First Day of School

We had several milestone school years starting this fall!

 Anton started Preschool this year.  

Elijah Started Kindergarten.

Amelia is in the 3rd Grade.

Ethan is in Jr. High! 6th Grade

First Day of School for these guys!

Which leaves, Allison all by herself a couple days a week.

You mean, I'm not going to school??? Sniff, Sniff

Vacation 2014 - Lake of the Ozarks

So it's the day after Christmas and I'm just now posting about our summer vacation. I guess you could say I've kept busy the last few months. :) So now to try and catch up!

This year we did vacation with my family. We enjoy a shorter drive to the Lake of the Ozarks near where my sister and brother-in-law live. Big Surf water park is a favorite for our kids. It's not very big or busy which is perfect for keeping track of 5 kids going in all directions. 

Mark and Ethan braved the big slide. They told me I wouldn't like it so I took their word for it and just watched. :)

Amelia and the rest of us loved the wave pool!

Vacation time usually comes over Amelia's birthday. We took advantage of the Birthday package and Amelia enjoyed her 9th birthday at a water park!

New adventure taking all the kids mini golfing. Anton started us out right by hitting the ball as hard as he could into the parking lot. 

The rest of the night Allison was the only kid in our group. I guess Alex and Katie's team looked like the most fun so they had the pleasure of herding the kids thru the course. :)

The girls on our team.  

Our little pirate Allison.

Just before we headed home we stopped to visit friends and take a boat ride. 

Ethan and Amelia love tubing, unfortunately rain cut their ride short. 

 Allison bawled the whole time they were out there that she wanted them back in the boat. :) 

Our Family Picture from Old Time Photos. This was a blast! I would highly recommend doing this your family.

July

After few days of rain the creek was running well. The kids love to play in it!

More happy creek playing kids.

June birthday's were celebrated the 4th of July. Special ones were my dad turning 60 and uncle turning 50.

Grandma and Grandpa with the grand kids.

Round one of kayaking.

This was so tiring the current was strong and the creek winding.

We ended the evening with fireworks, thanks Cally and Trey!

We had such a fun work out we decided to go out again the next day, here's crew #2.

Allison lasted long enough for a picture, then it was back to Grandma. Kayaking is way to scary!

The chickens are starting to lay eggs! So cute and little!

Allison is all ready for church. Here purse is as full as Grandma VDB's :)

Anton showing us a bird he caught, it's he's friend he says. :)

Yikes, a snapping turtle wasn't what Elijah was expecting to catch fishing!

Horrible project of the summer - painting the chicken shed. Way to much work!!!

Amelia turns 9 years old!

Allison enjoyed helping bag sweet corn with Grandma.

One of the boys favorite pass-times this summer was riding around the yard. I'm surprised I still have grass!

Boender Excavation gets a new logo.

The kids had a blast slip and sliding into the pond with cousins!

4-H & Fair Fun

Our July calendar was filled with fair prep and 4-H activities. We actually hit three county fairs within one week this summer. We made it to Dallas & Washington counties for motocross racing and our fair in Mahaska county. Here's a few pictures of our fair experiences. 

Ethan's 4-H club was challenged to make a pallet project for the fair. After looking online he decided on a chair. Time got away from us so he decided on making a wagon with recycled parts he found around the yard. He got in some welding, grinding, screwing and sanding experience with his project.

Finished wagon to haul his feed bags with.

Our first fair was in Dallas county, this is our crew waiting to race. 

After a late night racing we had an early morning bringing fair exhibits to town. This is part of Ethan's 4-H club ready to interview with judges.

Then it was home wash chickens.

They didn't exactly love their baths.

Amelia was in charge of cuddling and warming since it was a cool evening.

Ethan brought six chickens to show, all ones we hatched from our own chickens. He did well getting four blues and two reds. A couple of the chickens the judge thought needed to grow a little more so they were the ones that got red ribbons. Something to remember for next year, have chicks hatched by early March.

What fun would the fair be if you couldn't hang out with your friends in the livestock barns.

(We have a little "football" game going on here.)

The morning after the chicken show was the sheep show. Ethan got two purple ribbons for his lambs. Despite our MANY, MANY,  hours of working with them neither one cooperated for him. :( Thankfully the judge was gracious and gave him some good tips. Although Ethan has told us he will be showing hogs next year because they are easier. Uncle Karl are you ready! :)

Anton and his cousin testing out the swords they made at a 4-H workshop.

Both Anton and Eljjah tried mutton bustin, along with every other kid age 8 and under in Mahaska county. :) It was a huge crowd (at the beginning) and a lot of fun.

Next night we were off the the Washington County Fair to race again. Elijah is racer "X" in the middle.

It was a good night, both boys got first and Mark got 2nd.

After a long week filled with fun and competition it was time to pack up and bring things home. Here Ruby, our ewe lamb, is going back into the herd. She was glad to see the other sheep and Ethan was glad to see her go. ;)

The sheep in the front and center is actually Ethan's sheep from last year, Lucy! It was so fun to see her and she actually remembered us and came right up to us. It was a nice way to end his sheep showing career. :)