The Fair So Far

Our local fair started this week. I told myself that I wasn't going to go every day like I have in the past. With two kids I have found it to be quite challenging to spend lengthy amounts of time there. Well so far I have been every day. Oh well, it's about the only thing that goes on around here all year long.

Here's Heléna favorite past time at the fair...thankfully I only have one to chase.

We visited Humphrey's Farmyard...

and played in the corn box...

and with the hand pump and ducks. I'm really wishing for one of these at my house. I think it could fill hours of time during nice weather.

Heléna sleeps again.

Hannah rode a pony. She really wanted to ride the white pony at the bottom of the picture but she wasn't quite ready for riders yet. Ironically her name was Hannah too.

This morning was the parade. Here we come!

For those of you that don't know, the little corner of the Basin that we live in is called Copic Bay.

Each kid dressed up like something they want to be when they grow up. Hannah usually has an opinion, but not about this so she got to be a hay squeeze driver. Mommy and Daddy spent quite a few hours turning her cozy coupe car into a hay squeeze. Heléna again was asleep...on my shoulder.

After the parade we had lunch and watched a Pee Wee Showmanship class. Hannah desperately wanted to be in the ring with her friends. OK, I guess I might have to do something about that for next year. Four suckers later (yes, I said four. I was a long parade ride and preparation, and then someone at a booth gave her one...grrr.) and no nap we left with Hannah screaming and covered in sticky! She's napping now and I'm hoping for a little greasy fair food and a dough boy (elephant ear) for dinner.

Good times in a small town!

What We Did in August...

that I never had time to write a post about.

Changed the wheel lines after third cutting. We are going to have the pleasure of doing it again very soon before fourth cutting.

Went to Train Mountain with Grandma Bevie and Cousin Wyatt.

And the Klamath Fish Hatchery.

Had a birthday.

Hannah seemed to enjoy my birthday more than hers.

I hope you enjoyed my post made up mostly of sentence fragments. My brain is shot for the day. The stove top blew up (no joke, we had sparks and bright lights) last night so we spent a good part of the day in town today finding a replacement. So, sentence fragments are all I can eek out after shopping for an appliance with two kiddos, while trying to make a decision about what stove to get and then how to get it to fit into a hole that is too big. I think my handy husband has gotten it figure out, thankfully! Oh, some day a kitchen remodel!

Hannah Rakes

We were long overdue to put Hannah in the tractor with Daddy. It was time to rake our field this morning. They are still raking as I type this. As we get later in the season, they tend to rake a bit later in the day so Hannah was awake this time. Hannah got dressed and ate most of her breakfast before repeating obsessively, "I go in the tractor with Daddy." I threw both girls in the pickup and out to the field we went. I IMMEDIATELY took Hannah to Daddy in the tractor. Her mantra was getting a bit old! Helena and I stay at the wheel line mover and waited to move it out of they way of the tractor.


Hannah with Daddy in the rake.

Helena yawning and waiting patiently for me to move the wheel line.

We were originally only going to cut the alfalfa three times but last week the decision was made to cut it four times in hopes that the last two cuttings would be of a higher quality and more saleable. Right now the are raking third cutting. I should be irrigating it one more time and then fourth will be cut some time this fall.

The Kiddo Was Hungry

Helena had her first taste of food today. I only have Hannah to compare her to, but as far as I can tell she liked it. She ate it ALL! She opened her mouth when she saw the food coming and was excited to get it. I'm hoping this will help a problems she's been having with short naps and frequent waking at night. If she turned out to be a good eater that wouldn't break my heart either!


Hannah was feeling left out and decided she needed a bib too.

If you are wondering how Hannah's first food experience went click here.

My Little Hay Moving Crew

We were helping Daddy get some hay to the barn a few nights ago and I took these pictures of the girls.

So Far Behind!

I have been so busy that I haven't had time to take many pictures or make a post. I even started a few posts but they are completely irrelevant now that the cows haven't gotten out in the middle of the night for a good week, and my face is no longer swollen from getting smacked with a irrigation pipe. And the list goes on....

The girls and I were outside playing a few nights ago and I took some pictures, so here we go!

No, her hair is not this red in real life. It's just a little red.

I hope those long fingers belong to a future piano player. I love to listen but have never learned to play.

Who's that coming?

Daddy!!

Helena's Four Month Check-Up

Helena had her four month check-up today. She weighed in at 14 pounds 6 ounces and was 25.75 inches long. She's still hanging out in the 95th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight. She was overall very healthy. She even laughed at the doctor when he did her abdominal exam and "forgot" to cry when she got her first shot. This is a welcome change from all of the doctor visits I have endured with Hannah.

July Happenings...So Far

It has been my goal to get out and do more this summer. I think I'm succeeding at it and I've even been able to drag Ben along with us at times.

Here's Helena and I kayaking on Lake Ewauna.
My Mom, Hannah, Helena, Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt and cousins went for a day of kayaking on Orr Lake.

The view of Mt. Shasta from Orr Lake.

Daddy and Hannah fishing at Little Medicine Lake.

Helena sleeping at Medicine Lake.

Hannah scaring all the fish away at Medicine Lake.

Swimming with Uncle Jared and Cousin Waytt at Medicine Lake.

View from the south end of Surprise Valley (A.K.A God's Country)

Annie Lake where we spent an afternoon fishing.

Hannah sharing her Goldfish with her new friend Ty. These were the only fish to be had at the lake. The were jumping right in front of us but we couldn't catch them...frustrating!

After a Hard Day's Work

I guess we should try to teach her the proper way to care for her hat. A good start might be to wear it frontwards.

Who me? Work? It's my job to eat, sleep, make dirty diapers and give out as many smiles as I can.

Making "Horse"mallow Puffs with Mommy

I just figured out today that Hannah has been calling marshmallows, "horse"mallows. I guess it's all about what you know.

We made these marshmallow puffs today. Ours were definitely not photo worthy so there's no picture of the final product. A word of caution. Watch them very closely at the end. They apparently go perfectly white fluffy marshmallows to toasty little creatures in no time flat.

Here's Hannah smashing the biscuits flat. She started to treat it like play dough and squish them between her fingers. I had to do a bit of reshaping magic before we went on.


After dipping them in butter and rolling them in sugar and cinnamon she put a marshmallow in the center of each one.



I was planning to write about how I thought they were only OK and say that we may not make them again. However, it was a great little cooking project where Hannah could get involved, and I have eaten more than I care to tell you about. Hopefully Ben gets home soon to help eat them.