Thursday, April 30, 2009

So This is What it's Like Raising Hors I Mean Cowboys

"Come here Lilly, Ohhh Good little horse. Come on "

"That's the way Gi' me a kiss, AH!! Good little horse""You wanna kiss Too? There ya go, theres a little kiss"

"Hey, Kid, "


"Thanks!!"




This ones fer you, Boy Mom, Go ahead give her a kiss and rub her soft little nose.




Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Animal Update & So this is what it's like raising cowboys who wanna play baseball



This is Dozer I'm not giving an update on him I'm just telling you a little about him. Have you ever had a dog show up in your life and you have this instant connection? That's what happened with Dozer and me. I love this dog. I don't know why but he and I just have this thing for each other. He lives about three miles away with a wonderful family but whenever he get's the chance he takes off and ends up here at my house. Today he showed up just as I wen't out to feed the doggies/. Aren't they Adorable? This is the part about raising cowboys who wanna play baseball. Normally the boys would have the chore of feeding these cute little guy's but baseball has given me the opportunity to be the exclusive feeder, with the occaisional help of a short attention span three year old cowboy. we've had quite a challenge getting these three little guys to survive. they are the only three out of a lot.

And, here is Lilly. She's getting big. Every time I go out to feed the doggies she comes over and nibbles on my sleeve and hair until I finish feeding them and spend a few minutes rubbing her neck and chin. She's turned into a real softy. I always look forward to feeding the doggies just for the time I get to play with Lilly.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Busy, busy, BUSY

Spring is here whether the weather cooperates or not. Baseball started. we're almost done Lambing but that just means the lambs have to be docked vaccinated and castrated(More on that later) It's getting close to time to gather the cows off of the desert, and it's time to get the cows that are home ready to go on the mountain. There are still doggies to feed three times a day, Gardens to prepare for planting, weeds to spray, irrigation pipes to fix. Luckily our grass hasn't started growing to the point that we have to mow yet, but soon it will be.

Funny thing is... I love the anticipation of summer and warm weather and so I kind of enjoy it.



(this is the more.....later)
Docking the Lambs


I stared at my grandpa in pure disbelief
But still trusting him all of the same.


Could what he was asking me to do
be serious or a weird sort of game?


I’d grabbed the legs of the next little lamb
Flipped him over and was holding him tight


So’s my grandpa could dock and castrate him
And bob his tail off without a big fight.

But something was wrong and my arms started aching
As I held on as hard as I could.


I could tell that my grandpa was frustrated some
And things just weren’t looking to good.

He struggled with that elasticator
And the lamb, he weren’t to understanding


In fact, he was struggling and kicking so fierce
Grandpa started in a reprimanding.

“Hold him as tight as you can!” he hollered
And pulled out his extra sharp blade!


I’ll cut him and hold him, you use your teeth”
I couldn’t believe what he had just said.

“That’there's how it’s done if your going to be
A man in the livestock operation.


So bend over quick grab a hold with your teeth
And begin that there extrication


I know who I am and who I’m going to be
So hesitating only a second

I bent over quick took hold with my teeth
And, well….It weren’t as bad as I reckoned


Now the best thing about it aint the bragging rights
Though I’d have to admit they are bliss.

It’s getting home when we’ve finished our work for the day
And giving Mom a great big, wet kiss.





I've learned to be just a little bit bit leary of sons that come home with a big smile on their face and the offer of a kiss. Especially when they've been Docking lambs.

The fun thing is to collect on their offer of a kiss later when they aren't necessarily wanting one.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Homemakey, Healthy, Me


