A little of this and a little of that......
My blogging break needs to continue another week. The kids have one more week of swimming lessons - which I don't get home until noon. When we get home it's off to the farm or catch up on things at home before heading out to ball games in the evening. My head is spinning in circles (more than usual) and I just haven't made the time to sit at the computer lately. I miss you all so much and can't wait for a rainy day to catch up. Speaking of rain - the crops could sure use some. The fields still look really good but a nice inch or two would really help the plants produce a bountiful crop.
How about this - school starts in about six weeks. YIKES!!! Oh, where did this summer go to? School supplies are out already too. I'm thinking of letting my kids just skip this whole year - think the State would mind? Just kidding! The other day, I was ready to send them to summer school! It turned out to be nothing that a spanking spoon couldn't handle.
Ever get to that point during the summer when the flower beds get a little neglected? I'm there. I feel like those stupid weeds just start reproducing the moment I pull one of their dear friends. Thank the Lord for my little roto-tiller. Trevor bought me one of these little buggers that I can get in and around my plants after my accident a few years ago. It's been a real help. I'm so far behind in pinching off the dead blooms on some of my flowers - do they make a tool that does that for ya? I've learned that really helps the plants bloom longer. Oh, and if that dog digs one more hole, and kills one more plant in my flower beds....well, I don't know what I'll do....I guess I'll just go buy more to replace them (the family would kill me if I killed that dog).....dumb dog!!!(actually it's a really good hunting dog and I am the one that bought it for Trevor so it's my own fault).
We moved the calves over to our place since we have the "perfect" little pasture for them. These are the calves that for some reason or another had to be taken from their moms and bottle fed. We have six of them. They are all eating on their own now except one that is still on a bottle. Kale's a BIG help with these buggers. He's pretty responsible with feeding them grain and making sure they have water.
Okay, now I'm just babbling on and I really need to get off this thing and get busy. I'll try to get pictures down-loaded off the camera and post some of the happenings in our lives lately. Oh, did I mention Kale and Danny got 2nd place in the Triathalon!!!!(more later on that).
I hope you are all having a great summer, getting some sunshine and enjoying family times. I miss you all so much - more than you know. You have all been such a great inspiration to me and have kept me going in life in ways you'll never know. It hasn't been an easy year for me - but thanks for the kind words you all share. They help me keep my head above the water.
Why is it that when my husband is out of town I just can't come up with anything fun to do? Kale is going camping with the boys and Trevor is leaving for a fishing tournament, so Nikia and I are going to be home by ourselves.
I want to do something fun, but what???
Girls night out - I can be ready in 10 minutes.
Shopping - maybe.
Pool - possibility.
Movie - perhaps.
Just sit at home - probably.
I have such a boring life!!!
Remember Jade? Kale's "girlfriend" (she just graduated this year from high school). He's been wanting to ask her to come to one of his baseball games but just hadn't got the chance to yet. Well, last Friday he made his move. Now, this is really cool that he wanted to invite her, BUT.... I had no idea when he was going to do it.
I was taking a shower when he comes in my room and says, "I just called Jade and she said she might come to my game."
Ummmm, what did you just say? (as I'm getting the soap out of my ears because I thought he just said he called a girl)
"She might come to my game!"
"You called her?"
"Yes"
"Well, okay, but it's an away game" (45 minutes away, to be exact, in another town, and it starts in 2 hours. In the back of my mind I'm thinking there's no way she'll come that far) "How did you get her number?"
"I already had it marked in the phone book!" (dah! Mom)
"You did?"
So.... we're sitting at the game, waiting for the Wee-Wee's (5-6 yr. old) game to finish and the Pee-Wee's to begin when up walks Jade. I looked at Kale and he got the biggest smile on his face and started to blush. Could she be any nicer? A beautiful teenage girl, on a Friday night, could have made plans to do anything and she chose to make my little 8 1/2 year old boy's night. She drove all that way just for Kale. Isn't she wonderful?
The other highlight of the night was.....
As the games went on Jade and I were chatting about Nikia and Jade asks if Nikia has a little boyfriend. I told her I didn't think so, she thinks boys have germs (a little thing I may have made her believe). It was no more than 3 minutes later and up walks Nikia crying her eyes out. Sobbing!!
