New Years Eve

Didn't I just do a  New Year's post like last week?? Can't believe it's almost 2011. I can't complain about 2010. Overall it was a pretty good year for our household! 

I do have somethings I'd like to work on. Last year the main one was saving money. I think we did awesome, and we have learned so much about our spending habits! However, I don't think you can ever save TOO MUCH MONEY, so I'd still like to work on this one.  I'd also like to amp up our savings account  AND WORK MORE ON MENUS! Having menus done REALLY saves time and money, it just takes the effort to do it.

My second one I'm working on is me.  I'm sure all chubby people get up one morning and go "UHhh....when did THIS happen?"  I've had several of these episodes lately.  I'm actually really good at losing weight, and I ROCK at gaining weight...it's just the maintaining I have problems with.

And the 3rd thing for 2011..FINALLY finish our family room in the basement. I think it's been "bare bones" now for 3 years.  We have the stairwell done, but just kind of stopped on that room. It hasn't helped that my boys just moved on down there and got comfortable with a drum set, posters on the walls and a recliner and play station. It's become a "mini-man man cave." So, anxious to get started on that again, and the list of new projects behind this one just keeps growing and growing. ;)

Happy New Years to EVERYONE!!  Stay  warm!

Christmas 2010

Our Christmas wasn't what I expected it would be, but it was still nice!  Started off at midnight, JUST after Santa delivered and got all cozy in bed...THEY woke up.  The boys went to see what Santa brought, and bugged us off and on for the REST OF THE NIGHT wanting to open presents. They never did go back to bed, except for a snooze here and there, they said. Finally, just after 6, we headed down.

Later that morning, I felt a pinch in my side, and knew EXACTLY what it was.  I've had kidney stones enough times now I JUST KNOW.  I laid around on the couch most of the day, having a hard time walking upright. But knew it was on the move as the pain was slowly moving down. ( I only get worried when the pain stays in one spot or gets worse. Last time that happened I ended up with surgery and a kidney stent I'm convinced could have reached Africa when it was uncoiled. Fun times!)   It "all worked out" in the end, and I am still very sore in the kidney area, but the pain is now gone. Merry Christmas to ME!

Other than being in pain and sleep deprived, it was a wonderful day! ;)

I'm not sure I can pick a favorite gift. I'm pretty spoiled!  A gift certificate to my very favorite plant company, a handmade APRON that is so-so-so cute,(They are becoming famous, Sara!!) and new RED pots and pans are at the very top of my favorite list!! I'm feeling very cool now cooking with my new pots, while wearing my new apron, cooking on my new stove. ;)  Danny also got me a hot pink fishing pole that I can't wait to use, Tristen got me a leopard print Snuggie, that was just PERFECT for a day on the couch, and Jake got me a very pretty picture frame that holds 3 5 by 7 prints.

Dan and I each, unknowingly, got each other a bottle of "beer bread" mix for a HAHA gift!  So he whipped up some of that last night when I was out on the couch, and it was pretty good!  He smoked a turkey, and I made seasoned green beans and scalloped potatoes for our Christmas dinner. And water...I drank lots and lots of water.

Dan says he can't pick a favorite gift. But I know he's very happy with the BBQ box my parents made up for him, with new spices to try and wood chips.

T's favorite was his new pellet gun, his RipStix, and this very cool box that,  mounted inside, has all the rocks/minerals mentioned in the Bible.  He also got some new rock identification books that he's had his nose in a lot.

J's favorite is his I-Pod touch...and umm...well, I'm not sure he's even LOOKED at anything else but that.

I'm a bit sad it's over already. THOUGHT about taking down the tree and decorations, but I'm just not ready to put them away yet. Maybe later this week.

Off to drink more water!!

Christmas Eve 2010

I think I over did it.  There was nothing that could escape some sort of Christmas dazzle this year.

Not the cinnamon rolls I made for gifts and Christmas morning breakfast.

 Not the jello salad we had a dinner.

