Black & Blue (and Gold)

After Science Fair things still didn't settle down completely for awhile -- next came the 2008 Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference -- also held in Hilton Coliseum. Again, Whitney helped keep me entertained, gave me lots of wagon rides and kept my naps on schedule!



As you will notice in the following pictures I am dressed in FFA Official Dress (well, as official as it can be considering it is home made). After science fair mom whipped out the sewing machine and there was blue corduroy (yes, even official blue corduroy -- you can order it by the yard from National FFA) and thread and tissue paper all over the place. She had to make up her own pattern and ripped a part a full size jacket to figure it out.

At state convention there were lots of other babies around my age that would come down and hang out in the Secretary's Workroom with mom and me. I played with Deanna (daughter of friend of mom and dad's who is an ag teacher) and other ag teacher's babies and toddlers. Mom may end up with a side business of sewing things from blue corduroy with as many requests as she had during state convention!

Throughout the year I had a lot of fun with the 2007-08 Iowa FFA Officer Team -- so during state convention I had to have my picture with many of them!





Here I am with Ryan Borcherding the 2007-08
Iowa FFA President.
Convention was great and Ryan and his team did a great job planning it all out!

Here I am with some of the other State Officers and one of the National FFA Officers that came to visit Iowa's state convention.
Cortney is holding me -- then is Alec, Sarah, our visiting National Officer and Dan. Dan is the new 2008-09 Iowa FFA President. He and his newly elected team will have to work on moving the convention to Des Moines for the 2009 Iowa FFA State Convention.



After convention, Grandpa Spencer invited us down to the Villisca FFA Banquet. We went down for the day and visited Grandpa Spencer and my great Aunt and Uncle (Shirley and Bob Spencer). We also visited with lots of friends at the banquet.






After mom and dad changed my clothes (see above picture not so happy to be all dressed up vs. this picture much better) I even laughed and flirted with Ella -- she's a little older than I am but awfully cute!

In my pajamas and ready to go home. Guess the blue jacket can be put away in storage because mom doubts it will fit me for the National FFA Convention in October.

My First Science Fair!

The last few weeks of March mom was very busy. It seemed like she was always either at the computer or on the phone. We also traveled in to see Vicki, Holly, Haley or Jay at their offices a lot! I always get lots of attention when visiting so I didn't mind!


Finally, the last weekend of March arrived and we moved in to Hilton Coliseum on Thursday afternoon.

On Friday, over 500 6th - 12th grade students set up projects -- the largest fair in at least the last 10 years! While mom was busy lots of people watched me -- and I rode all over Hilton and Scheman in my little red wagon. -- Staying in the science theme of things I even had a plastic DNA helix puzzle to chew on.


Grandma Clark watched me for quite awhile and gave me rides. Grandpa Spencer was there to watch me one evening. On Saturday Grandpa Clark was able to see me too. How great all the grandparents could be there! Uncle Carl was busy taking lots of pictures and putting together a video with the crew from Rubber Puppy Productions. We missed having Aunt Em around (no one to keep those pesky High Schoolers in line).



I spent a lot of time with Whitney -- her name badge even read Babysitter. Whitney kept me entertained during the science fair and made sure I had my naps. Notice in the photos I had my own name badge like the big people! The people who make T-shirts for both mom and dad's events made me my own science fair t-shirt and sent it as a gift.


Look at me! I was able to walk across stage! Not when anyone else was there but still.

Things have settled down a bit now so mom has more time to play and update items like this. The plans are all finalized now for our trip to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair that will be held in Atlanta, Georgia this May. I am going to tag along and see what that is all about and celebrate my 1st Birthday in Atlanta! Mom and dad have promised a trip to the aquarium, the zoo and Turner Field (I will have to wear my Twins or Cubs gear). More on how that goes later!