Consistency...

I clearly lack consistency.  I seem only to write when something big (or big to me anyway) happens. I need to remedy this.  It has been hard to take time to photograph things and then sit down and write a post when I could be spending valuable time with Josh!  We still only see each other on the weekends.  I hope that after the wedding, when we are married, and I am living in ONE place I will be more organized and be better able to keep all of you up to date on life on the prairie.

Quick Update: Since the fair we have done very little work on our home.  Wedding stuff seems to have taken over our life now that we are less than 4 weeks away (and less than 3 until we leave for Michigan!).  We have been able to hang out and relax a bit though.  We are both ready to be married and carry on with life!

I can't post without a picture so I will leave you with this, my future husband.

Kansas State Fair!

The Kansas State Fair is a big deal!  At least for me it is.  Michigan doesn't have anything like it.  To make it even more exciting this year, I entered some photos and my brother Zach came to visit.  So needless to say I was giddy.  

Sadly I don't have any pics with my brother as we ditched my camera at the car after see how my photos did so he has pics of us together, but I assure you he was there with us!  

As I mentioned I entered photos in the fair for the first time.  I had entered things in the county fair in Michigan in grade school but that was a long time ago and the state fair is pretty tough competition.  I knew my chances of getting a ribbon were slim but I had hopes!  I entered in four separate categories and much to my surprise I ribboned in two of them! Not just any ribbon either, a BLUE ribbon!  So I have two of the best photos in the entire state of Kansas therefore making me one of the best amateur photographers in the state!  Yes, my ego has been stroked.  

Portrait entry

Nature: Mountains or Waterfalls

Josh was excited to check out the bunnies because his lieutenant at the station had told him all about this 22lb rabbit his girls were entering in the fair.  We searched the building for it and found it.  Awesomely it had also won a blue ribbon for it's breed as well as grand champion.

Josh, clearly excited.

Keeping with tradition I had to have my photo taken with the very best scarecrow in Kansas.  To assure you that it's a tradition I included the last few years.  I seem to have lost 2010's picture but at least you get the idea.

2012

2011

2009

We did a few things around the house too, that Zach helped with but I'll save those pictures for another post.  The State Fair trumps home improvement any day.  Heck, I might have more fair photos later too since it's still going on for 6 more days!

A long weekend and a mounted rubber fish.

For our long weekend Josh and I spent our weekend doing house projects and going to yard sales.  We left for the yard sales as soon as Josh was off duty to be sure we saw all the good stuff and didn't miss a bargain.  For the first time all summer we finally scored big!

 Our house seriously lacks style as far as decor and things on walls and shelves go so part of the mission was to find radical things to fill the shelves.  The lamp needs a new shade and a good wipe down. The sweet vintage mixer needs a de-greasing.  The dresser is the perfect size for our small bedroom but will need special care since it's laminate  The glass pig holds special significance and we nearly missed him at a tiny rather sad yard sale.

Josh's parents have a huge glass pig that they got as a wedding gift 28 years ago.  They have moved many times and raised 2 children and several pets in that time, but the pig survived.  It's basically their house mascot.  Heck my kitty played in that pig when she was a kitten! Josh and I have wanted a house mascot but had been unsuccessful in that search, until Saturday morning.  We stopped at this yard sale, there wasn't much but we were there so we decided to look.  As we are about to leave I spot the pig!  So for just $1 we have the baby to the big glass pig, something like carrying on a legacy.

We also scored a bed frame for the spare room (it can be a spare bedroom as soon as the mattress arrives!), some copper wall hanging things and two spring form pans.  After our morning of bargain hunting we went to the garage to start some projects and drink some beer.  It's a holiday weekend after all.

I started sanding a dresser I previously acquired to refinish.  Josh began work on our future head board.  I'll have good before and after photos when the projects are finished or at least in the more advanced stages of refinishing.  After we did what we could for the day we memorialized a dear friend, Glen.  He now hangs proudly, center stage in the garage, never to be forgotten.

I also started a project inside but sadly, it isn't going according to plan and I hope to remedy that this weekend so I can show you how home savvy I can be. Until then I leave you with a kitting in a piggy and Heather using power tools!

Kitty in a piggy, as promised! 

Aren't you proud, dad?