But really...I don't think there is a thing as TOO MUCH dazzle at Christmas!!

We had an amazing Christmas Eve.  We went to the candle light service (I love leaving that little church and looking back as we pull away. The lights are all on, and it looks so pretty and warm.), came back home and ate a wonderful roast with my family. 

Then we shared some Christmas surprises.

This is a  picture we had made for my parents. (Sara Stapleton took the pics, Danny made the frame.) It was VERY loved, and they had already figured out where to hang it before they left. It was VERY hard for me to keep this secret!

And this is a toy box Uncle Danny also made for Hope.

 Mostly, we just enjoyed each other.  And tormented each other...

Christmas Week

I just love Christmas week!!  You can feel the excitement building up and the magic IS real!

 At OUR house it means:

We attended a VERY ADORABLE church program Sunday evening.   I love that little country church. Driving up, the lights were all on and it look so beautiful all lit up.

The gifts are all wrapped and put under the tree. I know my boys are growing up, because I've hardly had to chase them out of the presents this year.

Goodies have been started, though I'm doing most of ours on Christmas Eve. (Cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning!!)  These pictured were made for the daycare kids. We had hot chocolate too...some even sipped it out of sippy cups! :-)
My jeans are already fitting a bit more snug than they did a few weeks ago. Evidently, Christmas calories REALLY DO count! Who knew!  I guess I know what my New Years  Resolution is THIS year. =(

 Those are melted snowmen, by the way. I had some "help" making them. ;) 

And these little bits of heaven haven't helped the pound situation, but they are just so good. For some reason, I had about 10 pictures of this candy cane kiss when I took the pictures off my camera. Someone was bored..

And speaking of daycare, the daycare Christmas party is done, and the megaphone has been unwrapped. Yes...one of my daycare families got me a megaphone. Isn't that hysterical?? (The dad came to pick up and said other than liquor, they thought it was JUST what I needed!)  The boys thought it was HILARIOUS until I told Jake I was taking it to his next basketball game! MUUUHAHAHAHA!!

Christmas will be here and over before we know it! Enjoy the magic and wonder of this wonderful season!

Winters Vistors

We've been enjoying some very busy activity at our bird feeder this year.  Dan has to refill the feeder every couple of days or so. It's always got somebody getting a snack.  The boys also threw some corn down, as well as the decorative corn...the squirrels have been going CRAZY over that!

I've always loved watching birds. But I never really thought enough to learn what they actually were until recently. Before now I identified by "that cute little bird with the red head" or "the one that cracks his seeds open on the tree", but now I've been researching.

I blame my friend Melanie.. ;-)

www.whatbird.com has been VERY useful to me!

I  learned I have a pair of Nuthatches. I believe they are White-breasted Nuthatches, but am not really good at positively identifying yet. I thought I only had one, but there is a pair as they were dining together just the other day.

And this guy...oh how I love him. He brings a smile to me every time I see him. My grandmother LOVED cardinals and always made sure to point them out to me when I was little. (I NEED a better zoom.! NEED!)

And he brought his wife too!!

I see her more than I see him.  There is a particular bush I always see them at. Perhaps there will be little ones there in the spring?

Everybody is pretty round and well fed!

Make sure you keep YOUR feeders full! You will never know who might stop by for a snack!

My Crafty Sunday

A couple of years ago, my boys were digging though our garage, and found an old sled. It's been laying around here and there, but I never wanted to throw it away. It's one of those things that I love, but at the same time was never sure what really to do with it. Until today.

It went from this:

 To this:

 I picked the pine from our back yard, and bought the ribbon for a dollar at the Dollar Store. I was nervous about the bow, because my bow-makin Aunt now lives in Texas. However, going on YouTube and typing in "How to make a bow" did it!!

I love it! Maybe I'll strip it down again, and put it away with our Christmas decorations and dress it up every year.

What I love..

..about Christmas time:

Catching that oh so adorable 5 year old daycare girl quietly singing "Away in a Manger."

