SureFire Ag

Three friends had a vision to start a business in their hometown - their favorite place to live and raise their families.  The business, SureFire Ag, is now four years old - and thriving.  They recently built a parts warehouse, and have expanded product options.

The business is SureFire Ag, and their role is to provide custom application equipment for farmers all over the United States.  The business has helped potato farmers, blueberry farmers, and of course corn, soybeans and wheat.  The photo highlights a product developed by the SureFire team.  Great job revitalizing and growing Atwood, Kansas!  Thank you Matt Wolters for the hospitable tour of your community and business!

Currier Drug

The heart of many communities is the drug store.  Customers visit for that needed item, gifts and of course, prescriptions.  Rural communities desperately need a local pharmacy to survive, as many elderly would have to travel great distances without a local store.

Currier Drug is owned by a couple originally from Montana.  They specifically came to Atwood, to run the local pharmacy.  The store would have closed its doors at the end of the calendar year - 11 years ago - if this couple did not have the vision to keep the store an option.

The pharmacy today provides prescriptions, necessity items, orthopedic foot care and musical therapy.  Lots of viable options are now available for residents of Atwood, Kansas.

Feed Mill

Ever been to Atwood, Kansas?  This little community is located in the northwest corner of Kansas - and the community is determined to thrive.  Many small, rural communities are shrinking, but Atwood experienced a slight growth in their last census.  So, what is going on in Atwood -- well, lots!

This photo is of the feed mill.  The mill processes feed for all types of animals.  They still bag feed, and will even deliver.  The mill has become in such demand, that they are planning an expansion.  You can see a concrete slab in this photo - this is where the new office operations will be located.

In a small town, a business must many times do more than one service.  The feed mill also stocks coveralls, gloves and other outdoor wear.  Plus, they will embroider your name/logo on the outside!

Kid Time

My best holiday memories, as a kid, where playing with my cousins.  I liked to do this better than most anything else, including eating and presents.  You see, I had nearly 25 cousins on my Dad's side and about 20 on my Mom's.  So, needless to say, holidays were full of great playful memories!

I wonder if the cousins of my sisters and I will have some of the same memorable times?  The cousins range in age from 11 to two months.  We have an even girl and boy split at the moment - and my nieces are certain to let everyone know the ratio.  They are a little concerned that they will be outnumbered!

This pic is a snap of seven out of eight - Baby "K" was napping on Thanksgiving.  So, here is to cousins - may you all have some fun memories too this holiday season!

And the Winner Is . . .

Fall is the time of year when award celebrations are held, for well, about everything.  There is the music awards, the movie awards and scads of other award shows.  Well, fall is also the time of year when we recognize 4-H professionals.  Our conference last month did just that.  I really can't think of a more deserving winner than my good friend BH.  She has been a 4-H professional for about 20 years, and her talent is evident throughout the state.  I was so excited to be a part of her special award day, as was her supervisor, pictured here.  Congrats on a career well done!

Froggy Fun

I think it is super cool when art turns into actual usable fun stuff.  Check out this example: a frog bench!  The tongue is the bench part, and kids can climb up the back of the head.  I think it looks like a fun play piece.  My friend, BH and I, discovered this park treasure in downtown Omaha.  There was lots of kid friendly play pieces to explore!

Concrete Creation

On a recent trip to Omaha, Nebraska, I happened upon this fun city park.  A friend and I were on a walk towards a lunch destination, and thought we might cut through.  The park not only featured nice seating areas, walking trails and beautiful foliage - but it also featured fun playground pieces!  This slide looked awesome, and an identical twin was featured to the left.  There were some kids playing, so I decided that I probably should not test it out.  Doesn't it look like tremendous fun though?  I definitely think it is worth a return trip =)

Nine Months

Nine months ago this little guy became a part of our lives - and we can't imagine what life would be like without him!  This past month was full of more growing adventures, more learning and more daycare fun too.  Life certainly is not boring, and each day is new opportunity - especially in food exploration =)

This month Baby "K" learned:
*To stand while holding onto objects.
*To say "ma-ma" and "na-na."
*That spitting while eating causes great reactions from Dad!
*To stand in bed.
*To chew on the coffee table.

