So much to do, so little time

I have been seriously falling down in my blogging. We have been very busy. Softball has started so we have practice twice a week on Sunday and Thursday evenings. We have CCD at church on Wednesday evenings. This week we are getting ready at our church for our annual Spring Fest. Last Tuesday I went to Green's Sausage House and helped the ladies of our parish prepare the dressing that will be cooked that day for the meal. It took us most of the day to get it prepared. Tonight we will meet at the church hall to cut the vegetables that go into our cole slaw and then on Saturday morning we meet back at the hall to mix the cole slaw and do last minute preparations.
And during all this, Abbie's birthday is tomorrow. She wants cupcakes to take to school for her friends since she is not having her party until the end of the month. I just don't know where all the time goes. I am turning in my application for nursing school today, after finally receiving my transcripts from Blinn yesterday (after requesting them 2 times).YAY!! I will not know if I got in though until after the fourth week of May. Keep your fingers and toes crossed! I have been substitute teaching at the school quite a bit. As much as the kids can be so bad, I will admit that I will miss it next year. I love being at the school with my kids and they really like me there too (it means they don't have to ride the bus to school).
To sum all this up, I am feeling the pressure of too much to do, and to little time. Anyone else feel this way?

The results are in.....

Well, a few weeks ago, Abigail (3rd grade) took the Reading portion of her TAKS test. For those of you who do not know what that is, it is the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (I think, it changes every few years). Well, we got report cards today and enclosed in the envelope with her report card was the TAKS test results. I am very proud to say that Abbie only missed ONE!!! (the last one, as a matter of fact). She had a very good report card as well. She takes the Math portion of the TAKS in April. Steve and I are very proud of her.

I'm back....

I didn't realize that it had already been two weeks since I promised an update after the San Angelo Stock Show. Time is just getting away from me. Well, Jack-Jack ended up getting sifted out of the show and once that happened he has to get on a truck to go...well, we don't say the B-word (bacon) around our house right now, but that is where he went. There was some tears after she left the ring and she went outside to watch Jack-Jack in the holding pen before he was loaded onto the trailer. She was better by the time we got home later that night, but the next morning she asked me if I thought Jack-Jack was still alive or not. That is the last she has asked about him.

Baseball season is upon us now. Abbie is going to play and Shelby is not. Abbie is actually going to move up & play with bigger girls this year. She has one more year to play coach pitch, but because of some other things that happened, and not much of a returning team we decided to move up one year this year, get all of the girls back on one team together (they were split last year), and then we would be able to play together for 3 years, instead of just 2. Her first practice is supposed to be tomorrow, but we are expecting rain and very cold temps so I doubt we will have practice. Opening day is April 18th so wish Abbie luck with her softball season.

Shelby is ready for Spring Break which is next week for us. She likes school but hates waking up in the mornings. She was music student of the month for the whole 1st grade last month. I am so proud of her. She is always singing and dancing around the house. She is not playing ball this year. It interferes too much with her social life when we are at the ball games.

I have still been subbing quite a bit at the Elementary school. I like being there with the kids and it give us some extra money each month. Keep your fingers crossed and the prayers coming that I get accepted into nursing school this fall. I will find out by the last week of May. I know that sounds far away, but it will be here before we know it.

Steve is still working hard at the dealership. He has been such a blessing to me. He has worked so hard so that I can go to school and stay home with the kids this past year. He always puts me and the girls first and I can't even begin to say what that has meant to me and what it will mean for our family in the years to come. He has been unselfish and giving and I just can't believe how lucky I am to have him in my life. Enought mushiness (Joey stop crying.), I just realized recently how lucky I am to have my family and my friends.

I hope everyone else is doing well. Joey, good luck finishing up the move. Know that I am with you in spirit! Spring will be here before we know it. Today we are getting some good rain that we need so desperately. Hopefully it will rain the rest of the week.

