Finishing up the Fall 2013 family photos.

So I was going to do the AZ trip in this post but still have not cornered the pictures so I will finish posting the photos from this years family pictures.  I am trying to take them every six months but for some reason that is difficult to accomplish...weird.  So here are the three childers who were home for pictures...Cody had some lame excuse about being in France or Belgium not sure which one.

It seems like just yesterday that this young man was my little Irish sprite sidekick!  Wah...not ready for this.

Yes, he is already the tallest member of the immediate family (5ft. 8 in.) and such a handsome farm boy he is!

What can I say Sweet Bubba (cousin Brenda added the sweet, we think it fits) is beautiful inside and out.  Now if I can just find a way to help her reach her dreams...

Hugh is my little man in every possible sense of the term.  He brings sunshine everywhere he goes with his hysterical sense of humor and family trait of quoting movies way too much!

Love that smile...the same forced, painful look his brothers had at that age.

So the kids are adorable as always and the pictures were fun to take, we like being together and the weather was about perfect.  We also took a bunch of pictures with the goats and a few with the dogs.  The goat pictures will hopefully be on their website soon as kidding season starts next month.

I was not as thrilled with this picture as I had hoped, but the dogs are still wonderful!  Yes, they are loved and spoiled, drives Brenton a bit batty I think.

Here we are with just a few of the 'girls', they have been a good addition to the 'hobby farm' program.  I should have engineered a picture by my awesome pink chicken coop!

The owners of Shamrock Farm and some of their 'girls', no pictures of Thor and the boys as they are grumpy most of the time, unless it is Bubba who wants something from them.

So this wraps up the second half of the family photo posts, tomorrow I will share whatever I can find from whatever event I missed in the past 6 months:)!

Still here:)

Well I certainly dropped the ball on keeping this blog up to date, I have all the usual excuses so I will skip those.  I decided to do a few catch up posts and then I am planning on a weekly update...just in case someone actually reads this.  So...November was great we made it to Arizona in one piece with no meltdowns.  It was great to see Grandma Glennie (97) and Jack and Mom and the kids and Lisa...I have a few pictures that will be posted next time as I have no idea which chip they are on and yes our digital photos are a unholy mess at this time.  I need Bubba to organize them but she is buried with college, work and she is the Sunbeam teacher at Church (she is great at it).  So I will start with our family photos for 2013, it was so odd not to have Cody there but we worked it out, his last picture came.

This was taken across the street from our place...we live in a neat place if I do say so myself.

Same basic place with a more "modern" pose?  There is a ditch just to the side of Liam that I threatened to push him into.

We took a short drive up to Forsberg's place to take pictures by Mel's old barn.  It is a neat little place and I did not want to go so far a field that it wasn't 'us'.  Hugh hauled that picture of Cody all over the place.

My sweetheart!

Don't they look great?  They have really missed their brother but have grown closer for it I think. They are all growing up, not sure I like it all that much but at the same time it rocks!

So this is update number one, we took the pictures on Conference weekend in October.  Life has been good and busy for us.  The goats are (hopefully) all bred and should begin kidding in March.  The boys are swimming, Bubba is in college and working with her dad two days a week.  The trip to AZ was good and will get it's own post very soon.  So here's to hoping I can keep this going a bit better if for no other reason than my Cody might enjoy reading it when he gets home in July!!!

Ewes can be onery!!

A few days ago the boys and I headed for Mike's place to help take photos of ewes that were going on the online auction.  Hugh mostly read books, and drew pictures but as those photos are on my phone I will add them later.  This is Liam getting ready to 'catch' a ewe as Mike picks one out of the group.

The first ewe up was fairly well behaved and it went downhill rapidly from there.  I took the photos and I felt bad when I would say can you move that foot an inch or so to the left as Liam tried to keep 200 pounds of animal in position for their glamor shots.

Almost three hours later Mike was already feeling sore and stiff and Liam felt like he should get a pass on PE for the day.  A donut and soda later he had well recovered.

Sometimes homeschooling can get quite hectic and I get grumpy about invasions on our time but I am grateful for the chance we had to go to Mike's.  Life is made up of lots of experiences and there are so many that I rely on others to provide, we obviously don't have near the farm/ranch that we would like but the boys at least get glimpses of it now and then.  Speaking of which the goat herd increased by two Nubians we bought from Travis and there is a third cross breed out there but she is just visiting.  Well back to life, more catch up posts will be coming like pics of the great Minnetonka cave hike that wasn't.

