Spiders

I usually don't do a post like this, but this morning as Ben and I went on our morning walk, I could not help but notice all the beautiful spider webs that were glittering with dew as the sun tried to break through the morning fog.  It made me wish I had my camera.  Then as I turned the corner to go home they were so many on the edge of the field, I felt I had to go back and get my camera to shoot some.  Here is what I found:

It's time to Step up for Down Syndrome!

A little over three years ago our lives changed in a major way.  We had a new baby boy, who was healthy and strong and cute as a button.  There was just one little thing that made him different.  He has an extra twenty first chromosome.  We were lucky to have received such a blessing. 
Now Ben is a happy, healthy 3 year old pre-schooler.  He loves to play, read books and sing songs.   He is really starting to enjoy all the outings that we get to do with the Down Syndrome Association for Families of Nebraska.  They host many events throughout the year including a Christmas party, Spring Ball night, Summer Swim party and of course in the fall the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk.  Ben is very social and really enjoys seeing all of his friends. 
The Step up Walk raises positive community awareness and celebrates that individuals with Down syndrome are more alike everyone else, than they are different.  This year's walk is scheduled for October 1, 2011.  It is held at Antelope Park in Lincoln and begins at 8:00 am.  If you would like to join us at the walk, or donate to a very worthy organization, please click here to go to Ben's personal  page on our new walk website. 
We appreciate your support.

It Is Time For School!

Yesterday I sent all three of my babies off to school.
Ben started Pre School and loves it!  They said he did a great job both days and is making new friends.  He looks like such a big boy with his back back on.  He would not cooperate to take a picture with it, but I will get one soon.  Just in the last couple days, it seems like his speaking is much clearer and we can understand more of his words.  (He has always had lots of words, we just were not sure what he way trying to say unless he uses a sign so we can figure it out.)

 Sitting at his desk getting ready to color.

 His desk.  Dakota comes in the afternoon session and also uses this desk.

Noah started 4th grade today.  He was all decked out in his E-M Knights gear. We go tomorrow to check out the football gear for him.  He is excited about the upcoming football season.

 

John woke up early and ran out to ride the bus on the first day of 7th grade so Mom would not take pictures of him.  So I surprised him while he and Noah were playing football after school.  He wore his Knights attire on the first day too.   He gets to ride the bus a little bit extra this year....all the way to Murdock.

This is what I found last night when I went out to pick black berries.  Looks like the cousins were playing school last week while they were visiting.  I especially like the old toilet seat on the straw bale.  Luckily I got it all put back in the shed last night as we had a big rain storm with lots of wind and hail.

Noah and Adam got along especially well this year.  About 3 hours after they left, Noah came up to me and said "I am bored Mom!  It's just no fun around here without my cousins." 

County Pride, County Wide

I signed John up to do the video contest at the Cass County Fair.  Here is a link to his entry.

 County Pride, County Wide

If you look closely, you can see Noah eating ice cream, cousin Sammy Rase holding a bunny, cousins Annie and Jeff Backemeyer on the merry go round, church friends Jim and Grace Ronhovde enjoying pie, 3 of our baby bunnies and John even has a short cameo in the end marching in the band.
We don't know who won yet, but will post the results as soon as they are up.  John was the only youngster to submit a video, the rest were adults.

UPDATE:  John got 2nd place and won $150 for his efforts in the video contest.  Yeah John!

County Fair Time

This week is our county fair.  In addition to the normal cooking and photography, the boys took their rabbits this year.  Our doe had babies about 3 weeks ago, and they are a hit in the small animal house.  They are very cute.

 This is our first year with small animals and the judging is tomorrow.  We will have to see how we do. The rabbits are very big and it is hard for little Noah to handle them.  

John also won reserve champion on his display of political pins that were collected by his great Aunts Rosemary and Helen John. 

He re-did a small side table with a tile top that got a purple ribbon and is going to the state fair.  Noah baked some yummy coffee cake that he will have to re-make to take to the state fair as well.

Since we have to make the trip to the fair grounds to enter the 4-H projects, we all also entered a few items in open class.  One of my pictures won the Reserve Champion Photo for the fair.   It is a picture of a nail in the fence around our barn.  I thought about trying to pound it in, but decided to take a picture of it instead. 

 Randy took first place in the special photography contest that had a theme of Carnival Lights and Country Nights.  Here is his photo.

More pictures to come as the week goes on.