During these troubled financial times, perhaps we should be investing in Steers?

I was watching the news Friday and caught the last bit of clip and it really made my cry. Why? It made me miss this so much. I found this link of the video and was letting Evie watch it. I was trying to tell her that is what I used to do. I was trying to tell her that it was so fun to show steers and maybe someday she could do it. Then she really let me down, she said "I could milk a cow!" I said "NO! Show a steer". How could my own daughter get that confused and think it was neater to milk a cow rather than show a steer? I loved showing steers and I am so glad that my dad helped us so much. Going to the fairs really were our vacations. I know they weren't for my parents but I sure loved it. We all have some great memories of the wild ones . Now I realize that if my kids were to ever show steers how much work it would be on me and Adam-don't worry Dad, I am not getting ideas-at least for a few more years. We never saw that kind of money but it was so worth it. That girl kinda reminds me of myself when I was her age and of how much I loved showing steers. I know it has been so long that I am only remembering the good things, but I do remember there was some fighting, that we never won Herdsmanship award (the award for keeping your pens clean-we were after Grand Champion or Showmanship). I think we were the only 4-H group that only met when we went to the fair. Was our club name really SunHeaven Hillbillies? If it was I am really embarrassed. Mom could rat the steers tail better than anyone, even when she was 38 weeks pregnant with Jenni in 100 degree weather. I have to admit I love to feel my boys head after I cut it real short b/c it reminds me of how the steers heads would feel after we would clip them for the fair. I tell Jake and Chase I can cut their hair b/c I learned how to clip the steers first. I have not convinced Adam of this yet.

Mom and Dad please watch this- it is really short.
http://www.dallasnews.com/video/index.html?nvid=289264&she=1


Here is the story from the paper

State Fair of Texas grand champion steer sells for $95,000

We’ve got a Champ.
Emily June Kelley, 12, of Yoakum, took home the top prize in the grand steer champion competition this afternoon at the State Fair of Texas' annual Youth Livestock Auction of Champions.
Grand Steer Champion brings home $95,000
October 3rd, 2008


The steer’s name, appropriately: Champ.
The grand champion fell short of topping the $100,000 mark, but did bring in $1,000 more than last year’s winner: a cool $95,000.
That was way more – about $35,000 more – than Emily expected.
"I was like, ‘Wow,’ " she said. "It was over my head. It’s just overwhelming."
The grand champion steer winner gets $30,000, and the rest of the proceeds fund State Fair scholarships.
Since she’s only 12, Emily hasn’t decided where she’ll go to college. But she’ll use the money for her education, mostly likely in an agriculture-related field, she said.
She has been raising Champ since last spring at her home in Yoakum, about 90 miles south of San Antonio.
For many of the contestants, letting go isn't always easy. The students form bonds with their animals, said Daryl Real, the fair's vice president of agriculture and livestock.
"A lot of the animals are treated better than you and I are," Mr. Real said. "[Students] spend a lot of time with these animals and care for them. It's a project they take a lot of pride in. In order to be successful in the end, it's a must to spend that time with them."
But the students know there's a time to let go of their furry friends. It's part of the life cycle -- these animals are being raised for food, said Mr. Real, who raised animals as a kid.

I was also thinking, I only remember a few times when I felt really sad to sell the steers, they were all usually so darn mean and wild. I don't think they would allow tranquilizers today -did they then? I know Dad really enjoyed it and I am so glad he did. Dad even liked it so much he had Pam show even after she went to college because she wasn't 19 yet. With all her years of expertise she won showmanship & got to be in the round robin that year. I know that is what convinced Scott that he wanted to marry her. Remember when Troy's steer got loose during weigh in and took out all the fancy fans of the Hereford show? What about Thayne our Professional Fitter? Rember our reputation for having wild steers and always being late for weigh-in and having to call and tell them we were on our way. I could go on and on. I am going to go on the hunt for some pictures. My kids love seeing all those trophys in the basement and mom I hope you never get rid of them. Maybe that will help all our kids know how we spent our summer vacation.


Another funny story- When Allie was a baby we went to the Puyallup Fair. At that time I was a germ freak with our little baby girl that wasn't even one year old. I think most of you remember how protective I was of her. Adam was in shock and awe when I took Allie out of the stroller so she could get close to the steers and touch them. I told him that steers don't have germs, that they are good animals to be around.

Where's my camera?

Well as you can see from the pictures Evie has had it. She thinks she is an up and coming photographer. I could not find it this morning and was a little worried because of my track record with cameras. I had had it outside in my pocket last night but then did some yard work. Once a month the city comes and picks up all the limbs, branches and grass and today was the day. I had been taking some limbs to the front of the yard and I had also raked up a bunch of grass in the dark. Well I rummaged through the limbs, dumped out the bag of grass clippings hoping to find it. I could not find it. Well I hear a little girl-Evie open up the door and announce that she is awake and hungry. I said, "Evie I am going to need your help today looking for my camera, I think I lost it outside." She says," Oh mom, I already found it. It was under my pillow this morning." I just had to laugh. She was so proud she had found it,and when I asked how it got there she said, " I just forgot about it, sorry." This all before 8 am. I am glad she found it, just wish she would have found it before I went through the grass.

