An Eagerly Awaited Package

As you all know, Livie earned 2nd Place in the "Anything Goes" Division of the 2011 Iowa State Fair coloring contest! Click here to see her artwork and award displayed in the Animal Learning Center. It was displayed with all the other artwork all throughout the Fair's 10-day run, 11-21 August 2011.

Once the Fair ended, the artwork (along with ribbons, including yellow "Participant" ribbons for those who didn't get 1st, 2nd, or 3rd) were sent back to the artists.

Today, Liv's package arrived in the mail. We were all excited when we saw the envelope with the "Iowa State Fair" return address!!

And of course, Liv eagerly held her ribbon and artwork and posed for a photo:

After posing, she proudly hung her ribbon on a knob of her dresser in her bedroom. One of these days, I'll have to take the ribbon and artwork to the art store at the University of Iowa to see if they can frame them (together in one frame, I'm thinkin').

We are very proud of Liv!! We're sure this is the first of many ribbons to come!

"Next year, I wanna try and get the blue ribbon!" 

Just a "Few" More Fair Photos

I had a TON of photos from the 2011 Iowa State Fair. Here are just a "few" more!

These piglets are just a few days old. The  one on the left kept pushing the one on the right into the side of the farrowing stall.

She HAD to pose with the HUGE pumpkin!

Liv and Daddy went down the HUGE slide! She wanted to go again, so her second ride was with me. (Daddy said it was a little too high for his comfort.)

She was compelled to touch its nose. "I like nostrils!"

I thought these dappled draft horses were beauties. I'm standing where I am so I don't startle them with the flash (note the blinders).

Of course, here are Nonno and Livie together with the huge pumpkin.

The ferris wheel - I used Picknik and its "Boost" and "Lomo-ish" effects.

A flamingo and tree all lit up, next to an Asian food stand.

It's a yearly tradition to get a photo of Andrew next to this big marble, floating globe/fountain. The globe is upside down in this photo because it floats on the water and rotates around freely.

He had to try the "hot beef sundae" - mashed potatoes, roast beef, gravy and cherry tomato on top. Is he looking away because he thinks he won't be in the photo? I dunno.

Liv's favorite pony, Gabby.

She got to milk a Jersey cow (from Iowa, not the Jersey Shore!)!

Nonno, Livie, and Gabby (who is ready to show!).

Maybe next year I'll have a chance to take Livie on this sky ride.

Your Sunday Best, 29 Aug 2011

This is the Ferris Wheel at the 2011 Iowa State Fair. I used Picnik and its "Boost" and "Lomo-ish" effects.

 Please click on the button below to see the rest of this week's entries:

Ready to Share, Yet?!

Here's another photo from the 2011 Iowa State Fair. Livie had gotten an ice cream cone (and yes, that was the "single" scoop size!!); Nonno was waiting for her to need some "help" eating it! (Fortunately for him, he didn't have to wait too long!)

Crazy Evening View of the Fair

Okay, I was having a hard time motivating myself to do my homework. So I went on Picnik and used the "Heat Map 2.0" effect on an evening view of the Iowa State Fair (August 19th). 

Here's the "crazy evening view" from that night at the Fair:

Back on Campus

My semester at the University of Iowa started this week. I've got two classes, both on Tuesdays and Thursdays. One is a Philosophy class - Aesthetics, and the other is Contemporary American Women Writers.

I majored in Philosophy way back when, during my undergrad days (I graduated in 1993). And since I'm working on a graduate degree in English, it's a bit of a "Whoa! It's been a while!" moment for me getting back into the Philosophy state of mind.

Anyway, here are a few photos of the campus in summertime.

A partial view of the Old Capitol, obscured by leafy trees.

My writing class is in the curvy building on the left.

Another view. I look out those windows when I use the stairs.

It's only the first week, and I'm tired! (And the day's not even over yet!) But hopefully I'll be back in "study mode" full blast by next week.

(If you click on the "University of Iowa" label below, you should be able to find my winter and spring campus photos.)

