Introducing Pippa!

Hi all...sorry it's been a while, but I realized I hadn't introduced everyone to our new addition to the family. It is our Lab puppy Pippa. She is coming up to 7 months and she is a delight. Dog obedience is going well, she is in her second session and will be working toward her Companion certificate upon completion of this session. We have had alot of fun with her. We put our beloved Shadow of nearly 12 years down the end of February, and seriously debated if we were going to be a dogless...and we couldn't do it. We looked around and spoke to different vets and decided to go out of state to get our little sweetie. She is really smart. She likes her walks and loves the water, but not so much our pool...it is too deep too fast. She even vacationed with us in Holland and hung out at our friends place and loved jumping waves at the Holland State Park I wanted to upload a picture but the ipad isn't letting me even though I have one as our screen saver. Where is my friend Bethany when I need her? (Hello Bethany in NC...we are praying for you!!) I will keep trying! Harvest is going well...these rainy days are busy too with clean up, fix up, and prep for the next day we run. Well, that is all for now, I'll try to be better on the updates...and as always...be blessed!!!

Posting

The new set up for the blog on my computer is not recognizing paragraph breaks and such, so forgive my solid block...but yeah for updates!!! :) Angie

Calhoun County Fair 2012 and Summer Time fun!

Hi all...well maybe this blog might actually let me post something! So here's hoping! Summer is coming to an end quickly. In July we had a fabulous graduation party for Katie...what a blessing it was to have all the many friends and family join us for the event. The Calhoun County fair has come and gone. This year was the first year only one project was taken to the fair, a steer named Emmett. He was a pretty nice steer and we thought he may do well. Katie has always had a dream in the back of her mind that she'd like to do well in the homegrown class for her grandpa. Well...not only did she do well this year...She WON Grand Champion homegrown with Mr. Emmett. We were floored and excited. In the regular market classes she sat second behind the overall Reserve Champion steer, so that too was exciting. Katie also ended up 6th overall in showmanship. Of course it made it harder to see him go...but you always have to keep your head about what he is raised for and his purpose in life. Katie also competed in the Calhoun County Fair Queen program and was honored to represent the fair as the second runner-up. She again was thrilled. Erik had fun at the fair even though he aged out of 4-H. He helped extensively build track and areas for the different events that took place in front of the grand stand. He also pulled semi and ended up 7th, attempted to have a truck in the mud bog, but it didn't stay running, and had a truck in the demo derby and ended up 2nd. The fuel pump cracked, otherwise I think he might have done even better. So that is an update with us. Katie starts College next Monday!!! If you are reading this I wish you well...and as always...be blessed! ~

A New Year...

As promised I am updating my blog. The last official blog I had written was after the fair, but for some odd reason it wouldn't post to my page. So I just went on with our life and as I was checking in with the other blogs I read, I thought I'd try it out again and I was back in business so here goes nothing.

Wow...the fall of 2011. It was a whirlwhind. Harvest went well...a few glitches with an employee leaving us, but it went safe, abundant and done a few weeks before Christmas.

Also this fall, as Katie began her senior year and also dual enrolled at KCC, Erik purchased a new house and moved in around the first of November. It was a bittersweet moment...to think the little man (ha ha ha) who layed his head here every night now is in a different place. But if you saw it...you'd be amazed. It is so stinkin cute. We had a good friend paint most all the rooms and Erik put his finishing touches with his antiques and treasures it is pretty sweet.

Erik hosted not only our Christmas/Birthday celebration, but New Years Eve. as well. We are so stinkin proud of him!!

Katie is going strong now in her second semester of KCC. She has all work done in her senior year but math which she does daily. For years Katie has talked of being a nurse, but after job shadowing at the hospital she found great respect and interest of sonography/ultrasound and is now looking to pursure a career in that direction.

Doug and I were able to sneak off to Palm Springs, California the first week of February...we had a great time.

We've since butchered and my brother Don is expected up here in the next few days to help with the cutting and we will be filling up the freezer with fresh beef...always a fun family bonding time.

That is all for now...I do hope this finds you all in good health...and as always...

Be blessed!!!

Test!!

It's been so long since I posted. I thought I'd try and see if one goes through...so here is goes!!

If this does, look for a follow-up soon!