The hunt for the PERFECT gift and that feeling of joy when you think you've found it.

Tearing up during that BEAUTIFUL favorite Christmas song.

The breathtaking candlelight services.  I'll never forget the candlelight services at our church, and the beautiful sight of all those candles lit.  One year, I remember holding my dad's hand, and pretending to sing, but really just mouthing the words, listening to my dad sing harmony to Away In a Manger, thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever heard.  (I still think that, by the way.)

The magic of Christmas snow.

The memories of Christmas Eve dinners at my grandmothers house.  This is a tradition I now do at my house, and is so special to me.  I remember how my brother and I would always listen so closely as we were leaving her apartment, listening oh so close for bells from Santa's sleigh.

Cookies and candies taste SO much better around Christmas time.

It will be over before we know it!! Enjoy the season and make some memories!

Our Thanksgiving

Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was wonderful! Ours was!!  Laid back and comfortable, with family around. Doesn't get much better!

 Niece Hope was ready for FOOD!

This year we ordered a turkey from a local farmer, so it was fresh and raised in a way that our family strongly believes in.  And it was HEAVENLY! The very best turkey we have ever had!

We enjoyed our 4 day weekend. I  love those weekends where you think it's Sunday, and then realize it's still Saturday!

I did get all of the Christmas decorations out. I love this time of year. I sat back and laughed as my boys dug through the ornament box. I love those "OHHH!! I REMEMBER THIS!" or "oh YEA..I had forgotten about this one!"

I'm doing a lot of my shopping online this year, and I'm finding it a lot easier on my mental well-being! =) I think I'm actually able to think more about what that person would like, because I'm not overwhelmed or being run over by shopping carts.  I will be making a trip out of town, just because it IS Christmas after all, but hopefully it will just be to get the small things and cool baking goodies.

I love buying gifts, and have a couple this year I just can NOT WAIT to give!!

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

I've been working on this post for over a week now. Some of my THANKS are silly, but silly or not, I am so very very THANKFUL for my wonderful life and all that we have been given. 

I am SO VERY THANKFUL FOR:

1.My marriage to a wonderful man.  He's my best friend and a wonderful father.  I know how lucky I am, and am so thankful.  He puts up with my many "little" quirks and only makes fun of them occasionally. 

 2. My boys. I am so thankful God chose me to be their mom. They keep us busy, drive us crazy, make us buy new shoes every week it seems, but it's amazing. They are as alike as black and white. I find it amazing that the same two people can have two children that are as different as they are.

3. Our entire family.  Our parents, and our siblings, and the crazy people that married them.  For my families' farm that's been around for over 100 years now, and where I can go and instantly feel like a kid again. I love watching my boys run around out there.

4.  Nieces and Nephews.  Joesph, who just returned from Afghanistan (ANOTHER THANKFUL!),  Austen, Alex, Samantha and her sweet Baby Spencer, Victoria, Chloe, Caleb, Jason, Donnie, Baby Connor, and Baby Hope

5. I am thankful for the adoption of our nephew that was finalized on the November 12th.  It's been a really hard journey for his mommy and daddy.  It's been a wonderful experience to watch as it all came together.  God had a plan all along. We just needed to be patient.

6. My job. Who else can say they get hugs and kisses at work EVERYDAY? And marriage proposals! (That's only happened once, but I'll never ever forget!)  I'm thankful for the kids and their contagious smiles, and for the families they belong to.   For Katee, who comes in and doesn't run back out the door when the kids start screaming "TAAA---DEEE" and bombarding her with questions, all at the same time.Without Katee, I would have to miss out on a lot my kids' events. 

7. Facebook.  Ahh, yes. Facebook. "It MUST be true. I saw it on Facebook."  It does have it's disadvantages that I won't get into here, but I do love it. It's connected me with people I thought were gone forever from my life. It's help me connect with family I haven't seen much of over years, and I've learned that I have a cousin who I have much in common with. I can talk to these people when ever I want to! Amazing!