A Taste of "Home"

Okay, so I was kinda missing my New Mexico home lately. But this past Sunday, I'd been in the grocery store and just so happened to have found some green chiles all the way from Hatch, NM! Now, Hatch chiles are rather famous, so I was quite excited to have found some fresh ones out here in corn and soybean country!

I only bought three, not knowing when I'd get a chance to roast, peel, and eat them (since my semester started this week).

I have a lot of homework to read for tomorrow, but I suddenly got worried that the three chiles that I'd bought would go bad before the weekend, so I went out to the grill to roast them. I figured I'd go ahead and roast and peel them now (during a study break), so that I'd have them ready to eat before they went bad. Maybe I can put them in some scrambled eggs tomorrow morning, before I head to class.

Well, I ended up taking a photo of them (of course!) while they were on the grill. And then I had to play around with the photo on Picnik.

Here's the resulting photo:

Those Tall Guys

Recently we went to the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, IA. Liv especially loved these giraffes:

We got to stand up on a raised deck, which is why it seems like we're at "head" level.

A "Resting" Place Within the Corn

When I drive along I-80 (either to/from the Des Moines area to Chicago, or to/from Des Moines to Iowa City/Cedar Rapids) I always pass this cemetery on the south side of I-80 (somewhere . . . oh, maybe about halfway between Des Moines and Iowa City). I guess it's for a farming family's loved ones? The grass is always super green and seems to be well tended. 

Just click on the photo to see a bigger view of it.

I love seeing how the landscape around it changes, depending on the season. Like now, I love seeing the rows of tassled corn.

The Butter Cow (and other Fair Photos)

A random photo of the 2011 Fair.

One more random photo of the 2011 Fair.

Ayrshire cows

We liked this duck's "hair style"! She wondered if he danced like the duck on the commercials.

She got to pet a lamb! "He's really soft!"

These are ostrich chicks under the heat lamp. Looks like they made a mess with their food - typical babies!

One of the garden exhibits. Liv and I (and Dolphin) loved the flowers.

An exterior view of the building where the Butter Cow is showcased.

Here's a replica of the 1911 Butter Cow! Yep, it's made out of butter!

This year's Butter Cow! (It's in a refrigerated enclosure.)

First Day of Kindergarten

Liv started Kindergarten today! 

We'd picked out an outfit last night, so of course today started with her spilling berry compote all over it this morning! (I told her not to change out of her pajamas until after breakfast, but she was too excited, and wanted to change for school right away.) So after a quick outfit change, we were ready to walk across the street to school!

Here's the outfit she ended up wearing! She's got her "First Day of School" name sticker (which also has her teacher's initials, so everyone knows which classroom is hers).

She's modeling her backpack (which has her matching insulated lunch tote inside).

 

She wants to make sure everyone sees the reflective strip, as well as the Ariel sticker she stuck on it.

 

Off to school, which is across the street from us!

She's excited to be at her classroom!

More Iowa State Fair Photos

Okay, here are even more photos from our trip to the Iowa State Fair. . .

This is on the drive to Des Moines, somewhere on I-80 W.

We got a funnel cake to share!

We saw an elk! He didn't want his picture taken, though.

Liv's posing for a photo outside the cattle barn.

In front of "The Dairy Barn" (on the very right side of the photo) where they serve delish ice cold milk, chocolate milk, and ice cream. The domed building behind Liv is an exhibition hall for showing cattle and other animals.

These pretty flowers have won prizes.

Outside the Anderson Erickson Dairy - the "Annie" and "Eric" statues (not on the Fairgrounds). I had to take the photo quickly from the driver's seat on the way back to Abuelita's house, as I waited (at a stop light) in traffic.

I've got a few more photos, coming soon.

Iowa State Fair Photos, Round 2

Here are some more photos from Opening Day at the Iowa State Fair, 2011!

Liv's posing with a painted cow and her dolphin souvenir.

Here's a fantastic looking rooster! Liv and I liked this one a lot!

Here are some more chickens that we liked.

Livie got to pet "Milkshake" the calf.

Liv and I liked this vendor's loud hair!

Stay tuned for more Fair photos soon! In the meantime, click here to see the prize Livie won for her artwork!