Each day brings more mobility confidence, and more pronounced independence.  Baby "K" is getting braver with letting go, and just might surprise us by walking someday soon!  Thank you EM for this perfect, easy-to-move-in outfit!

Plant Hang Out

My plants are happy hanging out in the sun by the south picture window.  They get to overlook the pond, and a lovely brome grass pasture.  What could be more beautiful?  Mr. Fixit designed two plant shelves, one on either side of the window.  The plants give their new digs two (green) thumbs up!

Kitchen Complete

The transformation of my kitchen/dining area has been almost magical!  I had made a request to use wainscoating, and Mr. Fixit definitely fulfilled my vision.  The wainscoating was painted a country blue, which pairs quite nicely with the very light gray walls.  The trim was made from 1 X 4's, and follows the top of the wainscoating.

Mr. Fixit also crafted some plant ledges and shelves.  The dining area looks fantastic, and the plants frame the south picture window quite nicely.  The plant shelves were my Christmas present request - so I have received Christmas early this year!

Window Shelf

Mr. Fixit is pretty creative, and his brain for construction can definitely turn circles around mine!  Mr. Fixit is working on some house projects, and this one, I think, is a terrific fix for an unusable space.  The indentation in the wall was once a window.  Now it is a crafty built in multi-shelf unit!

The window was removed because that wall was where the old part of the house was tied into the new part of the house.  The window space was covered for the longest time, until Mr. Fixit came up with this plan.  I think it turned out marvelous!  Mr. Fixit now has a place for some knick knacks and toys that some day will belong to Baby "K."

Coal Fire Cooler

Holcomb is home to a large coal fire plant.  The plant produces electricity by processing coal.  As a result of burning the coal, water vapor is discharged.  This photo shows the large cooling system associated with the plant.  You can see the water vapor escaping into the cold, fall air.  The whole process was quite amazing.

Curly Girls

Curly hair - these two words pretty much sums up my hair.  Those of you out there with curly hair know that our hair IS different.  People that have straight hair, really can not understand.  Therefore, it is very important, that a stylist know and understand that life with curly hair is just simply not the same.  So, I am picky about who cuts my hair.

Two of my friends also have curly hair.  They understand what life is like with crazy curls.  This picture shows two hair options: long or short.  My long-haired friend is the style of hair that I currently have.  My short-haired friend is the style I aspire to get.  Will it work with my thick curly hair?  I took several more photos, and hope to find out soon!

Tag + Thumb = Baby Bliss

Baby "K" started sucking his thumb around three months of age.  Mr. Fixit and I were quite ok with this, because a thumb in a baby's mouth means quiet, or more importantly - no crying.  We were both quite thankful for that fact, and a thumb can not be lost, unlike the pacifier.

The newest development in the thumb sucking department has been the addition of a tag.  Baby "K" wears a bib nearly all day, due to the large amounts of drool associated with teething.  So, he has discovered that his bib usually has a tag on the left side.  He sucks his left thumb, so this is perfect.  Baby "K" will grab the tag with his left hand and stick it in his mouth.  It is an interesting sight!  So, here is a pic of the tag and thumb together.

My Mentors

The career that I have is always interesting, and a dull moment simply does not exist.  We deal with some difficult stuff, and as the only professional of my type in my county, sometimes it can get a bit lonely.  When I entered this profession, I was assigned several mentors.  One of my assigned mentors is in the left of this photo.

I have also selected some additional mentors, and one of my picks is in the photo, on the right.  The fact is this: I could not be successful without mentors to offer advice and assistance. Thanks ladies for making a positive difference in my life!

Tasty Table

Getting teeth must be quite the painful process, I have decided.  Drool is constant, along with a runny nose, swollen gums and well, lots of other things that just make sleeping, playing and eating without fussing next to impossible!

Baby "K" really likes the Oak coffee table in our living room.  He has started to pull himself up, by grabbing onto the table.  First before he pulls himself to a standing position, he takes a little gnaw to make sure the table is sturdy.  I hold my breath, because I am not really certain that I am ready for the tooth-mark finish that is likely inevitable!  Mr. Fixit says that we can sand it and refinish it some day - with Baby "K," helping, of course, since he designed that now permanent engravings =)

Corn Mash

Our KARL class had quite the adventure, as we trekked through the Ethanol plant, located in Garden City, Kansas.  Did you know that ethanol can be created from Milo or Corn?  The plant has two silos, one to hold milo and one for corn.  However, corn was in action the day we visited.

