Utah Trip Day 7 - County Fair

Day #7 of our Utah Trip brought is to the little country fair in Delta.

I love that kind of stuff (holy moly I sound like my mother!!)

First up is their duct tape contest - how cool is that??

These duct tape shoes were made by a teenager.

As were these! SO AWESOME! That's what I want my children doing with their spare time!

Duct tape flip flops! LOVE!

And a little snow cone break. I try not to think of the damage the blue dye with do to her body but I can't help myself. But her face is a good distraction. Pure cuteness.

Mr Will found a balloon. Daddy actually sweettalked a booth owner into cutting it off their booth for him. Yay daddy!

Can we talk about this shirt real quick? Really?? Horse mural on your shirt?? It was too much. I had to remember this one forever and ever.

I kept commenting over and over to my nieces how Utah girls really know hairdos. One of them said to me (sweet thing ever) "It's all we have going for us!" LOL

Mexican dancers! Loved this! Sweetest little dancer ninas.

But the ladies was a treat. I just love the red skirt. Could I get away with it?? Hmm....

stunning

The red one is calling to me!

Next were the animals. The kid's had a blast looking at them all.

A row of chickens. Just wait until you meet Cruela DeVille!

Hola scary chicken! I named you Cruela DeVille as you are a starleing likeness.

told ya!

Oh sweet Savannah bear. You were just a queen and slept away. Your red hair is always an attention grabber but this day you were photographed (while awake) for the Delta newspaper. You are just too much.

Madam Olivia - I will follow you wherever you go.

Children's Rodeo!

we all LOVED watching these pipsqueaks riding their horses, jumping off, wrangling a goat, and riping off a ribbon all while being timed. It was electrifying! Sorta kinda.

Awwwwww - look at this little buddy. Daddy was running down with him cuz he really is that small.

But not small enough to wrangle a goat. 

He done make me proud and I don't even know him.

We will miss you country fair. Until next time!

Utah Trip 2012 - Day 6

Let's take a tour around the "farm." Meet Juicy Jean. She arrived just a few days before we did. Olivia wanted a milking cow (because she doesn't have enough on her plate!).

Juicy Jean is a sweet cow - because I have so many other cows to compare her to....riiiiight. But she is really sweet. I've had fantasies of having a cow myself. With organic, raw milk costing about $11-19 a gallon (no joke!) that sucker would pay for itself pretty quick.

The only problem is Juicy Jean makes about 10 gallons of milk a day. With their main fridge needing parts, that only left the second and guest fridge and those were filling up fast.

So the solution? Cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. Here baby #1 and #10 are helping out.

Olivia is separating curds and whey. How very Mrs. Muffet of her.

There are also a few puuuurty horses around these parts. We didn't go riding this trip...but we admired from afar.

Let's take a break and love on my baby. :) Miss O loves Miss S. I named Miss S after Miss O because she is the _________ person (insert any favorable adjective) I know.

Awww. cousins. Wills was in his stranger-danger mode for the first 3 days (of course) but here is one of 4 sweet group moments. :)

Oh Louis. You have grown up so much. Just recently you were the tantrum-throwing 2 year old and now you are the big boy.

Wills started to love the pups. Because the pups were locked up now. 

Here puppy, puppy, puppy.

One of my favorite things about these people is they all get along - no matter the age range. Simple toys and activities fuel hours of entertainment. It's wholesome. It's sweet. I feel so jaded and grungy comparatively. I sure do like city living, but these people - they do make me reconsider.

Wills and John are gluesticks. And vacation time just enhances their bond. Get it? :) I like puns

One of the many fun things to do is swing on their 20 foot tall swing.

Oh miss Amy, can I please take you home? You are sweet as can be. I swear you are pure light.

This series of shots absolutely made my day.

Kimberly - have I told you lately how special you are? I have never met anyone like you. I believe you are a natural born leader; kind, strong, intelligent...a good recipe. You will father the younger flock of kids (7 when mine are there too) and put together games and hours of wholesome fun. I really admire you.

I told my sweet Miss C that she had better warm up to her cousins quick and not let it take 3 days because we only had four. She seemed to take my advice and jumped right in (as much as a shy girl can).

This was just the morning of - country fair coming up!

Why I homeschool

Most people think I'm crazy to homeschool.

It could be they are worried about my kid's education.

Or their social life.

Or that I'm making religious zealots out of them.

But in reality it's none of those - I just love 'em a lot.

And I know how fast this stage goes.

Sometimes way too fast - like the cuddly, squishing baby phase Savannah is in.

Or way too slow - like the tantrum throwing stage William is in.

But what I know for sure is I do love them. And I want them growing up together. And am super greedy about my time with them. 

Even on the days when all the time spent makes me want to pluck my eyelashes out with needle nose pliers.....

Something like this sequence happens.....

....and then seeing me laughing on the rug with her siblings....

...Charlotte comes to join the baby lovin' party.

And then I melt. The days can be so very long. But Lord help me remember the years are painfully short.

I homeschool because I don't want to miss out on these years. I don't want to miss out on teaching them the things I feel are important to learn and sheltering them just a bit longer from the things I feel are not. 

I homeschool because I want them to grow up together, loving each other and being each other's friends.