The Muench Bunch

We set a record low of 51 degrees today on July 28. We have had a week in the 70’s, unheard of for this time of year. We are enjoying this wonderful weather so much. It is great to be outside and no mosquitoes. It feels a lot like fall. We really need some rain, it has been a month since we have had rain and things are getting very dry. Today we went to the early church service. It was chilly outside and they had outdoor in the pond baptisms. Jaynie was with us and the boys went to the Hamilton county fair with the grandparents. Mawgee and Peepaw were taking them to the demolition derby. Knowing it was such a great day to be outside, Mark went to a Ranch rodeo, won a roping event, and the girls rode horses in our arena.

 Our family was signed up to work the cook shack at the Dayton arena. I was kind of dreading it thinking it would be terrible hot this time of year. However we had a pretty nice day. My parents didn’t have anything going on and offered to come help too. That gave us some freedom to bring horses and ride too. Jaynie stayed with Jayden for the day so she helped also. Luke had his little stool up to the window all duded up like a cowboy. He liked taking orders. Today was a team penning day. Our horseJessie has been off for the past 8 months. She was fat and out of shape so we have been riding her a lot to get her in shape. She was the horse in dmeand today. This is her top event. Jayden won a trophy in the youth class. Mark won a trophy in the draw pot team penning. His partner was John. I won a trophy for draw pot team sorting with John. I guess our family had a pretty good day.

The Muench family reunion was held at Hidden Acres once again. It was a great place with so much for everyone to do. The kids started out swimming before lunch. Then horseback riding and I was excited that Jake and Rylie went along too. The ride was mostly first cousins and they had a fun time. They even did some trotting out on the trails. Luke stayed with me and did some bidding at the family auction. He brought home a sock monkey to add to his collection. We had to leave early to head to Dayton to work the cook shack.

Mark has joined the Boone Republicans and tonight they had their county meeting and picnic. It was an outdoor gathering of about 100 people. It could have been very hot this time of year, but it was a very pleasant night. The boys sat and ate with us then ran off to the playground. Jayden sat for the meeting with Mark and I. We listened to the various speakers and were most impressed with Steve King. He gave a lot of historical biblical background that really set the basis of what he stands for. It was really quite interesting and if more people really understood this, they would support the guy unless they are an atheist. He talked of his time spent with the border patrol on border calls. He told disturbing facts. Now they are smuggling kids across the border loaded with drugs because they just get sent back and not to jail. He talked about saving unborn children, marriage between man and woman...the only way , and many other hot topics. Jayden was soaking it all in and I know she le

I had a little backyard party with a few kids. We invited 3 of Luke's girl friends that he asked to have over. 2 were unable to attend, but Aleah came. We also had the Nikkel family. We had a lite lunch outside on the deck. Lisa and I visited while the kids played and had fun. They went from sand to water and at one point all the kids squeezed into the tiny playhouse. Refreshing watermelon was enjoyed on a hot day.

The kids had their third bible school this week. Boxholm has always been one of their favorites. Jayden got to help in the little kids class with Luke. They had nice weather all week for it. They came home each day with new stories, new crafts they made and singing songs. Each year they have a small program on Friday for the parents. The theme was a western one, so they liked wearing their cowboy hats each day. Each day this week Jacob has been eager to help Mark work in the grain bins. Tony W. has been helping Mark clean the grain bins. Jake gets his dust mask on, grabs a shovel and scoops until he gets tired. He keeps wanting to go back.

Mark and I had an evening to ourselves while the kids stayed with granpdarents. First we went to visit Jaden W. in the hospital. He is 7 years old and was bit by a rattlesnake while in Colorado. He has had a lot of trouble with it, he is really lucky to have saved his leg. He is going through wound therapy and will soon have a skin graft. Poor little guy. We got him some John Deere tractor toys and visited with his family awhile. We went on to eat and the went to the Lone Ranger movie. It was funny with Johnny Depp bringing humor to it. There was a lot of violence and inappropriate scences I am glad we did not take the kids to it.

The week after the fair was super hot and Jayden was still hurting. It was a good week to stay home, stay in and rest. I am thankful with the heat and her pain we had nothing planned. It was the only week this summer like that. I took Jayden to the dentist last week as she could tell her pain was feeling more like tooth. We took her to the pediatric dentist she has gone to in the past. I just have not been happy with the Midwest Boone dentist we had tried. He put three fillings in and the tooth causing pain is one he filled. Today the dentist took x-rays and couldn't see anything major, but wanted her to see an entodontist. After meeting with him, it was certain she needed a root canal. I was surprised and disappointed. In the past 2 days she was feeling relief. I thought she was all better. It turns out her tooth was full of infection and in a matter of days it would have abscessed, which is very painful. Jayden had shots and no nitrous or any other sedative. She walked out proud

I couldn't get Jayden to the doctor fast enough. By the time the nurse practitioner daw her, she was in tears. She was tired of hurting and being in pain. With high hopes of solving the problem, she couldn’t see anything wrong with her ear or teeth. She did a strep test and drew some blood. Both are very unpleasant to have done and still didn’t know what is going on. Wishing her doctor was there. the nurse thought it mabe a pulled muscle. That doesn’t explain the fever. I L left disappointed hoping to have answers so we could treat it. The nurse gave Jayden ear antibiotics in case it would be inner ear and just has to take ibuprofen. I think I will still have her see a dentist. Later mom called and I found out Dad fell of a hay rack while unloading hay. He landed on his shoulder and dislocated it. They took him to the E.R. in Webster. Turned out they did more harm than good and bandaged him wrong and too tight.

