2015 Cherokee County Stock Show

The Hays Family experienced our first livestock show.  The girls were pretty excited and nervous about showing their rabbits, but Carli was pumped to get to miss school and Ava was all about looking at all the other animals.  We got up early Thursday and took our rabbits to check in. 

Once we were all checked it, it was only 9 am so we headed to Alto to see Grammy & Pa for a bit.  After lunch we headed back to get ready to show our rabbits at 3 pm.  But there was a big wreck on one of the highways and our judge was delayed so Pa took the girls around the livestock barn to see all the animals and projects.

Pee-Wee Rabbit Showing is pretty simple.  The girls put their rabbits in the show boxes and waited for the judge to come by and talk to them.  They were very prepared to tell him that their rabbits were born on Thanksgiving day, both were boys and tell him what kind of rabbit they had (Carli had a black mini rex and Ava had a broken blue otter mini rex).

Carli was so disappointed he didn't ask her any of her questions she had worked so hard to learn the answer to but getting a trophy and blue ribbon helped a lot!  :)

Overall, our first stock show and rabbit raising experience was a good one.  Hoppy and Raven were a good experience for the girls.  We did take our rabbits back to the girl we had gotten them from in January since the girls were not quite old enough to take care of the rabbits on their own.  Keith and I were pretty much done with cleaning out cages and constantly reminding the girls to feed and water the rabbits. 

 

If the girls would like to show again, I think we will try to get a rabbit much younger than they had this year.  That way they can get use to holding a small rabbit and I won't have to worry about the rabbit escaping from them!  Their rabbits were a bit feisty and we never let them hold them without one of us being nearby. 

 



Buns!

Ever since the day the girls chopped off their hair, the one thing they have missed is getting to put their hair up in a bun.  It may take a few bobby pins and some creative work on the front part of their hair but they are SO excited that they can get their hair into a bun once more! 

Blessed

I am lucky to have two parents who are an amazing example of selflessness and dedication to each other and their family.  I am lucky that I live close enough to my parents that I get to see them every single week.  And I am blessed beyond belief that my kids have an amazing relationship with their grandparents!

 

Speaking Momma's Language

I spent 14 years of my childhood playing softball.  I absolutely loved it!  I was so disappointed when Carli was not the least bit interested in playing tball last year but I didn't push her.  She doesn't like to try new things and we chose to give her another year.

This year we signed both girls up and were able to get them on the same team!  I'm one excited Momma to watch the girls go out and grab their bats to hit the ball.  Can't wait to see how they do in a team setting and out on the field!

Just put a Hole in the Wall

Who needs a little boy when I have girls who put holes in the wall?

 

This hole originated when Carli HAD to go to the bathroom...like Momma you don't understand how bad I have to go and you don't get it...I have to go!!!  Mind you, we had just left school, gotten a Sonic drink and were heading home.  At no point while we were at Sonic sitting directly in front of the bathroom did she HAVE to go so badly or at all for that matter.  But the seven miles to our house the situation was dire in her eyes and once we got home she rushed into the house.

 

Carli NEVER uses my bathroom.  Especially since we got all fancy and have a bidet on it.  All the buttons scare her, so while she had rushed inside, Ava and I took our time gathering up the things from the car, saying hi to the rabbits and meandering inside.  Carli met us at the door...

 

C - "Momma, I need to show you something."

 

M - "What baby, I kind of have my hands full...just tell me."

 

C - "Well, the toilet paper kind of fell on the floor."

 

M - "Go pick it up, not a big deal."

 

C - "But, it took part of the wall with it..."

 

And then I  saw, Carli used my bathroom and managed to rip the toilet paper roll right out of the wall.  Sweet darling.  I just left it there for Keith.  I think Keith was the one that finally got the whole story out of her.

 

She had finished up and was leaving when her coat pocket got caught on the holder and instead of thinking, oh hey, something is pulling my jacket and stop...she freaked and pulled harder.  No hole in her jacket...just in my bathroom wall.  Who needs boys?

 

It's been almost two weeks...there's still a hole in my wall.  :)

 



Uncle Tone

Every once and a while, you just need some Uncle Tone loving to make a long week okay.