8. My friends.  The ones that always seem to know just what to say.  The friends who still associate with me after getting to know the REAL me...the me that just learned that Thanksgiving is ALWAYS on a Thursday EVERY year only a couple of years ago!! hehe  The old friends, who I loved even with the buck teeth and bad hair of our youth....oh wait..yeah..that was me, I guess! ;)

9. Our rabbit habit! For the long car rides, the hotel stays, meaningful conversations, awesome moments forever etched in my memory, the lessons learned, the friends we've made...all because of those fuzz butt buns we've come to love so much.

10. This blog.  I had reservations when I  started thinking about blogging. I mean, come on. Who really wants to read about my life?  But writing has become an amazing stress reliever for me. This blog is MINE and there isn't much in my world at the moment I can say is ALL mine and isn't shared in some way.  ;)

RIP, Frigidaire

My oven died.  No, let me rephrase. My oven BURNED UP.  Almost literally.  At Thanksgiving time. Who's oven dies at Thanksgiving time??  Mine.

Friday I got up early to make cinnamon rolls for a bake sale. Left it preheated so I could make more for my family a little while later.  Started smelling something. Daycare kids started smelling something.  Kids started PANICKING because "something was on fire".  I didn't smell fire, but I DID smell something very hot. Ran in to the kitchen and the cook top on oven was so hot I couldn't even touch the pan I left sitting on it.  The oven started beeping and flashing a code. Turned power off.....and it didn't turn off.  It's so freaky when something doesn't work like it's suppose to!  Anyway, I finally had to just unplug the thing to turn it off.  As I pulled it out, I found the instruction manual on the back of the stove.  Looked up the code it was flashing.

Out of control oven detected.

No kidding??

So, it was going to cost $200 bucks to replace the control unit, but "if temperature had gotten too hot and caused damage, a total new oven unit will be needed", according to the little manual.

Decided not to chance the $200 bucks that would be lost if we indeed had to replace it anyway and to just buy a new oven.

So, I've been shopping for ovens on line.  My  life saving husband is going to Wichita for me tomorrow to get one, so I can fix Thanksgiving dinner. 

I would be TOTALLY pumped had I been saving and planning on getting a new oven.  The timing and unexpectedness of it just stinks.  At this point I just want an oven that will heat to 350...not 850.

And turns off when I want it too.

It's the little things, you know?! =)

A Day At A Show

Harper, November 20th.

The day before the show J went though his rabbits, checking fur, teeth, nails, and for signs of illness. He got everyone's weight, and made the decision who he would be taking to the show the next morning. He also sat down and filled out his entry form, as well as his comment cards. The comment cards  you get back with the judges remarks about that rabbit. J decided to take 10 rabbits.  5 Havanas and 5 Californians. T will be taking one along too. This is a double show, because  there are 2 different rabbit clubs getting together at one location, and  the rabbits will each be shown twice, by different judges. It counts as 2 shows.

 We get on the road at 5:49.  D wanted us out by 5:30 so we have plenty of time to allow for the deer and the fog, but everyone at that hour kinda of just walks around in a fog, so we were running late.


We get there, check in, and get everyone settled. Socialize, eat breakfast, socialize some more...wait....
There is a lot of chaos at a bunny show. Lots of people yelling for classes, screaming because they won, and lots and lots of laughter.

Here is the view of the show from our little home base. You can see the 2 lines of coops, and there are 7 or 8 different judges working hard. This building is huge--there is a whole another side that didn't fit into the picture where supply vendors are set up, a raffle rabbit, and many more carriers of rabbits.

Finally they call for the first showing of the Havanas.  Here Jake is putting them in the holding coops. They have wire on both sides that opens. One side J puts his rabbit in and take them out, the other for the judge to take them out and judge them.

