Beautiful Brooke: Weekend in review.

It's all about the shoes.

I spent Thursday AND Friday of last week in my classroom...

For Thursdays visit, Brooke came along and helped me finish up my bulletin boards. Since she was a real trooper, we stopped at Super Shoes on the way home and got a few GREAT deals!

These 3 little gems came home with us in a size 7. Um...7?

Brooke actually picked out a classic light-up pair of sneakers that might as well have had sirens on them! She wore them around the store and stomped her feet repeatedly to get them to flash and blink...but eventually (Mommy!) decided to leave them for another loving family to purchase.

Friday night, we headed back to the Youth Fair!

We met up with Stacie and Anna and tried our luck (again) at the fair!

Zig came along with us, but left shortly after got there for an emergency meeting at the firehouse. It turned out ok, though, because Stacie and I got to enjoy each other and let the kids spend time together.

We met up with my sweet Spike again, and she gave us the animal tour...again.

Spike earned some extremely impressive awards at this year's youth fair, and like I told her this week, I'm so proud of her I could just about BURST!

Events like the Youth Fair really make me proud to be a teacher! I usually only see my 'kids' in the classroom setting. Some, I have the priviledge of working closely with, as I did this special group of 8th graders that sort of became my 'posse.' But when a teacher gets to see her students being successful and responsible and respectable in the outside world - it just truly warms your heart.

I must note, that as I saw dozens of former sixth graders working with animals, showing them in the show ring, and taking care of them in the barns, I also saw HOARDS of them walking around the youth park...causing mahem! Stacie and I couldn't take 3 steps without hearing "MRS. WRAY!!" and having to stop and chat for a few seconds. I DO love these kids, and I supposed I should be happy that they WANT to stop and talk, but HOLY MAN! It was crazy!

The food at the Youth Park is amazing. I mean, amazing.

But 2 mommies with 2 babies on the hip leaves very little hands to carry the funnel cakes and soft pretzels that Stacie and I wanted to treat ourselves with.

So.

To the Dairy Queen we went!

We had so much fun!

We giggled and told stories and watched the girls make messes with ice cream!

And as if ONE night with Stacie and Anna wasn't enough, we packed up last night for another evening with the family!

This is Black Snake Hollow!

The first picture shows Uncle Butch and Aunt Rhonda's amazing cabin-esque home...

and the second is Stacie and Noah's newly built home!

Butch and Rhonda added a fire pit to their amazing property and invited us all out for mountain pies, s'mores, and hot dogs on the fire!

Brooke was so excited for more play time with Anna!

Showing off her 'tub!'

Growing up, Stacie and I compiled multiple books full of pictures of the two of us! TONS of pictures document our childhood, our adventures, and all of the crazy things we did together! So, we've recently started a book for Brooke and Anna!