 The last day of the fair is always a busy one. Jayden was up in the night a few times with her head hurting. The horse was fed saddled and Jayden was riding by 8:30. The show began at 9 with break the gait then egg and spoon. She placed in the top in both classes. In the outdoor arena, they started with poles. That didn’t go so well with Tex darting in on the pattern. Then she ran a good barrel pattern. She had her own fan club with Wahlert grandparents, Alice, Wade, Carina, Alivia, Dad and the boys. Everyone was getting hungry and left to get a bite to eat except Alice. Jayden ran in flags with Tex, she dropped her flag in the first bucket and swooped up to the second. She did it and did it fast.  Her competition ran her first horse slow making sure she got it in the bucket and her second horse fast and missed. I knew it was close, was hoping and hoping, but not sure. And yes, Jayden won the class. I hollered with excitement for her. She was beaming and so happy and so was I! The fi

 Today was the first day of the 4-H horse show. In the past three years, Jayden doesn’t usually ride until after 6PM and it goes until 10PM. Today the entire show was over by 6. I was thankful for answered prayers in the nice weather. It was overcast, breezy and a nice 80. We have never been fortunate to have this nice weather in the past. Early in the week they were forecasting 90’s and a hot weekend. Jaynie was Jayden's biggest fan, she helped her with her horse any way she could and watched the whole day. Jayden's first class was walk trot. She went in confident on her big palomino. I thought Tex looked good and they did a nice job. He carries his head tucked on his own and has a pretty nice trot. Today’s pleasure horses move so slow they remind me of a horse that is lame trying to trot. They also have their head down so low to the ground it looks so unnatural. In fact I thought she would place in the top. She was 6 out of 7 and got a red ribbon. She was feeling sad and dis

The boys loved staying in the camper and being at the fair. Today was the beef show so they had plenty of people around to watch. In the beef barn the cousins were grooming their cattle. The boys saw an old hill billy tractor that they just loved. It scares me to think of what kinds of  vehicles the boys will end up with. They also go to see their lovely cousin Torrie showing her cattle and lovely cousin Libby who won the queen contest.   We went home after lunch, mainly to get showers and more supplies. We headed back in the evening and took Hannah with us. She stayed with Jayden until late in the evening. They went to the horse project potluck, then gave Tex a bath and worked on his tail.

 Jake took his drawings to the pre-4-H open class for judging. I took 4 of his sketched and combined them in a frame. He had an airplane, motorcycle, train, and bus. I like him to be part of the fair and have some recognition for his art. After that, we drove back home to get the horse ready to bring to the fair. First, we had serpentine practice at 6:00. Then we had to hurry to the fair before the 8PM deadline. Mark took the boys to the garden tractor pulls. Jake got bored and left early to be with Jayden and I. Luke loved the tractor pulls even though some of them were so loud they rattled your ear drums. Tonight the boys got to stay in the camper too, all 3 kids and I. 

Today was the 4-H dog show. We had to be to the fairgrounds with Daisy by 8AM. We had bathed her a few days ago, have been brushing her for weeks, clipped her nails, and cleaned her ears. We knew she would not get a great score for grooming, but she looked pretty good for a farm dog. It is hard to compete with house dogs that get professionally groomed. Both grandparents and the boys came to watch Jayden. I thought she would be in the first class and the whole show would be over by noon. Boy was I surprised.   We watched and we waited. Jayden was in the Pre Novice first year kids obedience class with 6 other kids. Daisy didn’t sit when she was supposed to. She did really well on the figure 8, stand and stay, sit and recall. For the long sit, she didn’t sit for her at first. She did her long stay really good. I thought she did good for her first year. Only one first place trophy and Jayden got a blue ribbon. After lunch for dog handling, she got another blue ribbon. She did really

 Today begins the Webster County fair 2013. We took Jayden’s friend Hannah with us. This is her first year in 4-H and she is still learning the ropes. She didn’t have any projects prepared, so we printed up a photo she took and matted it for her. We also took the boys with us and they met up with my mom to stay with her a couple nights. Uncle Wade came with the camper and we got it settled in for the week. Thanks to my brother letting us use his camper, it makes the fair bearable for me. Judging for our club didn’t start until after lunch, so we didn’t feel rushed. The girls started with photography.   Jayden got 3 of her 6 photos held back for state fair consideration. Hannah did too and she was so happy. I am glad she did well and hopefully will want to do it again next year. Jayden went on and got state fair for her project on “How to Display the American flag”. It was such a fitting project with her carrying the American flag for youth rodeos. She did the research and put the in