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?