Swimming Pools, Sprinklers & Popsicles...

As usual, we've been keeping busy. Haying is going well with only a few minor breakdowns (knock on wood). We've cut our quarter of land that was in CRP for 20+ years. That gave us just over 250 bales, which is almost double what we had last year! The alfalfa isn't great at all, as 31 acres yielded 12 bales, but it's better than not getting any. As I type this, Stuart is out cutting and baling more CRP that opened yesterday. Our wonderful neighbor, Leona, offered us all of their CRP for a very reasonable price. We couldn't pass it up and will be sharing it with Stu's Dad and brother.

We're still in the process of getting our new home finalized. We're hoping to be moved but mid-October. The decision to buy a manufactured home vs. building was hard, but decided that at this point, we'd rather put little more money towards corrals, barns, etc and in time we could consider building. Starting from scratch is hard and expensive, but the decisions we've made are the best for us at this point. I will let you know when the housewarming/moving in party is!!

Stu will be starting his new job tomorrow. We're very excited! There are so many good points to his decision to change jobs, but we feel the best is the fact that he'll be off the road and home every night. The pay is the same and the benefits are better! Change is good...

Em & Grace are still smiley, happy and crazy kids that keep growing and maturing before our eyes! Grace is a little over a year and Em will be three the middle of September...WOW! They can be a handful, but when times get to be frustrating I just try to imagine what I put my parents through at their age....it helps!

Between the girls, the haying and cattle, my involvement with Camp Rec, running the household and everything else I've volunteered for, I've also taken on the endeavor of volunteering with the American Cancer Society/Relay for Life on the local level. Our daycare provider and I attended the Relay for Life Cancer Walk a couple weeks ago and WOW! It sure opened my eyes and helped me realize how blessed we are...especially compared to so many other families.

That about sums things up around here. The heat is getting tiresome...I don't mind up to the mid 80s...but the no wind days of high humidity and over 95 are treacherous.....thank God for swimming pools, sprinklers and popsicles!