Grain trucks deliver the dry (or mostly dry) grain.  The grain is unloaded into storage silos.  The ethanol process begins when grain and water are added to a mash machine.  The mixture is heated and mixed to begin the fermentation process.  The plant definitely has a very yeasty smell, due to the fermentation process.

The mixture moves from mash mixers to fermentators and eventually out of the plant.  The ethanol is extracted, and a very, bright, hot, moldable mixture remains.  This is referred to as distillers grain.  This photo shows a close up shot of the grain.  It looks almost like Play-Doh!  This bi-product is hauled, by another truck, to some very hungry cattle.  Tasty?

On the Move

Baby "K" is officially part of the moving world - he started crawling across the daycare living room floor around November 10!  All the kids at daycare, were quite the cheering fans.  They would continue to move toys farther away from him, to get "K" to crawl further.  I told Mr. Fixit that the tv remote is no longer safe!  For some reason, this is his favorite!

Hay Wall

Running a dairy operation with 14,000 mouths to feed takes a lot of hay.  Let me say it again, A LOT of hay!  This is just one row of hay.  I called it a "Hay Wall."  The hay is part of the feed rations for cows at Royal Farms Dairy.  Lots of roughage = lots of good producing milk cows.

The bales are larger than the hay bales that we had on our farm growing up.  We just had the traditional round bales, and Dad would move them with the tractor fork.  I am not exactly sure how these are moved.  I did not get to witness the action, but I am sure the cows run right up to the bale when it arrives in their lot!  I think the commodities location was my favorite part of my tour to Royal Farms.  It was such fun to see the different types of foodstuffs for the bovines!

Last Call

Last call was announced at about seven months, and Baby "K" was the "Last Call" designator!  We gradually went from about five feedings a day down to one, and eventually, none.  So, this is the last remaining drink of milk.  Baby "K" drank it quickly, and then enjoyed a snack of some applesauce!

Mentee & Mentor

The best thing about my career is the people - families that we interact with, and witness the growth of so many young people.  It is very magical!  Another good people benefit, is the connection that is established between us agents.  We have each other's back, and support one another through rough stuff.

This picture is pretty cool for several reasons.  We all are ready to celebrate the accomplishments of our peers, and this picture has two mentees and two mentors.  Marvelous!  One of the most meaningful things we do is develop people, and let me tell you, these three ladies next to me are superb leaders and dynamite people.  Thanks for being excellent co-workers, and friends!

Eight Months

Can you believe it has been 8 months?  It seems like the days just fly by, and I often wonder what I will miss on my next work trek out of town.  This month was also marked with some new tricks, but mostly, Baby "K" is getting more practiced at some of the "old" tricks.  Here are some highlights:

*Crawling!  This began the day before his eighth month officially started.
*Transferring toys from one hand to another.
*Babbling with you, and trying to answer your question with a babble.
*Sitting up in bed.
*Bathtime in the big bathtub.
*New food tastes.
*Sleeping through the night -- on most nights. =)

100,000

I am amazed at how fast the miles seem to fly by on the odometer!  It seemed like just yesterday that I walked to the small car lot near my city house, and drove my new-to-me used car home --- with almost 50,000 miles.  That was about 4 years ago, and look at where we are now!

This car has seen me through lots of life changes including dating, marriage, moving, friendships and a baby.  Who knew four years ago, that this would all happen.  Life is full of surprises!  I thought I would share this mile marker, and I pray that mile markers are also blessing your life!

Ladies Parlour

A milking parlor built for 60?  Hard to believe - but check it out.  Sixty ladies enter this parallel parlor - thirty on each side.  Each cow has her section to stand, while five busy gentlemen bustle through the parlor below.  The 60 girls are milked in under 5 minutes - that means there is no time to chat!

My KARL class took a tour of Royal Farms Dairy, located in rural area outside of Garden City.  This dairy milks 6,000 cows per day.  This means that about 14,000 cows call this location home, as not all are wet cows.  The dairy operation milks 24 hours per day, and the milkers work a 12 hour shift.  Three milk tankers are filled per day.  That is lots of dairy, folks!

