Monday, July 22, 2013

4H County Fair

As i anticipate going to the Anoka County Fair today, for the 2nd year in a row to have my girls enter their projects--and be judged on them--for 4H.....i'm really excited.

So excited that i am writing this post now (1:58) before we go to the judging with our friends Samantha and Camryn at 4:30ish.

I can't wait. And this year Jeromy is actually home early (that's a pro and a con) so he's able to go with us.

I warned him that the judging isn't the most exotic thing, but that i find it amazingly cool to watch as my kids enter their projects, get in line and wait for their turn to go up on stage and meet with a judge to tell them about why they choose their project and how they made it.  Its such a valuable skill (especially in a day and age where kids can only type "LOL" and can't keep a face to face real human conversation going)

So that part is just a great skill to practice. One that i thought Ruby wouldn't do last year, since she gets so nervous. And she was nervous. Her tummy hurt the whole ride to the fair.  But afterwards the reward of putting an effort into something and seeing it through to the finish is so great!!

It thrills me.  And i'm a bit of a newbie at this, but I know its something that we are going to continue for a very long time.  (So get ready, Bri, for a lot more late night texts of  "When is the judging again" and "what am i supposed to do"...)

4H is for the responsible, independent thinker.....none of which i am .

So i am always thankful for my dear friend, who helps me along the way and reminds me of whats to come....i can only hope someday my kids grow up to be 100% more responsible than me. But with my sense of humor....RIGHT?

Anywhooo, here is some pictures of the girlies preparing their projects.  Laney choose to make a tie blanket just like Ruby did last year (because we need 475 gazillion of those...just in case we get cold!) and a tye die shirt.  And Ruby choose to do a tye die shirt and make her favorite muffins--pumpkin.

Its really been fun working with the girls. I'm proud of them for all their hard work and excitement!!


 Here we are trying to decide what pattern we want to try. They made good choices. Both different and uniquely cool.
  Ruby's is all tied up for a bullseye pattern.
 Laney's is a....something pattern...i can't remember.....
 Time to dye them.
 Still dying.  

(Oh, Hello husband--that's a nice behind you got there, thanks for NOT moving it when i told you i was taking a picture, man)
 Finished coloring. I was worried after seeing her snake like pattern--that she wouldn't like it.
 The bullseye.

 (Junior got to do one too, i quickly threw it together and he dyed it.)



Here's the finished product. Cool huh?  I think they are just beautiful!! Way to go little 4H cloverbuds!!! Mommas proud.

 Then Laney started to tie her blanket after picking out the pattern at Walmart.  It truly was a back breaking job...be we got it done.

 Its so totally like more psychedelic tye dye, bro--Peace, Love and 4H!!!

 And here's the finished blanket. Beautiful and full of color--just like my girl!!
 Then this morning Ruby got to baking her pumpkin muffins. Her favorite. Which just happen to be a family favorite since Grandma, Uncle Sam and Auntie Lisa all make them too.  Kind of special if ya ask me!! Its like a little family tradition.
 She did a great job paying attention and doing it all be herself.
 Even cracked 4 eggs perfectly!! That's my girl.
 Mixing in the most important part....PUMPKIN!
 Very serious business scooping the mix into the tins....precision work.
 Boom--into the oven they go.
 Ohhh, careful my girl-don't burn yourself while i am busy taking a fun picture!!  


25 minutes later the buzzer beeped and we were taking them out!!

Ahhhh, lookin good.
 Careful.....
 You know what, on second thought-- Mom will take them out and you put on those gloves to make it look like you did it.
 And  then let them cool a bit and remove em from the pan and start over for the second batch
 Mmmmm, muffins......They truly are delicious. I'm so glad she made them.
And that she shares.....Mmmmm, muffins AND coffee.....(yes, AND butter...delicious buttah))

Now....time to get ready to head to the fair......i'll tell ya all about it when i get home......Until then.....

(Hi there, i'm back home now....)

Alright, so next we headed to the fair....

 Took a quick shot at the gate...
 Walked to the 4H building...
 Waited in line and got to see beautiful Brianna's face, to lessen the anxiety...
Ruby's turn came first--she was nervous--but she did great.
Then Laney took her turn and talked to the judge...
 
Then they both received their participation awards...
Then we saw our FRIENDS, Yea!!! I was excited...
Ruby got real grumpy real fast after the judging--but we didn't know why, so it was hard to get a genuine smile out of her....until this picture.

which i think is really funny .

And then we went to McDonald's and the kids fought the whole way and Ruby got in trouble for her sass and then Junior smacked Ruby in the forehead and she started crying and then i threatened his life and had to get out of the car and spank him and then he started crying and then McDonald's screwed up our order and then we all started crying....

wait...

I mean we were all mad.....

And we silently drove on.

Until I asked Ruby why she was a bit grumpy after she showed her stuff and she finally said that she was mad that her judge didn't ask her many questions about her projects and she felt bad.

Which in turn made me feel bad....

...which in turn made Jeromy decide we should stop at the school park to get out and play and run off our "mads."

Which we did and it was fun. Until i realized that i run like a person who has smoked her whole life. I couldn't even catch Laney on the playground when i was "it." Seriously she could always evade me at the slide because when i went to jump down it, i had to do it gingerly and sideways as not to break my huge mammoth sized Momma hips....which in turn hurt my wrist...

Which lead me to realize that i am terrible at tag and the one time that they "let" us not be it....i just got scared when Jeromy started running a me and i tried to beat him in a foot race....and i ran towards the field....

...and has anyone ever ran away from Jeromy and won??

Uhhh, i think not.

Finally i said "I QUIT!!! Running is for the birds...lets go home!"

And then i took this picture of the "winners" while i dreamed of water and oxygen...

 It was a great day.

2 comments:

  1. Aww, okay you make me wanna join 4H. You're such a good mama.

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  2. It sounds like a perfect day! SO much fun for the kids. I need to learn more about 4H. I of course have heard of it, but always imagine that it was all farm kids. You know, the kids who actually GROW up on a farm, milking cows and tending to the baby animals. I think that is because I think of the kids at the State Fair leading around their cows and goats in wranglers, cowboy boots and hats. They seem so authentic. I wonder if my kids would like 4H? I totally agree on the life skills they learn by having to talk about their project, great experience! Good job momma!!

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