Early Halloween at the Ranch.

My cute niece was dressed as a pony but I did not get that (obviously) in the picture....Marli is the best!

This adorable teenager is also the loving sister to the pony....

Ahhh, there is not much one can add to the huge personality of Miss Peyton!

Ethan was the perfect strong, silent viking.

Hugh went as Davy Crocket.. a classic from the dress up box.

Brance and Lincoln pondering the haul....

The group picture comes in pieces even though only about 2/3's of the kiddos were there...

the midsection..

I think we got them all in a picture except Bubba who was inside studying, and a few teenagers who were avoiding the trunk or treat portion of the festivities.

This past Saturday was the annual Ranch Halloween party...it had lots of competition this year as it was also the opening of the deer hunt and Fall break for public school kids.  We have been doing this for years and the kids all enjoy it, it also makes us think about costumes long before the actual holiday:).  This year ten of the thirteen families were represented and about two thirds of the grandkids were there, not sure of the exact number as the little punks kept moving!  But the day was nice, the weather was good and they seemed to all enjoy each other.  Here are a few pictures I remembered to take, I was just enjoying visiting with the various in-laws for a bit:).

Well I am good for a year....not my favorite holiday more of a bump in the road on the way to the winter holiday season...now there is some joyous fun to be had!!!

Yikes!!! Locks of Love!

When Bubba left for school (on October 8, 2013) this is how long her hair was...

she made a stop at Aunt Misty's and donated a ton of hair to Locks of Love.  It may be long to others but to us it seems sooo short!  But she is adorable and wonderful!  Way to go Bubba!

FFA Sweetheart Contest

Bubba came home from AG class one day and said "TJ signed me up for the Sweetheart contest!", she was not to sure about this idea but grabbed some graph paper and a ruler and designed this adorable cake.  She is amazing!

We searched for modest, affordable dresses and finally found one in Grandma Sherie's basement!  Thanks to Aunt Jamie for donating it to us, it fit her perfectly and isn't she gorgeous?

Ok so the shower curtain is not a great backdrop but our Bubba makes it look good, this dress was for the last phase of the competition; the interview question and cake auction.  I will post pictures from the 'field' competition when I relocate them.

Her brothers were thrilled with how she looked and with getting to keep the extra cowboys and indians from the decorating supplies!

Moira (Bubba) and Melissa, wonderful girls!

Most of the sweethearts.

Jake Udy was Bubba's escort and as such was in charge of carrying the cake for the auction.

Josie and Jill Clark bought her cake for $65.00, gotta love that!

Josie said the frosting was yummy!

That very night one of the does (don't remember who) had kids.

This is where a real FFA sweetheart wants to be, in the pens with the little ones.

I was very impressed that our girl jumped in and fully participated in the contest.  She is so shy and reserved so much of the time and it can be hard to put yourself out in front of so many other students like that.  FFA has been a good experience for her and I am excited for her brothers to follow along.  We have one more year before Liam can join up, this is the first time in 6 years that we won't have an active FFAer in the house.  Who knows maybe Bubba will jump in with collegiate FFA, could be another good ride.  I will soon post her 18th birthday pictures and seminary graduation...we did not take pictures at her 'graduation' party but it was a good time with good food and great friends!

Elder Cody Seamus Hammons

Well Cody is still happily serving the Lord in France and the last set of pictures that appeared on his mission's facebook page really warmed my heart!  He seemed happier in these pictures than the others I have seen.  I strongly suspect that this is because he know has more responsibility on his shoulders than before.  He is a trainer and a District Leader, Cody has always been one to rise to a challenge, he never performed at his best in easy situations.  He seems to like his area and is very careful to follow mission rules and to look for the best in everything.  Optimism is a beautiful perspective to cultivate!  Here are the most recent pictures...

This is one of our favorites!  That is our Cody's sense of humor!

I hate to say it but everyone is so tall in this picture..except...

I love this one!!!

District meeting stretch.

I am so glad that my boy is happy where he is, that is one of the biggest keys to life if one were to ask me.  I miss him though...he was the one who was always up for whatever, whenever:).