"What's the matter honey?"
"Aaron, my boyfriend, just broke up with me!"
"What did you just say?"
"He broke up with me, and now he's playing with another girl!"
As Jade was doing all she could not to laugh out loud, I was trying to comprehend that my 6 yr. old just said the words "broke up" and actually new what it ment, and that it was referring to her and a boy.
OH THE DRAMA !!!!!!!
I've taken such a beating the last couple of days. On Tuesday I was scooping manure out of the barn and I went to toss the "crap" off of my pitchfork into the wagon but "it" didn't come off. The pitchfork kind of fell out of my hand and the handle went right to my right eye. OUCH!! Now I have a black and blue mark on my eyelid. I've tried to cover it up with eyeshadow but it must not be working. My Mom told me it looked like my makeup was smeared. NICE!!
Tonight at my softball game I was playing catcher and the pitch came in and took a nasty bounce right at my mouth. OUCH!! I had to leave the game because it wouldn't quit bleeding. I now have a big ol' fat lip on the top and a little hamburger on the bottom lip, plus a nice RED mark on the outside. Oh yeah, and my front big tooth hurts too. I sure hope I didn't hurt a nerve to my tooth. That would be real great to have my tooth turn black. I'd have to change my blog site to The Redneck Hillbilly. NICE!!
So, yeah. I'm looking just peachy!! Wish I could just stay home and hide out for a few days. Nope. I have softball practice with the beautiful teenage girls at 8:00 am. YAY!! :(
I know I have posted pictures of our goats before, but I have to show you our new set of twins. They are so adorable. I wanted to name them Bert and Ernie but it turns out one of them is a girl. So, I have yet to come up with their names. (any ideas Kerrie? I thought of the first letter of all our names and came up with TANK or KNAT. I'm thinking no to both) They were born while we were on our trip. I knew the mama was close and I was really hoping she could wait till we got back, but no such luck. They're only about 5 inches tall.
Guess what else we came home to. Another litter of kitties. She had 6 kitties to be exact. So now the count is 11 baby kitties. NICE!!!
Okay, now make sure your children are looking at the screen and read the following out loud to them.
Anyone want a free kitty? Pick a color, any color. We've got black, grey, white, and orange. Nikia plays with with the older litter everyday so they're nice and tame - very kid friendly. I'm sure you kids would love to have one - or you can even have two. That way one kitty won't get lonely all by itself.
These are two from the first litter and they're about big enough to start giving them away. They wouldn't cost any money. They're free!!! They'd probably be such good kitties you could let them sleep in your room with you or just follow you around wherever you go. You can even pick out a name for them. Except, Nikia has already named the orange one Peaches. Just tell your mom that you really want one.
Now moms, don't break your kid's heart. Give in and let them have a kitty - or two. Remember, they're free!!!
It was a great trip and we're all ready to go back again next year. The location Dad had picked out was beautiful. We were very secluded from seeing or hearing a lot of vehicles so there was hardly any noise except what we made. Every day we went on horse rides and 4-wheeler rides so we put on something like 200 miles on each of the 4-wheelers and I'm not sure how many on the horses. We saw so many deer, elk, turkeys, antelope and of course we heard the coyotes howling at night. It was such a relaxing and enjoyable trip for everyone.+039.jpg)
One of the gorgeous views!+021.jpg)
Tylor letting the horses eat some grass.
+064.jpg)
+037.jpg)
+044.jpg)
+019.jpg)
+026.jpg)
+004.jpg)
+080.jpg)
+092.jpg)
+008.jpg)
+045.jpg)
+096.jpg)
+051.jpg)
+009.jpg)
This is just going to be a quick post as it is 4:00 in the morning (I can't sleep and what else is there better to do than blog). I just thought I'd let you know what I've been up to lately since I haven't posted in a while. We've been so busy around here lately. Last weekend I worked here at home and finally got caught up on some things that have been neglected (mowing, flower beds, garden, cleaning house, etc..).
