Those Chickens Are Feelin' Judged

By nature of her superb poultry showmanship skills and knowledge, Blossom2 got roped into a Dual County Poultry Judging Team.  It's basically a competition where you compete at who would be the best poultry inspector... complete with lab coats and clipboards. 

She is soooooooo thankful that someone took the time to call our county 4-H office to try to track her down.  

After months of practice inspecting interiors and exteriors of eggs, raw chicken meat parts, and live hens, it was finally the day of the State Poultry Judging competition.  

As is the case around here when it comes to events, some Blossoms are here and some Blossoms are there.  

Blossom1 stayed home to do schoolwork.  

(Boring old lady.)

Blossom3 and Blossom4 were not interested in being quiet for hours upon hours, 

but they were 100% on board for some COUSIN TIME.  

Now Blossom1 had some serious P&Q (peace and quiet) for knocking out assignments and Blossom2 could be my sole focus at her competition.   That's a pretty cool thing when you're a middle child.

The competition had intervals of inspection, scoring, and note-taking.  I worked on the grocery list and weekly menu while watching Blossom2 and whispering to my fellow 4-H mom friend/Fair lady extraordinaire.  

(We don't usually get this much time to chat.  Fair week is WAYYYYYYYY too busy for that.)

The Little Blossoms ventured out with their cousins to the Arboretum!  It's an old favorite of ours and it's been so long since we've been there!  

Childhood is calling, my friends!  

The blue skies confirm it.  

Meanwhile, back at the Ag Arena, Blossom2 was busy securing First Place Overall High Scorer and First Place Poultry Judging Team!  

To Kentucky they will go for Nationals!!  

What a banner day!  Twas truly memorable!

But the chickens are still feelin' kinda judged.

Now THAT'S colorful.

By far, my most favorite thing we've done this year is a local Color Run/Fun Run 5K.  A couple of friends came up with the idea and roped Blossom1 and Blossom2 into participating.  They are pretty willing participants in any adventures these days.

They went all out by painting fluorescent stripes on their socks the night before.  They jogged and walked in preparation for the event.  

They bought matching pink bandanas for headbands.  

They made sure they had brilliant white shirts so all the colors would show up "dazzingly."  

Morning dawned stifling and sunshiny.  We pulled up in our well-loved minivan and learned about the course.  It was a local road that we were all familiar with.  Of course, there had to be a big hill involved.  

As temperatures climbed hotter and hotter, we got pre-color/pre-race pictures.  As they started to mill around the starting line, I meandered on ahead to the first color station.  I'm a Color Run rookie, so I wanted to photograph all the color fun.  They jogged past me, now greenly grinning.

After I watched them forging forward on the course, I set my sights on a good spot to stake out for in-progress pics of their return trip.  I soaked in the sunshine and basked in the beauty of rural PA.  I smiled happily to myself as I thought of them doing this together.  In this season, 

I'm a facilitator.  

I'm a logistics coordinator.  

I'm the "momarazzi."  

I'm the water bringer.  

I'm the ibuprofen dispenser.  

I'm the "You CAN do it" yell-er!  

I'm the "I'm so proud of you" voice!

And I'm happy.

Is it a Chevy Truck Commercial?

 And sometimes, summer days look like this.  

The Rugged Mountain Man helping me (or ACTUALLY, me helping the Rugged Mountain Man) get stuff done.  The 4-H club voted to spearhead cornboxes for our Fair.  It's such a fun activity for kids during Fair week.  However, it takes a bit of skill to actually build the cornboxes.  It's not necessarily something we can delegate to thirty-five club members, ages eight to eighteen.  They've got good hearts and a whole lotta zeal, but hmmmm.... Instead, the Rugged Mountain Man built the cornboxes, with the Fair donating the majority of the materials and our club donating the rest.  Now, we'll work on getting corn from a local farm and toys for the kiddos to use in the cornboxes.

I'm looking forward to relaxing on a bench beside the cornbox in a few weeks.  Maybe the cornboxes will be my new happy place!  Though most of the Blossoms are out of the cornbox playing stage, I know Blossom4 will still be happy to play in it.  The rest of the Blossoms will also pitch in alongside other club members to keep it neat and tidy.  Sometimes you give of your time to make things better for others, and maybe a little better for your own.  