Ah August

The crispness in the air, the cooler nights, the 4-H preparations. That is right...in just a few short days we will be moving down to the fairgrounds for our week long adventure.
Katie is showing a miniature horse again this year that a dear couple has allowed her to use. The horses name is Sally...Katie did show her last year as well.
The kids also have their steers. Crazy to think this will be the last year two steers are going from here to the fair. This is Erik's last year he is eligible for 4-H, where has the time gone? The kids have gone and made contact with their buyers, so hopefully they will end the week on a good note. The steers themselves are probably considered pretty average, but we have a crop of very nice ones for Katie next year.
Also going from our farm is a Combine ready for the Derby on Thursday. A second one is here that a friend of Erik's is working on...not sure the status on that...we'll see if it makes it to the fair.
On August 7 was Don and Sue's anniversary. They live in Greenville, SC. We don't see them nearly enough...but I wish them the best...it was their 29th anniversary! (my brother and sister-in-law)
August 14 is my parents anniversary...this year they will be celebrating their 58th...seems like we just had the pig roast for their 50th!
The kids are both in the King and Queen contest at the fair this year. They are really busy with practices for that...they seem to be having fun.

Well you are officially updated for now...I wish you all well...and as always...

Be Blessed!

Dog Days of Summer...

Hi All...I'm officially back. We've since gotten a new computer so I hope I'm able to bring you all up to date since I've last written.

So remember how we were doing a remodel, building a bin and a new shop/barn? Well...the projects continue. The bin has been erected, but now we need to wire and connect it to the existing bin configuration.

The shop/barn...is coming along...we decided it would look sweet with some blocks in the front where you would enter the office. Well, everything went up. All in one day in fact. We even got advise and help from the famous brick mason (my dad). How disappointed we were though to see the next day some of the block didn't match correctly...only on one side. That wasn't going to be good, so down came only half the wall. Well, to shorten the story, we found more blocks...we thought we were good to go...layed them up and again incorrect...so, the third time was the charm! :)

The house...Wow...what a project this has been. We are getting all new cupboards. They are sweet, quartersawn oak. We took out the pantry and that has opened up our kitchen tremendously. The wall that separated the kitchen and living room has too been changed. It now features two arched walk through openings with a arched half wall. The cupboards are now in, and granite installed. We are now waiting for electrical and other minor finishing touches and I can start putting things back in the cupboards! Yeah! My Brother Gary has been doing all the work after he works all day at his other job. It has been a little slow going...but I wouldn't trade his craftsmanship for any other!!!

Now for the other updates...we certainly have been on the run...not that we went anywhere on a vacay...just life close to home. We've been to alot of Open Houses this summer so far...graduation and anniversary.

Crops all got in timely and in spite of needed rain look pretty good.

The 4-H steers are fat and happy. It is weird to think this is Erik's last year he is eligible to take an animal to the fair as a 4'Her. He started when he was 7 1/2. They used to let kids take projects the year they turned 8. That year he only baked cookies, he got his first blue ribbon.

We sycronized (sp) the cattle at my dad's and AI'd them all. We are hoping we won't see any showing heat in the next few days which means they all took.

Doug, Katie and myself have been playing softball for the co-ed teams at church. It was sooooo hot last week but it was fun. Katie plays on the "kids" team...those kids are good!

Katie went to SSI (Student Statesman Institute) the end of June. She actually celebrated her 17th birthday there. The first time attending (as she was) you are deemed a member of the House of Representatives. the kids write bills and debate them on the floor of the State Capital. She had a great time and said she would definitely go again!

Be jealous everyone...but I went to a U2 concert with a friend. All I can say is Wow! I think I can hear again...I SAID I THINK I CAN HEAR AGAIN! I truly had a good time with my friend Amy and people watching was the bomb!! :)

Katie left yesterday for Indiana Wesleyan University for an overnight to explore the campus a little better. She drove down by herself and will be back this evening.

Erik is hard at work on the farm and is trying to pull enough trucks together so there is another pick-up derby at the fair. This year we have sad news...the Queen Bee has made her last hurrah. I am not going to been in the Combine Derby this year. Erik has one Combine for Branch County and if it survives, he will bring it to Calhoun.

So I believe you are up to speed with life!

Have a good day all...and be blessed!