Yesterday I tried a new recipe. Now don't whip out a pen and paper, or fix yourself to copy and paste or print it out just yet. This is all it consists of
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour.
1 1/2 cups white flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil and
1 cup water
knead only slightly, roll out on three greased cookie sheets very thinly, sprinkle with coarse, kosher salt and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
This makes something similar to wheat thins. But, not quite.
Braden and Caib had ball practice after school yesterday and since Braden had forgotten his ball bag with all his gear in it I decided I would pick up Caib and Aubree from school drop Aubree off at Piano lessons, run Caib home to grab his ball stuff(Braden and he are on the same ball team), and then pick Aubree up after her 15 minute lesson and we would all go to the high school to practice throwing the discus for thirty minutes before their practice started. Every thing was going smoothly until Braden called from home and wondered where I was with his ball bag. Apparently he had ridden home with grandma from Bicknell to grab his stuff. So, I turned around in Lyman, the town between here and Bicknell ,where the high school is, ran home and grabbed Braden and once again headed for the high school.
That is when I pulled out the home made crackers and offered them each a taste. Aubree and Chance loved them. wahoo!!, they like something healthy. Caib wrinkles his nose and keeps nibbling. Braden takes a bite, shrugs and Says "you can tell they aren't real" But despite everything they kept eating them.
Today I made 4 batches of strawberry freezer jam. I had to sample it so I grabbed a homemade cracker and dipped it in and............Well, now I'm feeling very homemakey and healthy.
I can't wait till the kids get home.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

What's a Valley?

We made plans to go to Goblin Valley with the Morgans on Monday (yesterday) since the kids were still out of school for spring break. As we were preparing to go I would occasionally mention to Chance that we were going to go to Goblin Valley and won't that be fun. He was excited because Parker would be there. Now if you haven't figured this out yet, I'll just tell you. Chance is a pretty deep thinker, and he took some time and thought about this little trip we were planning as well. I realized this after he came in to the family room where I was and said, "Mom, What is a valley?" So I explained to him, as best I could in three year old language that if mountains are all around us, and we are looking up at them then we are in a valley.
He's still stuck on the whole concept of a valley, and occasionally asks me about them.
We sure had fun, though. after spending time eating playing and enjoying the warm weather. We all packed up and headed home. Roger, true to form, headed home down the back roads while the Morgans took the main highway. we figured out that before we got back to a paved road and had 45 minutes left to go the Morgans would have already made it home. It was sure a fun day. I really enjoyed the chance to be out of the house for the second time in three days. I'm looking forward to this summer and taking time to go play and hike with the kids, even if we don't go to far from home.

We sure live near some rugged country. on our way down the dirt road we stopped at an old abandoned ranch. it was so far away from everything that I think I may have had a Tiny feeling of what the pioneers experienced as they left there homes and everything familiar and headed out to some desolate spot where they would start all over. I tried to get the kids to think about it to by asking them how they would feel if Dad told us that we had bought this ranch and we were going to live here from now on. Caib loved the idea. Aubree......not so much.
Oh, but we had fun.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Annual Easter Egg Roll

1. We color the eggs on Friday night at Grandmas house. Aubree Chance and Oaklee couldn't wait, and since there were going to be so many kids coloring this year I let them color their eggs early. But we still went down to Grandmas and Braden and Caib colored there eggs.(I forgot to take the camera)
2. Saturday Morning we all Load up and drive down through Capitol reef and out to Aldridge and the clay hills 3. We enjoy Grandmas absolutely delicious fried chicken, macoroni salad, baked beans, potatoe salad, and wonderful homemade pickles.

4. the kids play in the dirt with the buckets and shovels that the Easter Bunny seems to always bring a day early.
5. Look closely and you'll find the source of her complete joy. Yes, the Easter Bunny brings bubbles, too. 6. And kites.
7.And then, in the midsts of the playing the egg rolling begins. This year the three youngest went first. They seem to figure out quickly that it's fun to watch the eggs roll clear down the hill.

8. Then the older kids all grab their eggs and begin tossing, rolling, throwing, hucking, lobbing, and dropping their eggs down the hill.

9. And, when they each finish with their dozen eggs they run to the bottom of the hill and pick up the unbroken and mostly intact eggs and throw them back up to the people at the top of the hill. Occaisionally an egg war is fought, but all in fun. also, occaisionally a raw egg ends up in someones dozen and always seems to hit someone.
10. As the moms all stand around taking pictures and dodging eggs thrown by sons who can't help but do a little target practice. 11. And then it's back to playing in the dirt and catching lizzards.
12. Running down the hills
13. and rolling down the hills. This goes on for quite awhile. There's just something about a soft dirt hill that gives hours of fun.
14. For the older kids as well.

15. While the parents all sit around visiting and holding babies
16. until the babies are to worn out to handle any more fun. and we pack up and head for home.
After all, The Easter bunny still has eggs to hide in copius amounts for the kids to find on Easter Morning.
Happy Easter!!!


















































































































Thursday, April 9, 2009

Yippee!!!! a Field Trip!!