Good things happen, because good people get involved.  

Now we just gotta get 'em painted.

What Summer Days Look Like

Summer days look like:

Reminding a Blossom to water the garden (again).

Overseeing creative 4-H projects and posters and brainstorming and ideas.

Weeding the kitchen sink garden that makes me smile, while admiring the grand Lupine that is reaching to the sky.

Picking up more modeling clay for Blossom3's latest creative endeavor for the Fair.

Saying yes to meeting friends at the pool for sunshine and splashes.

Picking out smooth river rocks from a small business for a 4-H club activity and chuckling over one more odd thing that a mama does in a day.  Who stops by a business and loads their minivan with ROCKS?

Hanging clothes on the line.  Again and again and again.

Planning vintage parade rides with grinning, supportive neighbors.

Admiring the dame's rockets, my favorite wildflowers that crown the roadways around here lately.

Teaching kids' church and praying for young people to learn to hear the voice of God.  Then, trotting out the door, eating Sheetz chicken strips and sipping a milkshake on the way to another Fair Queen obligation for Blossom1.

Scheming and researching for Blossom2's fall semester.

Sliding into a favorite coffee shop with seven minutes til closing time so the Queen can have a superbly delectable iced chai tea latte.

Helping answer Blossom2's questions on what would be the most appropriate, workable, and professional attire for the State Poultry Judging competition in a day or two... and digging through the clothing bins for just the right thing.

Sipping iced ginger lemon tea whilst planning the next thing.

Tearing up poolside while another mama revels in the joys of motherhood with me.

Driving an hour to meet a cheerful nephew to do a massive cupcake handoff, then delightedly perusing a favorite HUGE thrift store... and finding new cowboy boots for ONE DOLLAR, then, contentedly eating frosties in the air conditioning on the way home.

Saying goodbye to special friends with long squeezes and hidden tears.

Sleeping in the tent, looking at the stars.

Crappie Fishing under azure skies.

Planning yet another Fair Queen social media promotion post.

Helping the Little Blossoms learn how to work independently on their 4-H books.

Watching fireworks in the summer darkness with good friends all around and then, laughing at the glow bracelets floating through the air during their yard games.

Savoring s'mores on Oatmeal Lace cookies.

Taking a walk down an "ole country road," while the Older Blossoms jog ahead.

Picking up ingredients for Blossom2's extensive cupcake recipe testing.

Swaying on the swing on the back porch, where "My Mason Jar Runneth Over."

Because my mason jar runneth over.

On Green Hills

A few weeks ago, the younger Blossoms got to experience a special treat ~ an invitation to a birthday party at a horse farm & ministry.  

It was an hour's drive from here to there, a drive with friends and gorgeous backwoods Pennsylvania scenery. Glorious puffy clouds, shyly greening hills, and delicately adorned blossoming trees.  The wholesome and encouraging mama to mama conversation was like manna to me.  Twas a morning drive that filled my soul!

We arrived to a farm, perched atop another newly greened hill.  We met up at the Barn and were given basic informative riding instruction.  Then, we saddled up.  

Some of the girls are new to riding, so first they were led around the huge ring.  Eventually, ALL the girls rode independently.  

I was so proud of each girl, grinning and concentrating on their handsome steeds! 

Blossom4 might just have the Rugged Mountain Man's horsemanship skills.  I was astonished at her independence and nonchalance on her horse!  At only ten years old!!!

I sat on wooden steps with blue skies outside and sunshine streaming in.  A friendly collie acted as official greeter.

We moms chatted and fellowshipped and marveled at the beautiful weather.  The makings of a most memorable day stirred in my soul.

After a delicious picnic lunch and delectable cupcakes, all of the girls ventured out into the blue skies and onto green hills.

The giggles and grins and chatter and chipper comments made me smile.  

When life is busy, it matters so much when we soak up the beauties and blessings in it.

 What an incredibly special day!