McKenzie 

Me, Parker and Mike.  I think I should of been on the upper side of the incline. I look  way out of proportion to these two guys

Mackenizie and  Parker



Me and Mike ready to race 



        

  How has your summer been?