"Guess what, Mom, We get to go on a field trip." Aubree excitedly told me On Monday.

"FUN!!" I say "And where do you get to go?"

"We get to go to Mrs. Tafts Farm. It's going to be so fun! we have to bring a warm Jacket, and an extra pair of shoes, and oh yeah, I have to wear clothes that can get dirty because we get to go and see the baby Lambs. And she said we could bring a water bottle so if we get thirsty, and if you want to go with us you can, Mom. But you have to tell her if you want to ride the bus with us or you can just drive there and then meet us. It's really up to you, if you want to go, but you don't have to. So, do you want to go with us Mom?"



Um, Aubree, do you realize that you live on a farm?



Sheepishly Aubree replies "Yeah"



"just look outside. We have three little lambs, 8 calves, two horses, one with a colt, a goat and 7 chickens. Not to mention all the dogs and the cat." I gently point out.



The excitement was in no way reduced, she continued to ramble on and on to anyone who would listen to her about the field trip, and in the end it was all worth it. They got to watch the farmer shear a sheep and they each brought home a little bag of wool.



I love Aubree's love of life and new experiences. No, not the experience of going to a farm. That's not new. You guessed it, the excitement was really over the whole idea of a FIELD TRIP, YIPPEE!!!!!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Way to WOW! em, Braden and So This Is What It's Like.....

Braden had a curriculum fair at school today. The school had sent a note home inviting the parents to come and see the displays the kids had made. So I went. I was kind of excited about it because I hadn't even seen Bradens project at all. All I knew was that he had done a report on World War II. and that he had printed up some pictures and things for this project. He'd also made a model of the U.S.S. Utah and asked Aunt Etta if he could borrow Uncle Kirks U.S. Navy uniform from World War II.





I walked into the gym at the Middle School and was a bit overwhelmed. There were lots's and lots of displays all through the gym. With people wandering through the gym looking and visiting with the kids about there topics. They had judges there as well. After finding Bradens display I waited for a few minutes because a judge was visiting with him about his display. After the judge left I walked up and asked Braden how things were going. "Awright." he drawled, as usual.


"So what did the judge ask you?" was my next question


"He asked me what happened on Dec. 7th 1941" He said


What did you tell him?" I asked


"That I didn't know."


"BRADEN! What did Happen then?"


Chuckle, "The bombing of Pearl Harbor"


"you ever going to forget that?" I ask.


"Nope!" was his response.


And he won't!





Here I sit Blogging away when Chance comes running in the house.





"MOM The lamb got out!"





"Uh Oh!" Says I


I jump up and head for the garage door. The lambs are in a heat box in the garage. One of them isn't doing so well, but obviously one is and it has gotten out.





I walk into the living room and stop short,





When Chance came in to tell me the lamb was out, he'd left the Garage door into the house open and there stood a little lamb looking at me expectantly "Blaaahhhh!!!!!!"



So, I stopped and fed the lambs. Now the two healthy ones are out in the pen under the shed. Hopefully the little triplet will pull out of it and join them soon.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Happy Spring!!! Oh! Happy, Happy Spring!!!!!!!

O.K. It's hard to tell in these pictures but this is the weirdest snowstorm we've ever had in Wayne County. The snow flakes are actually falling vertically. Weird huh? Usually, they fall horizontally. At least that's the way it usually works here. One day last winter Roger called home from work, He works anywhere from an hour to three hours away from home, and he asked: "how'S the weather?" . I told him it was snowing, and he asked how much snow was on the ground. With out hesitation I replied. "I'd say we have a Wayne County foot of snow out there. " He started laughing because he knew exactly what I meant. first of all. It can snow all day long here and the majority of the ground will only have, at the most, an inch of snow on it. That's not a foot you may be thinking. Well.....no it isn't, but that snow has to go somewhere, and it's usually sitting in drifts of a foot or more all along the fences, or other likely drift spots. and not only that, when we do get an inch of snow, It lasts as long as any other places foot of snow. AND,It seems it never melts until June Rolls around and we are all wearing shorts and flip flops even though the temperature still only reaches Oh...... maybe 40 degrees, if we're lucky.
So, Yeah, you're looking at a Wayne county foot of snow.
HAPPY SPRING!!!!!