My Konner

Ryder digs him some Konner right now. He calls him "My Konner" and gets very, very upset when anyone else plays with, talks to, or looks at "MY Konner". Konner is good with him and humors him. I suppose the older Ryder gets the more he is going to want to tag along with Konner, and the less fun Konner is going to find that!

But for now, they are buddies. Ryder and his Konner.

Grady County Fair Showing Debut

Ryder made his Grady County Fair debut on Saturday. While he is still a few years away from showing all he wants (cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and bock-bocks) he is old enough to show in the pet show.

Neither of our dogs is well behaved enough to take in public, so Sam the Basset Hound got recruited for the honors. Coop and Konner broke him to lead, and Ryder even practiced walking it around with the leash at the farm.

Things changed when fair time came. I honestly didn't think he was going to do it, and if not for Konner he probably wouldn't have. He earned his $1 and Blue Ribbon and thought he was just as special as the big boys.

He did take a liking to the pony rides after the show. He was a no-go on the carnival rides, but he would have emptied our pockets on the ponies if we had let him. I think his horse had enough, as her ears were pinned back the whole time. 

Watermelon Minis

Ryder got his photo taken by Cross Light Photography back in July. I'd buy a melon from him ...

Toes in the Mud

Part of the arrangement to put in the oil well was that they had to dig us a pond. The vision was that in a few years it could be a fishing pond for Ryder. Thanks to a very wet year, it actually has quite a bit of water in it, and next year we should be able to stock it with fish. For now we play in the mud and throw rocks into the water.

Some people had said Ryder has my ankles. Based on this photo, I can't disagree.

Park All to Ourselves

It was 83 degrees on a Saturday in August ... and we were the only people at the park.

 Someone got a little too close to the camera during the swing. My phone will never be the same!

Wheels

The kid loves the feeling of wheels under him. Most of the time it is is farm car or truck in the backyard. One night Konner and Cooper were at the farm and they were riding their bikes. Most of the time Ryder has little interest in the bike, partly because he hasn't mastered pedaling it yet. But he wanted to play with the big boys, and saw no reason he couldn't race with them around the driveway at the farm.

Konner, Cooper, and Ryder = Cousin Trouble

Don't Shake the Baby II

Last night we hauled off the bulls. Too many cows in the herd are now related to them, so it is time to get some fresh blood. Ryder was very excited, he was all about getting the bulls in the pen and then getting them on the trailer. He was amazed that the trailer was following us down the road, and then pretty excited that we were beating it.

This wasn't that much different than a similar trip we took when he was just 4 months old. I chronicled it here in case you don't remember. I videoed it and joked "don't shake the baby!" due to the rough ride.

Well last night the ride was just as rough, and I said "don't shake the baby" over an especially rough part. This is what we heard for the next 20 miles ...

There is no video, so don't think it isn't working. If I knew how to record and upload just audio, I would have.

Ryder liked seeing the bulls be unloaded and walking the catwalk over the pens of cattle. He was pretty upset when it was time to leave, and even more mad that we weren't taking the bulls back home with us. The life of a farm kid ;)

Talents Exceeding Moms

So Izzy came to be my cow because I couldn't tell the black ones apart. Trent seemed to know them all without looking at their numbers, but I never could (and still can't). Apparently Ryder inherited his father's knack for cattle identification, because at 2 years old he can point out his cow in the herd. His cow is solid black. And named Dude.

And apparently, on occasion, I refer to them as "stupid cows". I need to work on my language.

Bugs

Ryder loves to watch videos of himself on my phone, and these two are his current favorites. He watches them over, and over, and over, and over ... The bug squishing must be a boy thing.

Boating

After a week of cleaning, the pontoon made its first voyage of the year. It was also Ryder's first trip to the lake or on the boat (he was on Grandpa Rodger's sailboat last summer, but he slept the whole time!).

They didn't help clean, but they tested it out in the driveway to make sure it would work ...

Ryder was an excellent First Mate. He spent most of his time looking for Nemo. He was good about keeping his life jacket on, and wanted to be in the water swimming. I see years of water fun in our future!

Swimming with Mommy

The Shebester's and the Turner's were our boating buddies

Extra floatation devices (for Gramma Jill!)

Swimming to daddy

Nap time on the boat

Someone got some sun

Loving every minute of it.

Izzy Baby

Izzy had a baby on August 1st. She was bred to the Hereford bull, which I was really not excited about because I don't like the white-faced babies. The good news was we got our first full belt ever ... and one white ankle sock. He is so white standing next to his Mama - Izzy could really use a bath. Ryder calls the new calf "Izzy Baby" and tries to call him to eat cake. So far, he hasn't come.

Ryder feeling Izzy last week. We didn't know how close she was to having a baby!

Mama and baby boy

Great belt ... ugly face

Just like Ryder, always has her tongue sticking out on photos