BIG checks!

Saturday night the boys won their first checks in the breakaway calf roping at the open rodeo in Farmington, IA.

You see, most of the time the kids are paid in cash for their win. So, to have a check made:

Pay to the Order of: Jaxson Davis 1st place Pay to the Order of: Dexter Davis 2nd place

was energizing!

It was thrilling, the boys loved it...I think they're hooked :)

Peachy

I love the taste of a juicy fresh peach. In fact, I love most things peach. So, when I saw the Dutchman had peaches on sale by the bushel, I new I had to have some.

Not 1 BUT 2 bushel=EeeeK!

My mind was swirling with all the goodies that could come from those wonderful peaches.

I'd start with canning peaches by the quart,

then perhaps can some peach pie filling and

finish with some chunky peach jam.

Not to dampen my peachy excitement but the knowledgeable neighbor lady(my mother-in-law) warned me...

"make sure they're good...you really need good peaches!"

Well....the peaches are good. They're just NOT PERFECT! To have beautiful canned peaches you need a firm, but not hard, ripe, but not mushy=PERFECT peach!

So...here I sit...still deep in peaches.

REMEMBERING that I chose this moment.

I reflect on how as the boys ate their supper I stood peeling peaches over the sink chanting

"I love peaches, we love peaches".

"Right? I love peaches? Let me think...hmmmm"

I now wait for yet another timer with the hope that I might have concocted & salvaged something edible from those must have not so perfect peaches.

We shall see?

Champion Dummy Ropers

Sunday we finished up the 2009 Wrangler Dummy Roping Series at the Clarke County Youth Rodeo in Osceola.Jaxson earned the Champion buckle in his age division.

Dawson earned the Reserve Champion title & buckle in his age group.

Of course, the season has been full of highs and lows.

We hope to teach the boys the enjoyment comes from doing something they love to do...regardless of winning or losing.

Sometimes hard to understand?

Whole Wheat Banana Chip Cookies

Sooooo....my blog is starting to contain a few recipes. My passion for eating keeps me in the kitchen :) I'll cook or bake with little preference. I just know I like to eat!! I'm sharing another new recipe..so far it has 3 thumbs up:)

1.5 c flour

1 c whole wheat flour(got mine at the Dutchman)

1c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2/3 c butter flavored shortening

2 eggs

1 c mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 c mini choc. chips

1/2 tsp salt

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Cut in shortening. Add eggs, banana, vanilla. Beat well. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 375* 12 minutes on a lightly greased pan.

I baked mine on parchment paper.

Jaxson's Birthday

August 7, 2009 has finally arrived and Jaxson is officially now 9 years old! He thinks it's so cool that he's a millennium baby...

"In 2009 I'm 9" he says.

The celebration started early with a birthday cake delivered by Aunt Pam last Friday...another cake on Sunday beings Grandpa Jack & Dexter would be MIA on the big day. I believe Grandma Belle & Jaxson have plans for one last cowboy cake to be shared at the Moravia Family Rodeo tomorrow.

I'm sure glad that the years don't come around as fast as the cakes do but .....Jaxson IS someone to CELEBRATE!

Pictures to be added later.......

camera battery is dead and scanner is fried:(

Dexter's World

First and foremost Dexter got to enter the breakaway calf roping at one of Dad's rodeos

last night in Burlington. He won the event with a 2.46 second run against about a dozen

ropers. It was super fun watching:) He won some pretty hefty cash for an 11 year old (which he spent today) and an extremely nice hay bag that crowns him the

2009 Burlington Breakaway Champion.

Second, Dexter obtained his locker combination for middle school this afternoon. It took a few

attempts for that darn thing to open but he eventually got it. He had to 2 hand it..right hand on the right hand turns...left hand for the left hand turn...haha I though that was funny.

FYI: boys DON"T decorate their lockers but the girls DO :S

Third, Dexter, Grandpa Jack & Uncle Ray are off on their annual CO trail riding trip.

Dexter's suitcase is packed along with his newly purchased digital camera.

THE HAYBAG and saddle are in the trailer. Beloved Popcan is ready to load up and

headem' west early tomorrow morning.

We know Dexter will have GREAT memories of his CO trip BUT .....

we're gonna miss him:(

August

It is officially now August 1 and summer as we know it is coming to an end. Dexter and Jaxson will be starting school in 23 days and Dawson will load up on the big yellow school bus with his brothers on August 26.....25 days until he begins his long awaited year of kindergarten.

I've NEVER seen a more excited child :)