I'll cover my eyes...

Once again I waved good-bye as Rodi and KC drove away this morning... off to ride some bulls.  I guess I should make it clear, KC was going to ride a bull.  Rodi would like his wife to allow such nonsense, but I hear she is a real meanie about stuff like that.  If you run into her though don't tell her I told you that.

If you recall from yesterday's post, KC found himself in the ER getting stitches in his finger.  I thought maybe that would keep him off the bull today, no such luck.  He rode, he fell, he got back on and rode a second time.

I'll cover my eyes, you tell me when it's over.

He has been dreaming of riding bulls since he was three years old.  I was hoping that one good fall would be enough. He could say he has been there, and done that.  Apparently it takes more than one good fall.  He wants to ride again next weekend.  This was just a "beginners" bull.  For me it would be a beginner and an ender, but that's just me.  Apparently KC and I don't share those same genes.  

Looks like he will ride again.  I will wait patiently by the phone.  Waiting for the message from Rodi that all is well.  I just can't watch.

"Where Everyone Knows Your Name"

"Where Everyone Knows Your Name"

It may be the local pub for some, as depicted in the '80's sitcom Cheers.  We don't drink so that would be awkward.  Where is it exactly that we go where everyone knows our name?  

Yes, Church would be a correct answer but not what I was going for.  I know a few of you were so excited that you knew that answer.

So where is it?  Are you just dying to know?  Maybe I should just skip this tale and tell you all about the egg our hen provided us yesterday.  That makes two eggs folks, two!  We really are very excited.

  

Oh, you don't really want to hear about our hen and her ability to save herself from becoming dinner with her egg laying ability?

Fine then, I guess I will get back to the point.  

I had to take KC into the ER for some stitches, three stitches to his fingertip. The nurse at the desk looked up and immediately asked how Koen was doing!  

It is official, I think we really will have our own wing there soon.  The person who comes in to gather the insurance information doesn't have to do much typing when we come in, it's already in the system.

Never step on a rusty nail with rubber boots on... or well, just don't step on a nail.  That was a mess that took 3 weeks to fix.  Poor kid.  

Falling off a horse is not recommended either.

Wish I could tell you what this one was all about. I could kick myself for not giving  a good description when I saved it on my computer.

I know I don't have any pictures of KC or Kate on here but trust me they have had their fair share of incidents.  Kate just barely missed out on stitches to her lip last Monday.  It was a nasty cut but we avoided stitches with that one.

Needless to say we spend WAY TOO much time getting to know the medical staff in our county.  It is nice though when we walk in and the staff greets us with a smile.

Tricky, tricky

If there is an animal bound and determined to escape, it is Jack.  He is 16 months old and is currently for sale.  I think maybe he knows he is for sale.

See him just pretending I am not there.

So cute, but so ornery!

It really isn't his fault.  We need another line of electric fencing just a bit lower.  

Still he is the only one who goes through the barbed wire to get out.  

Does that make him brave?

He gave KC a quick run through the neighbors pasture.

KC is a good cattle herder though, he quickly had Jack headed back across the road.

Soon he was back where he belongs, sharing a mid-day snack (the bait) with Gypsy, and telling the tales of his fun on "the outside".  

I tried to tell them it wasn't polite to talk with their mouths full, but they live in a barnyard, pretty sure those rules don't apply.

I will miss my Jack when he finds his new home.  

He really can be the life of the party.

After the Storm

The storm has come and gone.  I am glad it waited to pass through until my evening activities were done. I opened the blinds on the bedroom window this morning looking out towards the pasture.  The horses were running in the cool morning air.  I watched them for a minute or two before grabbing my camera to share the moment with you.  Too bad the moment was over by the time I grabbed the camera.  *sigh*  

I had to settle for this picture instead.  Rosebud is giving me the stare-down.  I think she is trying to tell me that when I let people take pictures of me running, I can take pictures of them running.

Now I have to go bake some bread.  It wasn't on my "to-do" list until I read this post .  Now it is at the top of my list, and I am sure when you read about this scrumptious loaf of goodness it will be at the top of your list too.

NO JOKE!!!

I came home from a youth activity tonight to the tales of the mouse in our house.  That's right folks a mouse in our house.  

I assumed that they found it.  

I was wrong.  

I was told it came scurrying in when the door was opened for Husker to come back inside.  

Koen even told me how it jumped on his back.  