Every night of the week someone in our family has a ballgame. It pans out kinda like this:
Monday - Kale baseball
Tuesday - Nikia softball, and I help coach a 16-under girls softball team
Wednesday - Amy softball
Thursday - Nikia softball, and Trevor softball
Friday - Kale baseball
Busy? YES!! But I love watching the kids play and it's a good time to chat with the other parents from the community.
We've been getting ready for our Father's Day vacation. In past years we've gone out fishing to the Missouri River with my Dad and Mom and one year my brother's family came too. This year Dad decided we should all (except my sister and her family because they're being party-poopers and don't want to) go to the Black Hills. We're taking 4 horses and 6 4-wheelers. We're staying in tents and Mom and Dad are bringing their camper. We're not going to a campground.....no, no, no, we're staying out in the woods and "roughing it". It should be a lot of fun if the weather cooperates.
I'll be sure to let you all know how the trip went and post some pictures when we return. Have a great weekend.
Almost every day Nikia asks me if she can ride a horse. When we're at the farm she spends a lot of time by the horse pasture talking to the horses and feeding them grass. She LOVES horses. In fact, she wants her own Paint horse someday. I've never been that big of a fan of Paints but maybe for her I'll change my view. Maybe. The other day my niece Lexy went riding and helped Nikia and Kale get all set on some horses.
We've had so much rain lately that it's been hard to keep up with the mowing. The other day we finally had a break from the rain and the sun was shining so I sent Kale out to begin the task of getting the whole yard mowed before the clouds came back. It takes about 3 hours (non-stop) with a riding lawn mower to finish our yard. He was such a trooper and only took two breaks. One for lunch and one for a much deserved popsicle. I was going to take over but he never complained or seemed to get tired of it.
I was so proud of him for getting the job done so quickly. I told him that Pirates of the Caribbean was on t.v. if he wanted to watch it. He loves that movie and hurried into the house to watch it. He only watched about 15 minutes of it and then came and asked me if there was anything else he could do for me outside. WHAT??? He wants more work? Ummm, okay. I told him there was some piles of old straw/hay in the goat pen along with a couple piles of sticks and branches that he could pick up and haul to our dump. He simply said "alright" and got to work. Again, no complaints, and he finished that job too (this time with a little help from his sister). She didn't have any complaints about the task either.
That same morning, Nikia asked if she could dust for me. Ummm, of course you can. She was walking around dusting and singing away. This can't be normal. Kids enjoying work?
Yesterday, I explained to Kale that for one of his summer chores I would like him to clean the toilet in his bathroom once a week. I have shown him how to do this before and he was thrilled to learn (go figure). So yesterday, with no hesitation he got the job done and then came and asked me what I use to clean the mirror in the bathroom. Again, he's wanting to do more work.
Wait just a minute! What is going on here? I promise, I don't threaten them, or bribe them, or run any type of sweat shop. I'm just simply wondering who took my kids and what did they do with them. My kids are usually really good workers but I usually hear some griping and wining about the chores they're having to do. Hmmmm, what are they up to? They must want something. But what? I bet in some way or another their father is involved in this little conspiracy too.
I guess the only things I can do is consider myself extremely blessed to have such willing little workers, and make up a list of things I want done so I'll be ready for the next little volunteer.
I sure hope this lasts all summer. Yeah, right! Who am I kidding.
A few months back Trevor had bought me a t-shirt that said BRUNETTE'S GO TO HEAVEN BUT BLONDE'S GET LOST ALONG THE WAY. Nikia had asked me what it said the first time I wore it and I told her and thought nothing more about it.
This morning when I was fixing Nikia's hair she was looking in the mirror at my hair with kind of an odd expression and said "So, I guess now, you get lost and you go too."
me: Ummm, what are you talking about?"
nikia: Well, remember that shirt Daddy bought you?
me: Which shirt?
nikia: The one that says you get to go to heaven
me: Oh, yeah
nikia: Well, now it looks like you get lost and you get to go too.
NICE!! I might have caught on sooner, but I wasn't even wearing the shirt. I guess those blonde streaks are a little too prominent!!
