We just can’t believe its been a year since we did the last sale, how time flies when your having fun!!! And we are, having fun, but getting tired too. Its been a busy year, a wet spring, we basically had plenty of rain and then once it dried out, it didn’t rain again. Today (8/27) we are having a thundershower, our first rain in August. What a relief, this one will settle the dust for a few days anyway. At least this August, we have not had the humidity that normally comes in August so that in itself has been great. We again have a lot to be thankful for, we still spend our life together doing what we love: working together, family, church, volunteering, farming and of course raising LIMOUSIN cattle. Ann still has many volunteer jobs: Iowa Limousin Expo Sale Coordinator, Heartland Limousin Financial Secy., St. Paul Cemetery board, Secretary on the WESTFAIR board, W. Pott. Extension Council and co-coordinator on the Treynor Bloodmobile, the last two of which I will be retiring from at the end of the year. I have to make room for new things in my life. Roger is still SW Iowa’s cattle hoof trimmer, he even got asked this year to trim a bull elk, (sorry no way); he loves to judge some of the county fairs in our area, and looks forward to helping the 4-Her’s at Westfair, takes care of the showring and we take pictures of the “Champions”in the sale for the buyers, and this year he has been working at a few of the major concerts at Westfair. Besides farming, getting cattle ready for the sales and shows. He works very hard. Last October, Chad & I rounded up our entire family for a photo shot (84 of us) inside the hay mau of the old barn at the other place. It was coordinated by Farm Bureau and New York photographer Paul Mobley. We are excited to say we are the centerfold family of the “American Farmer” book of photos from across the country, watch for it in book stores this October, its an awesome book, something from every state, or contact me for more information on purchasing this book. Now we have some “new—news”, we have the privilege of welcoming our new daughter-in-law Garin (Bray) of Colorado to our family. We had a wonderful few days in Denver over the Christmas holiday for their wedding. We just got home last week from spending a few days in Denver helping them move (in the rain) to their new home. Garin, you are a beautiful addition to our family. And also for those of you who don’t know, we are going to be “Grandparents”, Erica & Josh are expecting a baby in late January / early February. WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!! Yea!, finally a Grandma. Now on to our next love, our cattle, the calves were weaned July 30 and are doing great. We have started to clip and picture a few at this point. We are offering our entire 2008 calf crop and our entire bred heifer group, with which we are very excited about. They are all bred to our new Jr. herd sire RUNL Travis, which Roger purchased while he was at the Denver Stock Show. He is what the Limousin breed is about, power and muscle in an attractive package. We are pleased to offer our first VL StockTrader & RMKR Smirnoff calves, I think you will like what you see as well. They have done a great job. We hope you can make plans to join us and our Limousin family, for our 6th Annual Private Treaty production sale, Saturday, September 27, 2008. Come spend the day looking at our cattle, all the mama’s will be within a mile of us; enjoy our hospitality and a relaxed sale atmosphere. Cattle are available for viewing anytime prior to the sale, just give us a call. No cattle will be sold before 2:00 pm on September 27, but bids can be taken prior to sale day. We have a very unique sale, give us a call and we would be happy to explain it to you. Our “coffee pot” is always on and you are always “Welcomed”.