Pictures I Didn't Capture

At the stock show I didn't always have my camera handy. I've learned that when the perfect moment comes, it is often ruined by digging out the camera. I missed a few pictures just because my zoom isn't strong enough. So, here are the "ones that got away", but will be etched in my mind for some time.

• Wednesday morning about 7:00am--Sadie all dressed up to show almost asleep in a chair holding Leonard's halter; he stood patiently beside her with his head in her lap and fell asleep.
• Sadie's face as she turned around to catch Robby's and Craig's eye when her lamb was being weighed.
• Robby's and Craig's faces when the judge pulled Sadie and she made it through the weigh back. (Some have said it is more fun to watch Robby and his reactions when Sadie is showing.)

Stock Show Secrets

We're back from the San Antonio Stock Show. You can go over to the family blog for updates and pictures of that. Sadie and Leonard placed 14th. We were really proud of both of them. Get ready for lots of posts about the week. Kids in the car for 8 hours, animals and being a tourist give lots of post options.

Today I'm going to share a few tips I learned at the show:

• If you don't have an exhibitors' pass or a parking permit, arrive before 7:00am. No one will be there to check. Of course, none of the exhibits are open yet, only one place is open for breakfast and the line is long (lamb, pig, and steer people have to eat) and if you aren't there to show or watch someone show you won't have anything to do for several hours. But, you'll get in free. It makes for a really long day, though. (Net savings: $18)
• The food is expensive and not that great. If you wander around long enough you'll find some free samples, though. We were treated to chuck wagon coffee and biscuits, free ice cream cones (small, but good) and various samples from H.E.B in the afternoon. If you go through the lines enough times, you can fill up. (Depending on how many people you are feeding and how many meals you are there for you can save anywhere from $10-$50 a day by sticking to the samples, however, you probably aren't doing your part for the economy if you follow this tip and the first one)
• The exhibits that are geared toward kids are terribly crowded and congested during school hours--try to wait until all of the school groups leave before checking those out.

Here's a sampling of what T.S. ate:

• Monday--1 hot dog
• Tuesday--2 hot dogs, 2-3 biscuits, 4 ice cream cones
• Wednesday--biscuit (his goal was four, but we didn't make it back over to the chuck wagon), 1 ice cream cone

More useful (or useless) stock show info to come...

What do your counter tops say about you??

We are recovering from stock shows, company and sick kids. My house looks like it could be declared a disaster area at any moment. We've got old coats, good coats, good shoes, chore boots and other clothing strewn from the back door through the kitchen and into the dining room. Our dining room table has once again disappeared as I attempt to make more necklaces (a post and pictures soon, I hope). As I attempted to clean the kitchen counters off enough to make supper I surveyed what was piled on top and wondered what an archaeologist might think if he discovered our ruins.

Items included:

• a bag of mini-marshmallows
• an empty bag of chips
• two lamb drenchers (I ask Robby why we needed two. He says it depends on what we are giving the lamb as to what size we need.)
• supplement for the lamb
• 3 breathing treatment masks and a bag of inhalers and medicine for T.S.
• an empty bowl that's supposed to be taken out to use to water the cats
• half-eaten pan of brownies
• cell phone charger cords
• numerous pictures that were painted this morning and needed a place to dry

Please don't call CPS or the health department on me. We really do attempt to clean up after ourselves. I probably didn't mention everything I found, but you get the general idea. So what does this say about me? Probably that I'm not the best house keeper, but that I do care for the well-being of the kids and all of our zoo members. It also says that like the rest of the world we are trying to do too many things at once. The solution? I don't know. Everything but the empty bag of chips seems to be essential right now. I'm sure an enlarged mud room/laundry room would take care of everything.

A girl can dream, can't she?

Sunset

This was the sunset Saturday evening. T.S. and I took this while we were waiting for Sadie to finish showing at Claude.

Lambs

Robby and Sadie washed the lambs in the rain today. (see pics at Bow Family Adventures) The basketball goal that has been laying beside our driveway for a really long time was finally put to good use as a place to tie the lamb while it was being washed. C.W. enjoyed watching the process while playing in the garage. He can even tell the lambs apart and likes them very well from a distance. The t-shirts fit and all parts seemed to be in the proper place when I checked in on the shearing. The lambs didn't seem to mind their new attire, either.

T.S. rode his bicycle in the rain and had a glorious time. Yes, it was chilly today. It was either let him do that or have him interrupt homework or probably make Robby gouge a lamb with the clippers.

Sadie and Robby will take the lambs to the fair tomorrow. (after Robby has gotten the concession stand ready, finished up everything for the ag. mechanics contest and washed and clipped a pig) The BBQ Bus is at the fair (hallelujah!!) and I am told it looks awesome. Saturday will be a long day with Ag. Mechanics judging in the morning and lamb show starting in the afternoon.