Kindergarten Rodeo

Today was the Kindergarten Rodeo which marked the end of their study of the state of Texas and marked the beginning of Spring Break!  Carli was very excited about the rodeo all week.  She came home every day tell us about the capital of Texas, the state flower and armadillos!  She thoroughly enjoyed it all!

We pick out Carli's every night before bed each night so that our mornings go much smoother.  Carli insisted that she HAD to wear her boots and her hat for the Rodeo.  This hat come from when Carli was two and her friend Shiloh brought their whole class at Oak Tree Academy little straw hats.  Carli is very sentimental and saves EVERYTHING.  She knew exactly where her hat was and insisted she had to wear it.  Her whole outfit she picked out by herself and her Daddy was so relieved that she did not tuck her pants inside her boots!

I was a little selfish and volunteered to bring food but not help at the rodeo.  I wanted to follow Carli around and take pictures!  It was very well organized.  They had four classes in one gym, about 80 kindergartners and it wasn't chaotic at all!  Carli's group's first stop was story time.  The listened to an adaptation of the Little Gingerbread Man - Rodeo style.  Then it was off to the races with stick horses. 

They dressed up like cowboys and raced to the other end of the gym...rather they clomped!  And then they did a relay race moving "coals" from one bucket to another.

My little cowgirl!

They did a little washer throwing - Carli made more than one!

And decorated a Tee Pee.  Then roped a cow with a hula-hoop!

 

This is Carli's friend Shiloh.  Not sure what they were discussing but it was pretty in-depth!

 

Carli got a double dose of "crowd-avoidance" from her parents.  About halfway through the games you could see in her eyes she was so done with all the hoop-la!  Bless her heart.  She got it honest!

They did a little horse shoe throwing before it was time to start winding down much to Carli's relief!

Here is Carli with her entire class and her teacher, Mrs. Reid.

With their stick horses...

 

Carli and her friend Shiloh.  They enjoyed a party of Chili and crackers before we took Carli home with us a little early for Spring Break!

 

 

I asked Carli what was her favorite part of the rodeo and she said without hesitation, "The part where it was over and we got to leave the gym." Oh bless her heart!  :)

 



A day with Ava

With all the crazy weather we have had, Ava has gotten to stay home from school more than once over the last few weeks.  When you only go to school 9:30 to 1, there's not much room for a "late start."  So while Carli was at school (with a late start), Ava and Momma spent the day at home entertaining ourselves and trying to stay out of Daddy's way while he attempted to work from home.

Our first order of business was to make some no-bake cookies.  Ava helped me gather all the ingredients and then put herself in charge of getting us a half of a cup of peanut butter....

After the cookies were done we decided to fix Ava's hair, and Ava fixed her dolls hair...

Ava's dolls hair was a wee bit of a rats nest, so we googled how to care of dolls hair and ended up coating it with conditioner and leaving it to sit while we made some lunch and talked Daddy into joining us.

After lunch, Ava helped me get dinner in the crockpot.  We made some chili and she was in charge of dumping all the cans into the crock pot and stirring.  She did a wonderful job!

We also decided to have some baked potatoes with our chili - so I washed and vented the potatoes and Ava wrapped them in foil for me.

 

Finally we spent a good hour rinsing and brushing her dolls hair before giving it a slight hair cut.  Then we piled into the car and went to gather up Carli before we all went to swimming lessons.  This was the first time Keith has gotten to go to swim lessons in quite some time so the girls were anxious to show off their skills! 

 

Ava is a great helper!  My favorite thing she does right now, is that I'll ask her to go get me something or stop doing something and she'll quickly reply, "Alright, Momma." And she does it!  I'm sure that'll change but I'll enjoy it while it lasts! 

 

What a great day with my Ava-Boo!

 



Snot Stew

Keith started reading a very important literary piece to the girls...Snot Stew.

Zip It - Lock It - Put It In Your Pocket!

Ava's new quick comeback when someone is being too loud or she feel she needs to put you in your place is:

"Zip It - Lock it - Put it in Your Pocket" - a favorite quote of her preschool teacher Mrs. Denise. 

Ava has a great knack for inserting that little statement at the most opportune times and it usually leads to Keith and I turning our heads trying not to bust out laughing!

Cure for Headaches

Carli was complaining all afternoon about a headache.  She informed us that if we'd just buy her some ice cream it would make it go away...who am I to argue?