San Angelo Fair

Yesterday we traveled to San Angelo for the Stock Show, Fair and Rodeo. Abbie's pig had to be in place by Wednesday afternoon, even though she doesn't actually show the pig until Friday. Danny and Jane made the trip out here also to watch Abbie show and some of our friends are here also with their kids, so it has been a fun trip so far. Last night we ate at Zetner's Daughter. It was ok. Steve loved it. Tonight we are going to eat at Western Sky, home of the 52 oz steak! I don't think I will be getting that! One of Abbie's good friends is here, so she has been having a good time. Shelby on the other hand, has been a little clingy. It has been so hot (95 degrees today)! When you have a hot child on you it only gets hotter!! She has been better this afternoon, and her and Abbie are getting along pretty good. Abbie shows her pig, Jack-Jack, tomorrow. We think she has a good shot, but then again you never know. I will post soon how she did, along with some pictures. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Fair Time

Well, the fair is over. Thank goodness! I don't think I have ever been so tired. We had a good week. It began on Sunday, Feb. 8th. We moved the pigs (Sally and LouLou) into the barn at the Bell Cty. Expo. After we got there some of our friends who had been vacationing in the Hill Country over the weekend stopped by to see us really quickly before heading back to Frisco. Jeff, Amy, Jordan it was really good to see you and we can't wait to spend some time with you guys in March. We came home on Sunday afternoon around 6 pm and Abbie began baking for her food contest. She made a Southern Praline Pecan Pound Cake and a German Chocolate Pecan Pie. I am very proud of her. She got a 6th place ribbon for her cake and a 9th place for her pie. On Monday we had to weigh the pigs to make sure they weighed enough and to make sure they didn't weigh too much. This was the official weigh in for the fair. The pigs did fine and were very happy after the weigh in because then they could eat and drink as much as they wanted. On Tuesday the pigs got a bath for their big appearance on Wednesday. Here are some pictures I took while Abbie, Steve and Megan (one of Abbie's friends) washed the 2 pigs.

Wednesday finally got here, the day of the show. Abbie was very nervous. She did a very good job. The first pig that she showed did not receive anything. It was sifted out. The second pig did a little better. It received 10th in its class. For her first year I think she did very good. She entered 4 items in the show (2 baked items, 2 pigs) and received 3 ribbons. She had to control her pigs while they were in the ring with 20 other pigs. She did wonderfully. Steve and I are very proud of her.

Animals, Animals, Everywhere Animals

Right now at our house, both inside and out, we have 3 dogs, 6 new puppies, 7 cats (anyone want one?), 3 pigs, 15 big goats, 9 little baby goats, Chip (who is an orphaned calf that we have taken in), 1 fish (that refuses to die so I can get rid of the sticky aquarium), and a partridge in a pear tree. Now some of these animals will eventually go away, because we have the Bell County Fair in a few days and we will take 2 of the pigs to the fair. We may or may not bring them back home, depending on how they do in their show. Here are some pics of the pigs:

We also have new puppies. They are 4 weeks old today. They were born on January 8th (Elvis' Birthday) and are Miniature Schnauzer's. They are just starting to get around and poop on my floors. I have a couple of pics of them also, but there is only one or two in the pic.

The following photo is of our little orphaned calf, Chip. He was making a really funny face when I snapped the pic, so I just has to put it on here. There are also some of the goats that were standing around also.

Lots of animals to feed and take care of, but I like it. I really like living on a farm that has animals on it again. It is fun and I think it teaches the girls really important things, some are hard things, like when an animal dies, but most are good things, like learning you can do things that you thought you couldn't do. When they discover something new it is so great to see their faces.

Well, next week is the county fair so hopefully she will do well with her entries. Everyone cross their fingers and if you are in Belton next week, stop by the Expo center and check out all the animals and exhibits the kids do. It is really awesome!

Happy Cows!

Just a random thought. I really love those Happy California Cow commercials. The newest one is is a cow from Korea, and it has subtitles! How fun is that!