Not only is there action in the parlor, but there is lots of action in the pens too.  As each pen of 500 girls heads to the parlor, other farm workers clean pens, harrow, haul hay, feed and countless other necessary tasks.  All so America can have a delicious glass of milk, ice cream, tasty cheese and countless other dairy products!

Baby Cousin "H"

Baby "K" has yet to meet this little guy, but I did get a chance to run home to become acquainted with my newest nephew.  He is already one month old -- where did the time go??  He is still quite teeny, and super laid back.  My Sis has to work hard to keep him awake to eat!  Quite different from my little guy!

I am curious to see what will happen when Baby "K" does meet his new cousin.  Thanksgiving will certainly be a time for connecting and being thankful for all these blessings we have received this year!

Electrical Energy

My first official session with KARL was held in Garden City, Kansas.  This bustling metropolis is located approximately five hours from my home.  A number of my classmates and I made the trek with two vehicles across the state.  One of our stops was Sunflower Electric - located in Holcomb, Kansas.

This is a coal fire plant.  In a simplified description, the plant converts dry coal into electricity for a vast portion of the central and western portions of Kansas.  The plant is immaculately clean -- not a spec of dust could be found on the floors (all 12, mind you) nor any of the equipment pieces either.  The company is quite cognizant of taking care of the environment.  The only emissions to come from the tall stack? -- water vapor.  Amazing!

This photo is a peek into one of the generators, through a special welding glass.  The internal temp is at about 2,500 degrees.  The process is absolutely incredible, and this company is determined to provide safe, reliable energy for years to come.

Celebrate!

Once a year, we have the opportunity to congratulate our peers for fantastic work.  I love that night!  We provide flowers, cake and dress up in honor of our co-workers.  The banquet is exquisite, and this year's did not disappoint -- the decorations were magnificent, and the food was splendid.

This work we do is hard to explain.  Sometimes gratitude is not present, and glory is seeing kids achieve and make a difference.  So, in honor of all the agents and specialists out there - thanks for what you do, and most of all congrats Kansas winners!  I am proud of you!!

Man and Little Man at Work

The time has come to construct some baby gates for the custom built openings in our living room because Baby "K" will soon be crawling!  Right now he has become quite adept at rolling around, but the speed is about to pick up.  I am sure of it!  In the meantime, he is intently learning how to use a drill. =)

Mr. Fixit is building some plywood barriers to keep Baby "K" in our living room.  They will be quite cool, because they will slide in and out of the tracks that he is constructing in this photo.  So, I could not resist taking a picture of our little guy watching his Daddy engineer some gates to keep him in!

Corn Harvest

Recently we went for a visit to see Mr. Fixit's brother - a farmer!  One of the crops that he grows is corn.  My family farms too, but it is way too dry for corn - so this was quite the treat.  I rode on the combine to collect a binful of corn.  We made it around the field only once.  The process was quite breathtaking!

Mr. Fixit's brother said that this is his favorite crop to harvest.  I would have to agree because you can see the ears going into the thresher, and you can see the corn pouring out into the bin behind the driver's seat.  I love all the action!  This year the corn was yielding about 130 bushels per acre -- and that was for dryland corn.  Amazing!

Lions & Tigers & Bears -- Oh My!

The weather was absolutely perfect for Halloween 2011 - "unbelievable" as Mr. Fixit would say!  The temps were in the 50's-60's, and the night was calm and still.  Perfect for all the cute kiddos to tour around the city in search of delicious treats!

I dressed up as a candy corn - thank you very much Sis #2 for all your costume construction magic - and I dressed Baby "K" as a little lion.  Also, thank you Sis #2 for your craftsmanship on that costume!  We hung out with my good friends "D" and "W" and handed out candy corn.  I couldn't resist!!

Here is a pic of the ensemble.  We had a wonderful night!  Thank you for letting us borrow your house, and hand out treats to about 40 some kids!

Roooaaarrrr!

While Halloween, has come, and gone -- I have been a bit busy, so blog posts have sorta been on the back burner.  This was a week of three nights of work, and the weekend is a busy one too - in the work arena.  So, Happy Halloween - a bit late!  We did not go trick-or-treating, but did enjoy dressing up!