Ladies, I'd like to ask you to all pray for my little girl. Nikia is still having a real hard time with her Great-Grandpa's death. Remember when my Grandpa died and how she was there and saw everything? Almost everyday with tears in her eyes, Nikia tells me how she misses him so much. She's asked me if it's still okay to cry about missing him. Yesterday, she described to me the scene of the accident again. The other day I was taking a shower and when I got done I found a note that she had slid under my door. It was a picture of a little girl with tears rolling down her cheeks and it said "I really miss Grandpa". Today, she told me that she wished she was in heaven so she could see Grandpa. I know being at the farm and seeing his empty house doesn't help (I still have a very hard time with it too). She used to go to his house often just to see him and have a cookie and chat with him. About a month before he died he had slipped and fell and broke a bone in his arm, and Nikia was his "nurse" to make him all better. She brought him water, the paper, a Kleenex, his slippers, etc... She had such a special place in her heart for him and now his death and all the visual memories of the accident are really hard for her. I know God knows how to mend her heart and I just ask that you say an extra prayer for Nikia.
Thank you!!
Just a couple pictures from Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms!
I hope you have a very relaxing, and enjoyable day of pampering. May your husband take you out to eat to a delicious buffet with all your favorite foods and may your children clean your house for you.
Okay, Okay.....just make mac n cheese and leave the house looking like it does.
It's your day....don't stress over it... enjoy it!!!! After all - it's those people (husband and kids) that qualified you to partake in the "Mother's Day" holiday in the first place.
Have a fun weekend with your family!!
We bring up pairs from the pasture to these corrals. Sometimes we get two or three pairs at a time, and sometimes just one pair at a time.....
Once the calves are in the trailer we spray on Dectomax - aids in keeping the ticks, fleas, and lice off of them. This is Shane, Dad and my Sister-In-Law Terri, getting the spray set up.....
Then, back down to the pasture to get more pairs. We used three 4-wheelers. Notice the mud flying behind Trevor's 4-wheeler - we had to go through this mud hole every time so naturally we (Trevor, Shane and I) would always try to plaster the others with as much mud as possible. Hey, we try to make everything we do fun!!!
Finally, after hauling around 70 pairs out, we're done.....for now. Once more cows have their calves we'll do some more hauling. (click on this picture - you can see just how speckled with mud our faces are)
Warning! this may not be for those with weak stomachs.
Yesterday I saw something I haven't seen in awhile...... We had a heifer (young cow having her first calf) cow that was having problems having her calf and so after getting her in the barn Dad and Shane tried to pull the calf but it still just wasn't coming so they gave the Vet a call. The Vet (I'm trying not to be too graphic here for those with a weak stomach, just use your imagination on how they do this - it's not just fingers - it the whole hand and arm that goes in) could feel that the calf's head was twisted way back and to the side, also, by now he could tell that the calf was not alive anymore. The doc gave her an epidural to ease the cow a little (even cows get tired of labor pains). After much work trying various things to get the calf's head to the position it should be, a second Vet, with much more experience (whom we would've preferred in the first place) was called in. He tried for a while as well and decided the only next option was a C-section. Now, for those of you ladies that have had one of these, it really is quite similar except they make the incision on the cows side rather than underneath on their tummy. Could you really imagine a cow laying on her back with her feet sticking up in the air? Not going to happen! They shaved the hair on the cows side in the area about the size of a basketball, and gave her a good wash with soap and water (they try to make it as sterile as possible - even for a cow). He numbed her up in that area and then the doc begins with the knife and cuts about a 6 - 8 inch incision. That's all the farther I'll take you on that - it really is the same as surgery on a person. I'd hate to gross you out with the finer details, if I haven't already, but it was simply amazing.
Through all of this the heifer just layed their, wide awake, calm as could be. After they pulled the calf out the Doc dumped an entire bottle (about a quart) of antibiotics into the incision area (don't want a chance of infection). When the Doc was all done stitching her back up (which was about three different layers to stitch), we untied her and she stood up just as perfect as could be (well, she did look a little worn out).
We decided that since her calf was dead that we would put a different calf with her (one that had belonged to a cow that had to be sold the other day). Cows go by the scent of their calf and so to get the heifer to take this other calf we had to make it smell like her calf. Well, the easiest way to do that is to take the "afterbirth" from the dead calf and smear all over the new calf (gross and disgusting -I know - I had to hold down the calf while Shane smeared - EWWWWW). Anyways, it worked like a charm. We put the new "smelly" calf in the pen with the cow and almost 2 minutes later the calf was drinking from it's new mama. YAY! It doesn't always work that smoothly - many times a cow just won't take a different calf.