Well Carley J and Rodi quickly told me Koen was telling tales.  Apparently it was his favorite one of the night.  Rodi said Koen had hopped on a chair and was screaming when it came in.  Of course Rodi wasn't actually part of the welcoming committee, so he had yet to see the mouse.

Being the warrior that he is I thought Husker chased the rodent down and showed it who the boss is around these parts.  

Wrong, yet again.

I was told there was a search.  The search didn't end in the outcome I had hoped for.

We sent the kids to bed. I didn't want to retire to our room knowing the mouse was very well lurking in there.  I figured I would be safe once I crawled in bed though.

 The storms rolled in.  We found ourselves in a tornado warning.  The kids came downstairs to sleep on the floor. 

*Oh, you only think you know where this story is headed.*

I was catching up on the laptop getting caught up on things in the land of blogs and Rodi was fast entering dream land.  I heard some scratching and looked over to see what was bugging Rodi.  I didn't see anything.  I heard it again.  I looked over to see if he was scratching his head and his ring might be brushing against the headboard. Nope.  Just as I turned to look back at the blog I was reading  I saw two little paws, and two little eyes peering OVER the headboard at me!!!!  

I squealed. 

 The little rodent hopped across the headboard, hit the wall, landed on the lamp, jumped onto the floor and was gone!  I screamed for Rodi to get up, the kids are in the other room ON THE FLOOR!!!

Carley J heard my not so quiet discovery and was now up asking what was going on.  I told her what had happened and asked her to help look for the little guy.  There we were searching high and low, trying not to wake the other kids. 

 It only took a minute or two when she declared "there it is!"

I did a quick turn around and was astonished when I saw it sitting atop a chair in our living room.  

Why was I so astonished?  

It wasn't a mouse! 

 No, there was not a mouse in my house.  

There was however a FLYING SQUIRREL!

I wish I had been able to get a better picture, but in a situation like this you only get one shot and I missed it. *sigh*

Rodi knocked it off the chair and scooped it up in a empty container.  I quickly followed him to the door where he released it.  Poor thing was still a bit dazed from being knocked to the ground.  Even more unfortunate for the dazed and confused creature, Husker followed us outside. See what a warrior he is when the enemy is seriously disadvantaged.

 So now there will be a funeral for the flying squirrel tomorrow.  

In the morning a few people will be saying "I'm Sorry" to my sweet and honest lil' man.  Koen was most likely telling the honest truth when he said the "mouse" jumped on his back. Poor Kid, mama is going to give him an extra big hug.

Update from the Nursery

Our little trio

As you can see the one in the middle isn't filling out quite as much as the other two.  The good news is that we witnessed this cutie pie nursing on Lillie two different times today.  *smile*

And look who decided to open their eyes today!

Another one ready to view the world through open eyes.

You can't really tell in this picture, but even the lil' one is peeking out at us.

All in all today has been a good day in the nursery.  Hopefully they just get better and better.

*Egg Report.... ZERO eggs today.  It is okay though, I am still on cloud nine with yesterday's eggciting day!

Party in the Coop!

I think all this talk about those swimming hens did the trick.

When I arrived home this afternoon I stumbled across this scene:

Look close, how many hens do you see with Bogart?

There are only three of them. It would also appear that they are very interested in the noise coming from the coop.  There was a lot of scratching going on in there.  

It suddenly occurred to me that there might be some egg laying happening today.  Whoo Hooo!  I had to stop myself from becoming too excited.  I have been let down before.

Soon I saw this:

The hens looked completely in awe of what their gal-pal was doing, while Bogart was being too polite to watch.  

Such a gentleman.

I patiently waited, peeking out the window to see if she was still in the coop.  As soon as she was no longer in the coop, I went to investigate.

It was like winning the lotto!  Ok, I don't really know what that feels like, but I am sure it is close.

*Side note, I am wearing the apron because I was doing dishes... by hand.  As I type this though, Rodi is installing my new dishwasher!!!!*

"Who's the hen?"

"I'm the hen!"

Doesn't it just make and "eggtastic" addition to my centerpiece?  

Okay I didn't leave it there.  I was good and put it in the fridge.  I am hoping it has friends in the fridge SOON!!!!

Rainy Day

There is a misty rain falling outside.

