A Fishy Fourth

Things are right with the world again as DanFam5 spent the weekend at the Randolph July 4th Celebration. 

Upon arrival we jumped in the ranger

with night crawlers in hand

and headed out to the pond to go fishing.

Grampa got us all set up and ready to go.

Eww.

I think that was a collective "eww" from all of the children.

Mom and I just watched. Because I don't put worms on hooks.

Daisy has been fishing with friends recently, so she felt confident in her casting skills,

while the boys needed a quick course.

Then they were off.

Lijee was the first to catch something.

Next the Zekers got a fish,

and finally the Daiser got one, too.

Then it was time for s'mores.

Saturday brought the Randolph 4th of July Celebration. We went to the car show, along with the folks, to judge the winner for the Steve Hoard award. We were drawn to this truck. Steve would have liked the lifted truck, Daisy liked the color, Zeke liked the way they did the bed, and Mom thought they did a good job restoring it.

Of course we got homemade ice cream from the church.

Zeke found a rock tie.

Steve made this.

When it was parade time we met up with Ashley, Hadley, Sam and Crystal.

They still use the pink boots that Steve made years ago.

Ready and waiting for parade candy.

We took an afternoon break from downtown and lit some fireworks.

Meet Toad McGoad, our new friend that I fed june bugs.

After dinner with aunts, uncles, nieces, and friends who are like family, we watched the fireworks downtown. 

Then we came home and lit our own fireworks, rounding out our weekend out with a bang.

[June 28-30]

Woo Pig Souie

I'm not sure 'Woo Pig Souie' is the flex they think it is...but we learned how to do it on our University of Arkansas tour. This trip Daisy and I brought along her friend Chloe.

U of A is a little over 5 hours from us. They offer a tuition break that is nearly in-state cost, so we decided to check it out. We didn't have to get out and push our coach along the steep route now known as the Pig Trail like some did when the university first opened in 1872.

The campus is pretty, but located on a hill. On the positive side, our tour guide told us the 33,000 students don't get the Freshman Fifteen due to walking those hills.

The Fulbright Peace Fountain was funded by donations from 115 individuals and 18 countries. It is 41 feet high and weighs nearly 12,000 pounds. The Fulbright Scholarship Program is the largest international exchange of scholars in the world and was created by a U of A graduate.

Old Main is referred to as the mother of the university because so many academic programs were first taught in this building. When first designing U of A in the late 19th century, the board of trustees visited the University of Illinois and wanted to replicate their main building. When they sought out the architect for plans, he charged them $1,000 to make new plans because the original ones had been destroyed in the great Chicago fire.

Myth has it that the original building at the U of Illinois that Old Main was based on had its towers flip-flopped by Union supporters. This was shortly after the Civil War, and the reasoning for flipping the towers was that the taller bell tower would be on the north side, a symbol of their victory.

The Senior Walk first came to life by the Class of 1906. Senior Walk contains the names of more than 120,000 graduates, beginning with the first class inscribed at the foot of the Old Main steps. It has grown to over five miles of paved walks over the years. Originally hand-stamped, the Senior Sand Hog now etches the names of graduates into the concrete. 

The school color has always been red, which was a logical choice since the original mascot was the Cardinals. But in 1909, after an undefeated season, the football coach boasted that his team pummeled LSU like a wild band of razorbacks. Woo pig souie.

 Will Daisy proudly yell the Hog Call of Woo Pig Souie in the future? 

[June 8-9]