Sate Fair Fun

Today we made our annual sojourn to the Minnesota State Fair. We soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed a quantity of tasty fair food, all within about 4-5 hours, by which time Wes was officially sick and tired of being strapped into a stroller. Corrie and Jack love the "Little Farm Hands" exhibit every year, as well as the "Miracle of Birth" center, where they get to touch and admire baby farm animals. Wes was very excited by the various animal barns, and used the opportunity to rehearse all of his animal noises. This year was the first time that we attended on the fair's opening day, and so that led to a few interesting sightings as exhibitors were still moving their animals into their proper places. In fact, we were caught in a minor pig stampede in the swine barn, as some poor souls were trying to herd their pigs into the proper pens while observers with giant strollers (like us) stood in their way.

My favorite fair food continues to be the very tasty and very fresh Sweet Martha's chocolate chip cookies. The kids continued to love the best bargain at the fair -- all-you-can-drink-for-$1-milk. As an added bonus, our very own Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar served the milk to Joel. What more could we ask for, really? Though, then again, we got to witness Al Franken kissing babies last year. We'll have to contemplate which one ranks highest on our scale of political excitement.

It was a good day.

Cow Crossing

Daddy and Daughter

Can't believe I have to wait another year for these . .

Wes looking less than thrilled about the Swine Barn

Corrie looks a bit crazed in this picture . . . maybe it's the excitement!

Hotdish on a stick. With gravy for dipping.

Tattoos

Having Fun

Farm Girl

Sportin' the John Deere Hat

Little Farm Hands

Excitement Abounds

The curriculum has arrived.

The Bascom Children Recommend . . .

1. The Music Man

I grew up with plenty of exposure to this classic, thanks to my mom's family and their over-the-top obsession with this film. As an adult, however, it had been many years since I'd seen it until I stumbled across it whilst perusing the instant viewing options on Netflix. I played it for the kiddos on family movie night, and the rest is history. They *love* this movie. They sing the songs (loudly) all of the time - and I do mean *all* of the time, including the times that we are trying to pick up toothpaste and note cards at Target. I did get a few strange looks as Jack was belting out the line " . . . I have my standards where men are concerned . . ."

2. The Adventures of Robin Hood

Starring Errol Flynn, this old version of Robin Hood is perfect for Corrie and Jack. The plot is easy to follow, and there are a lot of fight scenes and corny laughs. It has inspired a lot of Robin Hood and Maid Marion play around the house, along with Corrie's new burning desire to become an Olympic archer. Watch out world.

I Know

I know, I know, I know, I know, I *know*. I haven't blogged for 5 months, and therefore am the biggest blog slacker that every blogged. I also know that this means that no one even checks this site for updates anymore, except for maybe my parents (hi mom and dad!). Here is the Reader's Digest version of the last months: we had several wonderful visits with family and friends, Jack turned 4 (in June), Wes turned 2 (this week), and life is good. The kids are growing, eating a lot, learning, enjoying summer, and generally thriving.

We are now gearing up for the homeschool year with Corrie entering 1st grade, and Jack starting to learn some of the basics. I have placed giant orders for curriculum, and am eagerly awaiting the beautiful rumbly sound of the UPS truck. Joel has been promoted and will be opening a new store, which means we will probably not see much of him until after the holiday season. This is obviously a bummer for the short-term, but a great thing for him (and all of us) for the long term. To top it all off, we have enjoyed a beautiful, cooler-than-usual summer, with a lot of time spent outside and around various lakes. We are thankful. Here are a few snapshots of our days, in no particular order:

6 Years Old - How Did That Happen?

The First Violin Recital

On March 10, Corrie participated in her first violin recital. She was beyond excited and couldn't wait to get on the stage. My only fear was that she would drop her violin on the way up to the platform, because she was such a bundle of crazy energy. As it turns out, everything went well. The violin was not dropped or harmed in any way, and she did a great job on her piece. The only thing that she forgot was her post-performance bow, which is a shame, because bowing is her specialty. Here is the video of the big moment . . . I apologize for the poor quality, but you can get the general idea.

All of the students with their brave teacher.

Corrie enjoying the post-recital refreshments.

Yes. Definitely.

Corrie: "Mom, if I was thrown in the fiery furnace, would you call the fire department?"

SoCal in January

It was almost impossible for me to wrap my mind around the fact that Wes was wandering the backyard at my parent's house in *January* dressed like this. Yes, I grew up in Southern California, but the 100 degree temperature difference between our new home and old home was unbelievable.

9 Things to Love About Joel (on our 9th anniversary)

Drumroll, please . . . . .

9. He makes me laugh. Hard. Regularly.

8. He comes home from work singing disco songs that he hears all day on the 70's satelite radio station. (This invariably leads back to #9)

7. He is always complimenting my appearance, even when I have the most horrid case of bed head, and am wearing clothes that have been soiled or stained by one of our offspring.

6. He makes a really good batch of nachos. Nachos are important in a marriage.

5. He listens to me. One reality of life for a stay-at-home (not to mention homeschooling) mom, is that there can be a distinct lack of adult interaction in one's day. Joel comes home from work, where he has been talking and listening all day, and never fails to listen to me blather on about the kids, politics, theology, or whatever is rattling around in my head at the moment.

4. He is a great source of information on everything from the Old Testament to good wine. Very handy for a gal like me.

3. He is a great daddy to our little ones. He is always willing to take care of the kids in any way, whether that be by changing a diaper, supervising bedtime, or helping with a math lesson.

2. He encourages me to try new things, and to break out of my habits (OK, ruts). Without Joel, I would be deprived of so many things I now enjoy . . . like foreign films, Indian food, and any number of vegetables.

1. He is committed to Christ and His Kingdom, and is my brother in Christ, as well as my husband and dearest friend.