Most of the animals are taking shelter where they can find it

This is Fancy.  See her fancy horns.  We don't want her to feel like her horns are inadequate.  She should instead feel like her horns are special. Maybe even beautiful.  So we call her Fancy.  Fancy was hollering at me this morning for some hay.  This girl can MOO!  I had to look twice to see who was doing all that talk out there.  What she may lack in horns, she has more than made up for in the vocal department.

Good Morning Sunshine!  Sunshine arrived here with Big Mama and Fancy.  They are quite the trio.  I refer to them as the old ladies.  They were born in the mid 1990's.  They are great cows (Zebu).  They just do their thing and mind to their own business...eating the grass.  

"Shhhh... she'll never find us under here"

See what I have to put up with!  The hen squad would rather find hiding places than lay eggs!

I googled the "Home Circus Hens" this morning (see my previous post).  Now I HAVE to have these hens!  Their laying days may be just about over, but check out this picture!!!  They swim in the pool!  HAhahahaha!!!  What do you think my kids friends would think if they came over for a swim in the pool and the chickens joined them!  Oh my belly hurts from laughing so hard.  

Giggles

There were a few happy moments for me today.  It wasn't all gloom and doom.

First there was this post on facebook from my sister:

"You know that you have really made it to super mommy/wife status when you are: being bludgeoned by a fake sword, asked to look at a book and help with a word, while being asked how you cook something....all while on the toilet!"

I busted up laughing when I read it.  With my youngest now five years old, I actually get to be in the bathroom alone.  That doesn't mean that I don't get followed right up to the door as I am RUNNING in there for some me time (ha-ha).  Oh and the questions that I am expected to answer while I am in there... crazy!  I had to comment on her post and welcome my lil' sis. to the club.

The next thing that had me rolling in laughter, a craigslist post entitled:

Laying Hens from Home Circus that can SWIM!!

Rodi insists I should get these hens.  They would fit right into our "Circus".  Plus the post says they

"lay brown eggs where you want them."

I would just be thrilled to have hens that LAY EGGS let alone lay them where I tell them to!!!

Last but not least....

My cousin Chris married a wonderful woman named Sarah.  Sarah has a great blog that makes me smile each and every time I read it.  

A few days ago she posted this little beauty about my all time favorite school lunch growing up, chili and cinnamon rolls.  This was by far the best creation LPS ever came up with.  

I was talking to Rodi about her blog tonight and I mentioned how she wrote about the fact that cinnamon rolls do indeed go with chili (at least in Lincoln, Nebraska), when he says "They most definitely do!  I had chili last night and you didn't give me a cinnamon roll to go with it.  Where is my cinnamon roll?"

OH, I was rolling in laughter.  I don't even know if his school lunch ever consisted of that magical duo.  I do know however, my husband loves a good cinnamon roll.  It was quite possibly very wrong of me to even bring them up in conversation.  I make cinnamon rolls.  I make the most delicious, and fattening cinnamon rolls.  In order to keep our waistlines in check, I only make these rolls at Christmas.  They have become our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.   

Rodi was deployed last Christmas... it has been almost 2 years since he has had one of my cinnamon rolls.  

Yeah, not nice of me to bring up cinnamon rolls with Christmas still 2 months away.  

I did get a good giggle out of it though.  

Is that wrong?  

Nah! 

Onions

Having a bad day? Need a good cry? Don't want people asking what's bothering you?

 Grab an onion and start chopping.

At least that is what I told a certain daughter of mine today when she had to bury another baby bunny.  Sadly her mama rabbit isn't really loving her new role in life.  This is the fourth bunny funeral this week.  We are doing everything we can to encourage some mama and baby bonding.  I have been searching and searching online for any advice I can find.  The babies will only be 10 days old tomorrow and everything we have read says that they are just too young to attempt formula feeding.    I am really hoping that the three babies that are still hanging in there make it.  One is extra chubby, I think he/she is hogging all the mama time.

It was raining today, and my poor darlin' just couldn't bury this little bunny.  Her heart was just beyond broken.  Rodi to the rescue.  He took care of the baby bunny for his sweet girl, while she helped me chop the onions.  When someone came in and asked what was wrong.  I quickly jumped in and declared "Nothing is wrong, she is chopping onions.  Everyone cries when they chop onions."   To which the reply was "Oh".

By the time the onions were chopped the burial was complete and we were able to move on to the rest of the meal. We She made the most wonderful creamed chicken served over noodles.  I let her be the first to use my new pot, because I am that kind of mom. 

