Whoever said money couldn't buy happiness has never bought a show heifer

All summer I have been working at the Standridge’s helping there kids get ready for the Simmental Junior Nationals.  This past week we were in Sedalia, Missouri for the big show.  We had worked so hard for this week, and then it seems, as if in the blink of an eye, it was all over; but it was sure a blast.  I was privileged to be able to show my Simmental heifer, as well.  This was my first-ever Junior Nationals, and there were many new and fun experiences. 

Everyone had to compete in at least four out of five contests.  The first contest I did was a skill-a-thon. This contest consisted of four different stations: one was identifying feeds, another was identifying diseases, the third one was structure and anatomy, and the last one was questions about the Simmental breed and association.  The second contest in which I competed was a Sales Talk.  With this event, I had to try and sell my heifer to two people and tell them why my heifer was the best one to buy.  Livestock judging was the third contest.  We had six different classes to place and we were required to give two sets of oral reasons.  I am not a fan of giving reasons, so I wasn’t too excited about this one.  The last contest I had was a Cattleman’s Quiz.  It was a 50 question quiz with various questions about cattle. 

 My dream has always been to show cattle at a national show, so I wasn’t too worried about how I did in the contests because I was just there to show cattle!  Showmanship didn’t go so well for me; my heifer came into heat that day, so her standing tolerance was little to none.  I stood third in class with my Fall September heifer.  I sure wish I could have done better, but the experience that I had this past week will be an unforgettable one.  My dad knew my dreams of showing at the national level and he did whatever he could to make sure my dream came true! I can’t thank him enough for all his support, help, and drive he has given me over the years!

Ryan (far left) and some of his friends from Jr Nationals. 

Allie and her fall heifer, 4th in class.

My fall heifer and I, third in class.

Rex and his Blaze Face heifer, Reserve Division and 8th Overall.
Rex also showed a MoMagic heifer that was 10th in Division.  

Allie and Wisconsin, 4th in division and 12th Overall.

Rex and Bret Pembrook.

Allie and her Purebred Heifer. 3rd in Division and 19th overall.

Faith Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is LOVE

So this past weekend I got to take a break from my daily routine in Oklahoma and went home for three days.  I flew out on a Friday and was back by Sunday night, it was a short trip but it couldn’t have been a better weekend.  My best friend, Stephanie Bopp’s, sister got married on Saturday, and Steph said the only way that she would let me work down in Oklahoma this summer is if I got to come back for the wedding.  I flew in Friday at three and my parents and I did a little shopping and then went to my “Barn Families” Cabin for supper and a boat ride!  Saturday was the wedding and I was able to see so many friends and family while I was home in such a short amount of time!  The wedding was so beautiful, with great food, friends and a great DJ.  Lisa Bopp and Joel Von Seggern were the happily married couple and I want to wish them the best of luck in their years of marriage to come.   

Derek Dam and I at the reception...he is like my other brother!

My new boots that I got..and got to wear them for the first time

Erin Wacker and I...love her!

Erin Wacker and Kolton Charling

Willard and I, he just loves taking pictures with me!

Doing a little bit of line dancing!

and some more....

yep one more line dancing one

My beautiful cousins Whitney Baumert and Cola Svec.

My friend since grade school, Estee Heitshusen.

Stephanie Bopp (my best friend) and her cousin Matt Ecklun.

Dancing up a storm!

My cousins Whitney and Blake Baumert.

Dammie and I!

My beautiful cousins once again.

My Home Away From Home

 This summer I am living in Lindsay Oklahoma helping a family with their show cattle!  I have been here since June first and I have loved every minute of it.  Below are some pictures that capture some of my summer, and as the summer goes on more will come of my adventures.

This is the Standridge home.  I don't stay here at night I have my own
little house in town.  But I spend more time here than at my own little house.

Lindsay Oklahoma has a walmart! Yep and its the smallest one ever built!
But it even has a McDonalds!

The Show Barn!

This little guys mom couldn't take care of him so we bottle
feed him three times a day.

This is Allie she is the oldest of the kids.  She is going to be a junior in high school.
Allie has been kind of like my little sister this summer!

This is Rex.  He is the middle child and going to be an eighth grader.

The stalls where we keep the calves.

These are the five lovely heifers I am taking care of this summer!
I will be going to Simmental Junior Nationals with them for a week in July.

And this is one of my favorite past times to when we aren't rinsing in the afternoon.
I love laying out, and swimming on a hot Oklahoma day! Not to mention the tan I get is alright too!

Memories We Will Never Forget

Steph Bopp and I going fishing.

Minnesota Sunset

Phelps Mill an old flour mill.

Uncle Ron, Dad, Gram, and Cola cleaning fish! 

Some fish that were caught!

Weslost Lake

Will and Gram sitting on the dock

Mom, Ethan James, Me, Dad, Steph Bopp, and Will 

Mom, Dad, and I caught all these the first day! It was a great day for fishing!

Leah caught her fish all by herself she was so proud!

Canoeing down the river a few years ago.

Gram fishing off the dock at sunset.

All the kids that went to Minnesota in 2010.

We used to dance it up at a bar called Lenny's, it is no longer running.

Carp Slaying

Yep we killed 115 of them it was a great time!

Papa and Gram teaching us how to polka.

Papa and Gram with all her grandkids minus Brant and Darin.

Whitney, Cola, Jackie, and I in front of phelps Mill

A long time ago Will and I looking  at Dads Bass.

Dad caught two bass on one lure! 

Whoa! It has been a little while since I have posted something! I have just been so busy! Summer break came and I feel like time has just flown!  I spent about ten days at home and then on Thursday May 26^th, my parents and I packed up the car and headed north to Minnesota.  You see every year since 1996 my entire dads side of the family makes the six-hour drive up to Battle Lake Minnesota for a week of fishing.  We get one big cabin that sleeps about 20, which is where all the kids stay and then we have 3 smaller cabins where all the parents stay.  Everyone usually goes up on Friday, but since I was leaving early to start my job my parents and I went up Thursday so I could have all day Friday to fish.  So, grandma, grandpa, all the aunts, uncles, and cousins stay for a week to just fish and enjoy family time.  Going every year is always the highlight of my summer.  It is not like I get to spend a whole lot of quality time with my family so being together for a week gets you caught up on each other’s life a bit.  When all the kids were younger we would always go into town with the moms and on of our favorite places to go was a store called Granny’s Pantry.  Granny’s Pantry is a candy store with every possible kind of candy you could think of what little kid wouldn’t love it?  As we grew up going there wasn’t such a priority on our list fishing became more of one.  I was thinking on the way home from vacation how when we were little the end of may could never come fast enough and we always had to be packed a week before we even left for vacation.  As I have grown time seems to fly by and before you know it you have to rush and pack the night before you are supposed to be leaving.  This year 27 people were able to go on vacation, not all of them family there were a few friends, boyfriends, and girlfriends.  Papa just loves this vacation and he is like a little kid on Christmas when we get there.  He doesn’t do a lot of fishing but he sure loves to toddle around and go to the flea market and garage sales.  Gram on the other had you can always find her with a fishing pole in her hand she thoroughly enjoys her time on the lake.  Every year is more memorable for me, because as I am entering my junior year of college and going further south I don’t get to see family as often so I cherish my time a little more than what I used to.  My grandparents started something that we will never forget and have given us memories that will last us a lifetime!