Blue Ribbon Babies!

We do enjoy the fair and this year was not exception ~ Hayden had a great first year of 4H after spending three years in Cloverbuds ~ He took three special interest projects to the Union County Fair (photography, woodworking and staying healthy) and recieved "A" blue ribbons for all three projects ~ He also qualified to show at the Ohio State Fair with his Staying Health Project where he recieved another cool ribbon ~ Hayden also recieved a blue ribbon for a black and white photo he took of minature sunflowers at the Franklin Park Conservatory ~ He recieved a third place ribbon for the color nature category for another photo of flowers ~ Lastly, he ended the week with a third place in the Original Category of the Dog Costume Contest ~ He dressed up Zoe up as a Bengals Fan and he dressed as a rival Browns Fan ~

Sawyer is currently in his second year of Cloverbuds ~ He entered a pumpkin bread in the junior culinary open class contest and received FIRST PLACE!!! I was so excited when I saw that blue ribbon on his entry ~ All first and second place winners had the opportunity to auction their baked goods off to the highest bidder ~ Baby B's Pumpkin Bread went for $15 of which Sawyer got to keep $10.50 which he spent on a new Webkinz ~ He was so proud!!!

Gigi wasn't going to be outdone by her brothers ~ Despite being only 4 and not even eligible for 4H until she enters Kindergarten she still entered in two open class contests ~ Her Veggie Critter took a third place ribbon in the Flower Show and she took FIRST PLACE with Zoe in the Dog Costume Contest ~ Zoe was Tarzan complete with wig and Gigi was the demure Jane ~ We had fun with labels and identified each of them with "I Tarzan" and "You Jane"

We had a great week and even though I was ready for a break from the fair all three of the kids were sad on Monday, August 3 when we drove by the fairgrounds and they realized they had to wait another 357 for the next one ~

Happy Birthday America!

1. Chris and I with Katie and our new newphew JACKSON

2. HS&G at the Marysville Fireworks

3. Gigi our lil' firecracker

4. Budgie and Coco at the Fireworks

Clarinda, Iowa

1. Our three with cousin Chance Cade
2. HS&G with Grandma Great Cade
3. The boys with Uncle John Cade
4. Our family w/ Great Uncle Harold & Great Aunt Julia Foster
5. In front of the Foster homestead where Grandma Great grew up

Over the hills and through the woods to Grandma's House we go....

From Chicago, Il to Clarinda, IA is about a seven hour trip ~ The kids got a good night's rest at the hotel before we left and off we were across the great state of Iowa ~ I took some random photos of wind turbines and a church from the van window~

Navy Pier and The Chicago Children's Museum

"II" and the kids at Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier, the kids at the Chicago Children's Museum, The skyline from Navy Pier, and Daddy's walking taxi service ~ Even a 90 pounder can

get a lift :)

ARGH! We are Pirates!

The Field Museum was had a special exhibit on Pirates ~ We didn't have the time to tour it (or the extra mula;) but we did take some fun pictures with the pirate props in the main hall~ I think Brandon and Gigi make for the most authentic pirates...Hayden and Sawyer are just too nice like their Mom ;)

My Kind of Town...Chicago is..

First stop...The Field Museum ~ We spent the better part of our first morning on vacation exploring the Field Museum. We had a great time and we enjoyed having "II" come along on our adventure.
I was especially excited to go with the kids to a museum that reminded us of our favorite movie "Night at the Museum" I knew that Sawyer would be excited to see "Sue" the largest T-Rex skeleton. Sawyer pointed out the Kinkajou right before we lost him in the South American Animal exhibit ~ Not a good moment ~ BUT we were very proud of him in that he found a security guard and explained that he was lost ~ Our 5 minutes of terror felt like forever! We were so glad to be reunited with our Baby B.
Sawyer and I were missing Rosie the turtle at home so we made ourselves feel better by trying on the Mommy and Baby turtle shells in one the interactive children's exhibits.