I post lots of photos because I love my great nieces and nephews and I want you to know them

The Blues Cousins - Natalie and Anna

Nancy and I took Anna and Sam to Salina on Friday morning to spend time with Debbie, Jody, Natalie, Emily and Stacia. We played at Natalie's house and then went to the splash park. I posted lots of photos on the post because I LOVE these people! Enjoy!

My niece Jody

Stacia - mom to Natalie and Emily

Debbie with Emily; Debbie is the grandmother to Natalie and Emily

Natalie

I won't write a caption for each photo, I just want you to enjoy all the fun in these pictures.

Natalie

Emily and Anna

Natalie played the hostess by serving Sam a cup of tea.

Don't you just love the way Debbie looks at her grand daughter Emily?

More love from Debbie to Emily

Anna, Sam and Natalie
Enjoy the next photos that show the progression of how we arrived at this final photo.

This is how the group photo started, Sam and Natalie were not ready to stand together. Anna worked her magic and made it happen.

Debbie and grand daughter Natalie

Jody and Nancy

The cousins, Natalie and Anna, ended up spitting water on each other.

Jody gave the kids a volleyball lesson - yes, she did it in the house.

Even though these next few photos are similar, they show the gentle spirit of Emily.

Emily and I have similar rolls on our arms.

These photos are from Thursday night when Nancy, Susan and I took Hallie and Brooklyn to the lake for fun in the water and at a play park.

Brooklyn has two teeth!

I like these two photos of Susan and Brooklyn. This one is when things were fairly calm, the next one is when they both broke out in laughter.

Bale hauling party

It never fails, whenever I get my camera out for a photo, I always get attacked by the tractor. Notice Matt in the cab - he has a feisty look on his face.

On Wednesday we hauled 600+ straw and oat bales from the fields to the farm. We had three rigs that were loaded with bales in the field by Joey, we then drove to the farm where Matt unloaded the trucks, and we did that over and over again. My truck held 16 bales at one time, the other two trucks held 26 and 23 bales. Oh, one more thing, just like harvest, I was in the truck with NO air conditioning! How does that always work that way? I have to give a shout out to Joey because he also was without AC today. Did I mention that it was 105?

Matt was being silly - he really didn't stack them 4 high.

Matt made a huge three-level stack with the straw bales.

Bales, bales, bales

Joey loaded the straw bales onto the trucks and then we drove to the farm where Matt unloaded them.

Have I ever said before that whenever I get the camera out to take a photo of this process, the person driving the tractor always heads straight for me like they are going to stab me in the heart with the prongs?

My rig loaded with 16 straw bales to take from the field to the farm. I just realized that the word 'farm' means the place where the house and feedlots are located. Farm is a word that has several different meanings.

Joey drove the payloader all day - that's right, it doesn't have air conditioning so he left the windows and doors open to get a little relief from the 100+ temperatures. Did I mention it was dusty and windy today? I think this qualifies for a Dirty Jobs episode.

One month of corn growth

This photo of Garrett in the corn was taken June 7.

This photo of Hallie, Nancy and Brooklyn was taken July 7. Isn't it amazing what can happen to a little corn seed in just 31 days? I like Hallie's pose in this version.

More of the same

Hallie liked the feel of the corn silk.

Even though you can not tell it by this photo, Brownie the calf was charging toward Nancy. He knew she had a bottle of milk for him.

Brownie and Nancy

Brownie follows Nancy everywhere

Have I said that Brownie follows Nancy everywhere?

Hallie climbed over the feedbunk so that she could pet the horses.

Then Hallie climbed over the gate to pet the horses.

Did I ever tell you that Brownie follows Nancy everywhere?

Hallie found a comfortable seat on top of the hay bale.

I introduced Brooklyn to taking your own photo by holding the camera in your outstretched arm.

Happy Birthday to the BEST MOM in the WORLD

We celebrated Mom's 83rd birthday Monday evening at the Scratch in Wilson. Can you tell that I decorated the cake? It may not have been professional looking, but it was an original.

How many kids can stick their fingers in the cake before a responsible adult intervenes? Who cares - the best part of the party is tasting the frosting before you get a piece of cake. It truly is one of life's pleasures.

Sam helped his great grandma blow out the candles.

Mom eats two meals a day at the Scratch. She splurged on her birthday and ordered a pancake and bacon instead of her usual oatmeal with bacon. The cook made the pancake in the shape of a V for Velma.

Matt is obviously trying to get Garrett to do something he shouldn't do.

Anna and Hallie

The birthday gang

More of the birthday gang