The Fair - 2009 Part One

The Fair came later for us this year - the first full week in September! Both boys have been so busy getting their pigs ready for the big day(s)! There has been alot of yelling, crying and frustration this year trying to keep boys motivated to the end - and to try and get the piggies to make weight! All pain a side - here are some of the highlights!

This year I refused to pay for any games at the Fair. I gave the boys opportunities to do extra chores to earn their own money for the Fair... that way I knew that I got more than a 5 cent toy busted in the first 5 minutes out of the deal! The boys still have not learned that when playing games - don't play each other - because someone has to lose!

Miss O won a crown! She actually wore it alot of the fair - and she just loves it!

Miss O got the opportunity early one morning to actually milk a goat! One squirt and she was done!

Papa entered (well, technically, "I" entered it for him!) tomatoes in the Fair this year - so he could get the cheap exhibitors pass... my - I mean HIS tomatoes got a blue ribbon!

Here is sweet miss Oreo... she did alot of trying to crawl out of her pen.. or as I liked to say - she was doing her "upward pig" yoga stretches!

Here is Little J coming out of his first class! He got a blue ribbon! He did really well for his first fair!

Big Al was all smiles as usual - showing off Bill! All blue ribbons for him too!

Little J was happy to get a Blue Ribbon!

Little J showing Sunshine in the Market Hog class

Bill and Charlotte did alot of sleeping during the fair!!!

So did neighbors, Oreo and Sunshine!

Miss O has to enjoy some corn on the cob... minutes later she was swarmed by one pesky hornet that caused her to hurl the corn down the sidewalk, while screeching... classic fair moment!

Getting back on track - I guess!

This summer has been full of loads of challenges! As the boys get older... it seems harder and harder to find things to keep them occupied with activities that are easy to make good choices! Gone are the days when a puzzle or coloring book will keep them busy for at least 5 minutes! Since one boy requires more structure and supervision than the other - it makes it more challenging to have them both do an activity together! They have VERY different personalities and coping methods - that it often makes doing projects (with them at the same time) stressful for all involved! While most parents just LOVE summer break from school, I, on the other hand am wishing that school started back up in June! Not because I don't like hanging out with them - but the fact that the change of structure for them and for me is a challenge!

Summer has gone by pretty slowly this year..... We have another MONTH until school starts on Sept 10th... hard to believe - but true!

Hopefully - I'll be able to hang in there!

Day 6 - homeward bound

On Friday morning - we headed out of Reno early - to get to Bend, Oregon by early afternoon. We were all tired and getting a tad cranky of spending so much TERRIFIC quality family time together!!

When we got close to Bend - I looked at the hubby and said - we're going HOME! There was no argument, no discussion!!! Since we were less than 4 hours from home - we just decided to power through!

We got home about 8pm and just relaxed then everyone went to bed in their own beds and were thankful to just finally be home!!

I'm not sure if we will go on another road trip in the future - but we did have some fun on this one!!

Day 5 - On to Reno

After a few exciting jam packed days in San Fran - we headed north to Reno! I never imagined that the drive would be so boring and isolated!! No gas or services for hours! Oh well - we got thru it and had a pleasant time enjoying the scenery and the every 10 minute announcement of "I HAVE TO PEE!"

While in Reno, we visited a mega store called "Scheels" (I probably spelled it wrong!) which had some neat stuff inside - including a full size Ferris Wheel and a mountain of mounts - with pretty much every game animal you can think of on it!

We made the trip to Virginia City! When I was a kid, my parents took my brother and I here - I remember some of it - but unfortunately - when we arrived, it was in the 40's and raining.. super brrrrrrr! The kids got bored pretty quick - so we got a few momentos of the trip and headed back!

Big Al was not too excited about what this meant - it took him awhile to understand it! Once he realized it had to do with being an "outlaw" - he enjoyed it more!

Little J figured out what "streaking" meant - and liked his... it is fitting, I have to admit!

The three troublemakers together!

We took the kids to Circus Circus to play a few games and enjoy a REAL buffet! Little J, who is an eating machine totally loved it! Big Al - well.... it was NOT his style!

Little J and Miss O chowed down on the dessert bar - the boy had to have 3 or 4 different things and ate them ALL!

We played some games - and little J won big! Nothing like getting some .50 cent prize for spending $40 on games! Oh well - the kids had a good time!

Day 4 - The adventure of Alcatraz

We survived another night in San Francisco - fortunately, we were able to get a great deal on a room right on Fisherman's Wharf (Thanks Leslie!) so we actually SLEPT! We were up and at'em Tuesday morning with a busy day of playing tourist! The pictures are a bit out of order - but anyways... we visited Angel Island for a couple of hours - and had THE most beautiful weather!

The kids (and Lion) on Angel Island

Viewing Angel Island while on the boat.... not sure what was more exciting for the kids - being on a boat or being on a boat!

Big Al passed alot of time standing on the edge with the wind in his hair - and loved every second of it!

Little J and Miss O waited patiently for our boat to reload after touring Alcatraz

Little J posed for "visitation time" on Alcatraz

Lion was caught being naughty on Alcatraz... so here he is being held in lockdown! Poor Lion!

Hmmmmm... this picture makes me a little nervous!! haha

Little J wanted to take our picture while on the "Rock".... he didn't do too bad!

Road Trip - Day 3 - San Francisco!

Well ... day 2 was one extremely looonnnngg day! Our hotel was pretty much a joke- and we were kept up half the night by the sound of rolling luggage being drug down stairs outside our door... that's what happens when you use your "perks" to get free rooms... you get the crappy rooms!!