Here Judge Tonna Thomas is judging  blacks with J listening very closely to her remarks. (Notice his chicken butt hair in the back of his head? It was much too early for a boy to care what his hair looked like. In fact, he never really did care, but it sure bugged his mom all day!)  There were probably 15-20 Havanas at this show for youth. J's blacks didn't do well as they are all getting their adult coats in and not in the best fur condition.  However, he did win Best Of Breed with a little chocolate doe. (This little doe got some pretty rotten remarks about her fur at state convention. Just shows you what a couple of weeks can do for a rabbit..good and bad!) So, since she got Best of Breed, we have to stick around now for the Best In Show judging.

J also took at group of Californians, but didn't do great.  There was a  older youth exhibitor that came from around Tulsa, and her rabbits were BEAUTIFUL! We were all drooling over them. ;) The judge did tell Jake that his 2 Jr bucks showed a lot of promise and got some go remarks.

T also took Izzy, but she was DQ'ed for being overweight.  The max weight for her is 4lbs 6oz, yesterday she was 4lbs 10oz.  Izzy will be calling Jenny Craig later today.

Again, there's a lot of waiting around. Here the buns were all vegged out and relaxing. Some of them really enjoy it. (We have a couple that start running around in their cages and "begging" at their cage doors when we start getting carriers out.  There is also a few of J's Havana's that will stay posed all pretty until the judge moves them. Love that!)

So here are all the Best of Breed bunnies.The judge takes each one out, poses it, goes over it, and then moves on to the next one.  This is a part I can't even begin to describe.  Your heart starts beating faster, there is just this feeling of anticipation in the air that is like nothing else. It gets even more nerve wracking when the judge goes back for another look at your bunny. You try to read his body language and his reaction when he gets to your rabbit.
It's an amazing thing when they announce the winners. Lots of screams, handshakes, back slaps, and smiles. After it is announced, the winners go back with the judges for pictures.
Today's winners were a Castor Mini Rex, Mini Satin, (I think?) and a Florida White!!!  So we pack up after congratulating everyone, and head back home. The trips home are ALWAYS quiet as the boys are usually asleep before we hit the outskirts of town!

And that's a day in our hobby!

Preparing For Winter

We've been busy around here the past few weekends, getting ready for cold weather.  D has been talking about moving the bale ring out into the pasture, as well as bringing up bales closer. Hasn't DONE it yet, but....

We've also got the bunny barn cleaned out and organized.  D has plan on how to weather proof  it during nasty weather. They are totally out of the elements, but it IS open on one side.  I'm dreading winter.  It's just as bad as summer, but instead of having to take ice bottles out to cool  them off, we have to un-thaw each water bowl.  Maybe someday, we will have a air conditioned/heated barn.  Someday.

We have a bunny show in Harper on Saturday.  This makes me smile. We have OFFICIALLY been showing rabbits for a year. I remember how confused and lost we were at Harper last year. It's been a fun and exciting year to say the least!


The yard is dying off. Except for my lavender. Oh how I love that stuff.  Thinking I most defiantly will need to plant more of that around next year!

This time change threw us for a loop! I found myself wanting to cook lunch at 9:00. and by 9:45 I had kids screaming, thinking it was time for lunch. By real lunch time, they were falling asleep sitting up and crying and starving. Ugh. I think we are back into a groove again, but it took us a little bit.

 Basketball has started and Jake scored in the first "real" game of the season. My bleacher butt is back...it's painful sometimes to sit at those games for so long!


Enjoy the last of the beautiful fall colors!

Hibernation

=(


Things are dying off.  I'm so sad. It got cold enough one night  to make the Morning Glories shrivel up and scream.

 Is it spring yet??

Halloween 2010

Dummies?? Or not??

T went as a beat up football player.

I'm very sad to say that my children were more happy to stay home and attempt scare people with their friends than go Trick or Treating with the parents. =(  It felt strange sitting at home, not doing anything.  They did go out for about an hour with friends, but we old, very uncool, people stayed home.

The evening got even better with the arrival of a couple of friends to "spook" with.

