Salinas Valley Fair

I spent Thursday and Friday of last week with some of my favorite kids at the Salinas Valley Fair. I love the fairs. I love what it teaches the children and the memories that they will have forever because of it. I cherish my memories and am so glad to still be active in the fair industry.

Maggie was able to compete in Pee Wee Chicken showmanship for the first time and received a 2nd place and a big red Rosette ribbon. We are all proud of our Mags!

This is Molly showing Miss Lindsay Lohams!

I love what kids name there animals. Molly did so well in her horse classes, had a weight champion hog and then won beginning showmanship with her hog as well. She also had a chicken and received 2nd place showmanship for that. And she did great with her non livestock entries as well! Oh and thanks to my Mom and Dad got a great price at the Auction and we have pork coming to our freezer soon!

Trent did great with his pig. She was 5th in her class in Market and really improved in showmanship. He also showed a chicken for the first time and was awarded 2nd place. And did great on his rocket entries as well.

I am so proud of these kids and can't wait to be at the fairs with children of my own someday! What a blast it is going to be!!

Um... I guess I forgot to share....

But no one probably cares, but here is my new washing machine. I have decided it is a she, because woman clean more then men and I love it. I think we are going to have to purchase a dryer soon.....it is making WEIRD noises! Ouch to the savings account!

Auntie Courtney!!

Yesterday I had the best day, I got to spoil my darling "nephew" Cael! Cael and his mommy made the trip down from the SF area for a visit with me, his "Grammy" Judy and his mommy's old work! We had the best day with a yummy Subway lunch to boot. I wish that they were still on Monterey so I could help with Cael more, but Adrienne is an amazing mom and I admire her so much! I am so not ready to be doing what she is doing! I can barley handle our little dog!!

This is Cael and I. He needed to be burped and for some reason I had the hand for that all day yesterday! I kissed and loved him to pieces. I even got a few smiles and well cries!

This is "Grammy" Judy meeting Cael for the first time. She is going to make an amazing Grammy one day to my kids. We had such a great time visiting while she kissed and loved him to pieces! This is one reason why my mom is my best friend. It melted my heart when I saw her with him.
I am so glad that they came down for the day. I know that the drive wasn't the best on the way home, but our next trip will be a great adventure for C, A and I....watch out SLC here we come!

Fun Trips!

Saturday May 10th I took two of my favorite girls from church to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We had a blast.

First it was off to Subway to grab a foot long and then hit the beach for a picnic. It was cool, but the sun was out and the kids and I had a great lunch. The lord has blessed me ten fold with these girls in my life!

We ran around the place and had way too much fun and saw the entire place maybe twice! it started to get busy around 2 or so so we used our manners and waited to see everything we had to!

We even made a stop at Bubba Gumps around 3 for some apps and lemonades! I needed a rest!! We ended our day watching the 4 pm feeding in the kelp forest tank and then one last look at the octopus! He was swimming....really swimming. We hadn't ever seen him swim before!

Full Circle

Do you ever have the feeling that you have gone full circle in something in life. I had that revaluation today when I was talking about the fairs and showing animals when I was growing up with a friend. This is a major part of my life!

So when I was a Freshman at Salinas High School, Go Cowboys! I enrolled in the FFA classes with the ambition to show pigs for the greatest Ag Teacher EVER Ken Watje. Well show pigs I did as well as speaking contests and well then working my way through the Board as Reporter and then President of Salinas FFA when I was a Senior in H.S. That was well 10 years ago. But, I am making plans to watch some of what I call 'my kids" show at the Salinas Valley Fair and got to thinking of how I wouldn't be who I am now with our Mr. Watje, Salinas FFA and well my Mom who drove the 4 Watje girls all over the State of California to show our pigs.

Molly, one of my girls from church has her first pig. She bought it from someone I used to show against. He is now a great breeder of show hogs! It is so weird to Google some of these people and go, oh you are married too and you have this great business.....oh okay!

Mr. Watje has retired and I have lost touch. I think I need to write to him. I hope he knows how much of an influence he has had in my life. See, this August Monterey County Fair will open it's gates and I will be proud to say that I, thus 28 year old lady, who is way too young to have accomplished anything other then LOVING to show pigs and lambs and goats and well everything I could get my hands on will be the President of the Monterey County Fair Board who will open the Junior Livestock Auction that I auctioned at for the first time 14 years ago. All of this do to wonderful parents who supported me in everything I did and drove so many miles for me and an Ag Teacher that was like another father to me. I do wish that Watje was around to continue to share his knowledge with other youth, but I guess that is why he has groomed so many others to do so. In a way I wish that he was here to see me come full circle. He is truly the reason I LOVE the Monterey County Fair. But, from what I know he is enjoying life with is family in the other Valley doing what he loves....breeding pigs and enjoying his grandchildren, the heirs of the Watje pig knowledge!

I guess I have come full circle. I hope to truly enjoy the run of the MCF this year and reflect on what I have accomplished in just 14 years.

Wise Words

I received this from dear friend today and I think that everyone needs to be reminded of these wise words!

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.


A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous 'yes'
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else---the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. 'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.' One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'
The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Please share this with someone you care about…. I JUST DID.