Next I go to upload my pictures and wow- she has a clicker finger. For the past few days she added over 400 pictures to my camera. Maybe I should be watching my child better. It is kinda funny.

This cracks me up, her shadow!

Don't know what is so great about this, I guess she was just in the room.

Mr Skeleton is my kids favorite Halloween decoration/toy. He is aging though, a few broken bones, even some missing ones. They love to dress him up and reposition him. This pose is kinda funny .

I am guessing that Evie wanted to document Nielie's crying.

Another Evie story. Jake's friend brought him over a cinnamon roll on Sunday b/c he had hurt his arm. Well he was saving it for breakfast the next day. Jake woke up Monday and was so mad because someone had eaten his cinnamon roll, but just the middle part- leaving the edges. I knew it was Evie. She had snuck and ate this roll. When she woke I told her that robber had come in our house last night and ate Jake's roll. Her eyes got real big and she said "Wow!" I asked her if that scared her and she just smiled. I asked her if she ate it and she said "no- a robber came and ate it." We are really working on honesty with her. I finally did get it out of her and we made some more cinnamon rolls for the family. She is a little convincing though. We had an incident on Meet the Teacher Night where I thought she had taken some M&M's from the teacher. Actually she had taken them from Office Depot. We went right back to Office Depot( after I drug a screaming, crying Evie out of the school still claiming that the M&M's were hers) and paid them and she apologized. She is a very determined child. I think we were Office Depot for about 10 minutes waiting for her to say she was sorry. She is very dramatic and can really play it up. The funny thing is it is not like she never has sweets.

Psycho Mom

All our games were far enough apart today that I was able to go to each one. Adam was out of town so I was on my own but luckily I was able to get each of them to their games. Adam and I have realized how important it is to have good friends on the kids teams to help us get the kids where they need to be. It's like tag team.

Allie lost her game, some tough girls- really physical. Allie played hard. Chase lost his game too but Chase had a sack- except the flag didn't come out- we really think the league needs to do something about this. They have to clip off the ends of the belts otherwise they get confused with the flags. They are supposed to keep them tucked in but they come out. We watched the video a few times and Chase had 2 hand on it for a while but it didn't come out- we as parents think it really was the belt. I think ASA may get tired of my suggestions for them especially when I refer to how Frisco does things. Chase was also a team captain- you can see him going out for the toss. He is number 6.

Jake had an exciting game. The team they played-the Dolphins were the Champions last year. We were ahead 13-0 with 2 minutes into the 4th quarter. Jake had a TD and extra point. These are Jake's own words of what happened next

I was doing a sweep, didn't see the guy behind me and when he tackled me I fell with my fingers back. He didn't get up- and didn't get up. When he did he was holding his hand and crying. The coaches are trying to help him, thinking it was a stinger or something. Adam calls me wants to know the score and I tell him what happened. By now the Dolphins have scored twice and tied it up 13-13. Adam says tell him to get tough and get out there. So being the psycho mom that I am, I go grab the teams first aid kit, get tape and start taping his hand. With about 2 minutes left I tell the coach he's okay so they send him back out there, he is still crying but I say "BE TOUGH AND GET OUT THERE". When the game ends it is tied so we are going into overtime. When the boys come off the field a few boys are crying, the other team is much bigger than us and really beating us up. Anyway we won- 20-19. They didn't get their extra point. They were so excited-we were so excited. One of Jakes friends got hit really hard right after Jake got hurt. He is a real tough kid but he was pretty upset. He went back in too. After the game he was still crying and his mom thought he had gotten hit again. When she realized that he had not that he was still hurting from the earlier hit, she said "Why did you go back in if you were still hurt?" He said " I couldn't leave Jake in there alone" ( I really wish that Jake would have had that attitude earlier when he got hurt).I love how football really teaches boys how to work hard and help each other . I know this sound really silly but I really think it (sports as a whole) teach kids some important lessons.

We go the Dr on Sunday (he opens his clinic on Sunday Mornings form 9-10 to x-ray and cast kids that got hurt on Saturday in FB) and Jake does have a hairline in his hand. We get it casted but he can still play so we are real happy. This is the doctor who helped Jake last year when he broke his arm. I love this Doctor- he has 4 boys and played FB in college. He doesn't make you feel crazy for letting your kids play contact sports. This clinic he does on Sunday for FB kids is free of charge. GREAT!


Monday when it was time for practice Jake was saying he didn't want to go that it hurt still. Being the psycho mom I am I get the bubble wrap (to cover his cast so it doesn't hurt others) and tape and say "get in the car we are going". I was a little worried that it might bother him so I stayed to watch for a while- he was fine. Again, another lesson learned that sometimes you just have to toughen up and be strong. Last night he didn't even say anything about it hurting.

I love Sarah Palin! In high school they said she had the nickname Baracuda. She is having to be a baracuda and fight right now. She said when asked about being an underdog that it means you just have to FIGHT HARDER! GO SARAH!