On to NOVEMBER!!

Autumn News

Fall is here, full force.  The leaves have changed color and the trees are naked in spots now.  I love the crisp chilly mornings, but it won't be long before I'm whining about the cold.  Winter is so long and hard.
 Updates on us:

D: recently went to Charlotte, NC for training for a work. Claimed it was boring, but learned a lot about a new machine they are getting at work. Been very busy getting it  set up at work. Upon arriving back home, realized just exactly how loud his loving family really is, when you've been alone for week! hehe

Me: didn't really like my week of single parenting.  I realized D and I are a very nice team, and when your teammate is missing, things don't run as smoothly. I was exhausted. I missed him and appreciate him much more. I am thinking *I* should leave for week, so he appreciates *ME* more! ;-)

J: done with football, started basketball.  Not sure if he likes it anymore or not.  A's and B's on report card. Still smiling from his Best In Show win. Growing up fast. Too fast.  Super busy. Hardly ever home. Turing very "teenager-ish" suddenly...ack..

T: Also done with football. Played kicker on the pee-wee team this year.  Will play pee-wee basketball when it starts.  A's and B's on report card, and almost done with his 2nd 9 weeks AR goal.  Ahh...I love a lesson learned.  Recently, after a trip to PetSmart,  claimed it is his dream  to own a lizard and has been researching what he needs to make his dreams come true.  Ugh. His mother isn't thrilled, but IS impressed at the level of research and information he's been digging up.

That's life in a nutshell!!

KSRBA Photo Contest

See the very cool ribbons I brought home this past weekend?? Seriously, they are the COOLEST ribbons I have ever won. Not that I've won many.  This makes numbers 3 and 4.

I won 1st and 2nd place in the 18 and over group.  18 and over.  It makes me feel young. Until I stop to think just how over 18 I really am. Oh well.

The pictures that won with were ones I almost left at home, but put in anyway just because.  

This is the one that got first.   This is Big Mama with one of her babies from this spring. 

This picture makes me smile.  Big Mama is one of the best mama bunnies we have.. Her babies are always huge, fat, and clean, and she loves being a mom. She gets excited and acts proud when she's got kits, and seems depressed at times when others close to her have babies and she doesn't. That being said, you can totally see the look of annoyance on her face as that clingy baby napped on her back.  Even in the animal world, sometimes moms just need a break and even furry children can be annoying.

And this one was second.  

I was surprised as there were lots of pictures there, and they were all better than mine. I even felt a little silly laying mine up on the table when we got there and even thought about not participating.
The rule of the contest was that the main focus of the pics had to be a bunny, and I think I took that away with my others that I took.
It was a lot of fun!

2010 KSRBA Convention

What a weekend. My back hurts, feet hurt, and we are all exhausted.
Friday afternoon we loaded up and headed out. This was our first convention and didn't know what to expect.
Saturday morning we got there early as J had royalty business to do.  He applied for Duke. This process included a 6 page written application, 200 question test, oral interview, showmanship, breed ID, and judging contest. (Royalty is a hard challenge. It requires the kids to learn and study, and develop skills that will help them in the rabbit project..and in life for that matter.)

J during his oral interview.  They are REQUIRED to wear the coats. He had fun during his interview and he said it was his favorite part because "they asked some really neat questions."

 Later that evening, they announced the winners, and J was Runner Up DUKE!!  

J, 1st runner up Duke!! The Duke and Duchess are holding the awards and have purple ribbons, the 1st runner ups have the blues and the 2nd runner ups have the yellow ribbons.

 We enjoyed the banquet, and being with our friends.  Friends who we don't ever have to explain to "why we raise rabbits." =)  They had a dance after the dinner, but we were exhausted.  And none of our breeds ended up being judged Saturday and were one the board for Sunday morning, so we hit the sack.

We had no expectations for the buns J took. He took some really young Jr's, just to get some comments and to help him figure out what he needs to hang on to, and what he can get rid of.  They are BABIES, and I assumed would be underdeveloped.