Baby "K's" daycare look included a halloween shirt - complete with orange and white stripes AND glow in the dark picture of a baby, wrapped up like a mummy.  The shirt, appropriately, read: "I love my Mummy!  It was quite the store bargain, for only a couple of bucks, and I do believe - we will wear it again.  The look was completed with a pair of black pants and orange, green and white socks.  Perfect!

Speaking of socks, I so think someone should develop more baby socks that actually stay on the baby's feet.  Lots of feet kicking and pulling of socks results in barefoot babies!  Well, that is a whole other post. Enjoy this beautiful fall weather!

Little Pumpkin

Baby "K" got an early Halloween gift - Halloween JAMMIES!!!!  He received two pair from our good friend BH, and boy, they sure are super cute!  I couldn't resist posing him with a small pumpkin on pajama day for daycare.  Baby "K" got to hang out in his new, super soft and very cute Halloween jammies for the day.  He even took a very good nap that afternoon.  I think we are going to wear his other pair this week.  After all, the whole month is in preparation of Halloween, so we will celebrate by dressing up in warm jammies!

Cousin & Baby "K"

I love going to visit family!  We are blessed to have wonderful family members on both sides.  Recently our "Seven Summer Guests," aka, heifers were collected by Mr. Fixit's brother.  His youngest daughter came along for the ride.  We had decided to head north to visit Grandma for the day, so she decided to travel with us too!

We enjoyed having another passenger, and Baby "K" enjoyed having a face to play with in the backseat on the drive too.  Grandma made a delicious lunch, and we all caught up on the latest happenings back home.  I can't think of a more perfect Sunday afternoon!

Plugged In

My 3rd grade niece loves her DS, and my kindergarten nephew is enamored by any type of game technology.  So, he was not far from my niece's side, and waiting so patiently to be able to play one of the games on the enthralling hand-held device.  It looks like Baby "K" is just taking all the excitement in.  Who would have thought that technology basically starts at the crib with this generation?  I find myself thinking what life will be like when these kids have reached the age of 20.  Will we each have our own implanted microchip?  Or will we each have games downloaded directly into our brains?  Seems unlikely, but one just never knows what the future holds!

German Chocolate with Blue Sprinkles

My Mom requested her favorite cake for her birthday - German Chocolate.  Now, for those of you who do not know, German Chocolate involves a coconut/pecan frosting.  I have discovered that people either absolutely love this frosting, or they totally despise it.  So, I decided that to appease the masses of folks in attendance, that I would frost half of the cake German Chocolate style and the other half with vanilla frosting.  As you can see from the picture, it made for an interesting looking cake!  I also decided that the white side needed a bit of sprucing up.  I added blue sprinkles, since that is Mom's favorite color.  Then I decided that the coconut frosting side felt a little out of balance, so I thought, why not for good measure, put blue sprinkles on that side too?  So I did, and the birthday cake eaters were all very happy.  The end.

Eldest & Youngest

My oldest niece, and also the oldest grandchild for my side of the family, loves hanging out with Baby "K."  She loves to hold him, play with him, and has officially put herself in charge of making sure the other grandkids do not hurt him.  So, she is sort of his unofficial body guard.  I could not resist snapping this photo of the two hanging out.  Niece #1 is recounting the latest details of "the crazy things the little kids were doing."  I have to laugh, because 11 years ago - she was the little kid!  I wonder if the next 11 years will go that fast, now that I have a little guy of my own?

Grandma & Baby "K"

A recent visit north to Grandma "F" gave us a little time for Baby "K" to hang out with her for a bit.  Grandma wanted to give Baby "K" lots of hugs and kisses, but he has started to become a bit particular when Mom and Dad are not holding him!  We are hoping that he will soon bypass this phase, and be willing to get some love from many relatives and friends.  Here is a pic of "K" and Grandma after his afternoon nap.  We look forward to future visits!

Mi Madre y Hermanas

It has been a long time since all of us were together, and could snap a photo to document it!  I remember it being rare that my aunts and uncles were together for family events while growing up.  I often thought, that won't happen to us - we will always be together!  How little did I know, that we all grow up, and we all move to new places, take on careers and then have families of our own.  Time simply does not stand still.  So, we snapped a photo of us together for Mom's special day.  We are minus two sisters in this picture, but we look forward to the day when all six of us can be together for a future photo!

