HCYPS, October 9 - 13

 Kayla made these awesome cupcakes to be judged at the Hardin County fair. She won best decorated! There were really neat looking and fun to make. She also showed her roaster. She made 17 out of 28. She made the auction and that was good. Another good project finished. The rest of the chickens are now in the freezer. 
Happy Fall!

The Rice Festival, Winnie

Kayla with Cap.....and her game face

Kayla and Cap

The Rice Festival is the first weekend in October. This was our first (and last) year to participate.  Kayla won Reserve Champion! We were VERY EXCITED!  It was a great win and also confidence booster for the beginning of her senior year and first year showing lambs.  We had a good time and were very proud of her.  Her winnings were a blanket and chair both engraved with the Rice Festival.  Good memories!
 

State Fair of Texas, Dallas

 

Harvest

 very large & pretty green pepper

 yellow potatoes

red potatoes

Well this is just a few things from the garden. We also have plentiful cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Most of the banana peppers are being made into sweet banana peppers in a jar......very yummy.  The blueberries were plentiful also. On my way to the chicken coop every morning, I would stop and grab a few to munch! We also ate all our very tiny but very yummy peaches. And I say all meaning there were only 11. But we always have next year!

If I find more pictures, I will add them.  :))

Dipping Strawberries

 "the crew"

the results

looking yummy!

Bret had a GREAT idea that we dip strawberries for Mother's Day, so we did!  Kayla invited a few friends over to join the fun, Jill, Emily & Jayme. Lots of fun, creativity and eating! Alissa was at work so we decided to dip some more on Sunday so she could join in the fun.  We all loved and hopefully the mothers did also!

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Spring...

fishing!

Spring break = girls at the beach

 

 

 

 

and Galveston!

at the ice-cream store - of course!!!

Alissa's 19th Birthday

GREAT birthday gift by the reaction

Bret's birthday - angel food cake  :)

Just a few highlights from March & April.....having fun and enjoying life as we can.  So very glad Bret was able to join us in Galveston!  He was working in Houston and met us there - very special!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Friends EVER

 always a crazy one (or two) in the bunch!

 beautiful smiles!

my personal fav

We visited our friends the Hastings in April and got the opportunity to catch a quick group shot before church began. This is a miracle picture cuz everyone is there together. So that makes it priceless!!  They are the best friends EVER!

LOVE the Hastings family!

 

I picked these carrots today!

Notice the fork.....these carrots are HUGE! I can't get my hand around a few of them! God's abundance and awesomeness displayed in carrots.....yes, in carrots. We are very blessed indeed!
Shelly

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just wanting to wish everyone a happy valentine's day! We are all so blessed with the love of our Savior who loves us even when we are unloveable! Grace, amazing grace......love, perfect love.
Have a blessed day!
Shelly

Fort Worth Stock Show!

getting ready for the show

now getting Alec's hair ready

READY!

in the ring, with her game face

time for both to relax after the show

helping Jill get Maggie ready

Jill is ready

game face

Bret, Kayla & I, along with Kayla's friend Jill, drove to the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Thursday, January 19th. It was an all-day thing to check in and get to our spots. We were soooo ready to go to our hotel after we fed the animals at 7pm. These pictures are from Saturday. We arrived at 5:30am to begin getting Alec and her "hair" ready. :))) Her show was around 11:30am. She place 5th of 12, because she did not have a calf yet. Then it was time to help Jill get ready for her show. She showed around 5pm. It is always a long afternoon of waiting! Sunday we enjoyed watching other breeds show. Then bright and early Monday morning we packed everything up and headed home. Much easier journey home. All in all, a great time was had by all!
We even got to go visit Bret's cousin, Kim Pedroza, and her family one evening. What a blessing! They also came to see us and Alec, that was very special.
Shelly