 J took his Havanas to the table. He competed with 19 other Havanas. J's were the smallest and youngest up there. BUT--he was awarded the BEST OF BREED award with AVA, and a BEST OPPOSITE SEX with a chocolate Havana buck, named JOSE.  The judge had nice comments to say about both buns. J was BEYOND THRILLED!

This meant we had to stick around until 11, when they took all of the Best Of Breed bunnies and put them all up to award the Best In Show bunny.  J and I had this really long conversation, both agreeing about how it was dumb to stick around, because she was so young, she would never ever in a million years even place.  

They called them up, and we stood patiently while the 27 other rabbits were lines up in the coops.  The judge goes through each rabbit, and if she goes back more than once to look at your rabbit, it means you have a chance at winning.  Well, she came back to look at Ava.  J whispers "MOM" out the corner of his mouth. "Act cool, J..."  She goes back and looks at a few more, and then comes BACK AGAIN for Ava.  "MOM...DO YOU SEE THIS?"  "Yes....act cool."    All of this was happening out the corner of our mouths, trying to act like we weren't excited while our hearts were beating out of our chests.  She came back AGAIN for Ava, this time picking her up, flipping her over, checking her toes and her belly.  By this time I am convinced she's found a DQ or something and is going to use her for a example to show everyone. She keeps looking around at the other bunnies, then her eyes would come back to Ava.

"2rd Runner up goes to the Florida White." she says.

J turns to me and says "WELP, I'm done. I think she must have been choosing between Ava and that one"

"1st Runner up goes to the Mini Lop"

 And today...our Best In Show winner will be.....THE HAVANA!!!!!" 

Everyone started screaming and yelling J's name. Kids J has looked up to for the past year lined up to come by to shake his hand and tell him Congrats.   He got a BIG hug from Yvonne, the lady that has helped him with with his Havanas. We made our way over for the honorary picture with the judge you always take with a big win. My hands were shaking and my eyes were "leaking" just a little bit. 

"Congratulations....this is a beautiful animal."  she told him as she shook his hand.

J, Ava,and Judge Melissa Magee from California. (Ava was acting like the child she is,and no longer wanted to pose pretty. She was more interested in checking out that trophy.)

This Best In Show winner was born in our barn this summer. It's always wonderful to win, but there is something so bittersweet when you win with your OWN animal. One that you worried about and took care of before they even were born, watched come into the world and grow up.

The only way this day could have gotten any better, is if D could have been there. He had to leave a half an hour before the Best In Show, to catch a plane to head to North Carolina for a week for training. He can't believe he missed it. =(  

The trip home was.....

....very quiet.

Photo Contest

My crew and I are headed to the Kansas State Rabbit Breeders Association Convention this weekend.  It will be a weekend full of showing,contests, dancing, and a banquet (royalty interviews and tests, if you are Jake),  as well as a motel with a swimming pool..the very best part, if you ask T.
J and I were super excited to find out they have a photo contest there, with the main focus of the photos needing to be a bunny.  I had several I was going to take already, but yesterday, while waiting on her mama to get off work, Little C and I headed outside and she was MORE than happy to hold a bunny for me, while I snapped some pictures.  (Sometimes being the only kid left at daycare has it's advantages, or disadvantages...I guess it's all in how you look at it! hehe) Anyway, these were some of my favorites.

 This is one is too bright, but I love her eyes, so I am just going to see if I like it in print and decide when we get there.

 This one is my favorite.

Its really too bad you can't here what she was saying in the photos..  I think the "Ohh, wittle bunny...do you want your mama?? Are you scared??...I won't hurt you, wittle bunny," that she says in a sweet soft little voice could probably melt Antarctica. Or Iceland...wait..I don't think Iceland is really cold, is it?? Well, you get the picture.

(Sometimes it weirds me out to post pictures of other peoples kids. However, I DID have her mom's permission to do this! =-) )