Isn't it a beauty!

So just remember when you are having a bad day, and need a good cry,  grab and onion.  They really can be a great solution.

BUSTED!

Who says the grass is greener on the other side?

JACK DOES!!!

Looking at Tonka in the background, he thinks it looks pretty lip smacking good.  

Dodge (Mr. Innocent) is trying to tell Jack that he is busted. Jack is too "bull-headed" to care.

At least he didn't crawl all the way through, as he has in the past.  I didn't feel like a round-up today.  Bless his heart, he wanted to be nice to me today.

Can't watch...

I can't watch, so I stayed home.  

My not so tiny, firstborn, went to see a man about a bull today.  If he were just going to talk to him about buying the family a new herd bull, I think I could have made the trip.  No, my son was going to see a man about riding a bull.

I still can't breathe.

He has wanted to ride bulls since he was a tiny 3 year old just out of diapers. He new all the riders on the PBR tour and even the names of the bulls.  Most other kids his age didn't even know what the PBR was.  

Peanut Butter and Rasins????

*Sigh* He will be turning 14 in January and his dream is still to ride a bull.

Rodi saw an add... he made the call... and now my son will finally get to see what it feels like to be on a bull.

Today was supposed to be just talk and some mechanical bull riding.  

I checked my e-mail a few minutes ago and found this picture waiting for me:

That my friends is NOT a mechanical bull. 

I have been told there was no riding involved, just some sitting. *Wheeew!*

I am thinking this activity is a great father and son thing.  When it comes to bull riding I am pretty sure this mama's heart just can't handle it.

I must let you all know that I love this bull rider -to-be of mine.  

I can't wait to hear his tales of today's experiences.  

I just can't watch.  

The Finish Line!

So are you ready to see my search for the perfect background to be over?

I know I am!

I am going to continue to study up and learn how to make my very own template.  Until then I do believe this is the layout that made the final cut.  

Thanks for your patience.  You have all been so kind, not yelling at me, insisting that I stop the ever changing backgrounds.  At times I had flashbacks to my childhood days, when my dad would spin me round and round on the merry-go-round.  All is fine on the merry-go-round until.... it stops. I had to find a background I liked TODAY.  My head and stomach couldn't it anymore.

Anyway, I just wanted to say, the search is over.  The next background you will find here will be one made by little ol' me.  So I hope this background doesn't make you ill. You will be seeing it for a while. *smile*

Thirty-Five

It finally happened, I turned 35.  I knew the day would come, I even lost sleep over the thought of it.  I am not sure why.  Maybe it wasn't even the thought of turning 35 that was keeping me awake?  Maybe, just maybe it was insomnia?  I hear that can happen as you age.  

When someone in our house has a birthday they get to eat the meal of their choice for dinner.  Nothing pleases me more than a great tin-foil dinner cooked out back.  I wasn't going to be home Wednesday night (my birthday), so we lit the fire on Tuesday instead.

and what a fire it was!

It was one HOT fire. Yeah, yeah, I know a fire is supposed to be hot.  This one however, was exceptionally hot.

Finally, we had coals for cooking!

Easy clean-up in the kitchen. I love that.

We even threw in some apples.

Of course there was butter, cinnamon, and sugar involved in that *smile*

Of course you can't have a bonfire without S'mores!  Who cares if you already had sugar coated apples with dinner?  Basically it was like eating cinnamon applesauce as a side with dinner.  Right?

 This is Carley J.  She is anticipating her double dessert dinner.  How can it be wrong?  It is like cake and ice cream, except it is baked apples and s'mores.  Okay it is a little different, but just go with it.  Thanks.

AHHHHHH He was slimed!  Attack of the Mega Marshmallow, coming soon to a theater near you.

Yep, definitely my child.  She is smiling in anticipation and she hasn't even finished putting it together.

 Sure looks as if it was as good as she had hoped it would be.

 And this my friends says it all.  My birthday wish come true, my kids all giggly and happy.

I promise Kate was there.  I know I saved a picture with her in it.  It must still be on the camera.  It really is hard to get all four of them in the same picture frame when you are shooting candid shots.  When I find it, I will share it with you.  She wasn't attacked by the Mega Marshmallow... or maybe she was?  Hmmmm.....

If you were wondering....

Still no eggs!  See that confused look on her face?  I just told her she could lay eggs.  I am not sure she knew.