Sumac

The sight of the Flint Hills in the fall is certainly one to behold, and this is one reason why -- sumac!  The pesky woody plant is not really good for anything else.  The cattle do not like to eat it, and it causes lots of headaches for those growing prairie hay.

However, when fall arrives, the beauty is breathtaking.  I love the deep hue of red, and the texture that the berries offer.  I also love how it dots the hillsides, with the perfect sprinkling of grass and rocks.  Sure looks inviting for a picture or two, don't you think?

Seven Months

Our little guy is a lucky seven months old!  I can hardly believe that he is over the halfway mark to his 1st birthday!  It seems like each month flies by faster than the previous.  Some highlights from this month include:
*Clapping
*Sitting independently
*Scooting backwards
*Eating a leaf at daycare
*Giggling at a dog
*Trying to talk to the cats
*Playing with more toys
We look forward to more learning this month.  I think he is so close to crawling!  So, hopefully in the next several weeks, we will get to witness this milestone!

Out for a Stroll

Here is a math equation for you: 6 kids + 1 baby to hold = one cranky baby.  So, in light of these statistics, and the fact that the weather was positively beautiful, I decided it was time to employ the stroller.  Then each kid could take his or her turn pushing the baby.  Plus, the baby really is happiest when he gets to move - constantly!  I thought this idea was brilliant.  The kids did have fun pushing Baby "K" around the yard.  However, a short while later, Baby "K" somehow slide out of the stroller and was laying in the grass.  There were three versions of the story, recounted by the various stroller pushers.  I do know that I buckled the little guy in, so, I believe some mischievous little person tried to "rescue" him from the stroller.  Unfortunately, the guilty party, "Not me," could not be found for questioning!

Mr. Fixit & Family

We have not officially had a family photo snapped, but thought we could sneak an informal one in on a recent visit home.  We actually did not plan to be color coordinated, but look - we are!  Baby "K" was not quite sure about all the relative action on the recent visit.  He is getting into the separation anxiety phase, and it is simply not pleasant.  So, for the ease of everyone's ears, Mr. Fixit and I did a lot of Baby "K" holding.  As with all baby phases, I know this one will not last forever =).

Out of Room

Is it just me, or do things that seemed really big when you were small, suddenly get little when you are now big?  Take this couch for example.  As a kid, I thought this couch was ginormous!  We could all (my five sisters and I) fit on it, and we have a collection of memories to prove fun was had by all.

Now, fast forward to the next generation.  The couch is holding all seven grandchildren, but it appears that we are about out of room!  How did this happen?  Who let this couch shrink?  I think, even though all are tightly packed, that we can fit one more.  We will try it out at Thanksgiving - because, we will now have eight little people to pack on the couch!

Swinging Sixties

The family gathered recently to celebrate a monumental milestone for Mom - the number 60!  She requested a very simple gathering - to include - fried chicken, french fries, rolls, cake, corn and ice cream. Don't worry, we did not eat the items in that order!  She also requested that we (all her daughters and families) come home for a family gathering to mark her day.

The weather was fantastic for October - close to 80 degrees - and the seven grandkids celebrated by playing outside.  The guys hung out in the garage, and us gals caught up on the last several months in the kitchen.

It was great to see everyone, and I really think we should schedule a party each year.  Holidays seem super hectic, and everyone is running from place to place.  So, this was perfect!  Mom, how would you feel about celebrating 60 again next year?

Fascinator

My good friend and co-worker, AR, really knows her stuff in the clothing department.  She can spot a fashion trend faster than you can shout "Vogue!"  One of the things I really like about AR, is that she can find style wherever she looks.  Check out this fun, purple hat!

I was told, by my good friend, that this is a "fascinator."  I am not certain how it was named, but doesn't it sound amazing, just the same?  She was sporting the look during a day at the fair, and I couldn't help but think that it was quite cheery.  Our conversation moved to Queens and Princesses and English weddings.  Great look AR!

Pumpkin Pox?