Anyhoo - another night of very little sleep... 50% was the stair traffic outside - the other 50% was a certain older brother who kept trying to wake everyone up... yep - fun!

We had a meal at the Rainforest Cafe on Fisherman's Wharf... extremely over priced and over loud and over stimulating... it was an adventure getting kids unwound after that! Here they are extremely happy about the fish!

Of course Lion had to come to dinner! Miss O was happy to have something very familiar with her on this trip... it made it easier for her!

We had lunch with John's aunt and uncle - Miss O was really thrilled to have the full attention of Uncle Greg - and of course - Lion was there too!

Being tourists - had to go and see the Golden Gate bridge! We were so lucky that the weather was perfect while we were there!

Here are the gruesome threesome in front of the GGB... Miss O was cranky that Lion could not be in this picture!

Having some fun with the street musicians! The boys really enjoyed him - he was pretty good... Miss O was staring hard at the money in his case... I could see the wheels turning! :)

The kiddos in front of Ghiradelli Square - right after some samples of chocolate! Yummy!

All three kids at the Cannery, a couple of blocks from our hotel! The actually all look happy!

Family Road Trip - Day 2 - California bound!

You will notice that we have ALOT of pictures of Lion - which is Miss O's favorite (at the moment) critter!

Lion went along on the trip - so we figured we would track his journey! It was easier than getting the kids to smile and look at the camera at the same time!



We made it to the Bay area by the end of day 2... here is Lion with the Bay Bridge in the background!

Miss O and Lion pose for a picture in front of Mt Shasta - after we got to California!

Here is Miss O and Lion taking a break in front of the "pink" tree that she really liked at a gas station in Redding, California... she is just soooo easy to please!

Day two was a little more challenging! Our first day was about 8 hours in the car with actually driving.. lots of pee - stops along the side of the road - as a certain someone needed to stop every 30 minutes (usually less!).. we arrived at Medford Saturday evening and enjoyed an AMAZING electrical storm! The storm was literally right over our hotel! The thunder shook the building and everything in it - set off car alarms, while the lightening lit the room up every 5 minutes until about 1am.. needless to say... no sleep! So - it made Day 2 driving... fun.. haha!

We drove south and passed Crater Lake, and into Northern California... it was a very scenic drive for me - very boring for the kids! We arrived in Millbrae, CA at about 5pm - to some beautiful weather!

Family Road Trip - Day 1

Ahhh the joys of a family road trip! Honestly - I wonder how many families do this more than once or twice???
We left last Saturday and headed south to San Francisco... here are some of the "high lights" of our journey from Day one!
After a long day in the car... Miss O and Lion get ready for bed... we spent our first night in Medford Oregon!

Chipmunks ran rampant at a rest stop somewhere in eastern Oregon... the kids enjoyed spending a few minutes chasing them!

Our first official stop was at the "Stonehenge" memorial next to the Columbia river right before the Oregon border! It was a beautiful day - to be outside, that is!

Where have we been?

I can honestly say that I have been so busy lately that I have hardly had time to download my pictures off the camera, let alone blog!!

The last 3 weeks have just flown by!

At the end of July - the boys finished up summer school (darn!) and have kicked full force into getting their piggies fattened up for the fair on Labor Day weekend...

Really and truly - not much has gone on around here!

We did get back yesterday from a week long road trip... and amazingly - I'm not typing this from the looney bin - nor jail! haha! pictures and trip stuff to come!

The last week in pictures (and comments!)

The last week or so has been fairly uneventful! We have been busy enjoying summer and then cursing the wind when it ruins things! haha!

The photos are sort of backward... so here goes! Above is the boys releasing some of the "mystery" fish that they caught at one of the lakes we went to. They released them into our pond.. probably not the "best" place for the fish... but who knows!

Little J is the "master".... he just Looooooves fishing! He caught four fish on this trip... we were only there an hour - but apparently he had the touch - yet again!

Big Al finally caught his first fish about 15 minutes prior to leaving... Little J let him borrow his "lucky" pole! Big Al ended up catching another fish shortly after this one!

Big Al and Little J had to do all the work! The hubby and I keep procrastinating on getting our fishing licenses! So the boys had to be pretty self sufficient (like usual) with the fishing... AND helping their little sister! Miss O caught one fish - loved it and then was done! She is a fair weather fisher-woman! I don't blame her - I get bored pretty easily too!

Both boys have been busy working with their piggies daily! They have to practice walking them and also getting the pigs used to bathing.. which is almost comical! This weekend the piggies will be weighed, informally, to see if they are on track for the fair.. keep your fingers crossed!

Little j just loves to read! He could be riding his boke, or scooter or motorcycle on this glorious day - but no - he's sitting down with a good book!

Miss O has been a busy little beaver! Here she is drawing with sidewalk chalk! Her constant buddy, Phebe is "helping"! Phebe likes to take the chalk and eat it! Yuck! Miss O also likes to play "birthday" with Phebe... trying to get her to hang out with her in the back yard and have a little party where she sings to Phebe... its really cute!

The hubby and I went away for a night to Cave B winery and Inn... it was reeeeallly nice! I don't drink wine - but the food and the scenery was amazing... and it was sooooooo quiet! It was a nice 18 hour escape that we really needed!

This was the view from our room. Our room was actually built into the hillside and resembled a cave - it was super cool!

Hope everyone else is having a great summer!