A Week At the Fair!

This was the first year we spent a whole week at the fair. This was Mikayla's 1st year in 4H and after seeing how fun it is her sisters want to join!  It seems it will become part of our life every July for awhile. I have to say even though I am exhausted I had loads of fun! I think all my kids were born to live on a farm, so are next house may have to be on a farm. Since this was Mikayla's first year I made her limit her entries (a lot of 4Hers do 10-20 projects!!)so she showed her dog and guinea pig and also did table setting. She has a lot of ideas for next year and I can already see the wheels turning! She received 4 purple ribbons, 1 blue, and 1 red. The girls also had a great time helping their friends with their animals. They cleaned out chicken and rabbit cages. Helped with sheep and got to help out with the Llama show. Mason's highlight of the fair was riding the train ride! The smile on his face was priceless!

Getting Sophie used to the pigs next to the arena!

My niece Molly's first fair and dog show.

Update on Mason

After a month of waiting I am able to answer everyones questions about the genetic testing. The neurologist ran a series of genetic tests and the results were normal. I was happy to hear those results but my question to her was why are we being sent to a geneticist if they were normal. The answer I received was they have a few more tests they can do and will be another set of eyes. We also are being told to keep going to the developmental pediatrition. From what the doctor is telling me she knows something is going on but with no answers all they can do is treat the symptoms. We know his soft spot is still not closing and the ventricles are larger on the left side of his brain but was he born with them that way or did something happen (maybe when he had meningitis)?? We also went back to the Child Health Specialty Clinic today. Which was good for me since I have many questions and sometimes I feel as if I am running in circles and is what I am doing the best I can do or is it too much! We talked about Apraxia and Autism and we are going to add additional speech therapy. We have made progress in alternate communication using signs and pictures which comes in handy when we can't figure out what he wants. Thank you to everyone who has been praying and thinking about Mason. I know there are quite of few of you who have been waiting anxiously right beside me for these test results and even though I don't have an answer I at least know that you will be right beside me for the long haul.

Celebration

On Saturday we celebrated my dads 60th birthday! We had a surprise party for him! It was great to visit with family and friends:) My dad got a new bike from my mom just in time for Ragbrai. I think it is pretty impressive that at 60 years of age my dad is doing all the things he loves. He is still a ski instructor and spends most of the summer hiking and biking! On Saturday before his party he went biking in the 100+ degree weather, which I think is crazy! Thank you dad for teaching me to enjoy life and not let getting old get in the way!

4th of July

We started the weekend with going to Amy and Joe's farm on Saturday. Of course Mikayla and Makenzie could not just go for one day so they spent Thursday and Friday also helping them around the farm:) We enjoyed food, fireworks, and even got to have grandpas homemade ice cream!! Here are just a few pictures of a wonderful night on the farm! 

Mason and Lucas talking to the pigs

Makenzie making mud for the pigs

Mikayla and Mason in with the animals

Feeding the new baby goat, Buckwheat, he is only 8 weeks old

Love this picture of Megan but I will have to crop out her dirty knees LOL!!

Makenzie's 4th of July nails

Chasing the goat

Riding Dutch the miniature horse

Want a bite mom??

 On Sunday it was on to Sioux City to see the Olson's. We had to take a detour around the flood, but we did get there. It was a great history lesson for the kids to be able to see the flooding as we drove. We had lots of fun in Sioux City!! Here are a few pictures from Sioux City also!

Silly pose of all the cousins

Katie pushing Mason

Chris...Not sure what him and Mikayla are doing??

Mikayla and her Aunt Kim

I keep telling her she should not let me take these types of pictures because they might show up in the future:)

Getting ready for fireworks!