I always think finding a mystery or unusual item at the State Fair is like finding an undiscovered treasure!  I could not resist taking a close-up shot of this pumpkin.  I decided the pumpkin must certainly have some rare illness, which I was sure would be called "Pumpkin Pox."

My co-worker and local horticulture expert tells me that this pumpkin really is made this way.  It is an actual variety, and people like to use it for ornamental (aka - decorating) purposes.  I think it is simply fun.  What a way to give the ordinary pumpkin a little personality.  Happy early Fall!

Where Might I Find . . .

I have decided that as babies get older two things tend to happen: 1 - The baby gets more photogenic, and will smile more, maybe because they are amused by so many more things?  2 - The baby moves more, which means that you must photograph quickly!

I originally took this photo because the weather was cool enough for Baby "K" to try out his first pair of overalls, which I thought looked fun!  It is almost as if he is asking a question in this photo, like "Where might I find some chocolate?"  Or, "You wouldn't happen to have a hammer handy, would ya?"  Or perhaps, "Can anyone tell me when this chair got here?"

Missing Mouse

I am pretty sure that someone is missing a mouse.  I am quite certain, however, that we are not missing a mouse.  So, if you lost your mouse, please come and claim her.  Baby mice are included for free!

It all started one Monday night. I decided to turn the bed down, as I normally do, and there upon the pillow I discovered two, tiny black pellets.  My immediate reaction, was to suck my breathe in, and exclaim, "Oh my gosh!"

I ran to get Mr. Fixit.  He did not think they were from a mouse.  I was 100% certain that this indeed was the work of a mouse.  So, I encouraged Mr. Fixit to arm our house with every type of trap imaginable, and bait.

The next day, I attempted to turn the covers down once again.  So far, so good.  Well, as I got towards the bottom, there -- was -- a -- mouse -- in --- our --- bed!!!  I screamed, and the critter scurried out of the bed and onto the floor.  Oh -- my -- gosh!!!  I told Mr. Fixit that we simply could not sleep in the bed tonight, no way, no how -- the mouse needed to get out of our house!

I changed sheets for the 3rd day in a row, and once again rebaited traps.  We still have not caught the mouse, but we have not seen her again either.  We have also not discovered any additional evidence of her.  So, perhaps she has moved to a new abode.  I am still not putting the traps away yet, though!! 

Butter Turtle

The 2011 Kansas State Fair has concluded, but the memories will certainly last!  One of the most intriguing aspects of the fair, for me, is the butter sculpture.  Each year a new sculpture is commissioned to be sculpted out of semi-soft butter, and can be viewed throughout the duration of the fair.

This year's sculpture depicted the theme of "Sheep Thrills."  I was not sold on this theme, but was excited to see a turtle included in this year's sculpture.  This is memorable because Kansas is celebrating its 150th birthday this year.  And, if you were not aware, the Ornate Box Turtle is our state reptile.  So, there you go, the theme and sculpture did honor a bit of Kansas history.  Now, let's bake some muffins and enjoy some fresh, delicious butter!

Oh My Gourd!

My favorite building to tour during the Kansas State Fair is called the "Pride of Kansas" building.  This building contains commodities, organizations and items made in Kansas.  I love the showcase of local agriculture!  This building also contains the largest pumpkin and watermelon contestants.

Well, one of the classes on display this year, featured gourd creativity.  This would totally be the class that I would choose to enter!  Contestants utilize gourds/sqash/melons to create sculptures, animals and art.  I snapped a pic of one of my favorites.  This caterpiller is too cute to resist!  Even though it was not first, it certainly ranked up there in my books!

Cantaloupe

One of Mr. Fixit's favorite fruits is cantaloupe.  He often can be found stopping at the weekly Farmer's Market to nab a ripe one or two.  Once the prize fruit arrives home, he typically guts the melon and chops it into bite size pieces right on the deck.  The seeds are tossed onto the ground.

Well, one ambitious little seed must have decided this was the perfect home!  In July we started to see signs of a plant growing near the deck.  We let it grow to see how it would do.  We figured that the dry summer and lack of care would not yield any fruit, but take a look!  One cantaloupe is happily growing.  Mr. Fixit is keeping a close watch on this one, and likely will soon be enjoying a delicious bite!