Pigs and Cows and Rabbits, Oh MY!

(above: Drew and Kade watching the pig show)

On Friday we went to the Lee County Livestock Show in Giddings, Texas (my hometown). My brother, Chad, and I showed pigs, steers, & Beefmaster heifers from 3rd grade until we graduated. I loved showing (mainly I loved the socializing - Ha!), but I am so thankful for the life lessons I learned in 4-H: responsibility, humility, leadership, AND 4-H and Go Texan paid for all four years I was at A&M.

Only four more years until Drew can show...Yea!

The great thing about showing pigs is you are ready to get rid of them come show time. The smell and early morning feedings make that separation really easy..no love lost =)
Drew loved the rabbits...he kept singing, "Here comes Peter Cotton Tail hoppin' down the bunny trail. Hippity, hoppity Easter's on its way..."

Nana Jo (my grandmother) found something to entertain Kade...a ring pop! It was great to see Nana Jo and PawPaw Bill (behind Kade). My PawPaw was extremely ill about a month ago, but God is good, and I think he is feeling better now than he has in 6 months.

The whole crew - Drew, Mom, Kade, Nana Jo, PawPaw Bill, Dad and Chad (my brother in the green shirt)

Drew found a friendly Brahman heifer named Phoebe. She was lovin' all over him!

On Wednesday we went to my friend Nicole's house in Waller. Nicole and I became very close friends my first year teaching in Prairie View (close to Houston). I taught first grade and she taught second grade. Nicole is one of those friends that no matter how long you go between visits or phone calls, you will always be best friends. I know God placed her in my life for a reason. She was a true friend, mentor, shoulder to cry on when I was going through the roughest time in my life. It was so good to see her!

Drew and Katie Lynn. Drew is only 5 months older than Katie Lynn (are arranged marriages legal in the US? Ha!)

Dean and Kade...Dean is only 4 months older than Kade. I think I finally found someone who loves John Deere as much as Drew - that Dean is a cutie and loves tractors!

Playing in the dirt !
Nicole and Darren farm in Hockley county...Her home is BEAUTIFUL, and she is working on a rag quilt for Katie Lynn's fourth B-day (oh, yea did I mention she is super mom=)...when she posts pictures of it on her blog - I will let you know!

The kids were jumpin' the hay bales...I don't think they would've had more fun if they'd been at the zoo! Kade and Dean weren't as big on the jumpin' from hay bale to hay bale as Katie Lynn and Drew.

Ridin' in Nicole's gator!

Dean and Katie Lynn were showin' Drew their garden!

Plenty of Pictures from Paige

We went to Nana and Pop's house this past week. The drive down there was AMAZING. Not one single cry, fight, scream, aggravated grunt, the entire 8 1/2 hours. The boys were perfectly content eating Funyons and watching movies. I listened to two of Karen Kingsbury's books from the Redemption Series. I HIGHLY recommend them! I actually felt refreshed when I got there...like I had spent the entire day reading. Never underestimate the power of prayer!Mom and Dad have about 95 acres in Paige, Texas, where they raise Beefmasters. Paige is on Hwy 290 between Austin and Brenham. They built this house in 2002 and added a "game room"(behind the car port) a few years later! They have been in a three year drought, but finally got some rain a few weeks past.

The boys where fishing in mom and dad's water trough. They keep goldfish in there to fight back the algae.

I love the following pictures...my new camera has a special setting!
He said he was, "Concentrating!"

Drew talking to my mom: "Nana I need me a hook."

Mom: "A hook?"

Drew: "Yea, I need me a hook, and I need a worm to put on my hook so I can catch some fish."

Sofie (the black dog) was a big hit this visit. She is only 2 years old, but she has finally learned how to play without going "over board" with the boys. They played catch, wrestled, raced, etc. Kade would grab her back from behind and just drag her to the ground. Sofie got plenty of hugs and plenty of attention while the boys were visiting.

Drew and Kade helped Nana and Pops feed every night. They put out hay two days in a row. The first thirty minutes we were there they had already taken a gator ride, rode the big tractor, put out two bales of hay, fed the cows, and raced Sofie in the gator. We had a great visit - I will post more pictures from the week in Paige later this week.

Kader Tater

Kade's two favorite shirts (above and below). He goes in his closet, grabs the shirt HE wants, and brings it to me to dress him.

I took these pics with my new camera. I am still trying to get the hang of all the "new" gadgets. Kade and Drew are sick in these pictures.

I selected the "vivid green" button on my camera for this pic...does the dump truck look "vibrant" to you?

Kade loving on Daddy when his temp was high all week. The boys had some type of "parot flu" (sp?). We took them to to doctor on Wednesday because they weren't getting better. Kade got steriods; Ronnie and I picked up the cold bug. We were sick until yesterday. Yuck!Kade had an "owie" on his head. He wouldn't quit asking me for a band-aid.

(don't worry - once I got it wet it came off easy!)

Kade's new words:

-Aggie

- Sorry

-help me guys

-Daddy's hat

-Come on guys

-"I like God" (a song on CD)

-candy 'nandy'

-owie

-hot

-Daddy home

The kid is cracking me up...he wants to wear his "day" clothes all the time - no more pajamas. It is like he wants to be ready to go "bye-bye" at any given moment. I had to finally say, "NO!" to wearing his shoes to sleep. (Ha!) He wants to wear his wranglers and some type of hat (usually the football helmet backwards) and he has to have something (usually my phone) in his pocket.