I've seen C-sections performed on cattle before - but it truly is amazing each time. I guess if you made it through all of that without losing your breakfast or your coffee - you're doing pretty good. I had honestly thought about taking some pictures for you to see, but thought some of you "city" gals just might not appreciate it so much. So, no visuals. I hope I didn't get too detailed for you, but I thought some of you would find it pretty interesting. If not, and you're totally grossed out - Sorry!
Thought since I really had nothing else to write about today - unless you're interested in picking rock, fixing fence, tagging calves, loading a huge tank into a truck to haul liquid fertilizer, helping Dad make a few changes to the sprayer, bottle feeding calves, hauling a few more cows to the sale barn (except one who refused to let us chase her up to the barn - don't worry, her day is coming).........I'd answer some of the questions you had about our school's prom.
I really should hand these questions over to Miss Frazzled Farm Wife or even Lurker Lauri as they had kids dressed up for the evening event. But, since Miss Lurker doesn't have her own site up YET... and I'm sure Miss FFW is working hard on her farm today, I'll give it my best attempt.
First of all, when you attend as many school events as we do, and you attend a smaller size school, you get to know the students pretty well, and they get to know you and your children as well.
Their evening starts out with a banquet and then they have a Grand March and then the dance and then depending on the year (every-other-year trip) they head to Kansas City for a day of fun.
For the Grand March each couple is introduced (as proud parents, grandparents, and people who just go to see what everybody is wearing and how well they all "clean up") and walk down a very beautifully decorated "red carpet", spot light shining on them as they stop and pose for pictures and show off their date and their selected dress and tux for the evening. Only one couple on the "carpet" at a time so you get a good look at them - and so they're nerves are rattled a little too! After each couple has made their entrance the music begins and the boys find their moms and the girls find their dads and they share a very special dance ( I love that part - can't wait till my boy dances with me someday - for now we dance in the kitchen). Then the lights come up a bit (usually- not this year, they stayed dim and it was a little hard to get the best pictures) and the spectators can make their way to the floor and take pictures with whomever. The best part is that the high school kids are so willing to take the pictures with everyone. After that, they make their way into yet another beautifully decorated room and the real music of the evening begins. Except this time, no spectators, just chaperone's and the couples. Then at 1:00 am they get on a bus and the trip begins.
Hope that covered all the questions. If I missed anything or got anything wrong Miss FFW and LL can feel free to correct me or add anything.
I just can't imagine life without my little May Day baby. She is a breath of fresh air with a heart so sensitive it melts often. She has a love for people and animals like no other I've known. She probably gives out a hundred hugs a day with a smile that can bring sunshine to anyone.
Over her tiny little lifespan, she has accumulated a nickname from a few family members...(for real, this is what we all call her)
Mom ~ Princess
Dad ~ Sunshine
Kale ~ Squirt
Grandma ~ Sweetheart
Grandpa ~ Fuzzball
Uncle Shane ~ Hairball
Lexi and Tylor ~ Squeekers
Natasha ~ Bummers
Fuzzball and Hairball - don't ask, I can't even remember how that got started but considering who it is that calls her those names there is no telling what the story is.
These last six years have gone by so quickly. Knowing she's my last baby makes it even a little harder to watch her grow out of the baby and toddler years. I know there is no holding this child back though. The other day she was telling me how she would be moving out soon and going to college and then probably getting married. (What??) I told her I wasn't going to let her go but she said I had to. What is she 6 going on 26? That's one of the hard things too - she wants to be a "big girl" and grow up and do the big girl things. Her two older cousins (Lexi and Natasha) have become quite the role models for her. She can't wait to do everything they are doing. I guess since I can't slow her down any I'll just have to try to keep up with her.
We've decided to hold off on a "friends" party until a little later in the summer. I've convinced her that a party at the outdoor pool would be really awesome. So, we'll have just a little family party with cake and a few presents and call it good for now.
+037.jpg){kind=link}
