Our Family is Growing

Meet Lucy.

And the results are.... Alternately titled "This is Love."

Braving the worst heat Indiana has had in over twenty years, we headed to the fair on opening night to check out Tyler's projects. First up, aerospace/ rocketry. He had worked hardest on this project and finished the night before the fair. When we took it in the judge was already there and judging. He took the time to go over the project with Ty and told him he would receive a blue. We were thrilled, considering that we hadn't even put the decals on it. When we showed up, there was a purple honor ribbon hanging on it! Ty was so excited.

The next building was woodworking. This project got it's final sanding on the drive to the fairgrounds. Ty was thrilled with the blue ribbon.

Last up was gardening. We looked over the green plates with pictures of the exhibit stapled to them. What my son is missing not having to go pick up a plate full of moldy vegetables to throw in the trash after 10 days in a hot building! Kids these days are soft. ;) Anywho, We looked over the tables three times than I wandered over to the champions' table to see what had won. I saw Tyler's name on the plate and called him over to look. Since his first name (he goes by his middle name) was on the plate rather than Tyler it took him a minute to realize that it was his plate he was looking at. I love these pictures as it sinks in.

After we left the building, we stopped at the misters to cool off.

Most of us anyway. Hope was throwing a fit because the animals hadn't been brought in yet.

I think I may have a yearly series going. This was last year when we told her she couldn't ride the rides yet.

Blast Off

I love 4-H. There is something about the experience of completing a project by yourself, the sense of accomplishment, the thrill of seeing your hard work fairly judged and rewarded. It was so exciting to finally have a little one old enough to join. We joined a group, found out it was really late in the year to join that group, decided to 4-H on our own, then realized it was different than it was over 10 years ago.

A lot different.

We had trouble getting the project books, not realizing that each project consists of not only making an exhibit, but also completing several activities (6-10) and filling out a book. We started three weeks ago. 

On three project. 

Ty will turn in his projects on Tuesday. The rocket is sitting in pieces, wood has not even been bought for the woodworking project, the garden is growing vegetables. Wish us luck!

I love these pictures from the aerospace project. Ty had to build a rocket from two straws and a few adhesive labels. Then he got to teach someone how to make them. He and Becca had a TON of fun with these for the first few days.

Just Call Me Crazy

I planned to take all four kids blueberry picking by myself. Thankfully, I serve a God who knows when I've over planned and in this instance had great mercy on me.)

I was talking to my Mom a the day before we went to the farm. There was no way I was going to say no when she asked to join us. We had a blast!  The kids helped me pick about 20 pounds of berries. Breeley ate at least a pound on her own. I couldn't believe the way she ate them. Handful after handful, unfortunately mostly out of our already picked buckets, went down.

 Hope surprised me!  She managed a good hour before the heat and humidity got to her. It blessed me so much to see Dad and Ty talking and joking. They have a similar sense of humor and tease each other mercilessly. Tyler loved having his own bucket and being able to say he picked 6 pounds. :) He is my results driven boy!

 Becca picked over five pounds. She picked beside Grammy or I. Taking turns with picking and helping out the little girls. She is such a wonderful big sister. Now our freezer is stocked with blueberries for the year. And my heart is overflowing with gratitude to my parents for coming along for the ride and not complaining once about the less than happy noises coming from the younger set. When the kids needed a break, Mom took them all on a little walk to get a snack and her camera. Thanks, Mom, for the pictures! It is wonderful to have a few to document the day.